Steam & Excursion > UP 844 - Marlin, TX to Grandview, TX

Dad and I chased 844 from Marlin to Grandview, TX yesterday. Train was mostly running away from the light, but we made do with what we had to work with.

Here's a few photos.

First shot is at Marlin, TX
Second shot is FM 1860 south of Waco
Third shot is crossing a steel truss span south of Grandview on US 81.


Bradley Linda
Waco, Texas

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I particularly like your first shot, Bradley.

Regarding "running away from the light," I disagree with those photographers who insist that one must try to get the nose of the locomotive illuminated. I was once of the same opinion. In fact, in 1981, a bunch of friends of mine and I chased UP 844 + UP 3985 as they doubleheaded from Cheyenne west to Sacramento for the opening of the California State Railroad Museum.

The train made its first overnight stop in Green River, Wyoming. On the second morning, the guys in my car drove west out of Green River until we found a location where the nose of the train would be just barely illuminated. Little did we know that our more knowledgeable friends were all back at Green River, getting a spectacular, backlit (glint) departure shot.

Weeks later, when I saw one of the images from the Green River morning departure, I cringed. Although the image I recorded that morning was fine, it did not compare to the incredible image my friends had obtained, "shooting against the light."

In your first image, notice how visible are all the details on the side of the locomotive: wheels, rods, pipes, etc. When slightly backlit, these details are clearly visible because a shadow on the front side (the side facing the camera) gives the image a 3-D effect. Had the sun been over your shoulder, and the locomotive's nose been well-illuminated, the details on the side of the locomotive would tend to blend together.

I'll agree that you can pretty much shoot a steam engine under any light and make it look good if you know what you're doing, and 844 is the trickier of the locomotives I've shot since the elephant ears shadow the smokebox front way before other engines without them would be backlit.

Pump