Steam & Excursion > Pere Marquette #1225 North Pole Express 2018 (photos)

A week before Christmas I was at the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Michigan for the the last weekend of their North Pole Express excursions.

Instead of the cold and blustery winter conditions with wind driven snow and ice that I have become accustomed to, there was instead thick fog most of the weekend and usually warmer temperatures; which gave a cinematic look and feel to many of the scenes. 

I thank everyone in the SRI family who comes together every holiday season to host an amazing string of sold out events; not a better way to be transformed into the true spirit of Christmas. Follow the link below to my gallery of images from the weekend.

Link to Photos

Enjoy,
Matthew

OMG !
Where did you find your Time Machine !
Those are absolutely spectacular pictures !

DaveL

Matthew is a pro. Simply the best steam photos time after time again.

Simply put........BEAUTIFUL !

What a wonderful set of photos . .  we do the Polar Express up here in Vancouver BC but we don't have #1225- waaaah!

Craig
mcmrailvideos.com

Moody, moving, evocative, BRILLIANT!  Felt like I was there.

Absolutely the finest steam series I have ever seen.  Thank you for sharing it.

-John

So many of us would want sunny/clear 3/4 shots.  But you took the hand that was dealt and played it in to a winner.  Your mind is amazing to see all of that.  We are fortunate to have you sharing.

Thank you everyone for both taking the time to view my images and to comment on them!
In past years I have been lucky enough to catch #1225 running in falling snow, ice, and rain.
This year's fog was a fun challenge; so thick that much of the background elements were completely obscured; making the compositions much more simple and uncluttered, and in a few cases looking like steam heated passenger coaches from years past.
Matthew

 

Stunning indeed!!! What a spectacular set of pictures! I like the look of 1225 with the flying number boards. That said, put coal boards on her for additional fuel for all I care. I’d love her just the same.

Posted from iPhone

Thank you for sharing these! You make some wonderful images!

SRK

Steve Krause
Chillicothe, IL