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Steam & Excursion > Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of Blur!Date: 02/18/21 03:54 Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of Blur! Author: LoggerHogger Not all steam railroad photos were razor sharp back in the day. Much of that was due to the slow film speeds that were only available in those days. However, there were some photos that may have actually benefited from the film's inability to freeze all action. This is one such photo.
Our un-named photographer was standing near the Southern Pacific's Martinez, California depot in October, 1941 when he saw SP #4315 and it's passenger train bearing down on his location. With the speed of the train approaching he did his best to stop her in her tracks on film but was not able to quite do so. The result was this wonderfully dramatic photo that really captures the drama of that moment. Well done! Martin Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/21 04:01 by LoggerHogger. Date: 02/18/21 06:41 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: MaryMcPherson A trick I like using from time to time to this day!
Mary McPherson Dongola, IL Diverging Clear Productions Date: 02/18/21 08:56 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: ExStarlightHog Did the train not stop at MTZ? I think the top speed through there was only about 40. Looks like an eastbound heading for the bridge. He wanted to get a running start for the steep climb.
Date: 02/18/21 09:25 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: Cumbresfan The picture shows the semaphore at the station in the stop position unless it has already dropped when the engine went by. Is it possible the engineer was still bringing it to a stop to better position the passenger cars?
Date: 02/18/21 10:04 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: 2-10-2 I'm trying to remember the particulars, but the blur in the first photo was due to the camera using a (vertical? horizontal?) focal plane shutter.
I believe it's accentuated by the closeness of the front of the train and its movement generally towards the camera, whereas the rest of the train further back, the amount of movement is less obvious due to distance I'm sure someone with Speed Graphic experience can explain it more clearly. Date: 02/18/21 10:28 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: PHall Cumbresfan Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > The picture shows the semaphore at the station in > the stop position unless it has already dropped > when the engine went by. Is it possible the > engineer was still bringing it to a stop to better > position the passenger cars? That's a train order semaphore, which is manually operated. And it's showing the stop indication for the opposite direction. Date: 02/18/21 11:42 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: JimBaker The STOP Indication on the TO Signal could mean "I have orders to hook up!"
Could it not? The coaches look different from any regular SP Train. Was this something like the Prospector or Pony Express? James R.(Jim) Baker Whittier, CA Date: 02/18/21 15:04 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: agentatascadero This appears to be the 49er, a train intended for two purposes.....to fill in for the COSF on days it did not operate, and to carry passengers to the Treasure Island Exposition of '39 and '40.
It consisted of modernized heavyweights, with an articulated pair of a Pullman and Pullman Observation cars. They were Pullman built in '35 to demonstrate the viability of lightweight equipment. The train ran from '37 to '41. It may have run non-stop between Berkeley and Sacramento. AA Stanford White Carmel Valley, CA Date: 02/18/21 16:36 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: MojaveBill I think they also ran on the Sunset Limited for a while...
Bill Deaver Tehachapi, CA Date: 02/18/21 21:52 Re: Sometimes It Helps To Show A Train Speed With Just A Bit Of B Author: PHall JimBaker Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > The STOP Indication on the TO Signal could mean > "I have orders to hook up!" > Could it not? > Yes, orders for the other direction. Not this train. Date: 02/19/21 08:09 Re: 49er Author: timz No doubt the 49er skipped Martinez.
Like he said, speed likely not more than 45 mph, so must have been shot at 1/100 sec or so. The blur is nothing to do with a focal-plane shutter. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/21 08:10 by timz. |