Steam & Excursion > One For Keystone1

It was May 7, 2016, and we were in Roanoke for mainline trips with Norfolk & Western 611.

The previous day, we stumbled across a location I had wanted to shoot but hadn't been able to find on the map: the "photographer's bridge" just below Blue Ridge summit.  No wonder I couldn't find it... the darn thing had been gone for years!

Saturday morning, we got hung in traffic getting out of Roanoke.  I made a bee line for the site of the former Blue Ridge station and dropped off Kurt and George before attempting to double back to the site of the now long-gone bridge.  No dice.  I'm pretty sure I saw Greg Scholl with a great view of it, but all I could do was set one foot out of the rental van and watch as the exhaust plume passed with a cacaphony of exhaust.  Well, there's always tomorrow.

The next morning, having already shot 611 passing the East End Shops, we set up on Blue Ridge Grade.  George got out at Bonsack, Kurt bailed at Webster, and I headed up to the site old photographer's bridge.

As I pulled up, there were already a few people there.  One was a local who stopped by to hobnob, and another had an honest to God movie camera set on a tripod.  I introduced myself, and recognizing the name from this site he introduced himself as Mike Eagleson, aka Keystone1.  I asked him if he was planning any camera motion.  Replying in the negative, I asked if he minded if I set up for a pan shot between him and the edge (I've always said first person there calls the shot first, and time for me to put up or shut up).  Go right ahead.

I set the tripod as close to the edge as it would go, with the feet on the remaining timber that once supported the end of the bridge.  Then I headed up a trail above the track and set up some sound gear before returning to the party.

Now, it could be fairly claimed that Keystone1 has been a polarizing figure here.  However, the person I met on Blue Ridge that day was an outgoing and friendly steam fan only too happy to swap tales with fellow travellers.  We had a nice visit while waiting for #611 and her train.  We would cross paths again; at Rossville, Georgia, waiting for Southern Railway #630 and #4501 to tackle Missionary Ridge Grade with a Tennessee Valley Railroad Summerville Steam Special.  Again, he had his trust movie camera to capture the scene.

So while you may not be able to join in on swapping tales, step into the moment with us on Blue Ridge Grade as #611 approaches in the distance at Webster and then hammers up the grade past our location.  Mike Eagleson is standing just out of frame to the right, with another photographer or two to his right (Mitch Goldman passed by below a while before, looking for his shot before trudging back up the hill).

This one's for you, Keystone1!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

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From Trains Magazine's Newswire:

GLEN RIDGE, N.J. – Famed steam photographer Michael A. Eagleson, who traveled the world in search of steam power as it retreated from service, died of complications of COVID-19 Jan. 6. He was in his late 70s. Eagleson was famous in the railway and steam locomotive enthusiast community, having traveled worldwide to witness and photograph steam in regular service....

Eagleson was close friends with fellow railroad and steam fan Victor Hand. The two met on a steam fantrip in Canada in 1959. “You never stopped laughing when dealing with Mike,” Hand recalls. “In all the years I knew him, we only had one disagreement I remember. We traveled extensively together overseas. He was one of my best friends. We had a lot of fun.

”Hand recalls a humorous story from 1969, when Ziel got the idea to rent a Ford Tri-Motor aircraft to pace Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 759, pulling the Golden Spike Centennial train. The idea was to recreate publicity photos from the 1920s when Transcontinental Air Transport ran coast-to-coast trips, using trains by night and Tri-Motors by day. “Ziel and Eagleson were in a Cessna, while I and some others rode in the Tri-Motor. Evidently, Ziel got sick, threw up,and the slipstream threw it back on Mike in the back seat. When we landed, they were hosing down the airplane!”

For the complete article (paywall alert)...Steam photographer Mike Eagleson dies - Trains

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/22 14:21 by MaryMcPherson.

Nice tribute, Mary.  Your description of him fits my experience with him as well.

Mary and All,
  Yes I was there on Saturday morning, along with Tom Kelcec and his mother.  We were the only ones there.  I had shot 611 here on its first run out of Roanoke in 1982, and a few years back actually used my photo on a video I did of 611 in the 80's.  Mike was not here in the morning when I was there.  The bridge where I saw Mike was on the return from Lynchburg on an existing private bridge near the summit, further east from where you were. Both locations are great spots.
  The place you have the video was famous back in the steam era.  Lots of photos here shot off the wooden bridge.  Back then there were no trees inside the curve, and you could see all the way around the curve to where it curved back to the right.  My dad even made a B&W shot here around 1957.  I remember it under the glass top on his desk years ago.  By the 80's everything was treed in, as are many 50's era locations today.  Thanks for the memory.  I am sure Mike would have liked it.  I mentioned Tom Kelce, and he and Mike were good friends.
Greg

Nice view of the trees,
The train doesn't show up until 3:39 minutes have elapsed.

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

Turn up yer volume. It ain't just about the picture. Geez...

Posted from Android

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

WOW>  Incredible video.  Yes it's all about those first 3 minutes. Incredible tribute.Thank you.

JimBaker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice view of the trees,
> The train doesn't show up until 3:39 minutes have
> elapsed.

Didn't you appreciate the GREAT sounds, i.e. whistle and exhaust, as the 611 approached? Having stood at that bridge, which is long gone, back in about 1957, and listened to the N&W Y and A class locomotives assault that hill, I really appreciate that video. You apparently have no really appreciation for steam sounds and a well done video!!!!

Excellent video and sound Mary!
-Jim Herron

MaryMcPherson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It was May 7, 2016, and we were in Roanoke for
> mainline trips with Norfolk & Western 611.
>
> The previous day, we stumbled across a location I
> had wanted to shoot but hadn't been able to find
> on the map: the "photographer's bridge" just below
> Blue Ridge summit.  No wonder I couldn't find
> it... the darn thing had been gone for years!
>
> Saturday morning, we got hung in traffic getting
> out of Roanoke.  I made a bee line for the site
> of the former Blue Ridge station and dropped off
> Kurt and George before attempting to double back
> to the site of the now long-gone bridge.  No
> dice.  I'm pretty sure I saw Greg Scholl with a
> great view of it, but all I could do was set one
> foot out of the rental van and watch as the
> exhaust plume passed with a cacaphony of
> exhaust.  Well, there's always tomorrow.
>
> The next morning, having already shot 611 passing
> the East End Shops, we set up on Blue Ridge
> Grade.  George got out at Bonsack, Kurt bailed at
> Webster, and I headed up to the site old
> photographer's bridge.
>

Wonderful reminder of railfan videography in action.  Thank you for taking the time to post this complete memory jogger.

As I watched your video, the word "Anticipation" from a Carly Simon song came to mind.  All of us that EVER shot steam train videos remember these personal experiences.

Well done.

Ron Beran


 

MaryMcPherson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Turn up yer volume. It ain't just about the
> picture. Geez...
>
> Posted from Android
Thank you Mary.  That's one of the best I've seen and heard.  I thoroughly enjoyed listening to 611 working up to the location as much as I did when it got int he picture.
I enjoyed a quiet 1 AM passage of 1522 working up Dixon hill and hearing her for a long time before finally showing.  I got off the engine at Cuba after running from STL, and drove our "company Jeep" from there to Springfield with my fireman.  This reminds me so much of that dead still night hearing her for miles.

A tribute he would heartily approve !!!   Thanks Mary and RIP Keystone 1.

      Ross Rowland 

Mike was a great guy and a real treasure.  His posts here will be missed.

Martin

Mary, thanks for the excellent video and tribute to Mike. Very well done! Loved hearing 611 working hard.

Posted from Android

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JimBaker Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Nice view of the trees,
> > The train doesn't show up until 3:39 minutes
> have
> > elapsed.
>
> Didn't you appreciate the GREAT sounds, i.e.
> whistle and exhaust, as the 611 approached? Having
> stood at that bridge, which is long gone, back in
> about 1957, and listened to the N&W Y and A class
> locomotives assault that hill, I really appreciate
> that video. You apparently have no really
> appreciation for steam sounds and a well done
> video!!!!

Great video!   Plenty of times I have stood along a grade and listened to the diesels reverberating through the hills getting louder until they pass by, but as neat as that is it can't hold a candle to a steam engine working uphill.   After watching (listening) to this, I can only imagine what it was like when steam was in regular service. 

The "sound" brings anticipation and then you see a steam engine in all its glory.  Really nice.  Thanks Mary.

MaryMcPherson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Turn up yer volume. It ain't just about the
> picture. Geez...
>
> Posted from Android

I enjoyed every second of it. Think of the joy of the sound if they would run these things at night while the talkative photograhers are asleep!

rick Z

Cole42 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
>
> Great video!   Plenty of times I have stood
> along a grade and listened to the diesels
> reverberating through the hills getting louder
> until they pass by, but as neat as that is it
> can't hold a candle to a steam engine working
> uphill.   After watching (listening) to this, I
> can only imagine what it was like when steam was
> in regular service. 

Sounds like this enchanted countless little boys and young men for 100 years. That's a long time. Its hard to imagine, but a recording like this can take you there. It took me three just now.

Posted from Android

Wow! A 20 car passenger train pulled by steam! A truly great video of a glimpse into the past!

Love the biginning of the sound and the steam whistle is the icing on the cake as they say. Nice work. Sorry for for your loss as well.