Nostalgia & History > Mean lean in those mean machines!

Here’s a classic ‘squat-shot’ executed by my friend Jim Watson. It is a technique I very rarely use. I can remember growing up in the 60s when the whole clan on my Mother’s side attended Thanksgiving Dinner gatherings in Abilene, KS. Family pictures had to be taken and one of my uncles just could not take a picture without squatting down to the ground. Or as close to it as he could get, trying for that low angle dramatic effect. Of course his photo subjects, the whole stampeding herd of us cousins would always try to mug for his camera. In the end there just wasn’t much drama in our faces with goof-ball grins and the occasional tongue sticking out.

As a developing railfan photographer in my early adult years I would see a fellow shooter squat way down for some shot. With a bit of a snort I would remember my uncle and have to turn my face away, lest the poor guy see my disrespectful smirk. But with this shot below I do believe Jim bagged himself a killer piece of RR drama! He perfectly caught the consist leaning into the main line curve at the top end of Marysville yard. It reminds me of those early 1970s EMD trade magazine ads, like you might find in Railway Age et al. EMD's boxy cab design leant itself very well to the exaggerated artwork in those ads.

Before the Marysville by-pass project was completed, the yard tracks ran virtually straight N-S. Which would make this a morning shot up at the north end, just before curving into one of the trestles spanning the Big Blue River. Bravo Jim, good show! And that darkening southwestern Kansas sky ups the drama ante just a bit…

1. UP 3515 leads a westbound manifest just departing the crew change terminal of Marysville, KS. Original Kodachrome slide taken not so very long ago on May 3, 1980 by James W. Watson.

Thanks for squatting*!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Jim Watson (UP6900)

*Now-a-days I doubt either one of us could perform a full squat shot without needing assistance from a Bucyrus-Erie crane to regain a standing position. Both of us have passed the age of 64, and I do believe one of us has reached 77! (oof-duh… ;^)



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/22 21:59 by santafe199.

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State-of-the-art power in 1980, captured very dramatically. Thanks for sharing.

Great shot.
I also did a squatting shot every once in awhile but with these knees no more !
Gary

I like the lean into the curve shot, nicely done!

Larry

All right Lance, I started squatting when I was a railfan babe in the woods. I assumed the position when I wanted to enhance the power of the train. I usually do not photo bomb another guys thread but I can't resist. Here is a shot taken by 14 year old me in 1965 on the Baltimore Belt Line. I was doing such an effective squat, the crewman in the cab probably thought I was taking a dump. I rest my case.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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Roadjob Wrote: > ... started squatting when I was a railfan babe ...
(LMAO!!!) Oh yeah... well ... I betcha yer 14 year old knees didn't make grinding noises when you stood right back up, neither!

> ... effective squat ... taking a dump ... (**speaking of bombs**... ;^)
(still snickering) In my 32 year career I remember tossing off cartons of drinking water many times.
But jeepers Wally, I can't recall a single time when I tossed off a roll of T-paper...

> ... photo bomb ...
Au contraire, Monsieur: Any time you can make me laugh like that, I say "BOMBS AWAY!!"

;^)



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/19 14:01 by santafe199.

Indeed bombs away is very appropriate.

Don Allender