Nostalgia & History > Happy Thanksgiving - EL 2454

Happy Thanksgiving! 
Some of us may have wished to be able to "backstep" seven days to see an event covered in Trainorders, to borrow the "Lifeboat" and visit Roanoke in 1958 in order to enjoy some of the last days of steam, or even to step out of our warm apartment in the Dakota and photograph New York City's railroads in the 1880's. Odds are that we will never have the chance, but through photographic time travel, the past opens to us. 
As we share photos and videos, we invite others to stand beside us and see what we have seen. With movies and video, we can add both motion and sound. The feeling of "being there" becomes all the more real. I know that years ago, I never thought there would someday be a way to share photos, slides, movies, and videos globally, yet here we are in 2022 with this ability. I have chosen to use Trainorders as my time machine. Yes, I go to other sites but mostly contribute to Trainorders.
Here is an example...
It is an evening in September 1968 in Akron, Ohio. I have just picked up two new lenses for my Mamiya C-3 twin lens reflex camera, and I want to try them out. My 1967 Volkswagen takes me to where Voris Street in Akron crosses the EL, B&O, and the PC. Approaching me is a westbound EL freight. I hop out of the car, cock the shutter, check the f-stop and shutter speed, and manually focus. By now the train is upon me. Even though the day is cloudy, this works to my advantage because this train would have been backlit. I freeze into one position and press the shutter release.
It is only then that I realize this is a once-in-a-lifetime action photo. Here are an EL ALCO C-425, ALCO FB, an EMD F7B, an ALCO PA, three EMD E8A's, a freight car , and finally an EMD F3A!
Everything is not over, for I have to go home, carefully develop the negatives, and enlarge and print a photo.
Because the technology had not been invented yet, I had no way to make a photo such as what you see. This took an Epson scanner, Lightroom, and Photoshop to create this photo. Through Trainorders, you are standing next to me and enjoying the wonder of this scene. We look at each other and realize we have shared a never-to-be-repeated moment in time.
This is what photographic time travel is about.
As you post, just think of all the Trainorders family standing beside you in the world's largest photo line, and nobody steps out and ruins your photo!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Bob
P.S. Now what will you share?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/22 22:46 by refarkas.

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Thank you Bob for the photo and the story.  I hope that you have a very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Second that motion! A terrific image and story. World's largest photo line - I like that! Happy Thanksgiving, Bob, and thanks for your many posts and contributions.

MC

What a lineup - great shot !
Gary

I've seen some pretty outrageous EL consists before, but this one definitely goes to the top of the list ! Thank for letting us all stand beside you in that photo line.

I'm thankful for YOU.
Great shot!

Thanks for sharing. If the crew got paid by total loco weight (some RRs did it that way), they hit the jackpot.

Victor B.

Bob, great photo and story!

refarkas Wrote:
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> P.S. Now what will you share?

Using the Photographic Time Machine, you are standing beside me on a Sunday afternoon in June of 1974.  We are watching C&NW train #495 grind up the grade west of Rochester, Minnesota with a C425 slug set - RS3 -RSD4 power consist.  After arriving back home in eastern Wisconsin, I would process my film and view my weekend's catch.  I call my computer and scanner the "Digital Darkroom" as I can adjust exposure etc. just like I did in the darkroom back in the day.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Dennis

 

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Awsome Photo Happy Turkey day

Dennis, Thanks for the C&NW photo. I had several chances to photograph the CNW in the 1970's. This is one of their best lashups I have seen.
Bob

Wonderful material, both words and image. Thanks for the look and Happy Thanksgiving wishes to you.
—Mac

Very nice! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Tom

Quite the photograph. Thanks for sharing.