Canadian Railroads > F-Unit Friday - CP's Canadian Caught in a Pan Shot

The west end of Ottawa and into Bells Corners was characterized by a right of way what was well-elevated above the ditch, then squeezed by a tight line of poles and trees; 3/4 wedge country. One exception was the east side of Cedarview Road in Bells Corners, where CN had a passing siding on the Beachburg Sub, and also a short siding where freight could be transloaded onto trucks, for example. Given the predictability of CP #1, The Canadian, and the fact that it was pretty much the same consist every day (ho-hum), I set up here to try a pan shot. I had seen pan shots, but didn't know the technique, being new to the hobby. I stumbled into it a few months earlier when photographing a train just after sunset, but it wasn't until this day I set out to do it in sunlight. FP9A 1409 was doing the honours, assisted by FP7A 4071 at 1355 on August 23, 1976. There is an element of deception to this photo; the apparently flying train has things nicely under control, given that it's about a quarter-mile from Bells Junction and the medium-to-clear signal that will allow it to take the turnouts onto CP's Carleton Place Sub. It's on K64, 1/60 at f11; go 5"!
Fred

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Nice work.  The feeling of speed is there irregardless of how fast he was moving.

well done, moving chase pan?

Bob

robj Wrote:
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> well done, moving chase pan?
>
> Bob

Thanks. No, I didn't even drive then, so this is just me rooted to the spot, pivoting at the waist. Later on I discovered it was always a good idea to take a few "practice swings", so to speak, without hitting the shutter of course. It just got me into the idea of following through on the pan. This was after a few muffed attempts on later versions when I hesitated at the moment of hitting the shutter, so everything was in motion relative to the camera. I should post a fail some time.
Fred

Excellent ! Thanks for sharing. 

Beautiful shot, Fred-- pan shots are kind of hit and miss, and your "practice" pans paid off here for sure!