good photo prop I thought. I focused on the train, however, as I didn’t expect her to stick around despite the confi- dence she displayed while approaching her observation post as her forward pointing ears indicated. Sure enough, as the engineer started sounding the horn for Elva’s only grade crossing, the ears flattened back quickly and she probably thought, “I’m outta here,” and bolted away from the track and train back to her stable in a hurry, tail trail- ing out behind her.
Now, here’s where we contemplate this apparent ritual that might take place twice a day, five days per week. Is this a younger horse that still hasn’t gotten used to the locomotive horn but just can’t stifle the curiosity she has about the approaching train? Perhaps this horse had just been purchased from someone else and was new to Elva and not acclimated to the passage of the train twice each weekday. Another explanation — maybe this equine was
just horsing around and putting on a show for myself and the train crew! My curiosity about this scene would bring me back to the tiny hamlet again to see if this scenario repeats itself. I did make it back to Elva on a fine July 2008 evening again chasing the northbound train. The Chestnut col- ored horse from my previous visit was nowhere to be found. Instead there was a pair of horses, a Paint and an Ap- paloosa mix. Again they regarded me briefly as I stood at the edge of the pas- ture but their attention was soon di- verted to the two GP15s leading the train. Unlike the former pasture resi- dent, these two held their ground swishing at flies with their tails as the train passed. Then they calmly went back to grazing on the unusually lush grass that was a product of a wet sum- mer. My question had been partially answered about this ritual at least in regard to these two equines.
A return to Elva found a Paint and an Ap- paloosa in the pasture, and these two horses were train-friendly, posing nicely for photos. When it comes to photography, luck often fa- vors the persistent.
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