DAKOTAS RAILROAD MAPS BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Shortlines


Concise, clear maps of today’s railroading presented by subdivision for ease in following your favorite line.


Station index


Mainline Radio frequencies Detectors, major sidings & yards Major highways, rivers Sized to pocket or camera bag 4.25x11”, 62 pages


At your dealer, or direct: $12


Plus $2.50 S&H to US


Sonrisa Publications, PO Box 334, Raymond, WA 98577 www.djcooley.com


Railfanning In Weather


A westbound SP coal emptyreturns to the mines through Oak Creek on the Craig Branch of the “Moffat Line” in the Colorado Rockies in the 1990s. Heavy falling “oatmeal” snow can provide a dramatic train photo, but you will need manual focus and manual exposure, as all the heavy white stuff can fool camera and lens sensors.


GRAND TRUNK HERITAGE www.steamtrainvideos.com


By Philip R. Hastings


With the finest in steam power and ded- icated employees, the Grand Trunk Railway served as Canadian Na- tional’s gateway into northern New England for decades. Featuring the black & white work of Phil Hastings and others, this book shows magnificent Northerns, Pacifics and more in the last years of steam on the railroad (C00066) $11.95 + s&h


To Order Call: 1-888-526-5365 or on-line at www.carstensbookstore.com


Carstens Publications, Inc. 14 OCTOBER 2013 • RAILFAN.COM


THE SUBJECT THIS MONTH is being presented in time for the upcoming winter weather season. Weather?! If you read general inter- est photography magazines, you have no doubt seen the oft-stated admonition, “do not put your camera away on cloudy or rainy days.” The same advice can hold true with railfan photography. While you may usually avoid weather conditions if you are a full sun type shooter, there can be times when you may have to photograph under less than full sun. We’ve all been there — the train you are waiting on does not come until weather moves in, and you must get the shot, as you may not have another chance at this partic- ular train, locomotive or location. Or you are on a long distance railfanning trip and have to choose between shooting in weather or not at all, wasting the trip if the latter. There are three ways to approach railfan- ning in weather conditions. As mentioned above, you can grudgingly take the shot since this may be your last chance at the composition or subject. Or you can give up and wait for a sunny day. Both approaches can lead to missed or less than good photos. Or three, look at weather conditions as a chance for some dramatic or unusual photos. In fact, rain, sleet, snow, fog, mist and dark skies offer some great train photo opportuni- ties. Take a look at some of the weather pho- tos in contests and photo essays in railfan magazines, books and calendars and you will see what I mean.


Rain and Fog


What are the benefits of being trackside in less than full sun conditions? Let’s start with rain, which of course can be encoun- tered — and taken advantage of — in any season of the year, not just winter. While mild rainfall will likely be too light to record in the photo, a heavy downpour can add great drama to a train photo. Headlights gleaming off wet rails or from pools of water beside the tracks can add a nice touch. Pave- ment and rail yards will also glisten with a palette of reflected colors, either in daylight or with night time exposures, especially if red or green signal lights are reflecting in the scene. Misty or foggy conditions often are associated with rainy weather, and can add a moody look to your photos.


Dark Skies “Open shade” light under overcast skies eliminates extreme contrast, resulting in on- ly minimal shadows to show good detail in all areas. You can shoot any time of the day without having to worry about being on the shadowed side of your subject, or having high overhead harsh sun casting deep shad- ows on the trucks for your roster or equip- ment shots.


Snow


Snow can add drama to a train photo in sev- eral ways. On a clear day after a storm, fresh snow on the ground presents a beautiful


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