Strasburg July 11th

[styckx]

I'm going to post these here now and Ed can do whatever he wants with it when he makes changes. Athough it looks as though this forum will probably just be renamed.

I got a busy day tomorrow, so posting day 1 shots now. No post processing here (editing) except a quick developing in Lightroom.

I should have re-developed this one but meh.



So happy I got this shot as the bell was at it's highest point in its swing.







I might have to make a 4th trip this year to see 7312 back under steam. She's been out service for a bit getting her running gear totally rebuilt and I think they just went ahead and checked her boiler and everything else so they don't need to worry about bringing her in for awhile.









A look down in the yard from my motel room



My home for this evening.

[Shortliner]

Nice pics! How much do those Caboose rent for?

[styckx]

Depends on the room. Can range anywhere from $50 in off season, to $112 in summer peak and the room you get. This one was a bit expensive cause it's a family caboose, but it's closest to the Wifi signal. :) One thing about coming here, N-E-V-E-R make a trip during a Thomas weekend (unless you have a kid). It's pure madness.

They aren't bad rooms considering they're cabooses, not the best thing in the world, but really it's a caboose you're expectations shouldn't be high in the first place. :) Scuse my mess.

[buzz456]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

Buzz

[Hawk]

Got the new forum created and moved your thread here.

Great shots by the way.

[styckx]

Here is the first batch of new stuff. ( took A LOT of photos today)

Next sets (after the next few posts) will be complete walk arounds (including cabs) of a PRR Steamers, Tank Engine and two little switchers. I plan on sending the full size of these collections to RSC for possible U.S. models. I know they have a hard time getting a lot of reference photos so I kept them in mind when there was cab shots available to document the entire locomotive as much as possible.

Heeeeeeere we go.

Woke up at 8 and was down at the station at 8:30 for morning activities.

Usually this is blocked from view as cars park in front of it.





Walking down to the engine shed and #90 is out and her driver goes through his check list prepping her for the day.





A fresh load of coal arrives.







#89 is just about ready to back out into the daylight.



More morning checks.



Continued in next post.

[styckx]

SRC #89 breaks out.







SRC #90 getting fueled up.





#SRC #90 backs up and gets her ash pan washed out and dumped.



Continued in next post.

[styckx]

While waiting for my noon shop tour I head over to the PRR Museum and head right for the out door display.





GG1 4800 Old Rivets. For those not familiar with the GG1, #4800 was the prototype and the only one built with rivets.







I did not write this.





Legendary









That's it for now. I need to go develop more, and I'll post the rest.

[styckx]

I'm skipping to my shop tour for now. IF anyone wants to see my complete walk arounds and cabs of 4 different locomotives let me know. It's a lot of photos. I have to develop them anyway to send to RSC.

The legendary Strasburg restoration shop. Easily the best of it's kind in the country. $25 gets you an hour tour. My previous two tour guides Mark paid todays tour guide $10 to give me a "good tour" (they always give good tours).

Tungsten lighting mixed with day light.. No tripod. Unless you bring along a nice fill flash, it's pure sniper like breathing to pull off these shots.









Dinkey #2. (1910 Plymouth) Derek said he would model it. So while I was here I grabbed some recent shots.













Continued in next post

[styckx]

SRC #7312 (the cab photo sitting outside belongs to this). They said she's about done but priorities are falling else where before they start putting her back together. Running gear overhaul and crown sheet replaced.











Their craftmanship is remarkable. They make nearly everything themselves.



LIRR #39





Inside of Colorado Railroad Museum's RGS 20



The secret Thomas The Tank Engine blue! ;)



Gotta love shop humor





Continued in next post.

[styckx]

I got to walk to the cat walk last shop tour. This was back about 3-4 months, but posting it here so you have a rough idea of the layout as I walk through. Not much has changed.



Over to the engine shed SRC #475 is out of commission getting a once over and some needed maintenance.





The coolest brake testing machine ever.





On my way home I stopped at a place not many people actually go to. PARADISE! This is the end of the line for Strasburg (4 miles down from the station). The electrified system you see is the Keystone Corridor. Here the engine disconnects, diverges around the coaches, reconnects and proceeds back to the station.

By this time, light was 100% not friendly to photography.





WHY did that pole have to be RIGHT THERE.



That's all she wrote folks. Unless you want me to post the insane amount of locomotive walk arounds.

[arizonachris]

Wow, fantastic photos, Sty. It would be amazing to work in a shop like that. Wish I could do that!

[qrfan3]

Ditto on Chris's comments Bill...superb shots of of Strasburg.... ...
Being an outsider, may I ask what is Strasburg about...I suspect a heritage group, but looks more " operational " some may say.
Also I take it...you are into photography as well, or is that part of your job.

[styckx]

Technically it is a heritage railroad, but.. They have carrier status. They do just enough freight business to keep their common carrier status and not have to pay higher taxes a tourist railroad would. All paid employees.

Their restoration facility is the second heart of that place. They are simply the best at what they do and many railroads hire them to build new parts for their equipment. Repair boilers, build new crown sheet, frame, build their own blow off valves, You name it, they build it. There really isn't much they don't build themselves. They even built parts for the UP Challenger.

[styckx]

Also I take it...you are into photography as well, or is that part of your job.

Into photography yes. Part of my job? Nope. Just a hobby I've been dabbling in for 15 years or so. Started out shooting in the mid 90's with a 35mm Sears SLR built in the 80's. So I learned the hard way. Manual mode, lighting etc. 35mm there was no "preview", you either got it or you didn't. So even with digital I shoot in full manual mode or tv/av and strictly in RAW format (digital negative).

My equipment is just basics, Rebel XS and Rebel XT (broken) kit lens and a 75-300mm zoom. It's just a hobby and I can't see dumping a ton of money into more expensive lenses at the moment. I make due with what I got, the only thing that really suffers is the sharpness of the shots due to the kit lens and noise at higher ISO's.

I've already cleaned up a similar shot to the first one I posted and another. That's the nice thing about RAW format. ;) It still can't get rid of pesky shadows though.