Glad I didn't throw away that old slide...

[Ponce de Leon]

The attached image is nothing to write home about, unless you saw how the original color slide looked. This is in the summer of 1968, and I used my dinky little tripod and Yashica viewfinder Electro 35 camera to try my hand at a time exposure one night at Andover, VA. The unit had poked its nose inside while they were changing out its brake shoes.

At the time, an amateur photographer like me could only make a semi-educated guess about exposure time. And, you had no idea if you got the shot or not until the slides came back from processing. In this case, however, I blew it big time. The slide was so incredibly dark, I'm amazed I kept it all these years. But keep it I did. Of course none of us could have conceived digital imagery or tools like Photoshop in 1968. I had been more fortunate on a few other time exposures...but not this one.

So---it's not a shot I would try to upload to Rail Pictures, or one you'll ever see in publication. But, I thought I would share it with you JREBers for your entertainment and amusement. This is how the Southern Railway looked back then. Yes sir, listening to the 4208 idle with its snout inside the shop was very cool.

Moral of the story: never throw anything away.

[butch]

I'd say it kind of takes me back, but I was to young then.  Cool shot.

[Bill Richardson]

Another thought somewhat akin to this is the thought that I wish I had made some photos at times.  In the early 1960s I was taken inside the roundhouse at the IC Railroad shops in Paducah.  If I remember right, there were some steam locomotives in there, the Mikado type.  I think that is the right term.  I looked, but made no pictures.  Did not take a camera. I had an Argus 620, with flash bulb attachment.  I sure wish now that I had taken it, and shot a couple rolls at least.  Sigh.

[Ponce de Leon]

I know exactly what you mean.

[dschlegel]

This is a really neat picture. If you have more I'd love to see them.
Thanks!
PA Dan