I have been waiting all winter for a good snow, and although we have been teased by Mother Nature a couple of times, it has been a rather dull winter for Kentucky.
That all changed this past Sunday (02/19/12), and Carmon and myself made the most of it. The weather people had really been talking up how much snow we where going to get all of that week, with steadily increasing predictions of 3 to 6 inches for most of the state. I was getting excited, and we where ready to go early Sunday morning...problem was, when we rolled out of bed at dawn there was not a single flake to be seen. After consulting with a good buddy who is about the only weather man I trust, we took his advice and headed South. I had not figured on going to far away from the house, but his predictions where spot on (Thanks again TJ!!)
By the time we got down to the Somerset / Burnside area, the snow had started. The further South we went, the heavier it got, and by 1:00pm, everything was covered in heavy, wet snow. Just to add to the fun, it was foggy in the valleys, and the roads where almost impassable at times. It seemed like the only things moving where the trains, and us. The afternoon proved to be very busy on the RR, and we slowly moved around trying to shoot as much as we could. The weather and total lack of sun also opened up the chance to shoot a lot of the Northbound's in spots that would not be usable if it had been a sunny day.
It turned out to be a worthwhile trip in the end. We both love to shoot in weather that others would not even think of getting out in, and came away with what I think is some decent material. With the way our weather has been, that might have been our only chance to see any snow this year....but you never know!
I added 20 new Images from the day to my 2nd District Pbase gallery, if yall want to take a look. Just follow this link http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/gallery/cs2nddistrict12_eb_ (http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/gallery/cs2nddistrict12_eb_)
Here are a few samples. The stuff at Pbase is a lot higher quality.
Northbound NS 114 rolls through the cut that bypassed tunnel #11, at Parkers Lake, KY
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS114_cumfalls021912.sized.jpg&hash=5ff99631f5dcda64dec2b910c6654a5c8e3a7861)
Heavy, wet snow clings to the tree's as 223 rolls South. This storm would knock out power to Thousands later in the day
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS223_parkerslake_021912.sized.jpg&hash=42007be7d33d2ab3c8f44b3985cdb2222fbb2215)
NS 168 dashes through the winter wonderland at Parkers Lake
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS168_parkerslake_021912.sized.jpg&hash=5f3cae99d66f2dd4abb709c2a76d696fda2a902c)
A loaded rail train sits in the new yard at Burnside, as a Southbound gets on the move after a crew change
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FBurnsidesnow_2_021912.sized.jpg&hash=1e4ed9d79d8648c431bbe99102e0ac8641ea38f1)
A Northbound rolls across the Cumberland River bridge in a mix of snow and fog. Not much was moving besides the trains this day.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FNS144_burnside_021912.sized.jpg&hash=d853820da53545a712bfa88293c74fac172efdaa)
Carmon is about the most colorful thing there was in the otherwise bleak landscape of Southern KY...this gives you an idea of just how crappy the roads got to!
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjreb.org%2Fv-web%2Fgallery%2Falbums%2Falbum51%2FCarmPlakesnow_021912_1.sized.jpg&hash=a980ba07aa93d5a71f69ef9b93036e4e1a429b4c)
Quote from: E.M. Bell on February 24, 2012, 07:26:22 PM
Carmon is about the most colorful thing there was in the otherwise bleak landscape of Southern KY...this gives you an idea of just how crappy the roads got to!
It looks like a typical winter day in upstate NY.
Please send some of that snow to Georgia... I love that rail train shot! Winter railfanning must be fun. I wouldn't know, though!
-Chip :)
Very nice shots EM
Awesome stuff, glad I was able to use all the personal and military weather training for something useful for once :-)
Quote from: Matt L on February 24, 2012, 08:03:01 PM
Quote from: E.M. Bell on February 24, 2012, 07:26:22 PM
Carmon is about the most colorful thing there was in the otherwise bleak landscape of Southern KY...this gives you an idea of just how crappy the roads got to!
It looks like a typical winter day in upstate NY.
P.S. Please don't take that as a slam. The pics have a nice "familiar" feel to them.... even though it's far away from NY.
Fantastic shots there Emmett. I figured you were down there enjoying those elements. If I didn't drive so many miles during the week I would have been there too. As the sun was coming out up here around Louisville I could see those clouds off to the southeast thinking that we had missed the snow just by 150
miles.
No offense taken Matt..you are right. Around these parts though, that qualifies as a blizzard! Folks around here get a might nervous at the slightest mention of a snow flake, and 4 or 5 inches is more than enough to shut things down! I think I am one of the rare one's that look forward to it, and cant wait to get out there.
Joe, you missed a good day, but it was looking hit or miss that morning. We came close to just sitting at home, but I am glad we took the chance and headed out. I probably would have called it a day by noon if TJ hadn't been so confident of what it was going to do.
We are headed back down that way in the morning to meet up with Doyle and John for another day shooting, but sadly without the snow..
Yeah man EM those shot are phenomenal sir! Some day you should have a lil Link museum yourself dude enough said simply breath taken