After a very slow year of shooting last year due to a new job and working all the time, and a later start to this year thanks to the cloudy, rainy, generally shitty weather we have been having out this way, I finally managed to bag my first train of the year this weekend. I had planned on going to the Pokey and shooting CPLs but the weather would foil that plan as well. About 930a Saturday morning I got word that a 776 was on duty in Roanoke to head my way with a duo of EMDs and the spotless 1168 out front. The weather was still shitty but it was supposed to clear off that afternoon. I decided that a shiny EMD was worth shooting no matter what the weather so when he started getting close I packed up and headed north toward Brookneal. Clouds were still hanging low as he got his pusher but just before the train got to me the clouds parted revealing blue sky and sun.
Full size hi res stuff can be found here: http://southernrailsphotography.smugmug.com/Trains/Norfolk-Southern/Norfolk-Southern-2015/47123930_t6dp7r
The shiny 1168 and road grime covered 1041 lead southbound Shire Oaks, PA to Hyco, NC 776 off the hill at L43 on the Durham Line near Nathalie, VA.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsouthernrailsphotography.smugmug.com%2FTrains%2FNorfolk-Southern%2FNorfolk-Southern-2015%2Fi-984bzC4%2F0%2FM%2F_MG_5566-M.jpg&hash=f86b7f251bc7b3811a2351230a3dafd1f62a5a41) (http://southernrailsphotography.smugmug.com/Trains/Norfolk-Southern/Norfolk-Southern-2015/47123930_t6dp7r#!i=3840203361&k=984bzC4&lb=1&s=A)
After getting it at 43 I tried another spot around the 53 that didn't turn out as planned so I headed south toward Cluster Springs. I knew to get the shot I wanted I would have to shoot form the dark side of the tracks and down in the shade. It was the end of the chase anyway so I decide to take a gamble and I think it paid off very well. Heat and Exhaust fly as the pair of EMDs struggle to lug 14000 tons up over the hill at Cluster Springs. Its very evident in the shot how sharp the grade drops off at the top of the hill.
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsouthernrailsphotography.smugmug.com%2FTrains%2FNorfolk-Southern%2FNorfolk-Southern-2015%2Fi-Bd4JDpt%2F0%2FM%2F_MG_5586-M.jpg&hash=49ff90370de624f3d967b9cd2151531ea9e6a051) (http://southernrailsphotography.smugmug.com/Trains/Norfolk-Southern/Norfolk-Southern-2015/47123930_t6dp7r#!i=3840202312&k=Bd4JDpt&lb=1&s=A)
Paul
Good stuff....if you start the year like that, you know it will be a good one!