Life and Times of a urban railfan

       This morning the air was amiss with the dampness from the fog and the impecting rain that began to fall. It was almost a year ago that life seemed to filled with happier times times I thought would at least continue. While I waited on my usual trains I see the Q138 and the Q355 I began to think of this day. I was somewhat new on my job and new to my morning routine on watching trains When I saw the Q137 with it's train in tow. Q137 with the Sun rising While I went on into work Satisfied I was able to see this one train,the day would only begin to get better as I was able to see Five more trains that day prior to being picked up for what would be one of my most memorable days The last two Trains I saw that day was Q253 and the Q299. Q299 As the Q299 rounded the corner with a former Conrail unit leading I set my camera to capture the moment in time. I knew time was winding up as I got a text my friend was getting close to picking me up, I watched the 299 roll by m

            I owe my regular followers a apology for not posting for last week but I had a rough week and a half. That Monday I had a personal matter that turned south and has kept me feeling down even up till today, but what happened next was the main culprit in keeping me out of the train game for a good week and a half. Monday I began by getting my night shot perfected from the angle I wanted to shoot from. Early Morning at University Curve  But what was to come was really some things I did not want to experience, that afternoon the personal matter (one of the heart I will only say) turned south I came home and went to bed early, heck I even think I beat the Chickens to bed. About 7 that evening I was given some Chicken and cabbage, but not feeling up to eating I laid in bed and left it out till 3:30 am Tuesday morning. Well Tuesday I after eating the rancid cabbage (unbenounced to me about this potential danger) I went trackside the usual morning time before work where I s

     One thing besides I don't know when to quit that can be said about me is I like to take on tough if not impossible challenges. One challenge facing some railfans is night photography while the aspect is hard in itself, it has it's other challenges like personal and physical safety, accessibility to certain areas  along with the fact of lighting, and the weather all play into the factors. This is some of my early work while I was learning the basics and still am learning the total aspect of the night photo hobby. Below is one of my early long exposures of a B&O Signal here in Akron. CPL @ Night Now for the Most part I follow or try to follow what I call the 3S system I came up with which basically is Safety,Scope, and Simplicity The first being safety I always search the area out in daylight first to note the type of neighborhood, ground conditions and make note of any holes, low lying objects that can cause tripping hazards, and any other safety hazards I als

 In the movie Earnest scared stupid there was a Quote by Jim Varney saying he never Knew when to quit, Just ask my fourth grade teacher. Well my friend this could be said about me I just don't know when to quit this past week has proved it if anytime in my life hasn't. After a Great weekend of fanning I went out to start my long exposures and wound up bagging this shot, and being told it was my best one yet, I feel it could be better. First Long Exposure of 2015    The next day yielded rain and Three trains in the early morning I saw the Q276 and later that afternoon here came the Akron Barberton Cluster Ry with the Z642 crew  seen here in the same curve as above. Z642 with a short Train in tow Shortly after Him Q137 was reversed by the dispatcher to run around our local crew I was able to catch him here Q137 running west on track 2  Wednesday Came one of my personal Favorites, Fog,  I went out early that morning and caught three trains a empty coal train the

        Tonight as I write about my week it is been almost a full half of a year since I have been out of my little city life for train watching. While it is been a challenge trying to adjust to a life I knew before I got what I thought was my  biggest blessing I wanted only to find I might still lose it ( I am not going too much into it personally) but it has driven me crazy this past week and it only has been a full week since but this is why I am keeping myself focused on my other love and passion, trains. After a typical non- train weekend this week only yielded me three trains locally. Not feeling like even being bothered I left from work and took my co-workers advice to go trackside, I meandered my  way through our parking lot. As I reached the next street I heard Q372 call exchange with a HLCX leader Boy did that perk up my ears I rushed the 750 yards on my bike and climbed upon a 5ft high snow pile getting my camera set up with filters and settings within about 30 seconds, I

   It was the last Saturday in July of 2013 I remember the day vividly. The weather and the trains was less than desirable, for most of the day it was a cloudy, drizzly mess. The CSX was slow except for a eastbound coal drag and me and my buddy Dave was waiting out if the ABC crew was going to move the Buckeye Lady ( a Wheeling Executive car of some kind) back to the Wheeling. Well as it would Have it we hear the Z641 call out to the CSX IO dispatcher  and ask for permission to the W&LE connection off the CSX at MP128.9  After getting permission the crew began to make the move (unknown to us at the time) with the Buckeye Lady in Tow. Our Eastbound Coal Drag Now before I continue about our special move I would like to give you a little background into the Z641. This is a usual local move made by the Akron Barberton Cluster Ry or (ABC Crew) from their yard in Barberton over the CSX to the Wheeling and Lake Erie  (W&LE) connection and up the W&LE tracks to the yard ove

       Today I am taking a little trip down memory lane, I live along the CSX Newcastle Sub Which begins in the CSX's Newcastle yard in Newcastle PA and ends in Greenwich Ohio at MP.192. For the most part the entire sub is a mix of urban and rural settings and provides the some of the best scenery one could ask for. While having a great mix of scenery, and spots to shoot from one of the best tings that the sub offers in my opinion is the fact we get a lot of foreign power. For the most part I have Seen BNSF, UP,CP And any other odd power mixed in I have also seen pictures others have gotten of KCS and others to name a few. Now although some of these trains are the usual CSX trains, the majority of them are on K or dedicated unit trains and add a nice treat to the usual trains I photograph. K053 Rolls west on a sunny Sunday Afternoon  While it is a nice Privilege to see the pumpkins as I call them roll through on the unit trains, it is a nice treat when they stick around for