Hoosier Valley/NKP #765 Railfan Photo Day

[bogray]

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum hosted Nickel Plate #765 and the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society at their wonderful facility in North Judson, IN. The two organizations combined for a photo charter featuring the big Berk and a train consist of vintage freight rolling stock. The organizers planned multiple runbys with surprise guests, lighted shop scenes and even a night photo shoot.

The day dawned damp as a thunderstorm greeted photographers boarding the train in La Crosse, IN at 0500 CDT. The rain subsided and the sun even popped out at the first runby location...but this was only a tease, as the clouds quickly returned and the rain came in buckets.

But the crew and the photographers persevered...the runbys were run, the vintage cars arrived, the shop was shot, lunch was served, more runbys ran and finally...the sun reappeared in time for a glowing Indiana summer sunset. After a long, soggy day; the hardy even returned to the depot at North Judson for the night shoot.

Many thanks to all the volunteers, staff and crew at both HVRM and FWRHS...and especially to Kelly Lynch for pulling off the event despite the challenging conditions.

1) A brief flash of sunshine lights the flanks of the locomotive and its reflection at Pitner Ditch near La Crosse, IN.
2) The first runby location of the day makes for a classic Indiana scene...High Speed Service indeed!
3) Back at the same location as the first runby, a vintage Hudson poses in front of the freight train as the sun takes a curtain call at sunset.
4) The sunset glow on the sides of the freight cars.

 

[bogray]

A few more images from the HVRM/FWRHS Railfan Photo Day.

1) 765 roars past the Hudson at English Lake, IN.
2) Despite the slogan on the caboose, the slow freight has created a bit of a traffic jam outside the general store at English Lake...a Studebaker, a Packard and the Hudson jockey for position.
3) A classic, Indiana-built Studebaker waits for the passing freight at a typical county road grade crossing.
4) Back at the depot in North Judson, IN; the big Berk simmers in front of a full parking lot.

 

[bogray]

Some scenes from the night shoot.

1) NKP #765 in a classic pose at the HVRM depot in North Judson, IN.
2) During its station stop, a member of the crew tends to the big Berk before she hustles off into the night. (Thanks Chris!)
3) Before the official start of the shoot, the Packard was parked in front of the depot and the locomotive was simmering in the background...so your intrepid photographer was compelled to dig out his flash gun and do some quick "painting with light" to create this image.

 

[setxrailfan]

Great photos. Maybe the other Mark St. Aubin of the FWRHS was there. Trains magazine has gotten our names mixed-up in the past. They were trying to pay me for a photo he took of NKP 765.

 

[SamReeves]

Very nice indeed.

 

[Eastern Railfan]

Excellent work my friend. Everything from the steam to the classic cars. Once again you have gone beyond simply making photos of trains. These are truly art.

 

[bogray]

Thank you all for the kind comments!

Tommy...it's hard to take a bad photo of a classic car parked near a classic train. Even in the pouring rain! But I do appreciate what you wrote.