Some photos of my railfanning around the East Bay 2013

[Itsed65]

Your all too brief green season should not be far away.

It is indeed Bill, now I just need some light after work to get out in the canyon.

I caught this extra Z train while birding in Hercules. It was a short affair about an hour after the main train. I'm guessing extra holiday traffic.

20121220-_MG_4532 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

20121220-_MG_4541 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

I also got lucky with the birds, and got this northern harrier skimming the ground right by the tracks.

20121220-AQ4E6940 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

A few days before, I caught the Z train at its arrival at North Bay, and watched it tie up traffic for almost an hour while it backed in and out while they unloaded.

20121214-_MG_4389 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121214-_MG_4378 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

I tried to the the RPRC while it was pushing a string of tanks but I was too late and got there after they parked it for the shift.

20121214-_MG_4408 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121214-_MG_4401 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Lastly, thanks to a tip from a photography forum member, I learned that they have kicked all railroad equipment off of Mare Island, and that an old Baldwin was parked on the causeway. Until recently, this unit (re engined with an EMD unit) was yellow, but there are no markings on it regarding ownership.

20121230-IMG_4275 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-IMG_4284 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-IMG_4288 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[Bill Anderson]

That Baldwin switcher belongs to the famous UNDEC Railroad. Its paint scheme is on many Athearn model railroad diesels.

 

[Trainfanne54]

Great shots Itsed65.

 

[Itsed65]

Taken on a very windy evening

20121218-AQ4E6824 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

This caught me off guard, because usually at this time of day there is a westbound train, so I was looking the other way. Lots of extra traffic this time of year though. The canyon is turning a nice shade of green though!

20121218-AQ4E6787 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

New years eve was clear and cold after a lot of rain. Amtrak along the Richmond shore. I like the Dash 8s, but I hear they are not a favorite of crews.

20121230-_MG_5524 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-_MG_5520 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Westbound auto train at the same location.

20121230-_MG_5533 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

A bit of selective focus for the tilt shift look

20121230-_MG_5532 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Light power running back to Martinez at Pinole. Bill should like the loco number, GP38-2 555.

20121230-IMG_4353 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-IMG_4360 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Since its dark so early right now, I've been practicing shooting in it.

20121226-_MG_5387 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121226-_MG_5402 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

That's it for this week

 

[Bill Anderson]

Love that engine number, "555."

Try experimenting with your flash or Speedlight at twilight. While I am not a fan of the flash reflecting off the safety tape; some people it, and every once in a while I will get a shot that even I like.

 

[Trainfanne54]

Nice shots Itsed65.

 

[Itsed65]

I was watching the sunset the other week, and decided to take advantage of the low light to play with shutter speed.

First the standard train by the bay at dusk shot with my telephoto zoom...

20130104-AQ4E7934 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Than some longer exposures with my 24-105, using the car door as my "tripod"

20130104-AQ4E7938 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Luckily, at this time of evening, the Capital Corridor and the San Joaquin are only a few minutes apart.

20130104-AQ4E7945 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20130104-AQ4E7943 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

This coopers hawk on a nearby railroad bridge was not impressed

20130103-_MG_6196 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

I caught the pair of local "heritage" units (kidding) doing some local set outs with some nice clouds for a background.

20130106-_MG_6235 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20130106-_MG_6242 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20130106-_MG_6251 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

I usually take two cameras with me when shooting trains so I don't have to change lenses. I finally found a suitable bag than can carry my 1D with the 100-400 attached as well as my 7D or 5D with the 24-105 attached, that loads from the top for easy grabbing...My two assistants assured the box it came it was sufficient

20130108-DSCF0041 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

I caught an eastbound train of empties coming out of tunnel 3 in the canyon.

20130106-_MG_6208 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20130106-_MG_6214 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

I'm going to be shopping for a new picture taking vehicle over the next couple of weeks, so my productivity may be down, but I hope to be back with even more interesting pics over the next few months...happy railfanning!

20130106-_MG_6221 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[Bill Anderson]

I'm going to be shopping for a new picture taking vehicle over the next couple of weeks, so my productivity may be down, but I hope to be back with even more interesting pics over the next few months...happy railfanning!

Check out a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with the three piece removable hardtop. I want to get one to replace the F-150 for photographing birds, but my wife keeps whining that we need another pickup. Don't wait too long or the green grass in the canyon will turn brown once again.

 

[Trainfanne54]

Nice shots Itsed65!

 

[Itsed65]

Check out a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with the three piece removable hardtop. I want to get one to replace the F-150 for photographing birds, but my wife keeps whining that we need another pickup. Don't wait too long or the green grass in the canyon will turn brown once again.

While the drop top would be great for birding, I had a jeep when I was younger, and while it was a blast when I was 24, I would never touch one again, not to mention I couldn't even climb into one without some help these days. Also I need a daily driver and there is no way I could handle a car that gets 16 mpg city ...I still have to get to work every day.

Jeeps are like boats...it's good to have a friend with one

I caught the Zephyr from a different side than normal this past week

20130112-AQ4E8186 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20130112-AQ4E8183 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

I blew the dust off of my 40D to tryout a new "walkaround" lens, the Sigma 18-250, which is way smaller and lighter than any of my L glass. It works pretty well for trains with that range. Here it's a westbound container train through Pinole.

20130117-IMG_8987 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Talk about your Scare Crows! This reminds me of Hitchcock.

20130117-IMG_8997 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20130117-IMG_9005 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

End of that train...I'm going out tomorrow morning hoping for some BNSF action. See ya!

20130117-IMG_9029 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[Trainfanne54]

Good shots Itsed65.

 

[papio]

You've got some great shots there, very nice!

 

[Bill Anderson]

While the drop top would be great for birding, I had a jeep when I was younger, and while it was a blast when I was 24, I would never touch one again, not to mention I couldn't even climb into one without some help these days. Also I need a daily driver and there is no way I could handle a car that gets 16 mpg city ...I still have to get to work every day.

Check out the new VW Beetle convertible. The fun of a "drop top" for birding with good mpg for your daily driving.

 

[WhoWantsTrained]

Not much else freight traffic over the holiday

No sure why, but I LOVE this pic! My favorite engines of all time are the old Blue and Yellow Bonnet Geeps. Those combined with the very weathered hopper and palm tree in the background makes for a neat shot. Thanks!

 

[Trainfanne54]

Nice shot.

 

[WhoWantsTrained]

So I was out a few weeks ago with my tripod and some ND filters...

California Zephyr speeds past my GTI at Bayfront park in Pinole.

HEY!!! Wow, you caught rods in this picture!!! Awesome! Do you know what and how rare these are?

LINK 1 to Rods
LINK 2
LINK 3

Probably just a bird or an insect caught with your longer exposure, but you caught them non-the-less.

 

[Itsed65]

Probably just a bird or an insect caught with your longer exposure, but you caught them non-the-less.

This. They were pigeons

 

[Itsed65]

I caught this pair out switching again. This time running between North Bay and Richmond. A buddy of mine remembers these GP60's running hot mainline trains. These days, not so much!

20121230-_MG_5536 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-IMG_4301 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-IMG_4323 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-IMG_4329 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-IMG_4334 by lennycarl08, on Flickr


20121230-IMG_4347 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

Heading toward Richmond yard where the empties will end up part of an outbound train

20121230-_MG_5589 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

 

[Bill Anderson]

I lived in the Chicago area when those Santa Fe GP60's were new. They looked very sharp lashed up in A-B-A formation pulling high speed, transcontinental TOFC freights. These units resurrected the war bonnet paint scheme (which, other than a single FP45, had been long absent from the AT&SF) and conjured up scenes from the 50's of F units pulling the famous Santa Fe stainless steel passenger trains.

 

[WhoWantsTrained]

2333 looks like it's smiling in that last pic, thanks for posting again!