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Getting the Shot
By: Michael Derrick
September 27, 2007
 | | Michael Derrick |
December 5, 2003: it’s 2 a.m., dark, very cold. I should probably be asleep, but I am currently trekking eastbound on Interstate 70 in western Kansas. My only company is the occasional over the road truck, working to reach a far off destination. Me? Yes, working toward a far off destination, but for other reasons. I am bound for Satanta, KS, home of the Cimarron Valley Railroad and its fleet of GP30s. I have flown into Denver from Washington, DC on the last flight of the night, getting my sleep on the plane.
As I plod toward Satanta, I have plenty of time to think about the day ahead. Weather forecast is clear skies, temperatures around freezing for the high. A cold, clear day on the plains—I can’t be happier. I have visions of a multi-GP30 lash up in my head, and am very excited to reach Satanta around sunup. However, I’m a bit surprised not to see many GP30s; In fact, the only locomotives outside the shop are a pair of GP26s. An extremely rare rebuild by the Illinois Central Gulf, the only two in existence are rostered by the Southwest Railroad, a sister operation to the Cimarron Valley. And here they are in Satanta.
After checking in with the office and signing the necessary release forms, I begin my day on the Cimarron Valley. I quickly realize there will be no multi-unit lash ups, and my thoughts turn more from visions of multiple GP30s into “I hope a get a GP30.” I was in luck—a single GP30 would head east to Dodge City, and the two GP26s would head west out of Satanta on separate lines.
I didn’t bother checking on consists, since I already knew where the trains were headed. I quickly put together my plan to photograph all three trains on the lines during the times where the sunlight would be most advantageous for each. About this time, GP30 3023 comes out of the shop. I expect a little switching to get the train together for Dodge City. I assume wrong: 3023 heads right out of the yard onto the main, and “heads for Dodge” light engine.
Oh, the horror! The railroad photographer’s nightmare! After several minutes of self pity (which I think all of us have done many times over) and running through all I’ve done to get to this point only to find a light engine moving, I get past it and decide to try to maximize my efforts on “getting the shot,” no matter what hand I had been dealt. As I paced the lone GP30 along the lonely Kansas plains, I watched intently for any photographic opportunities. I noticed that with the seemingly ever-present Kansas wind, when the locomotive would enter a dirt grade crossing, a cloud of dust would kick up. I also noticed a few very old Santa Fe crossing bucks, with “Look Out for the Cars” on the signpost. About as fast as I could put this all together in my head (I have been driving all night, you know), I see a dirt crossing in the distance. I quickly jumped ahead of the 3023, took a brief moment to frame the shot, and release the shutter. Away I came with one of my favorite photographs of the trip.
I am certain that this little episode pales in comparison to some of the extremes the photographers here at Railpictures.net have endured to “get the shot.” Visiting the site almost daily, I am amazed by the distances traveled, physical exertion, and weather conditions endured by the photographers in presenting some of the photographs I see. I am sure all of us have these little stories to tell about how a certain photograph was made. As times change, so do the methods we use to share our stories. From the good old Saturday night slide show to the photo share sites and blogs of the present, it is always nice to be able to share a little bit on what went into “getting the shot.”
Copyright © Michael Derrick. All Rights Reserved.
This article has been viewed 6622 times.
User Comments on this Article:
Posted by Michael Quagliano on September 29, 2007:
Nice article mike!
I know exactly what you mean in "Getting the shot" I have done it many times too, sometimes i am successful others i am not. Good luck it getting yours!
Posted by Phil Melling on October 6, 2007:
Hi Michael
I also know what you mean, I have had similar experiences here in Australia, travelling many kilometres to find a sudden change in plan is required. One classic trip involving a 350km + trip (in each direction) to get a train on a branch line threatened with closure. At about the 250km mark (and on the main line) there is the train, a problem, it was the one from the day before and it was derailed. Next trip, worked better, but back home our first born son found the film (put ready to take to the photo shop) and pulled the whole roll out exposing it totally. Luckily I had a second camera and do have some precious photos. The line, yes it did close and I only recently revisited it and it will never see a train again.
To balance it out I have also had some totally unexpected opportunities that featured locos not expected in that area.
Regards
Phil Melling
Posted by Brian Morgan - www.searailfanning.com on November 7, 2007:
Excellent article and photo Mike! One story that comes to mind involves a friend and myself driving down to Vienna, Georgia, about five years ago to wait on a southbound K-train on CSX that had a NICE Wisconsin Central SD45 leading three SD40-2 "leasers". We had planned on catching a a few hours sleep upon our 4:00am arrival in Vienna before heading out to chase "our" train. Imagine how surprised we were when "our" train showed up in Vienna approximately thirty minutes after we arrived!
TWELVE hours later we had managed to chase the train several hundred miles south well into Florida and ended the day well south of Baldwin. We did manage to get several shots of the train however which made the TEN hour drive home that night a little more endurable!
Posted by SP4449BN9444 on February 16, 2008:
I have seen that railroad & the SW railroad, I have seen the engine you have taken a picture of.
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