The snow has finally stopped falling and the clouds above have broken apart, allowing a brilliant three-quarter moon to shine down on this winter wonderland in the Cascade Mountains. An hour or two have passed since the last train labored up the hill, allowing the rails to become all but hidden in the snow; at the same time, showing disdain for the weather, signal 17281 has shrugged off nature's gentle assault and stands ready for when its services will next be needed. During this interlude in the storm, the quiet serenity of the woods combined with the shadows draped across the freshly-fallen snow bring to mind the peaceful yet complex strains of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
A continuously growing album of photos that IMHO reveal the awesome and seldom-seen beauty of the railroad world from the dimming of day to dawn's early light! From dusk to dawn, trains roll on! (I'm still finding gems of sunset-to-sunrise surprises!)