When you travel to Ely, Nevada for one of the Nevada Northern Railway's annual Winter Photo Shoots, you want one of two things: You want crystal clear skies and brilliant, low-angle sun....or you want it to snow...and I mean SNOW! I got my wish for the latter when I made the trip in February of 2009. I awoke to a blinding snowstorm that made for spectacular photography, but almost prevented my making it from the hotel to the railroad station. I learned very quickly that the roads in the high-desert country don't quite get the attention that they do near my home in New England. My little rental car couldn't even make it out of the hotel parking lot. Fortunately, another participant in the photo shoot had a 4WD SUV, and I was able to hitch a ride to the NN. (Note to self: To heck with the cheap economy rentals!) Once at the railroad, the biggest issue was keeping the camera gear dry, but the photography was pretty amazing. This snowy portrait of the beefy Alco Consolidation #93 was shot through an open door in the Ely Engine House.
