Random Ramblings -- More Than Trains

Virginia Museum of Transportation; July 13, 2013

Right now I am working hard to catch up on my website and get it current -- the main gallery now has photos into mid-August. Once I get caught up, the blog posts should become a little more current. In the   meantime, here is some stuff that's just getting onto the site.

The railroad environment is more than just trains. The people that make it function and use the railroads are just as important, but they often escape the lens of the rail photographer. I get it -- some of us are just not comfortable shooting people as they go about their jobs. However, great opportunities can often present themselves at museums and tourist railroads, be it candid shots from a casual visit or staged shots as part of a photography event. We have here three photos from a Lerro Productions photo shoot at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke from mid-July. Three steam locomotives (all of which do not operate) were brought to "life" using smoke bombs and lighting. And museum volunteers and others dressed in period garb to add to the scenes. Norfolk & Western steam ruled the rails of the south during World War II, and many railroad employees were off fighting in the war. To fill in stateside, women were often employed in factories and at railroad shops, with "Rosie the Riveter" being their symbol. In the photo above we get a glimpse of what that might have looked like. (Our "Rosies" are [L-R] Stephanie Lucas, "Wizzy" Strom and Katie Slider of VMT.)

Virginia Museum of Transportation; July 13, 2013

Of course, without customers -- freight and passenger -- the railroads would have no reason to exist. Our next shot shows a platform scene as passengers await the arrival of a N&W train powered by Class J 4-8-4 No. 611. (Actors include Norman Altizer and Russell Chu [standing] from VMT, Ron and Susan Vanderpool from the Antique Automobile Club of America, and Shannon Meiss and Jessica Simmons).

Virginia Museum of Transportation; July 12, 2013

Even the quieter scenes are worth recreating. Here we have a porter taking a quick break before his passengers arrive. Outside the window of his car is N&W Class A 2-6-6-4 No. 1218. (Charles Hardy of VMT is the porter).