Make The Train Small

Make The Train Small

That's saying my friend and fellow talented photographer Rich Hover uses often. Not too many people like this style of shot, but I've long been a proponent of such images as one who likes to capture the 'whole scene' and I've found a compatriot in Rich so I know he'll appreciate this if others don't so much. In The 'Great Land' it doesn't take much effort at all to 'make the train small!' In fact, it's usually harder to make the the train be the focus of your drama amidst a landscape that is so overwhelmingly dramatic and dominating seemingly everywhere you turn along the length of the rail belt.

So here is an example maybe even a bit in the extreme the Alaska Railroad's Seward based 'cruise train' consist made up of the gorgeous glass topped Colorado Railcar equipment referred to by the ARR as the 'low level domes' makes its way back south operated on behalf of Norwegian Cruise Lines. The 7 car train is bracketed by a GP40-2 on the south end and an SD70MAC on the north bringing up the rear. They are hugging the Shore of Upper Trail Lake as they approach the trestle over the Trail River at MP 29.5 while a trio of float planes rest at the dock and a skiff waits on shore. Multi modality is the only way in the Last Frontier be it by air, water, or rail!

Moose Pass, Alaska
Monday August 29, 2016

Photo courtesy of Dave Blazejewski