CREW CHANGE

An early spring crew change near Crestline, OH., 2016 photo by B.A. Beighley

Another winter on the railroad has come and gone, and with its final cool gusts I am reminded of my previous winters spent hunkered down in the front of my truck, trying to catch some sleep in the parking lot of the Connelsville Yard. That was years ago now, and for many winters after, the railroad had enjoyed unusually busy winter seasons. There were periods where things slowed down quite a bit, but most guys were able to hang on to the extra boards or hideout on some almost forgotten switchman's board. However, this past season was a brutal reminder that our jobs depend entirely on both National and Global economics. 

I've been told by the 'old heads' that when it comes to the ups and downs of the economy, the railroads are the first to feel the effects and the last to recover from them. Now that I've been through two really nasty recessions I can tell you from personal experience, that they were right. Back in '07 I had to chase my job as far east as Maryland, and even then I was only hanging on to one spot on the last extra board in that terminal. I spent months away from my family, and spent many lonely nights wondering if I had perhaps made the wrong choice in becoming a railroader. The next three winters were just as bad, but by the winter season of 2010, things had seemed to stabilize and I was able to hold jobs in my home terminal all the way through to spring. That was the same story all the way until this past winter. 

The coal is gone. Regardless of your feelings on fossil fuel consumption, and for reasons that people like me will probably never know, the east coast railroads have lost their biggest money maker and it is not coming back. Entire subdivisions are being abandoned, terminals are being closed, a lynchpin commodity is lost, and a part of railroad culture has forever changed. The end story here is this; railroading is changing, and railroaders themselves are likely to go the way of coal before I can make it to retirement age. 

I do not know how many more spring crew changes I will get to see. There should be plenty to at least see my kids off to college, and I may even make it to an age that could force to company to offer me a "buy-out" but I'm no longer certain that this is a job that I retire from.

COTTON TAIL SHOWED UP

The girls woke up to find all of The Easter Bunny's hidden eggs! Yay! Ruby and Lucy are both feeling better from the flu, but Marci and I are so sick we can barely stand... it's so nice outside and all we want to do is go play. 

BUT WE DON'T EAT EGGS ANYMORE...

About a year ago, Marci and I began a "plant-based-whole-foods" diet. Basically, we don't eat animal protein anymore. So no eggs. Then what would the bunny bring on Easter? Uh oh... Turns out, little eggs made from cardboard are actually more fun to color on! 

ANNUAL

Exactly one year since the last post. Honestly, I didn't plan that. However, it is fitting. This space has become just like the many partially started books which clutter the back corners of seldom remembered drawers, cupboards, boxes, backpacks, and shelves of my life. Blah, blah, blah. Why bother? Seriously. 

The Senior Railfan

I grew up next to my Dad while standing along some random railroad tracks. When I was behaving myself, I got to hold his "other" camera in case he needed to make a quick swap. Usually, one camera was loaded with film and had the telephoto lens while the other camera was loaded with slide film and sported a standard 50mm. These were my formative years as a young railfan, where I was taught that patience always got the best shot. To this day, my Dad is one of the most influential artists in my life. And at the young age of 70, he still gets out for an entire day of "chasing trains." Here is an account of his most recent day of rail-faning. ~b

Got a heads-up from Snowman today that the Norfolk Southern was sending a westbound coal drag over the Ohio Central. It was a beautiful day and I hadn't shot much on the OC lately, so I grabbed the camera and took off in search of the NS coal drag. I was expecting the NS SD70ACes or ES44ACs, but found two of OC's SD40-2s leading a Dash-9 and a Dash-8. 

Ohio Central, SD40-2 #4022 is in the classic OC paint scheme while #3340 wears the new Genesee and Wyoming colors. Seen here at the old Coshocton Ohio Freight House just west of the Depot. photo © Roger E. Beighley, 2015

I chased him only as far as Dresden, but as a little bonus, the OC thru in the southbound train RHT. Got a couple shots of him doing a little street running in Dresden.

Ohio Central train symbol RHT works over the crossings at Dresden, Ohio. On point for this move is OC #3305, which hasn't yet received its new colors and still has its Canadian running lights over the number boards. photo © Roger E. Beighley, 2015.

Bringing up the rear, and with the EOT hung on the knuckle, is another set of Ohio Central units in Genesee and Wyoming paint. photo © Roger E. Beighley, 2015.

I then went back to Trinway and caught up with the NS coal drag again at the crossing just as the sun was beginning to set.

The westbound Norfolk Southern coal drag keeps pace along the old "Pennsy Panhandle," seen here at Trinway, Ohio. photo © Roger E. Beighley

It's Been A Minute

It's funny how things get away from you. It's not so funny how time flees from you. Two years since I've posted here. Two years since I've even thought about it. Because, well... Who cares. It might be someone else reading these words, but more than likely it's just me. Re-reading. 

So, n8tch. What do I want this to be? What is this place? Just trains? Or is this the new "Interlocutor"? Is this the new place where I wander around in my own head, and then ramble babble bit for no good reason other than to make The Mark? Guess so. OK, here we go then. Whoa, did I say two years? Try three. Like I mentioned, time flees!

From the Conductor's Side

Four years of Art School have completely ruined my ability to just look out the window. I'm always more interested in looking at how my view is broken up into panels by the windows themselves or by the reflections on top of other reflections. As far as office views go, you can't do much better than this without being a pilot or an astronaut.

(just so you know, any 'warping' of the image was optical, and not a post effect.)

"Twin Views Times Two, #1" 2010, digital image. Photo by - Anonymous

"Twin Views Times Two, #2" 2010, digital image. Photo by - Anonymous

2011 HEADERS

Changing the Header picture at the beginning of the blog is such a love/hate thing for me. I like each one so much that I don't want to replace it, but I have so much fun making a new one! It may be something I should seek help with. Maybe there's a medication for it. But just so I don't feel bad about the older ones, I will keep all the year's "headers" here in this post.

"Marci and Lu at Mee-mee's house for Christmas" 2010, Digital Image. Photo by Brett A. Beighley

Windows West

I want so badly to get my Lubitel out on the road. How much fun would that old unpredictable plastic lens be? I never worried about specifics when I shot with that camera. Get the exposure close and hope for the best. Focus? Seriously? With a Lubitel? That sort of went against the whole point of using a Russian made "toy" camera. With that camera I was always trying to photograph a memory, or capture a feeling, or illustrate a mood. It gave me an opportunity to bypass photography's more technical aspects and consider the content of my images instead of the technique. And of all my cameras, my Lubitel is still one of my favorites. These next few images remind me in some ways of my time with the Lubitel, in that while being restricted by the technical aspects of the camera, an interesting image will almost always find its way through the view finder of someone willing to look for it.

"West at Night" near Freindsville, OH. 2010, digital image. Photo by - Anonymous

"Westbound at Sunset" near Creston, OH. 2010, digital image. Photo by - Anonymous

"Overhead Bridge" westbound at Sullivan, OH. 2010, digital image. Photo by - Anonymous

"State Line at Sunrise" just east of Lowellville, OH. 2010, digital image. Photo by - Anonymous

"Nova Tower" Nova Tower looking West, 2010, digital image. Photo by - Anonymous

Another Winter Comes East...

I really wanted this winter to be better. I wanted to not put 100,000 miles on the odometer of my other-wise brand new truck. I didn't want to spend one cold night of 2011 sleeping in the front seat of that same truck. Nissan's are nice but they don't make very good hotel rooms. I did not, did not, want to see Connellsville again, but I will. Sometimes, being a grown up is really no fun.

I could just take the layoff. Chances are I would get back to work fairly soon. I might only miss a couple paychecks. The savings account could handle it. Right? (Deep breath, big sigh.) Yes and maybe and perhaps with a little bit of who-knows and I'm-not-sure. The only known thing here is that the savings account would get smaller, and that just isn't very responsible, huh? No. It isn't. I'm a husband, and a father. I'm a provider. I don't get to cry about long nights away from home, and I don't get to complain about horrible weather on the roads, and I just have to stand up and be "that-guy."

Pack the pillow and the blanket behind the driver's seat. This isn't forever. This isn't the way it will always be. It could get better. It should.

"Window Frame #1" from an Eastbound Freight running through south Akron, Ohio, 2010. Photo by: Anonymous