Let's see your trains: inside and out, an open thread

Granted I haven't looked through all of this thread yet, and I do love my trains (been watching the SVR webcams recently as I work from home).

One thing thats always puzzled me about train/loco photography, especailly as someone that shoots motorsport a lot - I hardly see any movement in the shots, every picture I see of a train on the move seems to be taken at a fast shutter speed with frozen wheels and no movement, as if its standing still.... anyone else find this? I am just curious at to why?
 
A_S said:
Granted I haven't looked through all of this thread yet, and I do love my trains (been watching the SVR webcams recently as I work from home).

One thing thats always puzzled me about train/loco photography, especailly as someone that shoots motorsport a lot - I hardly see any movement in the shots, every picture I see of a train on the move seems to be taken at a fast shutter speed with frozen wheels and no movement, as if its standing still.... anyone else find this? I am just curious at to why?
Click to expand...

Can only speak for myself here but railway photography always seems to work better when you freeze the moment, so to speak...

Panning is a different matter and does look good, I've never been able to nail it though.
 
nx4737 said:
Can only speak for myself here but railway photography always seems to work better when you freeze the moment, so to speak...

Panning is a different matter and does look good, I've never been able to nail it though.
Click to expand...
.... Panning trains is challenging and you have to be prepared for a low hit rate but I'm looking forward to testing out the AI Train Detection + Tracking feature on my OMD OM-1. Meanwhile I have had some success when I shot Canon and Olympus E-M1X :

STANDARD CLASS 73156 IN ACTION IN VERY HEAVY RAIN! by Robin Procter, on Flickr

SPACESHIP 92212 IN ACTION ON THE 'WATERCRESS LINE' by Robin Procter, on Flickr

BLOWING OFF STEAM! by Robin Procter, on Flickr
 
I guess because of the size you either need them light engine and/or to be quite far away, or have a very wide angle lens.

Do love the standard 4(?) there though
 
A_S said:
...every picture I see of a train on the move seems to be taken at a fast shutter speed with frozen wheels and no movement, as if its standing still.... anyone else find this? I am just curious at to why?
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There are probably several reasons for this. Many pictures will be taken at or near stations and exhibitions where the train is stationary or moving slowly. Many enthisiasts are modellers and want as much detail as possible. I'm sure others will occur.

I started this thread with the intention of it being "a broad church" so I have nothing against shots of any kind. Robin's shown the way with his panned trains, so why not add some of your own? (y)
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
There are probably several reasons for this. Many pictures will be taken at or near stations and exhibitions where the train is stationary or moving slowly. Many enthisiasts are modellers and want as much detail as possible. I'm sure others will occur.

I started this thread with the intention of it being "a broad church" so I have nothing against shots of any kind. Robin's shown the way with his panned trains, so why not add some of your own? (y)
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Any suggestions for spots fairly accessible on a Heritage railway where I could get a wide field of view and do a pan? ideally somewhere on the SVR, or GCR or midlands area as they are my local 2. Then I'll go and give it a go!
 
A_S said:
Any suggestions for spots fairly accessible on a Heritage railway where I could get a wide field of view and do a pan? ideally somewhere on the SVR, or GCR or midlands area as they are my local 2. Then I'll go and give it a go!
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Not something I can help with.

Anyone else able to help out?
 
I suppose also the speed, if on a heritage line, is going to be under 25mph which would make it tough
 
A_S said:
Any suggestions for spots fairly accessible on a Heritage railway where I could get a wide field of view and do a pan? ideally somewhere on the SVR, or GCR or midlands area as they are my local 2. Then I'll go and give it a go!
Click to expand...
.... There are several spots on the SVR Severn Valley Railway and some I haven't explored yet but definitely possible on the GWSR Gloucestershire & Warwickshire. I have never been to the GCR.

PANNING A PANNIER by Robin Procter, on Flickr
 
A_S said:
I suppose also the speed, if on a heritage line, is going to be under 25mph which would make it tough
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.... Yes and no - All my panned steam train shots are on Heritage lines with a 25mph speed limit. It limits the motion blur of backgrounds but can still convey speed and motion.
 
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Not sure if the Wuppertal Schwebebahn has been in the thread up till now, but something a bit different anyway. :) I'm not hugely into trains, but like unusual transport options, and when I first saw this 5-6 years ago, I had to go and see it. These are from October 2019. It is a very efficient rail system. Very smooth, and tilts slightly as it goes around the bends. :) Going above road and the river, and having the stations the same, is very unusual. :)

A train coming into the Vohwinkel Station.
1649440315587.jpeg
You can see how short the turnaround is.
1649440636625.jpeg
A view into the carriage.
1649440747975.jpeg
A train station over the river.
1649440828184.jpeg
And because we have had a few panning shots, one over a busy junction. ;) You can see the whole length of the train too.
1649440898292.jpeg
 
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redhed17 said:
Not sure if the Wuppertal Schwebebahn has been in the thread up till now, but something a bit different anyway. :) I'm not hugely into trains, but like unusual transport options, and when I first saw this 5-6 years ago, I had to go and see it. These are from October 2019. It is a very efficient rail system. Very smooth, and tilts slightly as it goes around the bends. :) Going above road and the river, and having the stations the same, is very unusual. :)

A train coming into the Vohwinkel Station.
View attachment 349547
You can see how short the turnaround is.
View attachment 349548
A view into the carriage.
View attachment 349549
A train station over the river.
View attachment 349550
And because we have gad a few panning shots, one over a busy junction. ;) You can see the whole length of the train too.
View attachment 349553
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.... Great pictures which really convey the suspended spatial nature of this railway.
 
redhed17 said:
Thanks Robin. :) I think I have gone a bit OTT with the resize and quality reduction, as they look too soft, but it gives an idea of the place and the trains.
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.... Personally I think that what a set of photos like this conveys is more important than a close examination of their image quality. It's not as if their image quality is so soft etc that it detracts from the atmosphere and environment you have so successfully captured.
 
RedRobin said:
.... Personally I think that what a set of photos like this conveys is more important
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My opinion exactly.

Or, to paraphrase James Carville, "it's the picture, stupid". :naughty:
 
Outside and Inside on the Isle of Man electric railway

p2936850060-4.jpg



and Inside

p2936849778-4.jpg
 
RedRobin said:
.... Panning trains is challenging and you have to be prepared for a low hit rate but I'm looking forward to testing out the AI Train Detection + Tracking feature on my OMD OM-1. Meanwhile I have had some success when I shot Canon and Olympus E-M1X :

STANDARD CLASS 73156 IN ACTION IN VERY HEAVY RAIN! by Robin Procter, on Flickr

SPACESHIP 92212 IN ACTION ON THE 'WATERCRESS LINE' by Robin Procter, on Flickr

BLOWING OFF STEAM! by Robin Procter, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Now they do look very nice, I'll have to give it another go.

I'm okay with long exposure train photography though, a bit of motion makes all the difference.

The below shot was hand held as London Underground get a bit funny about tripods so I'm fine accepting a low success rate.

St Pauls by Adam P, on Flickr
 
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RedRobin said:
.... There are several spots on the SVR Severn Valley Railway and some I haven't explored yet but definitely possible on the GWSR Gloucestershire & Warwickshire. I have never been to the GCR.

PANNING A PANNIER by Robin Procter, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Thanks, Any directions? perhaps in the area next to the safari park or somewehere in Severn valley country park? but a pointer as to where these are would be good.
 
A_S said:
Thanks, Any directions? perhaps in the area next to the safari park or somewehere in Severn valley country park? but a pointer as to where these are would be good.
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.... Head to Eardington Nature Reserve on the B4555 WV16 5LF and you'll see plenty of potential as the trains are on the long stretch of Eardington Bank.
 
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RedRobin said:
.... Head to Eardington Nature Reserve on the B4555 WV16 5LF and you'll see plenty of potential as the trains are on the long stretch of Eardington Bank.
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Thanks, I’ll have a look. I have a week off the Last week of April but don’t think anything is running for the public at least
 
Waiting for a train at Exeter St David's...

St David's Station Exeter 1996 09-04.jpg
 
JRSS said:
If you can get to the SVR from 21 to 24 April its their spring gala so there will be loads of trains running.
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Unfortunatly not, I am in the Netherlands until the sunday of that weekend!
 
Last Saturday SWMBO and I made a return to the Ffestiniog Railway. In the summer of 2020 we visited the railway but it was only operating on the lower half of the line, as far as Tan y Bwlch, so we missed the more spectacular scenery. Time to set that right! It was beautiful sunny day but unfortunately shots taken in the station at Porthmadog were taking into the sun so the skies were pretty well blown out. I managed to do some recovery in Lightroom but make allowances for the trying conditions :)

#1: Pullman coach on the West Highland Line
DSC_7744.jpg

#2: Double-ended Fairlie locomotive David Lloyd George
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#3: It's lunch time for the driver and her fireman before powering the afternoon "Mountain Spirit" to Blaenau Ffestiniog
DSC_7750.jpg

#4: Locomotive No.2 "Prince" is the oldest steam engine still operating on its original railway. She was built in the 1860's at the lines Boston Lodge Works.
DSC_7755.jpg

We had a great time and plan to return to ride the West Highland Railway to Caernarfon :)
 
Blimey, talk about a small world! I hope you had a good day out - we certainly did (y)
 
Very nice panning shot, gives a good sense of speed. It's something I need to practice as I failed to get anything sharp last time I tried it.
Also prefer this b and w version to the colour version that's on your flickr.
 
JRSS said:
Very nice panning shot, gives a good sense of speed. It's something I need to practice as I failed to get anything sharp last time I tried it.
Also prefer this b and w version to the colour version that's on your flickr.
Click to expand...
.... Thanks. The hit rate tends to be very low when panning and I don't always succeed. The split between people preferring the b&w version is about 60%.
 
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