Unique Track Side Photo and Viewing Opportunity

Now I am not an astromoner, nor a scienist, at any level so keep that in mind as read this post. I do, as does Deb, enjoy amatuer astronomy though and we try to follow or view most astronomical events as time permits. As such, there is an upcoming event that we are excited about along with the photgraphic possiblities that come along with it…

Click to read more ...

A Short Seasonal Sojourn to Siberia

Despite being on vacation for nearly two weeks during the Christmas holiday, I had yet to venture trackside at any capacity. My time was filled shopping for Christmas gifts, preparing the house for the holidays and entertaining our guests. Eventually Christmas came and went, followed closely by New Years, and, at last, my time had come. It was time to chase some steel before I had to return to work and I began to consider possible destinations…

Click to read more ...

BNSF Unveils a New Site for "Friends"

A few days ago BNSF unveiled a new web offering called “Friends of BNSF.” According to John Ambler, BNSF vice president, Corporate Relations, “Friends of BNSF will allow us to keep the community informed about issues that are important to freight rail transportation and its role in the U.S. economy. Rail fans, freight rail advocates, members of communities in which BNSF operates, and of course our employees and retirees are all welcome at Friends of BNSF.”

Click to read more ...

Our Best Trip Ever - Part 14 - Heading Home

After leaving Pica we headed towards Yampai. In an eastbound context, Yampai marks the end of the Yampai Canyon and from here BNSF’s trackage descend towards Pica and into Aubrey Valley for the run to Seligman. Yampai is rather remote yet offers some compelling opportunities, depending on local road and lighting conditions, so I wanted to try my luck there…

Click to read more ...

Our Best Trip Ever - Part 13 - West Out of Seligman

After a nice and chilled evening at the Seligman/Route 66 KOA, we packed up the next morning and “prepared the cabin for departure.” After dumping our waste water and filling our propane tanks we headed out westbound on Route 66 through Seligman, Arizona. At this point we didn’t have any particular destination in mind. Rather, we knew the route we wanted to travel though. We wanted to stay on Route 66, which follows the BNSF’s Seligman Subdivision, as it meanders through some of the most beautiful scenery in northern Arizona. Interstate 40 takes a more direct and southernly route from Seligman directly to Kingman, Arizona. We were taking the road less traveled…

Click to read more ...

Our Best Trip Ever - Part 12 - Seligman, Stackers, Sunset

Having had a great time exploring the “back country” of BNSF’s Seligman Subdivision, and truthfully a little dogged out from the rough roads, I was content to head towards Selgiman for the night. We had spent some time there on previous trips but we only used Seligman as a base for operations and we never really spent time photographing the area. I knew there were some nice spots with a lot of potential so we left Crookton and drove the few miles west to Seligman to get a spot for the night…

Click to read more ...

Our Best Trip Ever - Part 11 - On the Cut-Off

Despite my fears of a big cat looking for dinner, we slept well, deep in the heart of Kaibab National Forest. After I awoke and as I made a quick walk around the area where we camped, surveying for animal tracks as much as looking for a good shot, I thought of the today’s plan. We are now fairly far removed from all the trappings of a modern society. “No billboards, no buildings, no graffiti, no power lines — nothing to spoil a scene,” I pondered…

Click to read more ...

Our Best Trip Ever - Part 10 - Heading into the Unknown

After the shoot at CP Chalendar, I grew concerned, not so much about the distance we needed to travel today, but rather the uncertain condition of the roads and the general accessibility of the area that laid ahead in our travels along BNSF’s Seligman Subdivision. According to my original plans we were due to spend the day shooting the area around Eagle Nest and Double A. Since we were not even near Double A yet, I felt tense because that meant something must give in our schedule. I preferred it to be those areas we had visited before so we headed west on I-40 towards Williams, Arizona to try to get back on schedule…

Click to read more ...

Our Best Trip Ever - Part 9 - A Few Favorite Locations

After the wonderful visit to the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, and the opportunity to do some night viewing through one of their historic telescopes, the day’s events and excitement had left us with little energy to do much else. So after leaving the observatory we headed west on I-40 in search of a place to park for the night. We opted to just spend the night at the Pilot Travel Center at Bellemont, Arizona. This seemed as good of a place as any as it afforded us a chance to top off the tanks and do some shopping to augment our stores. No time for a traditional dinner tonight so we just grabbed some McDonalds and called it a night…

Click to read more ...

Our Best Trip Ever - Part 8 - Flagstaff Area

When I set out planning this trip I looked for activities that Deb would enjoy. Next to hanging out with me track side, shooting photographs of passing trains ad nauseam, one of her true passions is astronomy. Fortunately, Flagstaff is home to an historic and working observatory. That observatory, the Lowell Observatory, became one of the surprise side trips that I planned especially for Deb…

Click to read more ...