Forgotten Rails

Rails that once served Portland, Oregon's northwest industrial area.

Is That Duct Tape on our Coach???

Heber Valley Coach Car with Duct Tape
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Here is another shot that I took at the Heber Valley Railroad last Saturday.

While waiting for some of my wife's family to show up, I took a walk around the grounds and of course had to take pictures.

While I didn't notice it at the time, when I looked at this picture full sized I noticed that the corner of the roof closest to the camera is covered with duct tape. If you look closely you can also see that there is more duct tape along the roof line.

Utah Railway train west of Helper, Utah

Utah Railway
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

As I have mentioned before, various forms of transportation rate as one of my favorite photography subjects. At one time I had several friends who were railfans and I would often tag along with them so I could take pictures of the trains.

However, that group of people has faded off into the sunset and over the last few years I have taken few pictures of trains except for our new Front Runner service here in Salt Lake City.

However, last May my wife and I took a trip to Durango, Colorado to celebrate our anniversary. While on the trip down to Durango we saw almost no trains, on the way back I was able to photograph two trains was they head west of Helper, Utah.

This one features 4 Utah Railway EMD units on a coal train that is heading for the Provo area and beyond.

A traffic signal for a Train?

Traffic signal for trains.
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Yes.

My wife was laid off from her job of 4 years recently and decided to sign up with a temp. agency. She was immediately assigned to a three month temp job for a business in the industrial area of Salt Lake.

Just north of her temporary place of employment is a railroad industrial spur. The spur crosses Pioneer Road just south of California Avenue. What is interesting about this crossing is that instead of being controlled by crossing gates, both automobile and train traffic is controlled by traffic signals.

The trains cross California Avenue, travel behind the the convenience store that you can see in the background before crossing Pioneer after getting a green signal.

What is interesting is that Pioneer Road is only two lanes but California is four lanes but train traffic across California is only protected by cross buck signs and no signals.

The Convenience store is also interesting in that it once had a fast food restaurant with a drive through window that was taken out some time ago. However the order board is still next too the building with some of the menu still present.

You never know what interesting things you might find if you just keep your eyes open.

Delta Airlines/Skywest CJ700 coming in for Landing at SLC

Delta Airlines/Skywest CJ700 coming in for Landing at SLC
Originally uploaded by Dornoff Photography

Forms of transportation are probably my favorite things to photography. It could stem from the fact that I grew up along the main line of the Santa Fe railroad but I love to take pictures of trains, planes, buses, ships and automobiles. The only problem is, it is a little difficult to make a living photographing these things so I have to work on taking pictures of other things.

When I took this picture I didn't notice the three birds flying past the airplane. However, I thought they added a little interest to the shot that really enhanced it.

The only bad thing I find about taking pictures of planes or Amtrak trains is that I want to be getting on it to going somewhere...