Two Icons of the Battenkill

Two Icons of the Battenkill Railroad dominate tonights photo, RS-3 4116, acquired secondhand from the D&H, is stablemate to the 605, and then there is this "Stop, Look And Listen" grade crossing sign in Shushan, NY. John Culligan, who showed me this location a couple weeks back, claims there is "one" other survivor of this style of grade crossing warning sign remaining.........up in Quebec somewhere. All the more reason to appreciate this one surviving nearby. I'm told its in the Battenkills plans to repaint the sign this year, which would be remarkable! And to think I had written off making the drive down earlier in the day. The run to Eagle Bridge and the interchange with the D&H was on again, off again due to troubles with the newly repainted flanger, trailing 4116 in tonights photo. Cully had been keeping me appraised of changes in plans via a couple cell phone calls, and I had to ask, (knowing his adversion to the radiation devices) what phone are you calling from? Cully confessed the crew had let him borrow one of theirs to call me, long distance. I'm thinking.......I like these guys! Ha,ha,ha! SO after the third call warning me plans had changed again and they were making a run for Eagle Bridge, the flanger fixed up temporarily, I undertook the two hour twenty minute drive down, and was happy to arrive here in Shushan far enough ahead of the return trip to capture this image! Once I had set up the lighting here, I found I had backed myself into a corner so to speak composition wise. The view with my 35 & 28mm had the crossing sign in front of the background house, and I really wanted to separate the house, crossing sign and train. All three were strong elements in the photo and I wanted to keep them that way. Thanks again to Cully, who waved the train to a stop at the downtown crossing to let them know I was set up here, I had time to change lenses yet again to the Nikkor 14-24 zoom, and at the 24mm setting I got what I wanted! Of course, all this takes time.......estimating the manual focus distance and all......and when I finally mounted the stepladder the train was underway again and closing quickly! Engineer Billy Tabor saw me get in position atop the stepladder and notched out the 4116 for me, resulting in a neat display of sparks from the stack! The photo all came together within the last minute. And yes, I was glad I made tthe effort to drive down this afternoon! Special thanks to Cully! SHot in SHushan, NY on January 13, 2011 at 18:22. Please enjoy! Comments are welcomed.


All The Best In 2011
Gary