Drivers - Man, Water, and Fire

In the course of human achievements there have been many truly advancing inventions forged by talented and brilliant folks. Obviously computers, atomic fusion, and airplanes come to my mind immediately. However, one invention that had far-reaching ramifications, good and bad depending on one’s perspective, considering the time frame when it was first developed, the late 1700s, was the steam engine. This eventually morphed into a steam locomotive, among other implementations, and the future of discovery and settlement of America was cast. 

While at the Los Angeles Union Station on National Train Day, May 8, 2010, I caught the former Santa Fe No. 3751 posed and ready to run to San Bernardino with an excursion train as part of the San Bernardino Railroad Days and Bicentennial Celebration. I took a bunch of photos of the famous locomotive and have recently reworked some of them with a more artistic lean. Here is a close-up shot showing an amazing amount of detail of the 3751’s drivers and of the magic of one of man’s most amazing inventions.

Drivers - Detailed view of the driving wheels of the former Santa Fe No. 3751.

Remembering Steam and Martha

As I sat in the numerous hospital waiting rooms while Martha was battling time, I recalled all of the cool stories that Martha had shared with me about her love of trains and the numerous trips she had taken aboard them. Whenever I returned from a trip chasing steel Martha would ask if she could see my photos.

In particular, she shared the stories of the steam engines that she remembered from her childhood which were prelevant during the 1930s to the 1950s, so as we waited and wondered about the prospects of her recovery I worked on the following images of the former ATSF No. 3751 to feel a little closer to her:

The Santa Fe 3751 leads the southbound San Diego Steam Special II into a curve in Encinitas, CA on May 1, 2010 .

The Photographer - On May 8, 2010, National Train Day, the 3751 poses at Los Angeles Union Station and drew quite a crowd of photographers.

The San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society’s former Santa Fe 3751, up to pressure and raring to go, is the star attraction in the early morning hours of National Train Day as she waits for departure to San Bernardino, California.

Update on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 9:36PM by Joe Perry

I got clearance (and the idea) of posting a photo of Martha “railfanning” with her two of her grandkids at the Amtrak station in Fullerton while they waited for the Desert Wind to take them on one of her many trips to Las Vegas, Nevada on August 19, 1994, from Deb. (REMEMBER THE DESERT WIND?)

Martha and her and two grandkids railfan while waiting for the Desert Wind at Fullerton, California on August 19, 1994.

iPad Art - "Ghost Train"

Here is my first effort from testing a few editing applications on Apple’s magical and revolutionary iPad device: