Passenger Trains – Jim Pearson Photography

East Broad Top steam locomotive #16 pulls a mixed freight through the countryside to Rockhill Furnace, PA

East Broad Top (EBT) steam locomotive #16 pulls a mixed freight through the countryside as they head to Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania on October 5th, 2024, during the museum’s Friends of the East Broad top event.

This is from a week-long trip I took with Bryan Burton (Photography) where we traveled 2,800 miles and covered steam operations at Reading and Blue Northern Railway (2102), East Broad Top Railroad, Strasburg Railroad and then a two-day photo charter by Dak Dillion Photography at the Valley Railroad in Essex, CT. It was a long, but fun and exciting trip for sure! You’ll see a lot of steam action over the coming weeks!

According to the East Broad Top Website: Locomotive #16 was built in 1916 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

Entering the age of modern steam in 1916, the EBT received its first of three large Mikados. Unlike the previous three smaller locomotives, #16 came with superheaters, piston valves, and Southern valve gear. One story mentions #16 pulled 60 empty hoppers from Mt. Union to Rockhill in one train, literally clearing out the yard. #16 underwent an overhaul in 1955 and made only a handful of trips in early 1956 before the railroad shut down an overhaul when the EBT shut down. On February 1, 2023, the locomotive returned to service.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad steam locomotive 2102 prepares to pull away from the station at at Port Clinton, Pennsylvania on October 5th, 2024,during its first day of the year of pulling Fall Foliage Excursions.

According to their website: The Reading Company T-1 class #2102 was built in the Reading’s own locomotive shops in 1945. With drivers of 70” diameter, it weighs 404 tons, and its tender holds up to 26 tons of coal, and up to 19,000 gallons of water. After the Reading Steam era was over, the Reading Company used 2102 for the Reading Rambles on several different excursions. The 2102 has had many different owners since it was retired by the Reading Railroad. It is one of only four to survive. The other remaining locomotives are the 2100, 2101, and 2124.

The Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad purchased the 2102 in 1987, and it ran on the Temple to South Hamburg line into the early 1990’s. Once the Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad became the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern, the 2102 ran over Reading & Northern’s rails for a short time before it was removed from service in the early 1990’s.

In 2022, steam locomotive 2102 reentered service on the Reading & Northern. The locomotive has been used actively to pull both passenger excursions and revenue freight trains.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 300mm, 5.6, 1640, ISO 360.

#steamtrains #besttrainphotograph #JimPearsonPhotography #RBNRR

Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad steam locomotive 2102 prepares to pull away from Port Clinton, Pa

Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad steam locomotive 2102 prepares to pull away from the station at Port Clinton, Pennsylvania on October 5th, 2024,during its first day of the year of pulling Fall Foliage Excursions.

According to their website: The Reading Company T-1 class #2102 was built in the Reading’s own locomotive shops in 1945. With drivers of 70” diameter, it weighs 404 tons, and its tender holds up to 26 tons of coal, and up to 19,000 gallons of water. After the Reading Steam era was over, the Reading Company used 2102 for the Reading Rambles on several different excursions. The 2102 has had many different owners since it was retired by the Reading Railroad. It is one of only four to survive. The other remaining locomotives are the 2100, 2101, and 2124.

The Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad purchased the 2102 in 1987, and it ran on the Temple to South Hamburg line into the early 1990’s. Once the Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad became the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern, the 2102 ran over Reading & Northern’s rails for a short time before it was removed from service in the early 1990’s.

In 2022, steam locomotive 2102 reentered service on the Reading & Northern. The locomotive has been used actively to pull both passenger excursions and revenue freight trains.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @ 300mm, 5.6, 1640, ISO 360.

he Valley Railroad Company #97 heads through the countryside out of Essex, Connecticut

The Valley Railroad Company #97 heads through the countryside out of Essex, Connecticut with a passenger train on October 9th, 2024, as part of a two-day photo charter conducted by Dak Dillion Photography.

According to Wikipedia: The Valley Railroad, operating under the name Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, is a heritage railroad based in Connecticut on tracks of the Connecticut Valley Railroad, which was founded in 1868. The company began operations in 1971 between Deep River and Essex and has since reopened additional parts of the former Connecticut Valley Railroad line. It operates the Essex Steam Train and the Essex Clipper Dinner Train.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 24-70 @ 24mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 80.

eptember 2, 2018 – A CTA pink line train takes a right at Tower 12

September 2, 2018 – A CTA pink line train takes a right at Tower 12 as another train rounds a curve heading into the interlocking in downtown Chicago, Illinois.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 70-300 @300mm, f/5.6, 1/400, ISO 160.

September 1, 2018 – St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad steam locomotive 1630

September 1, 2018 – St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad steam locomotive 1630 sits in the station at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois, waiting for it’s 8pm run, as the last light of day begins to fade from the sky.

According to Wikipedia, the locomotive was built in 1918 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for use in Russia as a class Ye locomotive. However, it, along with approximately 200 other locomotives, remained in the United States, due to the inability of the Bolshevik government to pay for them, following the Russian Revolution.

1630 was converted from 5 ft (1,524 mm) Russian track gauge to 4 ft 8 1/2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge. After being re-gauged, #1630 was sold to the USRA and was numbered 1147. Shortly after, 1147 was briefly leased for use on the Pennsylvania Railroad.

In 1920, the locomotive was sold to the St. Louis San Francisco Railway, where it was used as a mixed traffic engine. In 1951, the locomotive was sold to Eagle-Picher, who used it to haul lead ore from a mine to their smelter.

In 1967, the locomotive was donated to the Illinois Railway Museum, in Union, Illinois, where they began restoring it in 1972, it returned to operating condition in 1974 and made its first revenue run. Sometime after arriving at the museum, 1630 was restored from her Eagle Picher appearance back to her Frisco appearance. 1630 was taken out of service in 2004, and after more than six years undergoing repairs and a federally mandated rebuild, it was returned to operational condition on October 30, 2013.

On Memorial Day weekend 2014, the locomotive returned to excursion service. In 2016, the locomotive received a cylinder overhaul, which according to Steam department curator, Nigel Bennett, made the locomotive, “probably more powerful than she has been since her [sic] first arrival at IRM in the 1970s.” The locomotive, during Memorial Day weekend 2016, pulled 137 empty coal cars in storage at the museum as what was considered to be one of the longest revenue freight trains powered by a steam locomotive in at least 25 years as said by IRM’s Steam department curator.

Film Wednesday – 1993 – Today’s slide scans are from time that I spent at the Budapest-Nyugati Railway Station…

Film Wednesday – 1993 – Today’s slide scans are from time that I spent at the Budapest-Nyugati Railway Station, in Budapest, Hungry. This shot is of a conductor filling out his paperwork, prior to his train departing.

According to Wikipedia, Budapest Nyugati station (Hungarian: Nyugati pályaudvar, pronounced [ˈɲuɡɒti ˈpaːjɒudvɒr]; lit. ’western railway station’), generally referred to simply as Nyugati, is one of the three main railway terminals in Budapest, Hungary. The station is on the Pest side of Budapest, accessible by the 4 and 6 tramline and the M3 metro line.

The station was designed by Auguste de Serres and was built by the Eiffel Company. It was opened on 28 October 1877. It replaced another station, which was the terminus of Hungary’s first railway line, the Pest–Vác line (constructed in 1846). This building was demolished to construct the Grand Boulevard.

The station got its name from the adjacent Western Square (‘Nyugati tér’), a major intersection where Teréz körút (Theresia Boulevard), Szent István körút (Saint Stephen Boulevard), Váci út (Váci Avenue), and Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Avenue) converge. The square also serves as a transport hub with several bus routes, tram routes 4 and 6, and a station on M3 of the Budapest Metro.

Beside the terminal and partially above its open area there is the WestEnd City Center shopping mall. Inside the station is a McDonald’s restaurant which has been described as the “most elegant” McDonald’s in the world.

The music video for Gwen Stefani’s 2008 single Early Winter was partly shot at Nyugati. Starting in May 2016 the key scenes of the movie Terminal were shot over 27 nights.

Tech Info: Camera, Nikon F3, Ektachrome Slide Film, no other data recorded, Scanned with an PlusTek 82001i Film Scanner.

Film Wednesday – 1993 – Today’s slide scans are from time that I spent at the Budapest-Nyugati Railway Station

Film Wednesday – 1993 – Today’s slide scans are from time that I spent at the Budapest-Nyugati Railway Station, in Budapest, Hungry. This shot is a portrait of a worker that posed for me with his pipe!

According to Wikipedia, Budapest Nyugati station (Hungarian: Nyugati pályaudvar, pronounced [ˈɲuɡɒti ˈpaːjɒudvɒr]; lit. ’western railway station’), generally referred to simply as Nyugati, is one of the three main railway terminals in Budapest, Hungary. The station is on the Pest side of Budapest, accessible by the 4 and 6 tramline and the M3 metro line.

The station was designed by Auguste de Serres and was built by the Eiffel Company. It was opened on 28 October 1877. It replaced another station, which was the terminus of Hungary’s first railway line, the Pest–Vác line (constructed in 1846). This building was demolished to construct the Grand Boulevard.

The station got its name from the adjacent Western Square (‘Nyugati tér’), a major intersection where Teréz körút (Theresia Boulevard), Szent István körút (Saint Stephen Boulevard), Váci út (Váci Avenue), and Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Avenue) converge. The square also serves as a transport hub with several bus routes, tram routes 4 and 6, and a station on M3 of the Budapest Metro.

Beside the terminal and partially above its open area there is the WestEnd City Center shopping mall. Inside the station is a McDonald’s restaurant which has been described as the “most elegant” McDonald’s in the world.

The music video for Gwen Stefani’s 2008 single Early Winter was partly shot at Nyugati. Starting in May 2016 the key scenes of the movie Terminal were shot over 27 nights.

Tech Info: Camera, Nikon F3, Ektachrome Slide Film, no other data recorded, Scanned with an PlusTek 82001i Film Scanner.

East Broad Top (EBT) steam locomotive #16 sits in the yard at Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania

East Broad Top (EBT) steam locomotive #16 sits in the yard in the early morning fog at Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania on October 6th, 2024, during the museum’s Friends of the East Broad top event.

According to the East Broad Top Website: Locomotive #16 was built in 1916 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

Entering the age of modern steam in 1916, the EBT received its first of three large Mikados. Unlike the previous three smaller locomotives, #16 came with superheaters, piston valves, and Southern valve gear. One story mentions #16 pulled 60 empty hoppers from Mt. Union to Rockhill in one train, literally clearing out the yard. #16 underwent an overhaul in 1955 and made only a handful of trips in early 1956 before the railroad shut down. On February 1, 2023, the locomotive returned to service.

Tech Info: Nikon D810, RAW, Nikon 24-70 @24mm, f/2.8, 1/50, ISO 64.

Early morning golden light rakes across the engine house as Nevada Northern Railway steam locomotives 93 and 81…

Early morning golden light rakes across the engine house as Nevada Northern Railway steam locomotives 93 and 81 pull out into the frigid air at Ely, Nevada, during the museums 2022 Winter Photo Charter event on February 12th, 2022.

According to Wikipedia: The Nevada Northern Railway Museum is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located in Ely, Nevada and operated by a historic foundation dedicated to the preservation of the Nevada Northern Railway.

The museum is situated at the East Ely Yards, which are part of the Nevada Northern Railway. The site is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places as the Nevada Northern Railway East Ely Yards and Shops and is also known as the “Nevada Northern Railway Complex”. The rail yards were designated a National Historic Landmark District on September 27, 2006. The site was cited as one of the best-preserved early 20th-century railroad yards in the nation, and a key component in the growth of the region’s copper mining industry. Developed in the first decade of the 20th century, it served passengers and freight until 1983, when the Kennecott Copper Company, its then-owner, donated the yard to a local non-profit for preservation. The property came complete with all the company records of the Nevada Northern from its inception.”

According to the NNRY website, #93 is a 2-8-0 that was built by the American Locomotive Company in January of 1909 at a cost of $17,610. It was the last steam locomotive to retire from original revenue service on the Nevada Northern Railway in 1961 and was restored back into service in 1993.

Locomotive #81 is a “Consolidation” type (2-8-0) steam locomotive that was built for the Nevada Northern in 1917 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA, at a cost of $23,700. It was built for Mixed service to haul both freight and passenger trains on the Nevada Northern railway.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Sigma 24-70 @ 24mm, f/8.1, 1/800, ISO 320.

The 1880 Train, Black Hills Central Railroad locomotive crew on 108 performs a blow down

The 1880 Train, Black Hills Central Railroad locomotive crew on 108 performs a blow down on the engine as they arrive back at Hill City, SD on May 30th, 2022, under stormy skies.

A Blowdown, where the left and right blow down valves, located at the lowest portion of the firebox sides (mud ring), are opened to blow out mineral sediments in the boiler water. Addition of various chemicals in the tender water is designed to keep the sediments (mud, etc.) from sticking to the internal steel components of the firebox/boiler. On a regular basis, those “settled” sediments need to blown out at safe locations on the railroad. Thus, the locomotives are being “blown down”.

According to their website: Locomotive #108 joined its nearly identical twin, #110, at the beginning of the 2020 season following a four-year restoration. It is a 2-6-6-2T articulated tank engine that was built by the Baldwin Locomotives Works in 1926 for the Potlatch Lumber Company. It later made its way to Weyerhaeuser Timber Company and eventually to the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, Washington.

The acquisition and subsequent restoration of locomotive #108 completed a more than 20-year goal of increasing passenger capacity which began with the restoration of #110 and the restoration of multiple passenger cars. Both large Mallet locomotives (pronounced Malley) can pull a full train of seven authentically restored passenger cars, up from the four cars utilized prior to their addition to the roster.

Tech Info: iPhone 13 Pro Max, 5.7mm, f/1.5, 1/1147, ISO 50.

The Black Hills Central Railway locomotive 108 heads through the countryside

The Black Hills Central Railway locomotive 108 heads through the countryside as it makes its first trip of the day in stormy, wet weather of the forest to Keystone, South Dakota on my birthday, May 30th, 2022! I for one cant recall a better way to spend the day then chasing a steam locomotive and they later in the day riding it with family! Despite the wet and rainy weather, it was a great day, and I even got the drone up a few times! A big shout out to Cory Jakeway for all the help on finding my way around on the railroad and railfanning with me!

According to their website: Locomotive #108 joined its nearly identical twin, #110, at the beginning of the 2020 season following a four-year restoration. It is a 2-6-6-2T articulated tank engine that was built by the Baldwin Locomotives Works in 1926 for the Potlatch Lumber Company. It later made its way to Weyerhaeuser Timber Company and eventually to the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, Washington.

The acquisition and subsequent restoration of locomotive #108 completed a more than 20-year goal of increasing passenger capacity which began with the restoration of #110 and the restoration of multiple passenger cars. Both large Mallet locomotives (pronounced Malley) can pull a full train of seven authentically restored passenger cars, up from the four cars utilized prior to their addition to the roster.

Tech Info: Nikon D800, RAW, Nikon 10-24mm @ 13mm, f/3.8, 1/400, ISO 250.

Film Wednesday – 1993 – Today’s slide scans are from a trip I took on The Budapest Children’s Railway

Film Wednesday – 1993 – Today’s slide scans are from a trip I took on The Budapest Children’s Railway, which spans approximately 11 kilometers, winding its way through the picturesque Buda Hills in Hungry.

According to their website, Children’s Railway, Budapest is one of Budapest’s most unique attractions. Like any other railway, it has ticket offices, diesel locomotives, signals, switches and a timetable. Unlike other railways though, this one is run by children. The line stretches among the Buda hills from Széchenyihegy to Hűvösvölgy, crossing the Cogwheel Railway and serving Normafa as well as the highest point of Budapest: Jánoshegy.

The lookout towers, forest playgrounds, places of pilgrimage and other attractions lie close to the stations, making the Children’s Railway the ideal jumping-off point for a half-day trip even for families, friends, groups or lone travelers.

A steam locomotive also operates on selected days. The journey is a special experience for train-loving adults and children alike. If you’d like to find out more visit their website at: https://gyermekvasut.hu/en/home/

These scanned slides were where shot while I was deployed during (from Wikipedia) “Operation Deny Flight which was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operation that began on 12 April 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations (UN) no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

Also from Wikipedia: We were also part of “Operation Provide Hope which was a humanitarian operation conducted by the U.S. Air Force starting in 1992 to provide medical equipment to former Soviet republics during their transition to freedom from the USSR until 1994.

For 6-months of this operation I was the photo editor for a Combat Camera team that worked out of Aviano, Italy covering both operations. On the weekends, our schedules allowed us some time to travel and on my days off I traveled and today’s photos, along with many others.

Tech Info: Camera, Nikon F3, Ektachrome Slide Film, no other data recorded, Scanned with an PlusTek 82001i Film Scanner.

Film Wednesday: The Budapest Children’s Railway Loading