Train To Nowhere

The train was moving around 35 mph, I was waiting for it to pass, about 15 feet from it. It took me a few shots, but I worked on my pan and shoot technique the other day to kill the time.

How To Derail A Train

Hummm, it's either the Hayes Model EB device attached to the train track or it's the bird seed sprinkled on the side. Take your pick.

Taking A Rest

The humorous thing about this photo was, during my walk on Sunday with my wife and kids, we were sitting on a bench along the walking path taking a quick break from walking. The distant sounds of a locomotive was approaching, interrupting the peace and quietness of our nature walk. The roar of the engine sped past our view and right there from the very park bench I was sitting on gave me this great reflective view of the passing train. How often do you not have to move from your location to get a bonus photo for your blog? How cool is that?

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How To Shoot Light Trails

Union Pacific Railroad

Captured this one, from this past spring, of the passing train. The tracks run along the Mississippi River and Sheppard Road. If you follow the buildings in the background up, you'd see downtown St Paul.

Bridge Under A Bridge

The lift bridge in St Paul that crosses over the Mississippi River is for trains only. It's still in use today, but the trains typically travel rather slow in this area. The train tracks curve under the Robert Street Bridge and along the river. If you follow this set of tracks, you'll run into the switching yard that I've recently posted a couple of photos of. [scroll down a couple days]

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Back It Up Mike, Back It Up

If I were to back up just a bit and give a panoramic view of the train switching yard, you'll see a lot more of what is there to see. I'm not sure how many train tracks they have in this yard, but it's something grand to see when it is full of trains. The switching yard also runs through, or around Pig's Eye Lake. Technically it is really part of the Mississippi River, but they like to name some of the bays Lakes. If you click the photo, I've enlarged the photo to 1600 x 600 in size.

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Control Center

What you're looking at is part of the rail road switching yard in St Paul that runs along Highway 61. On the other side of the control center, out of site, is the Mississippi River. You can see the one car in the photo, this is the employee parking lot, you walk up the stairs and cross over the railroad tracks to the control room. The exact location of this place is almost as far south in St Paul one could get. It's about half mile to a mile north of the St Paul border where Highway 494 and Highway 61 cross. Newport is directly south of this location. Most people who know this area, honestly don't realize this is part of St Paul.

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Quite A Couple

Close up of a train coupler in Hastings.

The Train To Nowhere

These train tracks lie in Hastings near the Hastings Flour Mill. I took this photo in late spring. The train was not moving, but I like the low perspective of this shot.

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Train Did Not Keep A Rolling

Back in early spring, [you can see a few buds on the trees to the right] we took a family walk down by the Hastings Flour Mill. They have a great trail system in place. This train car was just down from the mill and across the Vermillion River. That car is right on the edge of the cliff. The cliff is falling apart below, huge chucks have fallen out. Yet there it sits, all comfy ad could be.

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Rita Hayworth Gave Good Face

Rita Hayworth - Please Don't Kiss Me

Chris over at the Minneapolis Daily Photo has posted not one photo with a face, but two photos with a face. I felt compelled to keep up with the Jones, so to speak. I had taken this photo about three weeks ago in Hastings while on a walk with my family. We happened to pass by this somewhat abandon train cars with lots of graffiti. After being challenged to a face off, I figured that this graffiti face was my answer to the surprise attack.