Strategies for 4 track railroads.

[Greg P]

This isn't in regard to any particular rejection or anything, I was just looking at some pictures I've taken in Pennsylvania on the Main Line.

Anyone have any good strategies for 4 track railroads to cut down on the amount of dead space in the foreground. I've had trouble dealing with the catanry poles as well.

One day I was able to find some old cross ties that had rolled away from the ROW so I stood on those and it appeared some height helped.

Any other good tips?

[troy12n]

Standing inbetween tracks 2 and 3 usually works, sometimes things can get crowded though.

[Freericks]

Originally Posted by troy12n

Standing inbetween tracks 2 and 3 usually works, sometimes things can get crowded though.

And we have a winner - WORST ADVICE EVER!


(Troy, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you haven't spent time on the Northeast Corridor or Main Line in Pennsylvania and are really unaware of the traffic volume, but still...)

[Greg P]

Originally Posted by troy12n

Standing inbetween tracks 2 and 3 usually works, sometimes things can get crowded though.

I LOL'ed at this. I, of course, assumed this to be a joke.

[troy12n]

Originally Posted by Greg P

I, of course, assumed this to be a joke.

WINNER!

[Joe the Photog]

You must be watching Leno and are confused. See, jokes are normally meant to be funny.

[Freericks]

I am so ashamed... you got me good.

[nikos1]

Shooting off bridges helps, as does having a train on almost every track
I do alot of my shooting on 4 track railroad, so im entitled to photo whore.

PhotoID: 321682 Photograph © Nikos Kavoori

PhotoID: 320207 Photograph © Nikos Kavoori

[Mgoldman]

Nearly all my Amtrak Corridor photos are either from above or wide angle up close. Those poles are tricky to work with, let alone the catenary.

/Mitch

[Tgranville]

I agree with Nikos, try to get a train on every track and shoot from a bridge.. But what do you do when you have 6 tracks? Hopefully you catch a busy moment and have most of the tracks full. .

PhotoID: Photograph ©

[Greg P]

What were you on in that picture to get up that high?

[stevenmwelch]

Originally Posted by Greg P

What were you on in that picture to get up that high?

He was feeding Godzilla.

[Mgoldman]

Originally Posted by stevenmwelch

He was feeding Godzilla.

Doubtful... no heat distortion.

/Mitch

[stevenmwelch]

Originally Posted by Mgoldman

Doubtful... no heat distortion.

/Mitch

Godzilla breathes cool. If you wanted heat distortion, you could shoot it from Al Gore's head.

[asis80]

On a serious note, visit Pittsburgh and you'll find nearly 100 of what he was standing on, just in town alone. Visit the NS Pittsburgh Line and you'll find one nearly every mile, I'll give you a hint. It's spelled B-R-I-D-G-E.

ben

[asis80]

PhotoID: 320134 Photograph © Ben Sutton

Actually, its the big blue one right above the yellow one. It's pretty high. The Westinghouse Bridge is quite a bridge too. Very high. Not all tracks are together though, but there is 4.

3 on the NS side comprising of the Port Perry Branch and the NS Pittsburgh Line

PhotoID: 318792 Photograph © Ben Sutton

and one at this location on the other side of town for the Union Railroad. *EDIT : One is currently in service, the other one might be now, haven't been in the area for a while but it's been single track for a while*

PhotoID: 318911 Photograph © Ben Sutton

Or go trackside (NOT BETWEEN THE TRACKS!!!!) and get creative!

PhotoID: 319214 Photograph © Ben Sutton

Ben

[milwman]

Outside of curves would work well for you along with a longer lens.

[Slopes09]

If you're shooting the Corridor, bridges don't always work. Most of the bridges have high walls (think 8ish feet) to keep people and vehicles from interfering with the catenary. So bridges are not the panacea of four track railroads.

I haven't found it that hard to shoot 4-track railroads. Just find a good local rail station (i.e. NJT, SEPTA, etc.) and you should be fine. Look for creative angles, and don't forget to be safe and be mindful of passengers using the station for what it's intended for (i.e. boarding trains).

[Mgoldman]

Then again... who says you have to shoot 'down' the tracks?

PhotoID: 327940 Photograph © Mitch Goldman

/Mitch

[cblaz]

Originally Posted by Slopes09

If you're shooting the Corridor, bridges don't always work. Most of the bridges have high walls (think 8ish feet) to keep people and vehicles from interfering with the catenary. So bridges are not the panacea of four track railroads.

Agreed. Bridges may work elsewhere, but not for the electrified lines in the Northeast. Also, with the length of the trains and the rate of speed that they are traveling, it's not that easy to get a shot with trains on all tracks. Mike's advice about going to a station and looking for unique angles is the best advice. Instead of settling for wedgies from the end of the platform, shoot the people on the platform, railroad structures and signals, detail shots, blur shots or practice your zoom pans.

PhotoID: 305668 Photograph © Christopher Blaszczyk

PhotoID: 317009 Photograph © Christopher Blaszczyk

PhotoID: 316715 Photograph © Nick DAmato (Diamond D)

PhotoID: 306347 Photograph © Nick DAmato (Diamond D)

PhotoID: 270394 Photograph © Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

- Chris

[DWHonan]

Originally Posted by Slopes09

I haven't found it that hard to shoot 4-track railroads.

Agreed: I just find a hillside a few miles away from my subject and yank out my longest glass.

PhotoID: 269350 Photograph © David Honan

PhotoID: 291583 Photograph © David Honan

I also live out beyond the edge of civilization* where we don't have trees or buildings or people or any of those other things which tend to obstruct views...

(* - West of I-95.)

[transit383]

Originally Posted by cblaz

Also, with the length of the trains and the rate of speed that they are traveling, it's not that easy to get a shot with trains on all tracks

Its almost impossible to get a shot of trains on all tracks. I did manage to get this one of three trains passing:

PhotoID: 254805 Photograph © Gerald Oliveto

And here's one of two passing, same location:

PhotoID: 244924 Photograph © Gerald Oliveto

[Slopes09]

Sometimes you can get lucky:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1108135...078214#preview