Success at Cascade Tunnel

[Chase55671]

This is one of the primary reasons I enjoy viewing and contributing to Railpictures. As discussed in a thread a few months ago, I enjoy seeing the different styles of photos offered by the different contributors to the site. In this particular case, I've enjoyed viewing different perspectives of the same location by a handful of contributors (well known contributors, at that) and even in some cases, a refreshing angle of the same location, by the same photographer. A recent Screener's Choice award on a photo submitted by Dave Honan motivated me to create this thread.

PhotoID: 382405 Photograph © David Honan

The same evening, taken just a hair over two hours after the above photo, Ross Fotheringham captured an equally as dramatic scene of a train exiting Cascade Tunnel. Acknowledged with a well deserved PCA, it's neat to see how a single location has enough "awh" to continue to consistently appeal to the viewers and staff of the site.

PhotoID: 381694 Photograph © Ross Fotheringham

Other examples from the same location include this unique perspective offered by Steve Carter, another well known photographer on RP.

PhotoID: 315170 Photograph © Steve Carter

In addition to seeing how other photographers work with a scene, it's also neat to see how the same photographers work with the same scene and even with just small changes, how the photos continue to do well in feedback.

PhotoID: 304219 Photograph © David Honan

Receiving another PCA on the above image, it proves to me that Cascade Tunnel has something going for it and in a nut shell, when all of the C&O signals disappear in West Virginia, I'm moving to the PNW.

Chase

[troy12n]

That's quite a drive for you.

[Mr. Pick]

The thing that is so compelling about David's latest shot is that the train is coming toward the tunnel. The lighting it produces is spectacular. Don't know if that was an original idea or not, but it sure works.

[sd9]

And don't forget different sides of the track...
I kinda like how the town lights up in Eric's but thumbs up to Andrew on the Remarks: The other side.

PhotoID: 382387 Photograph © Eric Williams

PhotoID: 382440 Photograph © Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

[bigbassloyd]

Ah, if only Big Bend was longer...

Loyd L.

[Ron Flanary]

Originally Posted by Chase55671

Receiving another PCA on the above image, it proves to me that Cascade Tunnel has something going for it and in a nut shell, when all of the C&O signals disappear in West Virginia, I'm moving to the PNW.

Chase

There are plenty of bores close to your home where you could capture something just like this. It's a very nice shot---but this type of image is starting to become a cliche on RP.

[troy12n]

You should be able to pull something like that off at Big Bend or Alleghany Tunnel or whatever the tunnel is at East Alleghany, you may have to climb up on the bank like a goat, but you could do it.

[bigbassloyd]

They don't have a fan system, and that's the key. You can do some interesting things at the Tunnels here, but not to that effect. I can show you about every type of shot you can do here though.. I spend alot of time at the portals of ye old Big Bend.

Loyd L.

[troy12n]

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

They don't have a fan system, and that's the key. You can do some interesting things at the Tunnels here, but not to that effect. I can show you about every type of shot you can do here though.. I spend alot of time at the portals of ye old Big Bend.

Oh, I didnt realize it had to do with the ventilation systems, makes sense the more I think about it. I don't think there are any tunnels in the East that still use them anymore. Most of the tunnel portals on the C&O are pretty tight outside of the portals and are getting grown over in places.

[Ron Flanary]

Originally Posted by troy12n

Oh, I didnt realize it had to do with the ventilation systems, makes sense the more I think about it. I don't think there are any tunnels in the East that still use them anymore. Most of the tunnel portals on the C&O are pretty tight outside of the portals and are getting grown over in places.

I didn't think about that either. Moffat Tunnel is also ventilated (and I've been there---as well as Cascade, but not at night in either place). In steam days, Lewis Tunnel on the ex-C&O at East Alleghany was ventilated (the westbound tunnel, that is), and also the new (1950) Elkhorn Tunnel on the N&W main.

I still like Loyd's Big Bend shots (neither bore there had to be ventilated in steam days). There's a fairly long tunnel at Hagans, VA, about 40 minutes from home (it's about 6500'), and also Clinch Mountain and Sandy Ridge Tunnels on the former Clinchfield (about 4,500 and 5,500 respectively---more or less). However, I don't have the inclination or energy to go out at night like some of the younger guys. I'll just look at their pictures...

[troy12n]

Yea, I knew Elkhorn was ventilated, but not active anymore. I think Sand Patch tunnel was also

[bigbassloyd]

The old bore at Big Bend had a ventilation plant installed in 1917, and removed in the early 1950's. The giant chamber built onto the West portal still exists, but all machinery is gone. The old bore at Lewis still has the entire ventilation plant atop the East portal.

Loyd L.

[Ron Flanary]

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

The old bore at Big Bend had a ventilation plant installed in 1917, and removed in the early 1950's. The giant chamber built onto the West portal still exists, but all machinery is gone. The old bore at Lewis still has the entire ventilation plant atop the East portal.

Loyd L.

Oops...I forgot about "Great Bend Tunnel's" ventilation plant! I've never visited the west bore (for either Big Bend, or the older out of service tunnel).

I should have referred to some of my books downstairs before I banged out a response!

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by Ron Flanary

It's a very nice shot---but this type of image is starting to become a cliche on RP.

That's why I chose to shoot straight down the tunnel (or at least very close to it) when I took this:

PhotoID: 308612 Photograph © Jim Thias

[travsirocz]

Originally Posted by JimThias

That's why I chose to shoot straight down the tunnel (or at least very close to it) when I took this:

PhotoID: 325315 Photograph © Travis Dewitz

[Ron Flanary]

Originally Posted by JimThias

That's why I chose to shoot straight down the tunnel (or at least very close to it) when I took this:

Oh.....I do like that shot! I like Travis' shot at Moffat as well.

You guys need to avoid hanging out at such locations in the dead of night. The boogeyman's gonna get you!

[travsirocz]

Originally Posted by Ron Flanary

Oh.....I do like that shot! I like Travis' shot at Moffat as well.

You guys need to avoid hanging out at such locations in the dead of night. The boogeyman's gonna get you!

I've slept in my truck at Moffat twice. The drive from Wisconsin there with a few stops along the way has always seemed to put me at the East Portal around midnight. Very spooky at times.

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

Originally Posted by sd9

And don't forget different sides of the track...
I kinda like how the town lights up in Eric's but thumbs up to Andrew on the Remarks: The other side.

I put a lot of thought into that one. I appreciate the recognition!

[Chase55671]

Originally Posted by Ron Flanary

There are plenty of bores close to your home where you could capture something just like this. It's a very nice shot---but this type of image is starting to become a cliche on RP.

It just motivates me to try something new. I haven't had a whole lot of lucky lately, but maybe I'll come away with something new this winter. The different seasons bring a wide variety of weather conditions.

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

They don't have a fan system, and that's the key. You can do some interesting things at the Tunnels here, but not to that effect. I can show you about every type of shot you can do here though.. I spend alot of time at the portals of ye old Big Bend.

Loyd L.

You definitely get the feel of the exhaust pushing out of the portal though and I've noticed some signal beams being formed as a result of it, especially there at Talcott. Definitely 10-15 degree temperature difference. Awesome feeling.

Chase

[coborn35]

Originally Posted by troy12n

That's quite a drive for you.

*For his parents.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by travsirocz

Very nice! I for some reason don't recall seeing that one. Favorited.

Originally Posted by Ron Flanary

Oh.....I do like that shot! I like Travis' shot at Moffat as well.

You guys need to avoid hanging out at such locations in the dead of night. The boogeyman's gonna get you!

Thanks, Ron.

Originally Posted by travsirocz

I've slept in my truck at Moffat twice. The drive from Wisconsin there with a few stops along the way has always seemed to put me at the East Portal around midnight. Very spooky at times.

After getting that tunnel shot, Welch and I headed up to Andover where we spent the night in darkness. What a beautiful place to be in the summer in the middle of the night!


By the way, seeing those new CP Holiday train pics in this thread makes me wonder something. How come no one has done multiple exposures and blended them together to avoid the blown out lights? It's a pretty simple procedure, yet every one of the pics I see where it's parked some distance away, the lights on the cars are all overexposed.

[troy12n]

Originally Posted by JimThias

By the way, seeing those new CP Holiday train pics in this thread makes me wonder something. How come no one has done multiple exposures and blended them together to avoid the blown out lights? It's a pretty simple procedure, yet every one of the pics I see where it's parked some distance away, the lights on the cars are all overexposed.

I have suggested that very thing to many people on here, seems to fall on deaf ears.

A pet peeve of mine is night roster shots with blown out numberboards. SUPER EASY fix...

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by troy12n

I have suggested that very thing to many people on here, seems to fall on deaf ears.

A pet peeve of mine is night roster shots with blown out numberboards. SUPER EASY fix...

Right. Expose for the train/scene/whatever, then expose for the lights. Create a separate layer with the "expose for the lights" shot, and then using a layer mask, "paint" out the blown lights exposing the properly exposed lights on the layer below. Combine layers, VOILA!

It's so brainlessly easy, I don't know why more people don't do it.

[bigbassloyd]

I don't do it, because it's something I don't care about.

That's brainlessly easy for me.

Loyd L.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

I don't do it, because it's something I don't care about.

That's brainlessly easy for me.

I knew that comment would get a response.