One of the great benefits that comes from my hobby is the chance and pleasure to be able to travel to many different places to photograph machines of the past. Over the past several years I’ve had the delight of visiting 8 different states with friends and family, taking in what each area we visit has to offer in the midst of photographing steam locomotives.
Here in New York State I’ve visited the Arcade & Attica Railroad in the Allegheny Plateau, which has the distinction of being the only steam powered railroad in the state. I’ve also visited the Adirondacks, capturing diesel-powered trains making their way through the pines between Utica and Old Forge.
Pennsylvania is without a doubt my main area of focus for railfanning due to its rich railroad history along with its spectacular mountain and rural scenery. Here one can find a wide variety of trains with numerous operating steam railroads along with Class-1 diesel operations. I’ve traveled all over the state photographing and filming trains in areas including Scranton, Reading, Jim Thorpe, Altoona and Lancaster to name a few. My favorite places to visit inclue the Strasburg Rail Road in the Amish Country of Lancaster County as well as the Reading & Northern system in the Anthracite-coal region of the state north of Reading.
In addition I’ve visited New Jersey and the Black River & Western Railroad, located just shy of the border with Pennsylvania.
Connecticut has also been in my sights as my friends and I have visited the Valley Railroad in the lush Connecticut River Valley.
Another of my all-time favorite places to visit lies deep in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia where the states’ railroad and logging history come to life: the Cass Scenic Railroad. Cass has the largest amount of operating Shay geared logging steam locomotive in the world, and their distinct sights and sounds combined with the breathtaking mountains and forests make for a thrilling experience.
If you were to ask me which railroads I love the most, it would be none other than the Colorado Narrow Gauge lines located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, namely the Durango & Silverton and the Cumbres & Toltec. I was fortunate enough to see these railroads for myself during a summer visit, and it was a life-changing experience from both riding the trains along with chasing them as well. The rich mining and railroad history culminate perfectly with the locomotives twisting and turning across sheer rock cliffs and climbing steep grades through the gorgeous mountain paradise.
The journeys I’ve embarked upon along with the many great people I’ve been able to meet make for what I believe to be the greatest hobby ever.
