May 31, 2014; But Did They Actually Work?

Fire barrel on Stevens Pass begs the questions, did the small amount of accumulated snow melt and rain water be enough to put out a trestle fire?  And how did the water get to the fire?

May 30, 2014: B-boat on the Point

Thanks to an odd set of circumstances, a cables "B-unit" leads a westbound train up Stevens Pass.

May 29, 2014: How to Open a Swing Bridge

Swinomish Slough swing bridge control box.

May 28, 2014; Go-Cart, Railroad Style

With the Swinomish Slough swing bridge in the closed position, and the Annie Local waiting in the distance, the bridge tender uses a funky little motorized cart to cross the bridge insuring it is locked into alignment before radioing the train to proceed.

May 27, 2014: The Bridge Tender

After the passage of a crude oil train, the Swinomish Slough bridge tender walks back across to swing the bridge open for marine traffic.  A few years prior he would have had the use of a motorized cart, but safety concerns outlawed the little machine, so its back to the old ways.

May 26, 2014: Gettysburg

 It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain... A Lincoln     

Cemetery Ridge, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

May 25, 2014: Old Timer

Old even by MRL standards, an SD 9 leads a mixed bag of power up the west slope of Mullan Pass.

May 24,2014: Cutting In

Cutting in the helper, Helena Junction.

May 23, 2014: Smoke and Rain

Having just emerged from the Mullan Tunnel smoke cloud and into a driving rain, the last car of a westbound coal train drifts away from the rear pusher set having been uncoupled"on the fly."

May 22, 2014: Watching for the Highball

Nighttime at Tacoma's Union Station has the fireman of a BN passenger train watching for the conductor's highball.

May 21, 2014: Still NP

The Burlington Northern was 2 months old when I took this photo, but you would never know it.  Shot in the evening of May 20, 1970, Tacoma Yard still looked very NP.  Yesterday you saw my first frame of Tri-X film, this is my second.

May 20, 2014: 44 Years Ago

I took this photo 44 years ago this evening.  How can I be so sure?  For my birthday that day, my folks gave me my first "good" camera, a used Yashica 2 1/4 TLR, a hand-me-down Weston light meter, and a roll of Tri-X 120.  That evening the Old Man and I went out and he showed me how to use the light meter and set the camera.  This is the first image I exposed on my first frame of Tri-X.  I even remember the exposure, 1/500th, f11.

May 19, 2014: Fill That Crankcase

"Slim" Rasmussen, destined  to be mayor of Tacoma, fills the crankcase of an NP f-unit at the D-street roundhouse.  I was about 10 or 11 when I took this photo with my Brownie Starlight camera and Payless 127 film.  This is my oldest surviving railroad negative.

May 18, 2014: Cribbing

Detail, snow shed cribbing, Twin Tunnels, Stevens Pass.

May 17, 2014: Canyon Chant

A mid-train helper set produces some great stack talk working up the Nason Creek Canyon.

May 16, 2014: Evening Freight

An eastbound freight faces the western setting sun as it climbs the twists and turns of Stampede Pass.

May 15, 2014: Starting the Climb

Having dropped down the sag at Merritt, a westbound train hits the 2.2% climb to the top of Stevens Pass.

May 14, 2014: The Switch List

A Montana Rail Link switchman copies a switch list from a paper towel to a little more official form.

May 13, 2014: Thunder Bumpers

Dropping down off Bozeman Hill, and eastbound train ducks under a gathering thunder storm.

May 12, 2014: Starting a Shove

The engineer of a Montana rail Link helper tells the head-end he is cut in and ready to start shoving.

May 11, 2014; Mother's Day

Once a mother, always a mother.....or grandmother.

May 10, 2014; Brothers

Two brothers, nearing the end of their careers stop for a moment in their farm office, on the wall hang plaques of their achievements .

May 9, 2014; Partners

Husband and wife dairy farmers, a true partnership.

May 8, 2014: Starting the Night Shift

Sun's setting...will have to turn on the lights before I know it.  So much for celebrating the 8th of May........

May 7, 2014; Your Next Bowl of Ice Cream

Take a close look.  This is the first step towards your next bowl of ice cream.

May 6, 2014; Bucking Bales

There are a lot of back breaking jobs on a farm, bucking 100 pound bales of alfalfa rates right up there.

May 5, 2014; The Herdsman

An Hispanic herdsman pauses from his duties.

May 4, 2014; Contemplation

A dairyman takes a break from the daily chores for a minute of quiet contemplation.

May 3, 2014: 1st Cutting

Another load of 1st cutting grass silage slides from the dump wagon into the awaiting truck for the quick trip to the bunker silo.

May 2, 2914; Coffee Break

A farmer takes a break from getting his mower ready to contemplate what to after he sells out.

May 1, 2014; Stampede Moon

Full moon at New Stampede.