Coming Soon...

[Chris Kilroy]

I can't provide too many details or a preview at this time, but I'm excited to announce that the JetPhotos.Net team, along with noted rail photographer Chris Starnes, is hard at work on a website similar to this one for our railfan/train enthusiast brethren.

According to some unofficial statistics, train enthusiasts outnumber aviation enthusiasts by a 10 to 1 margin, and rail photography is far and away a larger hobby with a larger following than aircraft photography.

The new site will be the first of its kind on the net -- a public database where rail photographers from across the globe can show off and promote their work.

Here's a sneak preview of the site's new logo.

More details to come... nod.gif

http://www.railpictures.net/logo.jpg

[Katamarino]

Awesome! Big diesel trains are seriously impressive!

[Chris Starnes]

Well thats a dandy idea if I say so myself idea.gif

Thats some great photography there on the banner as well...that guy must be a pro images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

CTS

[PolishAir42]

" rail photography is far and away a larger hobby with a larger following than aircraft photography."\

I dont see people shooting pix at railyards...but wait then again why the hell would you waste your time there if you have ORD by you? I dont understand.. skeptical.gif hehe

[Southwest737]

AWESOME!! I have an amtrack station in my town carbondale, and we have HUNDREDS of frieghtor go by-will definetly post pics here!!!

[Chris Kilroy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PolishAir42:
" rail photography is far and away a larger hobby with a larger following than aircraft photography."\

I dont see people shooting pix at railyards...but wait then again why the hell would you waste your time there if you have ORD by you? I dont understand.. skeptical.gif hehe<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's because railroad tracks are literally everywhere. Airplane photographers generally congregate around airports, making recognition of other spotters and photographers rather easy, as most airports have a few select spots to shoot, like the parking lot by 27L at O'Hare.

While someone may live an hour from the closest airport, however, you can bet they've got a railroad track within a short distance, which explains partially why the hobby of rail photography is so popular. You're never too far from a railroad track.

It stands to reason, then, that while airplane photographers are normally congregated in a small area, rail photographers are more spread out around the some 200,000 miles of railroad track in the U.S.

[PolishAir42]

Ill take your word for it...especially since ive never taken a pics of trains....i bet the security is looser though...hehehehe!

[Coyote]

Well, Chris is at it again it looks, First, it was Air Disaster.com (http://www.airdisaster.com/)

Then came Jet Photos.net (http://www.jetphotos.net/)

Now its Rail Pictures.net (http://www.railpictures.net)

I am waiting for the full circle to show up - oh! here it is...

Train Disaster.com (http://www.drunkfox.com/td/td.htm) laff.gif

[Chris Kilroy]

Coyote:

HAHAHA! laff.gif

That's one of the best things I've ever seen!

clap.gif

[Braniffnut]

While I do not have to many rail pics, I do have a few, mainly of the commuter (trams, light rail, ect.....) type. I will be more than happy to submit these if this is what you are looking for. Now that such a database exists, perhaps I will be more encouraged to some of these monsters on film. Afterall trains were my first love as a youngster.

Now what about.....ships?

Thomas

[Jorge]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Coyote:
Train Disaster.com (http://www.drunkfox.com/td/td.htm) laff.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Brilliant, absolutley brilliant.

[Braniffnut]

Looking through various web pages that cater to 'train photography' there seems to be a lack of any centralized database specifically for train photos and what few I sites that I have viewed leave a lot to be desired, especially with navigation. Me 'thinks' you really might be onto something with this Chris.

So, aside from Chris Stames, could anyone name any other well known rail shooters? I would really like to view their work and get some point of refrence. Are there any books (specifically aimed for US enthusiasts) that cater to train photography, especially with technique as well as locomotive identification?

My only cavet with this future site is that I know almost nothing about the name and make of the various locomotives, so if I do contribute, I really need to get up to speed on learing how to identify these iron horses.

Thomas

[cicadajet]

All I can say i: "Wow"!!! I'm not a train spotter myself, but I do appreciate them. I've suggested to people before that a site like that ought to be started, and asked if a site like that might already exist..but it surely didn't.

This is hot stuff.

I think you are right Chris..there's a lot of folks out there interested.

If you don't get exhausted, a Marine photo database is also not existent in such a format, and there is some degree of ship "spotting" - and certainly nice photo ops, old river boats/sunsets and all that good stuff.. I'll be watching with interest.

[Robert]

I hear trains all the time at my house.
Theres a huge CSX station about one half mile away.

My mom met a guy on a train trip through BC and he was head of a rail-club (also the conductor) she said he has his card, maybe once the site gets going I'll see if his name shows up..

Good idea, though I've never been interested in trains too much.

Maybe www.chickpictures.net (http://www.chickpictures.net) next?
Now that WOOD err would be cool!!
laff.gif j/k

[Chris Kilroy]

Thomas:

I agree with you.. from what I've heard, there is no centralized photo database on the web for rail photos, which was a big motivation to get the new site started.

If you'd like to see some great rail photography, do a websearch for Ron Flanary. Aside from being a friend of Chris Starnes, he's a very reputed rail photographer, as I know I saw his work published in Trains magazine as many as 12-13 years ago.

An aside -- one of the nice things about rail locomotives is that they're easily identifiable with huge roster numbers painted all over them, visible from almost any angle (on the sides of the cabs, running light lenses, etc.) It should be just a quick matter of punching the roster number into that particular railroad's database, and seeing what it spits out. nod.gif

Cicadajet:

My problem with starting a photo database for nautical craft is that I'm not knowledgable at all, and quite frankly, boats don't interest me too much. Besides, I've got quite a bit on my plate right now as it is. nod.gif

As a bonus, these are the only boat photos I've ever found entertaining. Enjoy!:

http://www.airdisaster.com/towboat/

[Jim]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Coyote:
Well, Chris is at it again it looks, First, it was Air Disaster.com (http://www.airdisaster.com/)

Then came Jet Photos.net (http://www.jetphotos.net/)

Now its Rail Pictures.net (http://www.railpictures.net)

I am waiting for the full circle to show up - oh! here it is...

Train Disaster.com (http://www.drunkfox.com/td/td.htm) laff.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I clicked on the Boxcar Willie post and was shown the picture of a horse.

[Coyote]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jim Knight:
I clicked on the Boxcar Willie post and was shown the picture of a horse.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Oh, the HTMl source was blatantly ripped from the actual HTML code of AD.com sometime around where the dates are showing. I grepped and replaced stuff to make the page look "authentic" to the bogus site. I didn't think about the underlying links still being active if where they route to still exist on AD.com. I can't find the horse you speak of though, and im drawing a blank where any horse was ever on AD.com, heh.

[hkgspotter1]

I was a train spotter before going over to planes !!

In that add why is the train track running down the street ??

[Bruce]

How about another one: carphotos.net ?

Cars are everywhere. Everyone lives near a highway and some get 10,000 cars a day. big ones, small ones, trucks, etc

LOL

[ATLcenter]

Well, I ahve some shots of Indian train interiors/exteriors. Could foreign pics actually be categorized by location? I know there are so many railways stations, you'd have to narrow it down to State nad stop in some countries. So what is your opinion on this...? Small villages in countries like India...how to categorize in the new train site...? images/smiles/icon_confused.gif

[Jim]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Coyote:
I can't find the horse you speak of though, and im drawing a blank where any horse was ever on AD.com, heh.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

There are pictures of dogs lying on their own sofas over there, and even a photo of the most obese cat I have ever seen so why not a horse?

[Chris Kilroy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hkgspotter1:
In that add why is the train track running down the street ??<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Daryl,

That photo was taken by Chris Starnes in LaGrange, Kentucky (about 20-30 minutes from me), which is one of the few places in the United States where street-running is still practiced.

The CSX LCL Division from Louisville to Cincinnati does two blocks of street running in LaGrange, with about 35 trains passing through daily.

Needless to say, traffic there can get very bad if several trains come through within a short time period of each other. nod.gif

Here's another shot showing LaGrange.

http://www.starnesphoto.com/railroad/csx6906-lagrange-080902RCF.jpg

[hkgspotter1]

Chris,

I thinks thats just amazing.....do you have more pics ??

Rgds
Daryl

[Joey]

Keeping something in mind . . .

I have a great interest in aviation - not really from the "spotter" aspect but just a fascination with the overall picture. Everybody knows about train spotters and rail fans. An earlier poster mentioned photos of cars.

Well, I doubt anybody knows of another (very much unknown) type of "spotter." The person fascinated with roads and highways. Largely known as a "roadgeek." images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

There are actually a couple different types of roadgeeks - some are fascinated by maps, some by the signs, some by history. All share a fascination with roads.

Some webpages:
http://www.aaroads.com/kick-off/highway.html
http://www.roadstothefuture.com/
http://www.aaroadtrips.com/
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/csaylor/roadtrip_index.html

(PS - roadgeeks, compared to "spotters," are notoriously bad photographers! images/smiles/icon_redface.gif)

Yours truly - myself - I share a fascination with both aviation and roads. images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Chris Kilroy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hkgspotter1:
I thinks thats just amazing.....do you have more pics ??<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sure! images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

http://www.trainweb.org/cnotp/proto/misc/csx8354-01.jpg

http://www.trainweb.org/cnotp/proto/misc/streetcab-01.jpg

http://www.trainweb.org/cnotp/proto/misc/csx282-06.jpg

[hkgspotter1]

OK, I'm now in love with that place !!. Please, I want to see more.

Hong Kong does not have many train but I would like to try my hand at train pictures.....would you be interested ??

[Chris Kilroy]

Daryl,

At this point (and this is subject to change), we will be accepting only photos from North America, namely the U.S. and Canada.

Unfortunately, at this point, none of the team has the knowledge we feel would be required to do railroads from other parts of the world justice, nor do any of us really have the time to research it.

I'd venture to guess (this is not a promise, just an educated guess on my part) that, within 3 months, we'll begin accepting photos from other areas of the world. And at that time, we'll be glad to have your photos from Hong Kong! nod.gif

You oughta try to get a photo of an MTR Airport Express train with a cargo bird landing on 25L at Hong Kong.. now THAT'D be cool! images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[FlyingTexan]

So, Chris and Chris…sounds like-you’ve-been-working-on-the-rail-road. …..(nevermind).

How does one obtain / determine the train’s schedule. I know I can ask Amtrak, but what about for freight-carrying trains…do you just call up CSX? Like, I know when BA’s 747 and 777 are inbound to IAH. How do I know when I will see the next BNSF or whatever?

This LaGrange looks wild! I’ll have to stop there next time I cruise into the Bluegrass.

[hkgspotter1]

OK cry.gif

As for a 25L landing with the Airport Express....... I'll look into it.

Daryl

[Chris Starnes]

FlyinTexan:

Even though railroads have a predetermined time they would LIKE to run a train, 9 times out of 10 it is a demand type of operation. So many things go into when one will run...just to mention a few...

1. Rested crew availability. T&E crews work max shifts of 12 hours, and are guaranteed 8 hours of rest. Sometimes they have to wait on a crew to become available

2. If the dispatchers can handle the train over the particular line at that time, it might be too crowded

3. They have to have enough tonnage to make a train 'profitable' before they will run it.

So, due to the few things I have mentioned above, trains can run unpredictably. There is no real way to find out when something will be running.

As far as people wanting more LaGrange photos....just sit tight...we will have the new RailPictures.net site up and running before you know it and there will be plenty of LaGrange shots for you all!


...the other Chris images/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[FlyingTexan]

Thank you Chris S.

Anyone know what other towns in the US practice ‘street running’ ??

[Chris Kilroy]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FlyingTexan:
Anyone know what other towns in the US practice ‘street running’ ??<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

New Albany, Indiana (even closer to me than LaGrange) has a large (about 5 blocks) area of street running. Unfortunately, the accompanying rail line (fmr Monon between Louisville and Mitchell, IN) sees very few trains these days. Last I checked, it was 4 trains per day (two CSX, two SOO Lines).

I believe Olympia, Washington has some street running as well, but I also recall that this line isn't very busy at all.

Lafayette, Indiana used to have a nice area of street running on the busy CSX line between Chicago and Indianapolis, but alas those rails were moved to a "more convenient" location near the Wabash River. images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif