Sometimes, we need to return to our roots I think.

When I purchased my first DSLR, a Canon xTi, I decided to take it over to Augusta, Georgia to shoot along the Riverwalk and try it out. The Savannah River was quite calm that morning and there was no boat traffic.  The old Southern Railway bridge was reflected in the water. The only thing that would have improved it, a steam train going across.

River ReflectionsThe ex-Southern Railway bridge is reflected in the still waters of the Savannah River at Augusta, Georgia.

The bridge is located at the Riverwalk Park in downtown Augusta and still serves the trains of the Norfolk Southern.

When I lived in Aiken, this was a favorite place to visit and photograph. I believe this was the only time I visited over several years when the water was this calm.

The only thing that might of made the image even a little more appealing to me would of been a train crossing the classic iron structure.

Years later, this shot is still one of my all-time favorites.  I was never able to duplicate that scene on numerous visits to the location while living in South Carolina.

The image was made as a jpeg.  I didn't know about RAW at the time and was converted to BW in the Canon software provided.  I wish I had a RAW file to process now as I think I could bring out some more details in the shadows, etc...

As we quickly approach the end of 2014, it is time to start thinking about 2015 and our goals as photographers. I'm hoping to do a better job than I did this year of getting out and shooting something every week.  I wish I could say "everyday" but with my work schedule "every week" seems like an achievable goal.

I also hope to do a better job of posting here on the blog. I look back and see some pretty "dry" periods.  My goal for 2015 will be to do at least one post a week. Hopefully, I'll exceed that.

Southern 630The Southern 630 rolls through the Chickamauga National Battlefield in 2015 pulling an excursion for the Tennessee Valley Railroad

Labor Day is a big weekend for steam locomotives in the US.

The big news this weekend is the return to steam action of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's 4501 which will be a part of the annual RAILFEST! this weekend in Chattanooga, TN.

I look forward to seeing the 4501 as it returns to the rails as part of the Norfolk Southern's 21st Century Steam program over the next few years, joining the 630, the NKP 765, and hopefully soon the Norfolk & Western 611 undergoing restoration in North Carolina in Spencer.

The photo above is of the 611's long-time excursion partner the NW 1218 which resides at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke which would also be a great destination this holiday weekend.

Wherever you spend the weekend, I hope you have a great end to the Summer, see a bunch of trains, and stay safe near the tracks!

Snapshot

As a railfan, I might be one of the few people who don't mind being caught by a train at a crossing. The gates were just going down as I pulled up to this crossing in Tifton, Georgia last week, so I rolled down the window and grabbed my trusty #Canon #G1X to get a snapshot of the passing train.

NS 8014 leads her train through the crossing blowing the horn in the familiar long-long-short-long pattern. A friendly wave from the crew made the moment complete.