Robert Swanson's photos with the keyword: train

Taken the day before we took this train to New Jersey. We were visiting the station to get an idea of the layout, and planning our upcoming train trip. Image taken with phone (sorry, poor quality) and processed with GIMP.

As is standard, the last car of a train that is not a locomotive, has an identification/monitoring device. The acronym is FRED (older name was flashing rear device). This side view lets you see how it connects to the air brake system of the train. Image processed with GIMP. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-train_device

As is standard, the last car of a train that is not a locomotive, has an identification/monitoring device. The acronym is FRED (older name was flashing rear device). This is a different view of the FRED that is shown in a side view. Image processed with GIMP. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-train_device

As is standard, the last car of a train that is not a locomotive, has an identification/monitoring device. The acronym is FRED (older name was flashing rear device). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-train_device Image processed with GIMP.

As is standard, the last car of a train that is not a locomotive, has an identification/monitoring device. The acronym is FRED (older name was flashing rear device). This very nice passenger car was on the end of the special train behind the massive steam engine #4014. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-train_device Image processed with GIMP.

Taken at the Texas Transportation Museum, located in San Antonio. Their website. They have some working equipment, and today, they were running a tank locomotive pulling a caboose. You know this is a "real" rail experience, because as this tank engine passed us, we were covered with smuts. (Sad news, this tank engine is out of service as of 2021 and needs repairs.) Image processed with GIMP.

Taken at the Texas Transportation Museum, located in San Antonio. They have some working equipment, and today, they were running a tank locomotive pulling a caboose. Do enjoy this photo on a black background. Image processed with GIMP.

As we drove our RV across the wide open spaces of Wyoming, we followed the railroad tracks for quite a while. This shot of a BNSF hopper train was taken through the RV windshield, and processed with GIMP.

We've managed to see a number of the "Big Boy" steam locomotives. Our visit to Steamtown (Scranton, Pennsylvania) adds yet another, #4012. The locomotive is being maintained quite nicely. You can climb up into the cab, but there are barriers to prevent you from trying to start it up. Image processed with GIMP.

The Folkston Funnel is a section of track where many of the east coast US trains pass. There is a visitors center set up, and you can spend quite an interesting day of train watching.

Taken in Falls Park, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There is a train trestle over the river, right at the park location. BNSF tracks, but the train is D&I. Image processed with GIMP.

Taken at the Utah State Railroad Museum in Ogden, Utah, in 2014. This is the bell on a diesel locomotive. They had to put the bells lower down on these, unlike steam locomotives where the bell was right on the front on top. I converted the image to monochrome using GIMP. See: swansonphotos.com/ogden/ogden_rail.html

Taken at the Utah State Railroad Museum in Ogden, Utah, in 2014. I converted the image to monochrome with GIMP. See: swansonphotos.com/ogden/ogden_rail.html

We took a great excursion trip on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad, from Antonito, Colorado, to Chama, New Mexico. This is a real steam line, burning coal. The line climbs up to a 10,000 foot pass, and we really enjoyed the autumn colors. The next day, we drove to some trackside areas, and took photos of the train heading uphill from Chama. See: swansonphotos.com/cumbres Some history: this line was originally part of the extensive network of the Denver and Rio Grande Western, one of the few narrow-gauge railroads to survive from the 19th century. When that line was seriously curtailed, and would have disappeared, two states took these parts over as tourist (scenic) railroads. In this case, the operation is run by the states of Colorado and New Mexico. The other section run currently is the Durango and Silverton, entirely within Colorado. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_and_Rio_Grande_Western_Railroad