Model Train Journal

This is a new thread with one rule, if you post a second The Coolest Railroad Photograph Ever, it has to be cooler than the first.

The Coolest Railroad Photograph Ever
Glow Worm Tunnel, Old Helensburgh Railway Station, Helensburgh, New South Wales, Australia.

Image Credit: Steve Weston

Beautiful photo but not quite what you would see in person. Definitely long exposure, possibly other manipulation (maybe in post) to enhance the image (contrast/exposure). Not that I am opposed to this, I routinely used polarizing and ND filters to make the sky dark blue. Any new posts of other tunnel shots can also use advanced photo techniques (including using strobes) to "paint" the tunnel?

I don't have my magnifying glass, but those rail discontinuities near the tunnel opening look disturbing. The waterfall looks bogus.

Sectional rail, there are breaks about every 50 feet or so. Line is long abandoned.

The waterfall looks "fake" because it's a long exposure. That's how they got the tunnel to be as bright as shown. If you look at Google images there are a lot that show considerably less glow because they had much shorter exposures. Waterfall effect is enhanced for the same reason. Photo may have been taken right after a shower. Enormous depth of field would have required the lens to be stopped down which would help with a long exposure. It looks like a daylight shot based on the highlighted vegetation on the ground to the right. There is another "splash" of light in the upper right. I think the tunnel is in a deep approach cut and doesn't get a lot of direct sun light.

Cool image Wayne,
Thank You for posting.

Cut & paste, and/or delete.

Tools used for image/video/audio manipulation are WAY better than those used any time before 2019.

99.44/100 percent of what I experience on any form of media is someone's creation.

1/2 the truth is still a lie, no matter how it's told..

webenda wrote:This is a new thread with one rule, if you post a second The Coolest Railroad Photograph Ever, it has to be cooler than the first.

Highly subjective conditions - "cool". Let me see if I can find a picture of a train in white out blizzard conditions....

I believe the explanation that the photo is a fake, I still think it's a very cool photo!

Dan Weinhold

It's not a fake per se. Everything in the photo is there, you can see that in the other "snap shot" type images from the site. It's more the case that the photographer is viewing this as an example of artistic expression and taken steps to enhance that.

As someone that has had to do/use photography as a tool to preserve information/evidence you realize the camera always lies (3D world with 2D images). You take steps to make sure the lies/distortions are to a minimum aka you include objects for scale, select lenses and perspectives to tell the story as accurately as possible. As someone that also did photography to take pretty pictures you toss out those guidelines and you work to make an artistic image. You set up a tripod to support a long exposure, you wait until the lighting supports what you are trying to do (patience, patience, patience), you select filters to enhance images. Different approaches for different purposes. Both valid.

Rufus said:

Highly subjective conditions - "cool". Let me see if I can find a picture of a train in white out blizzard conditions....

Or ice formations inside the tunnels in Western Canada. Definitely colder, not so artistic.

Chuck, Roy, and Mymoo, I found your comments interesting and edifying, which is a factor about this forum that I have always enjoyed - the opportunity to experience or learn something not within my normal prevue of personal adventures. Nice. Real nice.

Oh, and when I went searching among my train files, just a moment ago, I found this one. Does this "version" help "validate" or interpret the first one, shown by Wayne?
Wayne?

The steam loco plowing through the flooded ROW does show an example of how a steam engine has an advantage over a diesel electric. Pretty sure that a diesel electric would have shorted out if it had to go through that much water (distance plus the depth). Of course the steam engine would be in trouble is the water gets much deeper as the bottom of firebox may start to hit water. Bottom line, it's a locomotive, not a boat or a submarine. Definitely a bad idea to try that with an electric

The second photo of the tunnel has a much shorter exposure than Wayne's original post but it is also longer than a traditional snap. The water is still "streaking". If that was in real time (aka 1/60 sec), there would be a lot more water on the ground. It does better show the rails/track condition and that this is old school sectional track. The lack of highlights on the vegetation would indicate an overcast day and the photographer opened up the lens (the depth of field is much lower) and then still had to drop the shutter speed to get the shot (maybe 1/15 sec?). Nice photo, not as artsy as the first but very effective.

Shades of Stephen Kings "Sometimes they come back". The tunnel scene.

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:

webenda wrote:This is a new thread with one rule, if you post a second The Coolest Railroad Photograph Ever, it has to be cooler than the first.

Highly subjective conditions - "cool".

Exactly what I had in mind. "Cool" is as defined by the person posting the photo.

If you think this Amtrak photo is the coolest because it was cold, then so do I because it was your choice.


But if someone else thinks this staged photo of a Trans-Siberian Express guard clearing snow from under the railroad car is the coolest because Siberian Models are hot, I must agree because who am I to tell someone what is coolest in their mind.


Let personal feelings, tastes, or opinions rule on this thread.

Roy wrote:I don't have my magnifying glass, but those rail discontinuities near the tunnel opening look disturbing. The waterfall looks bogus.

It appears to be three photographs combined Roy. Our eyes adjust focus and pupil diameter as we look at the very dim and distant glow worms, then adjust again as we look at closer tunnel portal in the shade of overhead trees, then adjust again as we look at the sunlit leaves and finally the closest ties and rail. Our brains combine all we see into one memory. I have a camera that will do that (Panasonic DMC-GX85K) but most cameras require the images to be combined outside the camera. Combining images externally is not always seamless.

As far as the waterfall goes, same deal. As Chuck pointed out, the water drops were moving too fast to be captured during the exposure so they appear to be a continuous blur. If the camera (or our eyes) were to scan (follow) down the water the drops they would be sharp but the background blurred.

MurphOnMillerAve wrote:Oh, and when I went searching among my train files, just a moment ago, I found this one. Does this "version" help "validate" or interpret the first one, shown by Wayne?
Wayne?

No validation required. I think the glowworm tunnel photograph is the coolest railroad photograph ever. No one is required to agree to validate my opinion. Your water logged train photos are pretty cool but apparently not the coolest ones in your collection as you only said they were, "interesting."