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Below are Frequently Asked Questions about my photo pages. Your comments and questions are welcome. Send them to Steve.

Why did you create these pages?

After reading Herbert Harwood's Impossible Challenge and Impossible Challenge II books about the history of the B&O in Maryland, I wanted to see some of the things he described. His books include many photos, but I wanted to see more, and searching on the Web turned up very little.

But, there are lots of railroad pictures on the Web...

That's true. But, there are also lots of railroads in the world, not just the B&O and CSX. Plus, most of the pictures I found were of trains, and I was interested in both the trains and the historic structures.

What else is different about your photo pages?

I want to share what I've learned, and therefore include a description with each photo I post. While an expert railfan might immediately recognize the significance of a photo, even without a description, I realized I was unable to do so when viewing many of the other train pictures found on the Web. So, there are probably many novice railfans Out There who find descriptions helpful.

Do you make money from this site, such as from the ads at top?

No. The ads at the top of each page are inserted by trainweb.org in exchange for providing free Web hosting space for all these pictures.

What equipment do you use?

Prior to 2001, most of these photos were captured with a Nikon 6006 with Tamron autofocus 28-200 zoom. Most of the time, I used Kodak 800 speed color print film, and scanned the resulting prints with an HP ScanJet 5100C. Since December 2000, most pictures you see here were taken with a Sony Mavica FD-95 digital camera (10x zoom). In 2005 I upgraded to a Sony H2 (12x zoom). I'm sure there is better equipment available, but for my level ("experienced amateur") and budget this combination seems to work just fine.

Isn't it dangerous obtaining these photos?

It's certainly dangerous if you do stupid things. Your life is never worth a photo, no matter how perfect the shot. There are two main concerns: the trains, and the area. You must have a healthy respect for the trains. At first it might seem that walking across the tracks is like crossing a street, but, there are many differences. 1) Trains are less common than autos, and therefore an empty track gives the false impression of an unused track. Don't become complacent! Watch, look, listen, be on constant guard. 2) Trains often move faster than autos. They can be upon you before you know it. 3) Trains cannot stop like autos. YOU have to get out of the way. Don't become a statistic: act responsibly, obey all signage, don't do stupid things. Beware: some trackage within this region hosts high speed Amtrak trains. They are so quiet, and travel so fast (around 100 mph) they can be upon you seemingly out of nowhere. My advice is to stay clear!

What about dangerous areas?

Many railroad routes are through older, often poorer sections of town. Venturing into these areas, alone, carrying valuable photo equipment is just asking for trouble. Bring a buddy, go during the day, and don't get out of your car if you are uncomfortable with the setting. In rural areas you need to be watchful as well: there are potential dangers from things like snakes and tick bites (from which you can contract Lyme disease).

Can I walk through tunnels and cross bridges?

That would be very dangerous and I strongly recommend against taking chances like that. Being anywhere near the trains carries a risk, so keep a safe distance and stay alert. Always respect private property and obey signage. Stations, crossings and overpasses are probably the best spots from which to railfan. If you choose to venture into the areas seen at this site, remember that you alone are responsible for your actions. Each year many people are severely injured or killed because they were careless and did not heed warnings like the ones here. Don't become such a statistic.

Any photography tips?

Lighting is the most important factor. Shooting fast moving objects in dim light, or shadows, rarely produces good results. Many trains and/or equipment are of a dark color, and you need bright sun to bring out the details. My favorite is the day after a cold frontal passage: the sky will be blue with possibly some puffy cumulus clouds and minimal haze. Keep the sun at your back. A polarizing filter will help bring out the sky color. Around here, I'd estimate that just one day per month is very good for train photos.

What season is best for train photography?

Each season has it own special qualities. Spring has many bright, crisp, sunny days with comfortable temperatures. Vegetation often is in flower or has pastel shades. Summer is good for green backdrops, particularly if you want the trees to hide something ugly in the vicinity. I was pleasantly surprised by my autumn photos: the vivid colors really added something. Winter is the only time you can capture snowy scenes, plus it's the time to get shots that are otherwise obscured by deciduous vegetation.

What about cameras?

The better quality digital cameras are finally equalling the film cameras. IMO, there are two essentials: lots of zoom (10x or more), and little shutter lag (the time between pressing the shutter button and when the picture is actually snapped). The former lets you stay clear of the trains but obtain pictures like you were close. The latter makes it easier to snap pictures of moving trains.

How do you organize your photos?

Most of my photos are now digital. After extraction from the camera I rename them according to the milepost location and compass direction of view. So, for example, a photo snapped along the Old Main Line at mile 11.4 looking west gets renamed 114wDescription.jpg and placed in a folder named OML. This milepost renaming method allows for future viewing in order: flipping through the photos in name sequence produces a visual experience similar to riding along via train.

Do you guide tours?

No, sorry, I don't. If you want to easily see the Washingon Branch, ride a Camden Line MARC train. For the OML, check with the National Railway Historical Society's DC Chapter; in some years they operate a passenger charter during the autumn.

Is railfanning dead due to security issues?

Only if we let that happen. Many generations before us have fought for the freedoms we cherish in the USA. We can't let their efforts be for naught because a few want to take those freedoms away. If we let that happen, then we've lost.

Any other reason for these pages?

I need photos for use in train-themed computer games I design. One such game is named RB Player. You can read more about it and download a shareware copy if you like.

How did you first get interested in trains?

It was probably due to a friend introducing me to the board game Rail Baron in college, and later Empire Builder. As a kid, I didn't have much interest in trains, despite growing up just two city blocks from the New York Connecting Railroad in Middle Village. But since the trains were largely out of sight, they were easy to ignore and never caught my interest at the time; here's a view. Anybody from there who wants to share memories should email me .

Anything else?

If you visit any of the actual locations, follow the hiker's creed: take only photos, leave only footprints.

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