I’ve been chasing the Cumbres & Toltec steam train, along with all those other photographers and train enthusiasts, for some years now. I’ve picked up a few things along the way. One of them is that the trestle the train is crossing below is — to use a technical term — really cool.
Something I personally think is fascinating is that you can often see exactly where the train is, even if you can’t see the train itself, by simply looking for a plume of black smoke. I suspect that smoke is a significant source of air pollution in those parts — it certainly smells quite foul to me — and I’ve been vexed on more than one occasion by the shadows it casts across the landscape.
The photo above was taken just moments after the train had crossed the trestle. See the two almost black trees, just past the trestle? They were perfectly green in the first photo, before the train had belched past. The density of the smoke’s shadow is what makes them appear so much darker than their surroundings in the second image.
I readily admit that I’m enchanted by trains: all trains (including subways) as well as train tracks.1 Which is probably why I even love the C&T railyard (above).
Here’s a long-ish, tangentially related story: When I was a kid, there were three things I wanted to do for a living when I grew up. I wanted to be a proofreader, to work at a post office, and to be a train engineer. I did in fact grow up to be a proofreader and later, to work at the post office, but I never did get around to the train engineer part of the equation.
While I was waiting for the train at a crossing a few weeks ago, I struck up a conversation with someone else who was waiting. It went more or less like this: “How ya doin? Beautiful day, isn’t it? Look at those two deer down the tracks.” The man with whom I was speaking informed me that I had “the gift of gab” and then immediately pitched volunteering as a docent on the train to me. He gave me his card and urged me to get in touch.
I won’t lie — I’m interested. I wouldn’t mind getting a bit closer to my third childhood goal, even if I don’t make a living doing it.
Don't miss that opportunity! Docent volunteer on the C&T. Go for it Lisa!