Railroad Forums 

  • Artist looking for reference photos

  • Discussion of photography and videography techniques, equipment and technology, and links to personal railroad-related photo galleries.
Discussion of photography and videography techniques, equipment and technology, and links to personal railroad-related photo galleries.

Moderators: nomis, keeper1616

 #1450488  by artmaker
 
Hi rail fans,

Ok, this is kind of an odd request. I have an idea in mind for a painting that has been gnawing at me for years. All I need are some reference shots I can use for my painting. I have no intention of re using the photos, just reference.
(I would not be opposed to giving credit should I use enough of your photo in the art. Possibly a free print too assuming I can pull this off.)
Now I could just do this using bits and pieces of photos and invent a place, but it would be SO much better if I can find an actual spot along with the actual train that once went there.

Bit of the story.
Years ago, my husband and I would escape Chicago and head up into Wisconsin. He is a big steam train fan, his brother was actually an engineer for the IC, and his father was more into the interurbans (his photos appear in many books. Look for Mehlenbeck.)
So trains are in his blood (and in just about every conversation when we pass any type of scar.)

Anyway, on our trips through Wisconsin he would constantly point out railroad scars. Old bridges long gone but with the abutments still visible. Or lines of phone poles in the middle of farm fields where some train once went.
We live in Michigan now and any sign of former trains is LONG GONE. (One of the dumbest states in the country.)

So… the idea I have in mind, I want to find an old remnant of a railroad overpass, going over some two lane country road. No actual bridge left, unless maybe a foot path (found a shot like that.)
In my painting I'll paint the place in color as it appears, then very ghostly I want to paint in the bridge as it looked and HOPEFULLY a nice steam train crossing it. Possibly even include a ghostly vintage car of the same era going under the bridge.

Here…. Some random shots I found on line to sort of show what type of scene I want. Mainly just showing road, train bridge… more or less the composition. Be nice if it were a stone structure but brick is ok, anything is ok at this point. I've been striking out on finding anyplace on my own. (These are all still in use, but it's enough to get what I'm looking for.)
Again, ideally I'd LOVE to find someone with a shot of such a bridge with a steam train (or any other kind as a second choice) crossing the bridge. Then a current shot of the same location only without the bridge. Just scars on each side of the road.
I know this is a longshot. But worth trying. It sure would make for a better piece of rail fan art to show an actual location with the correct train on it.

http://www.brookhavensouthhaven.org/His ... /lirrP.htm See the two images on the right.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File ... C_0525.JPG


By the way, I really can do a sweet steam train. Only did one so far, again this idea has been at me forever.
But here, enjoy.
http://artmakersworlds.com/betwixt5.shtml
 #1450496  by John_Perkowski
 
I can actually give you a couple standing bridges.

In Missouri, the Katy Trail is the route of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (long ago absorbed into Union Pacific) from Clinton to the North side of Saint Louis. There are plenty of structures still standing (including a bridge across I-70 at Boonville and a drawbridge across the Missouri River, also at Boonville.

Photos of equipment will be easy to get you, there are more than a few archive sites devoted to rail photography of the past.
 #1450612  by John_Perkowski
 
Here are several links to MKT passenger cars to go with the post I mentioned before
http://rr-fallenflags.org/mkt/mkt-clogla-csa.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm/f ... singleitem" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://rr-fallenflags.org/acfx/mkt-br218asw.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3576/3795 ... ab81_b.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://sites.google.com/site/northpennrr/mkt403.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/16f42f5737764 ... endf0j.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d3/14/65 ... bed1ec.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/6d/8e/03/6d8e ... ssouri.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;