I seldom carry my camera with me even when I know I’ll be near the tracks. The other day I was on my way home when I had to stop at a crossing for an approaching train. Most of the traffic through here consists of covered hoppers, stack trains and the like. Usually kind of boring from my point of view.
This particular train was a nice mix of general freight and here’s where the camera would have been nice to have. I saw a flat car that had half of the deck planks missing. There were several old fifty-foot IPD boxcars with end modifications I’ve never seen (and likely won’t ever see again), plus a nice mix of car types in general. Several cars had neat weathering patterns and so it went.
I finally took the plunge and bought a nice Nikon digital camera. Keeping the camera gear in the truck all the time isn’t a good idea. Hot summer weather and winter’s cold aren’t kind to batteries and the other electronics in today’s cameras. Then there’s the possibility of theft or damage from dust and dirt. I do have a camera bag for all the stuff and I often grab it for a trip when I’m in the mood to shoot some pictures. I seldom take it all the time though. Maybe I should rethink that idea. Opportunity seldom calls ahead to let you know it’s coming.