Vintage Steam Train

Georgetown Loop NGRR. Engine 9 doing a blow-down.

Some of the behind the scenes photos I've made over the years.

Looking back in time, I’ve been enjoying photographing heritage/vintage railroads here in Colorado for many years, and I have shared my experiences, knowledge and efforts with so many people I can’t count them all. I may be more known for my moose photography, but honestly, I think I’ve put as much if not more time in to photographing trains. I’ve done workshops, tours, photography club outings, personal family outings and road trips with friends.

From around 2009 through 2016, I was organizing and guiding group photo tours at The Georgetown Loop Railroad. It was a profitable venture, and I split the revenue with the railroad. But, I have done photographic workshops on other railroads in the state as well. Again, I retired from doing commercial work in 2017, so everything I’ve done since then is just for my own enjoyment and usually with a personal friend or family.

2024 has been a good year for train photography though. I’ve logged three trips so far this year and I have another outing scheduled for late October with a friend to chase and photograph the Union Pacific Big Boy as it heads into Denver from Kansas.

So, today I am going to show you some of the behind the scenes photos I’ve made over the years. Photographs that put things in context and don’t simply focus on a big ole smokey steam locomotive (for the most part.)

By no means am I done doing this type of work. I just wanted to show you how much fun it has been and continues to be for me.

Durango & Silverton NGRR. Getting the conductor to pose for a shot holding his watch.

 

Georgetown Loop NGRR. During one of my photo tours. You can see my reflection in her sun glasses.

 

One of my tour members at the Georgetown Loop getting up close and personal with the railroad equipment.

 

One of my tour group members waiting on the train at the Hall Mine area of the Georgetown Loop.

 

One of my tour groups waiting for the train at the Georgetown Loop.

 

One of my tour groups at the Georgetown Loop. We were in a back area at a crossing, waiting for the train to come out of the yellow Aspen trees.

 

One of my tour group attendees at Georgetown Loop. I don’t remember his name, nor the names of most of the other clients. There were so many over the years.

 

While doing the workshops at the Georgetown Loop, one never ending constant was having people wave at us from the train. I have hundreds of photos of people waving, all with a big grin on their face.

 

More grins and waves from the train riders.

 

Another tour group shot from the Georgetown Loop. The guy with the dog was TJ, an employee at the railroad. On all of our tours, we had to have a railroad employee accompany my group for insurance reasons. They were always helpful and knowledgeable about the railroad history and insiders stories.

 

This lady came here from Australia just to photograph the train with me.

 

From the Durango & Silverton NGRR. My daughter and two of my grandsons at the Cascade Canyon area while riding the train in the dead of Winter.

 

The Union Pacific Big Boy and 844 in Laramie, Wyoming in 2019 on the Big Boy’s maiden run after being rebuilt. No shortage of train fanatics out here in the Rocky Mountains.

 

My friend Jonathan Steele on a buddy trip in early 2024 to photograph the Durango & Silverton NGRR. Jon is as big a nut about steam trains as I am.

 

Conductor and Engineer preparing for the day’s run. March 2024, Durango, Colorado.

 

Train station in Chama, New Mexico. Cumbres & Toltec NGRR. October 2024.

 

The Union Pacific Big Boy near Cheyenne Wells, CO in 2021.

 

Two locomotives fired up outside the engine house in Chama, New Mexico. Cumbres & Toltec NGRR. July 2009.

 

Osier Station. Cumbres & Toltec NGRR. We stopped here for lunch while riding the train.

 

Union Pacific #844 in Northern Colorado. August 2009.

 

One of my photography tours at Georgetown Loop NGRR. Here we are walking below Devils Gate Trestle Bridge to get to the goat trail up to the bridge. We would wait for the train to return and photograph it from bridge height.

 

One of my photography tours, riding the train. Georgetown Loop, NGRR. My friend Mike Stebritz and his daughter Mandy in the foreground. Mike was an absolute nut about trains. Unfortunately, he passed away a couple of years ago. I miss his company and sharing train stories.

 

Working with a group of photographers in the middle of nowhere in Northern Colorado near the town of Nunn. Waiting for the Union Pacific #844 to come rolling by.

 

I arranged to photograph the Union Pacific 844 with a couple of friends who owned vintage Ford autos. We caught it going by the cars parked at a crossing in Northern Colorado. July 2013.

 

Another photo tour group at Georgetown Loop NGRR. The lady on the far right is Molly and worked for the railroad as our escort. She was my favorite escort.

 

Georgetown Loop. Waiting for the train to leave the Devils Gate Station.

 

One of my tour groups catching the train as it pulled into the Devils Gate station. Georgetown Loop NGRR.

 

Another tour group member at Georgetown Loop. Everyone always had a smile doing these outings. Lots of fun. Great company.

 

Molly from the Georgetown Loop with another one of my photo tour groups. Again, everyone was smiling.

 

My friend Merlin Peck looking like a hobo while we waited for the Durango & Silverton train to pass by. Merlin passed away in 2019 and was one of my best photo buddies for years. I miss him dearly.

 

Durango & Silverton. The End of the Line.