State Fair Train

State Fair Train · 08:53 PM

Every year the Denver Post charters one of the Union Pacific's steam engines to pull a train to Frontier Days in Cheyenne. In 2007 there was also a train that ran south to the State Fair in Pueblo, the first passenger train to run on the Joint Line in many, many years. Engine 844 is a 4-8-4 Northern type and was the last steam engine ordered by the UP in 1944. This was taken just north of Larkspur, Colorado as the engineer thoughtfully dumped oil into the firebox to produce some impressive smoke for the onlookers who were gathered there.

K10D, 1/250, f/6.7, ISO 100

Damn Brit · 05-01-2008, 09:22 PM

Nice Shot, did you get any others?

Any with a different shutter speed?

ve2vfd · 05-01-2008, 09:25 PM

Nice!

Have you thought of trying a B/W conversion with this one? Steam engines + black and white seem to go together sooo well!

Pat

Ole · 05-01-2008, 09:40 PM

Very nice, I like trains! I wonder what that diesel engine is good for?

**monochrome** · 05-01-2008, 10:46 PM

Great shot - magazine quality!

Diesel engine serves 2 purposes

Power generation for the passenger cars
"Protection" or backup locomotion if the steam engine becomes disabled - it IS nearly 65 years old - a requirement for running a "special" on revenue tracks.

Originally posted by Ole

Very nice, I like trains! I wonder what that diesel engine is good for?

Matthew Roberts · 05-02-2008, 04:45 AM

Nice Mark! So they used #844 for this last year? I think this year the Post was behind #3965, the 4-6-6-4?

That Northern is one amazing engine; it came to Austin several years ago, saw it up close. It didn't have power protection with it then.

Mark Castleman · 05-02-2008, 05:36 AM

#3965 has not been out for a while. Being a compound it is a more complicated machine and the last time they ran it to Cheyenne it broke down just outside Brighton so I am guessing it is getting some overhaul work done.

Mark Castleman · 05-02-2008, 05:36 AM

Originally posted by ve2vfd

Nice!

Have you thought of trying a B/W conversion with this one? Steam engines + black and white seem to go together sooo well!

Pat

I stuck with color on this one because of the bright yellow UP passenger cars. I do have some of the engine alone in B&W.

roentarre · 05-02-2008, 06:34 PM

Colour is pretty cool. But composition-wise, I would prefer a more front on approach

G M Fude · 05-02-2008, 07:06 PM

I think the foreground is great and kudos to the thoughtful engineer for making that dense black smoke which is terrific too. James (roentarre) is probably right about the composition, but I'm a technical nerd (not necessarily a trainspotter though) and I appreciate the side-on view of all that marvellous paraphernalia along the flanks of the engine. I could stand alongside the train looking at that stuff for ages, trying to figure out what the heck it does!

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05-01-2008, 10:46 PM	#5
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Up 844 Great shot - magazine quality! Diesel engine serves 2 purposes Power generation for the passenger cars "Protection" or backup locomotion if the steam engine becomes disabled - it IS nearly 65 years old - a requirement for running a "special" on revenue tracks. Originally posted by Ole Very nice, I like trains! I wonder what that diesel engine is good for?

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05-01-2008, 09:22 PM	#2
Damn Brit Guest	Nice Shot, did you get any others? Any with a different shutter speed?

05-01-2008, 09:25 PM	#3
ve2vfd Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,433	Nice! Have you thought of trying a B/W conversion with this one? Steam engines + black and white seem to go together sooo well! Pat

05-01-2008, 09:40 PM	#4
Ole Administrator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,409	Very nice, I like trains! I wonder what that diesel engine is good for?

05-02-2008, 04:45 AM	#6
Matthew Roberts Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bertram Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 584	Nice Mark! So they used #844 for this last year? I think this year the Post was behind #3965, the 4-6-6-4? That Northern is one amazing engine; it came to Austin several years ago, saw it up close. It didn't have power protection with it then.

05-02-2008, 05:36 AM	#7
Mark Castleman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Westminster, Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 298 Original Poster	#3965 has not been out for a while. Being a compound it is a more complicated machine and the last time they ran it to Cheyenne it broke down just outside Brighton so I am guessing it is getting some overhaul work done.

05-02-2008, 05:36 AM	#8
Mark Castleman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Westminster, Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 298 Original Poster	Originally posted by ve2vfd Nice! Have you thought of trying a B/W conversion with this one? Steam engines + black and white seem to go together sooo well! Pat I stuck with color on this one because of the bright yellow UP passenger cars. I do have some of the engine alone in B&W.

05-02-2008, 06:34 PM	#9
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	Colour is pretty cool. But composition-wise, I would prefer a more front on approach

05-02-2008, 07:06 PM	#10
G M Fude Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 439	I think the foreground is great and kudos to the thoughtful engineer for making that dense black smoke which is terrific too. James (roentarre) is probably right about the composition, but I'm a technical nerd (not necessarily a trainspotter though) and I appreciate the side-on view of all that marvellous paraphernalia along the flanks of the engine. I could stand alongside the train looking at that stuff for ages, trying to figure out what the heck it does!