[kaseki]

I don't want to list all the things that are great about that historical monorail imagery, but thanks. (And I guess the neighbor is thankful that the monorail collector isn't a fan of Union Pacific 'Big Boy' sized iron, or ferries.)

[TDvN57]

Until 2013, Sydney had a monorail line running in a single loop between Darling Harbour and parts of the central business district. It was built in association with Australia's bicentennial celebrations in 1988 to act as part of the tourist attractions of the time, rather than as a serious part of the city's transport infrastructure. It was controversial even when it was built, as it arguably blighted the view from/to city buildings and took up space in some of the roads. It consisted of a single track only, meaning that trains could travel only in one direction around the circuit - so it might be useful for some journeys but if you wanted to go a short way in the other direction, you would have to do a near-full circuit just to get there. In the end, it wasn't used much, except for a limited number of sight-seeing jaunts and it was often quicker to walk. It was closed in 2013 and quickly demolished, in some places to be replaced by the much more effective (but still controversial) light rail system; in other places, its departure was apparently motivated by well-connected developers' desires to build new towers.

Why do I mention this? Well, back in 2012/13, I recorded the line heavily in its dying days (and its actual demolition). Little did I realise that nine years later, I would discover one of the old monorail vehicles mouldering away in a back yard no more than 10 minutes drive from where I live, in Sydney's Northern Beaches (a few miles away from where it used to operate). All this time, I had no idea it was even there - as it's invisible from any road - and I found it quite by chance.

So here is the vehicle today...

Fuji GFX100S with Pentax 645 28-45 lens
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And here is the very same vehicle in use back in 2013...

Pentax 645D with 35mm A lens
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645D with 45-85mm DA lens @ 45mm
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645D with 55mm DFA lens
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645D with 67 75mm f2.8AL lens (the vintage Manly ferry, South Steyne, was parked in Darling Harbour at the time - it's now been moved to a much less appealing location, where it's largely inaccessible; its restoration hasn't proceeded, so one has to worry for its future)
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An exceptional experience Ed. Sounds like serendipity.

[tuco]

Every time I scroll through these posts I stop at this picture. I don't know what it is that draws my attention, but it seems to check a lot of "perfect" boxes. I am sure the people you gave the print to were very pleased with it.

Thanks. I'm doing another print for them from the scan because the color in the original has faded after all these years.

[jfwrrw]

New to the forum and new to medium format. I have a Pentax 645N and also a Pentax 645z.
This pic is from a cloudy day during which I was just trying to learn my new-to-me 645N. Shot with Rollei RPX 25, F4, !/90. I just like the way the trees reflect in the water of the pond.
(I had trouble figuring out how to post the image so all I did is print a .pdf. Sorry if that is not the right way to do it for y'all.)

Attached Images

Cool pond pic.pdf (305.3 KB, 60 views)

[Ed Hurst]

I don't want to list all the things that are great about that historical monorail imagery, but thanks. (And I guess the neighbor is thankful that the monorail collector isn't a fan of Union Pacific 'Big Boy' sized iron, or ferries.)

An exceptional experience Ed. Sounds like serendipity.

Thanks chaps - appreciate it!

Yes, I can think of larger and less discreet railway items to collect for sure! This one was so easily tucked away that even someone with a real interest in the subject could live close by for years and have no idea whatever it was there. I must have walked and driven by it many hundreds of times!

As for serendipity, yes - I think so. Am amazing fluke. Don't get me wrong, I am no great fan of railway systems of this type - it has to be steam to get me keen. But there's something of historical and cultural interest regardless, so am very glad to have discovered it (or to have had the universe show it to me, depending on how you look at these things!).

[TDvN57]

New to the forum and new to medium format. I have a Pentax 645N and also a Pentax 645z.
This pic is from a cloudy day during which I was just trying to learn my new-to-me 645N. Shot with Rollei RPX 25, F4, !/90. I just like the way the trees reflect in the water of the pond.
(I had trouble figuring out how to post the image so all I did is print a .pdf. Sorry if that is not the right way to do it for y'all.)

Welcome to the forum and a nice picture you shared. Quite a novel way to post a picture in a pdf. Perhaps it is a way to post larger resolution pictures. Although on the other hand, low resolution pictures discourages pirate copying :-)

[w2ck]

Hi,

The monorail shots are great!


I had a friend who was a big rail buff. He kept putting in cars (on beds with rails so they sat on their trucks) for use as a workshop. Need more room in the shop? Add another freight car. Then, put in a 'gerbil tunnel' between each car as a short hallway. He even had old passenger, sleeper and dining cars for his house. It was a unique place. It was an old farm, where the original structures were in really bad shape. Yet, near to the rail line, so getting the stuff he loved in was easy. He got into it watching the trains roll by as a kid.

And, alongside the longish driveway. A set of Burma-Shave signs he made in the workshops:



Heed This Message

If You'd Be Spared

Trains Don't Whistle

Because

They're Scared

Burma-Shave



I see that monorail car and think: Unique Greenhouse.

I wonder if I could get an old observation car for here on the farm?

Stan

[cdd29]

On the way to work this morning

[tuco]

Pentax 6x7, 67 55mm + Clear Center, Soft Focus Filter, 100TMX, T-Max Dev


The Altoona Junker by tuco, on Flickr

[TDvN57]

In the process of relocating to Germany. Took a break today and took some pictures at a local park.

[texandrews]

In the process of relocating to Germany. Took a break today and took some pictures at a local park.

!!! Relocating back to Germany! Do tell.....

[TDvN57]

Last year we started to plan our relocation to Germany and we are now temporarily in the Cologne area and will soon move to Berlin. Hopefully we can find a place we like before the end of the year. For my wife it is returning to Germany, for me it is a new experience.

Here are some more pictures from yesterday's outing to a nearby pond. I used the 645z with three lenses FA* 300mm, FA 80-160 and the P67 55-100mm. If the EXIF data data does not ID the lens, then it is the P67 55-100.

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[RICHARD L.]

I was trying to manually focus my 645 FA* 300 mm f/4 lens when this bird flew by. I just had the time to click without knowing what the result would be. It didn't turn too bad, I guess. Tripod-mounted 645 FA* 300 m f/4 lens + Pentax '645 to K' adapter + K1 FF body in auto-exposure Av mode, lens set @ f/8.

[TDvN57]

The last couple of pictures from the local pond.
645z with P67 165mm f/2.8.

-

[itshimitis]

A Handheld pano from the side of the main A82 road that runs through Glen Coe. The Buachaille Etive Môr mountain (means Great Shepherd of Etive in Gaelic) is such a majestic and evocative mountain - the shape you drew mountains as a child...

GFX100s GF35 - 70 - 7 shots in landscape orientation