Railroad Photography
O. Winston Link (1914 – 2001) is famous for his black-and-white railroad photography. A commercial photographer by day, Link’s passion was documenting the end of steam engines on the Norfolk and Western railroad from 1955-1960. His images helped establish rail photography as a hobby.
He also pioneered night photography. His iconic image is Hot Shot Eastbound, photographed on August 2, 1956, in Iaeger, West Virginia. It’s a glimpse into the pivotal 1950s.
In the foreground, a young couple (the present) in Link’s 1952 Buick convertible takes center stage. In the background, a steam engine (the past) symbolically exits the frame. And in the midground, a U.S. Air Force Sabre jet (the future) from the 1955 Korean war movie Battle Taxi fills the movie screen.
Amazingly, he could imagine how a boring daytime scene might appear when illuminated at night for a fraction of a second with dozens of flash bulbs.
While his photos appear spontaneous, they were the result of elaborate preparations and darkroom manipulations. For Hot Shot Eastbound, Link used miles of wiring and 43 flashbulbs fired simultaneously to light his subjects. Later, in the darkroom, he added the jet from a second exposure.
My Own Attempts
I’ve tried to emulate Link and it’s difficult. Probably my best black and white nighttime effort is this image.
The Shot
I much prefer color and the ease of shooting during the day. On my recent chase of Soo steam engine #1003, the Trains Magazine team arranged for a vintage car, crossing guard, and truck at a rural crossing. I enjoyed the vintage vibe, tried a few compositions, and settled on this one as my favorite.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck Derus