T.G.'s Photography Blog

  CSXT 3206, and five GECX locomotives lead M368 east among the fall foliage at Canastota, NY.   Yesterday, while bike riding, I caught CSX's M368-29 at BeeBe Bridge Road at Canastota, NY. M368 had a group of five GECX locomotives (ex-BNSF) trailing behind CSXT 3206. M368 was photographed as it came around the curve to the west of BeeBe Bridge Road, where the tracks intersect with the old Erie Canal, which is out of sight to the right of the photograph. This location is milepost (MP) QC271 of CSX's Syracuse Terminal Subdivision . The five locomotives are GECX 4528, GECX 4827, GECX 4933, GECX 4851, GECX 4923. A going-away photograph of the five GECX locomotives on M368-29 at BeeBe Bridge Rd. Photograph taken on September 29, 2023.

With some fall colors behind it, P284-18 rounds the curve just to the east of Bridge Street.  AMTK 711 is leading Amtrak Empire Service train 284 east at CP 285 of CSX's Syracuse Terminal Subdivision . 284, known as P284 on CSX, is coming around the curve on Track 2 between CP 286 and CP 285. P284 runs daily from Niagara Falls, New York, to New York City.  Photograph taken on October 18, 2022, at East Syracuse, New York.

The majority of the autumn colors have come and gone already this fall in Central New York. For quite a while the lawn has been littered with fallen leaves, and while out in the yard a few weeks back, I spotted this maple leaf laying on the front lawn. The sunlight was striking it from behind, and it made the leaf's red and orange colors really stand out among the green grass. A maple leaf laying on the grass. As the sun continued to descend in the late afternoon sky I found these red leaves, which had begun to wilt  but that were still hanging on. Here the sunlight was striking the leaves from the side and from behind. By using a focal length of 600mm the cool colors of the forest beyond made for a nice backdrop, with some extreme bokeh. The Oxford dictionary defines bokeh as, "the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, especially as rendered by a particular lens." Red leaves wilting.  Photographs taken on November 6, 2021.

 While waiting for train I001-02 at the "Green Bridge," on the eastern edge of DeWitt Yard, in Minoa, New York, I spotted CSXT 4089 and another unknown CSX locomotive switching in the Local Yard. The fall colors along DeWitt Yard were at about their peak it seemed and made for a nice background to CSXT 4089. CSXT 4089 switches at the Local Yard in DeWitt Yard. While CSXT 4089 was switching, there was track work happing close by. It looked like rail replacement work was being done on one of the two stub tracks on the eastern end of the yard. These tracks are, I believe, for switching work at the yard. Track maintenance machines sit on the North Drill Lead at DeWitt Yard. Photographs taken on November 2, 2021, at Minoa, New York.

The fall color change in many places here in Central New York are progressing slowly. The warmer then normal October here seems to  have slowed the change. However, there are some places that have a nice splash of color.  While out railfanning with my youngest a few weeks back , we came across a lakeside hill between Minoa, New York, and Kirkville, New York, that had a nice patch of trees with colorful leaves. The lake, from what I can tell, doesn't have a name. It is located to the east of Minoa Road and North Manlius Road. Fall colors on a lakeside hill, near Minoa, New York. Photograph taken on October 22, 2021, at Minoa, New York.

I first saw trees leaves changing colors in late August, but then it seemed nature hit the pause button and color change stopped. However, recently the leaves began to change again. With many of the leaves here in Central New York finally starting to change into their fall colors I have gone out a few times trying to capture some of the colors.  Thompson Road, at Camillus, NY. The below two photographs were taken near Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct, along Thompson Road. These views are looking eastward as the road curves and twists its way through the fall foliage.  Colorful leaves along Thompson Rd. A twisting Thompson Road, surrounded by color. Pottery Road, at Warners, NY. While out waiting for a train to at Pottery Road, in Warners, NY., I spotted this sliver of yellow leaves being highlighted by the mid-afternoon sunlight.  A sliver of yellow among green. Fog shrouded hilltop along Warners Road While driving down Warners Road, I took a turn onto Sheets Road. When I turned ...

 The other day I spotted this male northern cardinal wandering around my back yard, near the edge of the forest. He appeared to be looking for food, as he would peck down toward the ground every so often. Male northern cardinal I've seen quite a few northern cardinals in my yard over the last few months. The cardinals really stand out well, so they are easy to spot among the forest.  Photograph taken on October 4, 2021, near Syracuse, New York.

November 6, 2005. Norfolk Southern 8867 rolls north on Union Pacific's Chester Subdivision, along the tree covered bluffs at Valmeyer, Illinois. Photo © Tom Gatermann.

Amtk 156 at Maplewood, MO Amtk 156 leads Amtrak's Ann Rutledge west on Union Pacific's Jefferson City Subdivision, along Greenwood, Boulevard, in Maplewood, Missouri. The Ann Rutledge's next stop will be at Kirkwood, Missouri.  The Ann Rutledge Today, Amtrak's Ann Rutledge has been renamed. Originally, the Ann Rutledge ran between Chicago, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, and Kansas City, Missouri. Now, Amtrak trains running between Chicago and St. Louis are known as Amtrak's Lincoln Service trains, and Amtrak trains running between St. Louis and Kansas City are now called Missouri River Runner trains. Photograph  taken: November 19, 2005, at Maplewood, MO.

October 23, 2005. Gasconade, Missouri. Union Pacific (UP) 4294 and Norfolk Southern (NS) 9841 lead an eastbound train across the Gasconade River Bridge on the UP's Jefferson City Subdivision. Photo © Tom Gatermann.

October 23, 2005. Berger, Missouri. Union Pacific 6510 is the distributed power unit (DPU) on a coal train heading east on the UP's Jefferson City Subdivision. Photo © Tom Gatermann.

AMTK 31 at Maplewood, MO AMTK 31 and another Amtrak engine lead the Ann Rutledge west on the Union Pacific's Jefferson City Subdivision. The train is making its daily trek across Missouri from St. Louis to Kansas City. Photo taken: November 10, 2006. Maplewood, Missouri.

November 10, 2006. Maplewood, Missouri. Union Pacific 3629 (SD40-2) leads train west on the UP's Jefferson City Subdivision. In the background to the left of the train you can see one of the signals for the control point and crossovers at Maplewood, MO. Photo © Tom Gatermann.

November 12, 2007. Atherton, Missouri. With some fall colors framing the railroad crossing, BNSF 4095 leads a train west on the Marceline Subdivision. The train is crossing Atherton-Sibley Road. Photo © Tom Gatermann.

November 8, 2007. Gasconade, Missouri. Union Pacific (UP) 5881 and UP 8128 are on the point of this empty coal train, heading west on UP's Jefferson City Subdivision. The train is crossing over the Gasconade River. Photo © Tom Gatermann

November 8, 2007. Gascoande, Missouri. Union Pacific (UP) 8116 works as the distributed power unit (DPU) on this empty coal train heading west on the UP's Jefferson City Subdivision. The train is crossing over the Gasconade River, at Gasconade, MO. Photo © Tom Gatermann.