RailRoadFan.com

Wifey was playing with our son on the floor and showing him train books, thought popped in her head of "hey, you should have everyone post their first railroad related photo that they took." Thought it was a good idea, so here goes:

Here's a shot before I was into trains and snapped one up in Canada on the Algoma Central in 2000:


And after getting into trains, through the windshield on the way home from class in 2002:


Now post what your first railroad photo was if you still have it and we can laugh at ourselves along the way.
If you don't have your first one, how about post the earliest one you have in your possession still.

It's a print, but this is from June of 94.

My first taken on 11/20/2006 @ 11:07 am

Loyd L.

Mine would've been Indiana Hi-Rail in Napoleon about 1990 on prints that are long gone.

The earliest slide scanned would be this:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 827&nseq=3

Followed very shortly by this:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 25&nseq=12

This was right around the time I started taking pics of trains. I moved to GR in May of '99, so I'm guessing this was probably taken in the spring of 2000 with a crappy point and shoot film camera.



Before this shot, I have ZERO recollection of ever photographing a train. It just didn't occur to me to do so. I sat by the tracks a lot and watched trains go by, but never photographed them.

This is the local. Photo no where near as talented as your guys firsts:



and the caboose (blue C&O 'wide vision' caboose):



Summer 1977

This first shot is one of the oldest I could find---Soo Line's ex-DSS&A roundhouse in Marquette, 1974. Cropping skills were tough to hone for a 12-yr old with a 110 camera.



This shot is the same power getting ready to leave the Lower Yard in Marquette, where the "Founder's Landing" Condos are now. Later that afternoon, a fighter jet crashed into the harbor just past the power plant at upper left. While red and white GP-9's along the shore of Lake Superior are a thing of the past, I missed a doozy of a photo by just a couple of hours!



Mick

MAN that SOO GP-9 IS AWESOME!

Seriously, That is cool. I wish they were still around.

^Two left Aaron.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 796&nseq=3

Beat this for bad!

August 2003


April 2005
NS 327 with NS and BNSF power

This is the oldest shot of mine that I could find - not sure of the exact vintage but it was a NRHS or other org. railfan trip on the B&O in eastern Ohio I think. I know it was during the 1980's - probably early to mid 80's. Wow - just look at that classic foam!



Michael

MDH wrote:Wow - just look at that classic foam!

What is that thing with the green shirt on up front? Sort of looks like boobs but what looks like a beard.

railroadfan wrote:

MDH wrote:Wow - just look at that classic foam!

What is that thing with the green shirt on up front? Sort of looks like boobs but what looks like a beard.

What's that???? It's PAT!

A lot of people ask who's he??? or she?

A ma'am or a sir,

Accept him or her, for whatever it might be

It's time for androgeny

It's just Pat.

railroadfan wrote: What is that thing with the green shirt on up front? Sort of looks like boobs but what looks like a beard.

MOOBS!!!

I'd taken a few photos back in the later Conrail era and prior to getting my first digital P&S, but this is the first photo I could find that I had taken myself with my newfangled technology. Although I've loved trains all my life, it wasn't until late 2008 that I really got into railfanning and photography.

This was taken on January 17, 2009, in Mingo Junction, OH. It's the first photo on my RRPA account that I'd taken, as the few others before it were taken by my mom.



I'd like to say my photography skills have come a long way since then!

I'm in the same boat as Cody, loved trains ever since I can remember but didn't start taking pictures of them until a few years ago. Here's the very first train I ever shot during my first time railfanning out with cnw8835 in April of 2005. You can thank that SD50 for making me the Conrail fiend I am today.

On a day back in 2003, I was eager to get out and take some pics with my new Kodak 2 megapixel camera. So I headed out to Durand and snapped these. I sure do miss the days when Durand was busier.







I happened to catch this one while I was walking back to the truck. I wish that I would have got a better picture of this train.

Mr. Tops wrote:

I tooked this pict from roadway as we chased down eastbound BN&SF freiht train threw past east of in Ransom, Illinoy. We did not catched him by road train crossing I was just more happy that I got this pict.

Was that your first time writing, too, or were you drunk when you made that caption?

I dont know, but is it just me or do the trees on the left side of the road scream that a tornado went through there.