“If you bring the snow, I’ll bring the Nikon.”

Last week, I treated myself to the Capital District model train show at the Empire State Plaza. It’s a chance for me to check out the rolling stock and train collectibles, fantasize about building a gigantic model railroad layout in a two-room apartment, purchase a couple of refrigerator magnets, and leave.

This time, I spotted one of the employees of the new Saratoga County tourist attraction, the Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson Railway. You know, the one that I’ve photographed here and there for a while. That one.

I spoke with the operator of the railroad – Hal, nice guy – and I mentioned that I was looking forward to photographing the train’s “Candy Cane Express” the next time I get up there.

“Well, we’re running trains until December 18th,” he said.

“Okay,” I replied. “As soon as there’s decent snow on the ground, I’ll be there.”

Yesterday … the snow fell. Not so much to the point where my car was sliding around the highway like a well-dusted shuffleboard table, but enough to at least look like winter if I photographed it.

So I packed my Nikon Df setup and drove up to Corinth. I have a few nice spots along the SC&H path, and this one – a diagonal crossing at Route 9N that worked well for me last summer – seems to be the perfect spot.

12:00 noon. The train will arrive soon. I grabbed my Df and the tripod. Let’s do this.

And sure enough … here comes the train. Right on time.

And you tell me … doesn’t the ALCO-5 “Candy Cane Express” look a heckuva lot better when there’s snow on the ground?

You betcha it does.

And just for a lark, after I got this shot, I drove down Route 9N to the Kings Crossing – the overhead trestle where the SC&H arrives at its King’s Station terminus in Greenfield Center.

I arrived just in time. Here comes the SC&H over the old D&H bridge.

Look at all that snow. Look at that brand new Greenwich & Johnsonville rolling stock that follows the ALCO-5 locomotive. Damn. Keep that one in the short pile for Competition Season 2023.

But yeah. If you haven’t figured out by now … I’m having a lot of fun photographing this train.

Maybe one of these days I’ll take pictures while RIDING on the train.

We shall see. 😀