The Sunset Limited

I’m still trying to get that super-perfect Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson photo. And I’ve gone through almost every possible photo scenario. Winter shots. Fall foliage shots. Creek-spanning shots.

Last Friday, I took a chance on a sunset photo shoot.

Follow along with me.

The Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson has to travel from its starting point in Corinth to its end point at Kings Station in Greenfield Center. Along that journey, it has to pass several roads and pathways. All I need to do is find the one where the train passes AS the sun sets.

You think this is easy.

Silly you.

This took a TON of planning.

I had to calculate where the sun would set (in the west, Chuck, duh), as well as WHEN the sun would set. If the sun was too high, the photo wouldn’t work. Too low, and I don’t get the sun’s rays or a sunburst or anything sun-related.

And I found the perfect spot. Depot Road, off of Route 9N.

I hauled ass to get to the shooting spot. The train has to leave Corinth at 7:00 p.m.

I arrived at the shooting location at 6:40 p.m. Perfect. All I need to do now is park, and …

Can’t park there, that’s someone’s front lawn.

Can’t park there, that’s a ditch.

Can’t park there, that’s a blind corner.

Can’t park there, that’s someone’s driveway.

Ugh. Hey Miller, next time try to figure out how to park somewhere BEFORE planning your photo shoot, ya dummydope.

Okay. Alternate shot.

Spier Falls Road is about a mile away from Depot Road. And I know I can park safely at the trout pond. Heck, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has a small parking lot set up for fishers and anglers and hikers.

Okay. Parked. Now for the next step.

I walked over to the railroad crossing. The angle I wanted would be tricky at best. The sun would set very soon. If it goes below the tree line before ALCO-5 arrives, my photo will be worthless. But I need the proper angle; something that shows what this train is doing and why it’s making a sunset journey.

Okay. I stand stand in this swampy field. Ground seems kinda stable.

Next thing I know … I’ve got black flies circling me. Lots of them.

Great. The state bird of the Adirondacks. The black fly. And what did I NOT pack for this trip? Bug spray. Yep. If I get bitten, it’s my fault.

7:20 p.m. The crossing lights flash. The crossing arm drops to block motor traffic.

ALCO-5 is on its way. And the sun’s just at the right location.

Okay, Chuck. Let her rip.

A little post-processing, a flip to black and white, and …

I’m thinking … Competition Season 2023. Yeah. Competition Season 2023. Right over there in that short pile.

It’s almost like an elaborate game of “Can You Top This?” where I get a photo that I think would be perfectly swank for the summer … and two weeks later, I find a new image that’s even better.

This could be lots of fun.

For sure.