Finalizing my Big Boy travel plans

Next Thursday will be a very chaotic day for me.

But I’m hoping that chaos brings success.

Next Thursday is the day that the Union Pacific 4014 engine, colloquially known as “Big Boy,” will travel through Western New York. I’ve mapped out six different possible shooting locations, with a goal of getting images from at least three of those locales.

My thought is that I won’t be the only person there, and every railfan and foamer with anything stronger than a disposable point-and-shoot will also be on the chase. It’s why I abandoned any hope of photographing at Letchworth State Park, and am instead looking at various crossing sites and off-the-beaten-path locales.

Camera gear – I’ve narrowed it down to three weapons. I’ll first get some shots with my Nikon Df camera, at least enough to make sure that I’ve achieved success. Lens gear will include a 70-200 f/2.8 telephoto and a couple of prime lenses.

After I feel I’ve achieved success on that level, I’ll go with the film gear. My two best film cameras, the Pentacon Six TL and the Nikon F2S (“Nikon Athena”) will take car4e of film shooting duties.

Film for this event? I’ll first shoot with some Fuji Velvia 100 that I imported from Japan just for this event (I have one roll of35mm film and a “pro pack” of five 120 rolls).

I should not own this film. 私はこの映画を所有すべきではない。

I also have a 35mm roll and a 120 roll of AGFA Scala black and white film, which depending on the weather will get shot with a yellow filter to bring out the steam and clouds.

I’ve loaded the Union Pacific “Big Boy” online tracker to my phone. This will tell me if and when Big Boy is on its way, and can synchronize with my shooting locale.

But I’m still hella nervous. Anything can go wrong. I can prepare for 20 variables, and the 21st one can wreck the shot – heck, it could wreck the trip. A flat tire, a traffic jam, a missed turn, a camera misfire, all of that.

And it’s not like I can ask Big Boy to back up over the track and let me have a second photo shot.

I have to wrap my head around one concept. If I get one single acceptable shot of Big Boy, then this journey will be successful. That’s the chocolate ice cream right there. Getting additional shots will be like getting a box of Neapolitan ice cream. And adding Grape Nuts to it.

Bachelor Cooking: Grape Nuts Ice Cream

This is where everything comes into play. This is preparation and more preparation and even more preparation. All for a single photo day.

I just have to convince myself that it’s possible.

And that I can do it. Not by accident. But by dedication and guile.

And shoot day is less than one week away.

Let’s do this.