Thanks to all who replied. I am starting to get the hang of the scanner. I had my first "railfanning" experience a few days ago and it has a sad ending. The Coast Starlight (#11) was running about 4 hours late. The Amtrak website indicated the train would get to Salinas at 4:00pm. However, the 800 number indicated it would arrive at 3:30, a 30 minute discrepancy.
I drove to a point just south of Salinas. I arrived at 3:30 and waited. As a photographer, my main aim was to get a nice photo. A scrawny cypress tree was at hand to help frame the picture, and an old farm plow was on the ground to provide some foreground interest. The lighting was perfect. I had a nice compositon set up.
Around 4:00 I had seen nothing and heard nothing on the radio. I wondered if I had missed the train, (as I had a week before in Castroville), but I waited a little longer. About 4:10 I finally heard the engineer talking to the dispatcher, and it was still north of Salinas. This reassured me that I would get to see the train and get my shot.
As the train approached I heard the "end of train" signal so now I know what that sounds like. I made my final preparations, and when the train was within a quarter of a mile my camera battery suddenly died! The train went by, my photo op was lost. Bummmmer.
Maybe sometime next week I can try again, with my mechanical camera that doesn't need a battery to trip the shutter.
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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy
The Del Monte Club Car
[This message has been edited by Mr. Toy (edited 02-09-2002).]
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