We had been trying for a long time to get some photos of a Train coming out of the old 1800's Tunnel, in downtown Frankfort, KY. The old hand-dug tunnel goes underneath East Main Street, and underneath the Ky State Arsenal building up on the hill. What we wanted was a photo of a Train coming from Lexington, Kentucky through the old tunnel, headed toward Louisville, Kentucky. Since the first day I saw that tunnel, I just knew it would make a perfect photo shoot. I just had to be there when a train would be comming thruough the tunnel.
We couldn't just call the Railroad and get a schedule of WHEN we could see a Train. It seems 9-1-1 ended the simplicity in all our lives. Homeland Security prevents Railroads as well as many other agencies from publishing a schedule in advance anymore. Some carriers even delay or change their routes rather than stay on the same time schedule. Confusing isn't it ?
So, it seemed, the only clear choice we had was to visit the downtown Kentucky Coffeetree Coffee Shop, across from the old Capital building and sit outside in the ambiance and drink latte's until a train would come. Not a bad job at all. Yet we soon found the Trains to be quiet elusive. They were not cooperating at all. It seemed that as soon as we got back to the house after an uneventful day, of train waiting, we would hear the teasing whistle blow of an approaching train back at the old tunnel. Knowing it would be long gone before we could get back there, to take any photos.
Finally one day, our luck changed for the better and unknown to us, it was an awesome change for the better ! We didn't know it at the time, but we were about to have an extremely rare opportunity to photograph not just a modern diesel locomotive comming throught the old tunnel, but a real, live, restored,
Vintage Steam Engine !
While at the local grocery, I noticed a sign pronouncing a restored vintage Steam Locomotive and Coal Tender of the RJ Corman Rail Road Lines would be on display in nearby Midway, Kentucky for the old fashion day celebration. Midway means two important things to me:
Lots of Good Food and Photo Opportunities !
The small town of Midway was bulging at the seams when we arrived, and sure enough, down at the RR Crossing sat "Ole Smokey" just begging to be photographed ! What a treat, to get to walk up the steps and peek inside at the firebox and the controls of the Old Steamer. For the moment, we were taken back in time, to a more peaceful era. And
That's when we learned the train would move from Midway, later the next day to Frankfort and would pass through the old tunnel on its way to Waddy, Ky ! A sure bet, rain or shine we were going to be in position when that vintage train came poking out the old High Street tunnel !
Mary was armed with her digital Canon Rebel camera and several lens within close reach, while I had a Yashica Electro 35mm GTS film camera, loaded with color film, along with a Canon Rebel 35mm Film camera loaded with black and white film. I was going to get me a photograph of my train coming out of that tunnel, no matter what ! The big waiting game for this thing, was finally just about over !
Sure enough, the very next afternoon, the familiar almost forgotten sound of a Real Steam Engine Whistle shattered the silence of a lazy afternoon, she was comming around Glens Creek curve, and it wasn't a modern Diesel train, this was an Old time Steam Engine about to go through the old High Street tunnel ! We got there in plenty of time and were waiting for the train to come thru and in the blink of an eye, a bright light on the Locomotive cut through the dark tunnel and thick smoke and steam rolled out the front. A real live Steam engine was comming thru the tunnel ! I would finally got my picture ! Maybe the Only time I would ever get a picture of a Steam Locomotive comming out of the tunnel ! I thought to myself at that moment if only some old vintage automobiles could be parked in front of the old High Street bar to be in this photo.
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And as if that weren't enough, that big engine slowed to a full stop right beside the Kentucky Historical Center and parked. People with cameras in hand were running from every direction ! One man remarked to me all excited that he wanted to know what was going on, he said he had heard the steam whistle and knew it was an old steam locomotive, and he said he just grabbed his camera and ran out the door as hard as he could to the old train depot, to see what was happening. It was really great to see so many people had turned out to see the old engine and so many people were taking photographs and had brought out car loads of young children to see a piece of history roll through town on a peaceful Sunday afternoon. A glimpse of the "Golden Age of Steam" was parked in front of the old train depot.
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She was a beautiful sight to see ! Ole Smokey in downtown Frankfort, Ky. But sadly enough, it seemed as fast as she came into town, she soon built up her steam and rolled on down the tracks headed toward Waddy, Kentucky, leaving all of us, standing in a huge cloud of steam, with just a snapshot of an exciting, old visitor. And a memory of enchanted days gone by. But for a little while, that Sunday in September, all of us there, stepped back in time to a grand old glorious day. A day before 9-1-1 and terrorists. A day before the world changed forever.
Thanks, RJ Corman, for bringing out the Kid in All of us ! And for saving a part of American History for all ages to enjoy. Darrell Smith - Lens Masters Photography 20 September 2009
