Featured Collection: Trains at Tehachapi Pass

This is a companion piece to my blog post “Railfanning the Tehachapi Loop and Surrounding Area.” These are all the photos from my two October 2020 trips to the Tehachapi Loop and points nearby.

"Building America" [Union Pacific Freight Train and Cement Plant in Monolith, California]

UP 8773 at the Lehigh Cement Company in Monolith, CA, about 3 miles east of Tehachapi.

"Bells and Whistles" [Union Pacific Freight Train at Railroad Crossing in Caliente, California]

…Four hours later it was, at the crossing in Caliente.

"Sign of the Times" [Union Pacific Freight Train at a Grade Crossing in Caliente, California]

A GE ET44AH and a GE ES44AC pull a Union Pacific intermodal train through the crossing on the horseshoe curve in Caliente.

"Rounding the Horseshoe" [Union Pacific Freight Train in Caliente, California]

UP 8773 got to the Caliente crossing about 15 minutes after the 2583. Both photos were shot with my 11-16mm Tokina.

"Three Kinds of Pumpkin" [BNSF Freight Locomotives in Bealville, California]

Two views of BNSF 5732. Here it is approaching the crossing in Bealville.

"The Great Pumpkin" [BNSF GE AC4400CW in Caliente, California]

Here it is at the crossing in Caliente an hour and a half later.

"The Slow Climb" [BNSF GE ES44AC in Bealville, California]

BNSF 3732 passed through Bealville at 3:03pm…

"I've Been Working on the Railroad" [BNSF and Union Pacific Trains in Caliente, California]

…and got to Caliente at 4:35pm. The train on the left is a Union Pacific work train.

"How Many Trains?" [BNSF Freight Train on the Tehachapi Loop, California]

Both sides of the Tehachapi Loop. This train is wrapped all the way around on its way up the grade, photograhed from the top of the overlook looking toward the inside of the loop…

"Peeking Out From Below" [Union Pacific Freight Train on The Tehachapi Loop, California]

…and this Union Pacific train has looped under itself and is exiting the tunnel on the outside of the loop.

"Twists and Turns" [BNSF Intermodal Train in the Tehachapi Mountains, California]

The train in the tunnel is a westbound Union Pacific. The back of the eastbound BNSF intermodal train is still working its way around the Tehachapi Loop as the locomotives pass Tunnel 10.

"Trains That Pass in the Day" [Two Freight Trains in the Tehachapi Mountains, California]

A wider view of the same scene. The second locomotive is still painted in the old Santa Fe red and silver “warbonnet.”

"October Pumpkins" [BNSF ES44AC Locomotives in The Tehahapi Mountains, California]

This is a General Electric ES44AC…

"Comin' 'Round the Bend" [BNSF ES44C4 Locomotives in The Tehahapi Mountains, California]

…and this is a GE ES44C4. Can you spot the differences?

"BNSF" [General Electric ES44AC Locomotive in The Tehachapi Mountains, California]

Eastbound BNSF 5836 approaching tunnel 2.

"One-Hundred Truck Convoy" [BNSF Inter-Modal Train in The Tehachapi Mountains, California]

BNSF 5835 shot just a few seconds before the last photo, just prior to reaching the turn.

Below are the rest of the photos from my October 2020 trip to photograph trains on the Tehachapi Loop and surrounding areas.

"Hot and Cold Running Train" [BNSF Freight Train in The Tehahapi Mountains, California]
"With A Little Help From My Friends" [GE ES44C4 & C44-9W Locomotives near Caliente, California]
"The Little Engines That Could" [BNSF Freight Train in The Tehahapi Mountains, California]
"Locomotive Breath" [BNSF Freight Train in The Tehahapi Mountains, California]
"Blue Wings" [Union Pacific AC45CTE & SD70ACe in The Tehahapi Mountains, California]
"Stop, Look, and Listen" [BNSF ES44AC and EMD SD70ACe at a Grade Crossing in Caliente, California]

Featured Collection: People at Work

"Gripman" [Cable Car Operator in San Francisco, California]

Cable car operator in San Francisco, California

"Never Surrender" [24 Hours of LeMons Track Official at Sonoma Raceway, California]

Race official at the 24 Hours of Lemons race, Sonoma, California

"Feria del Agricultor" [Vendor at a Farmers' Market in San Jose, Costa Rica]

Farmer’s market in San Jose, Costa Rica

"Keep it Clean" [Window Washer in Chicago, Illinois]

Window washer in Chicago, Illinois

"My Future's So Bright I've Got to Wear Shades" [Street Musician in San Luis Obispo, California]

Street musician in San Luis Obispo, California

Your Goose is Cooked -- Chinese Restaurant Kitchen in San Francisco's Chinatown, California

Cook in a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco, California

"Dam Workers" [Workers at Hoover Dam in Black Canyon, Nevada]

Workers at Hoover Dam, Nevada

"Fill 'er Up" [Workman Aboard a Fuel Tanker in Halifax, Nova Scotia]

Workman aboard a fuel tanker, Halifax, Nova Scotia

"Tickets Please" [Railroad Conductor in Portland, Oregon]

Railroad conductor in Portland, Oregon

"Street Orchard" [Street Vendor in New York City, New York]

Street vendor in New York, New York

"Two Heads Are Better Than One" [Wildlife Photographers in Atascadero, California]

Photographers in Atascadero, California

"Sea Hunters" [Fishermen on a Boat in Castries, St. Lucia]

Fishermen in Castries, St. Lucia

"Elbow Grease" [Volunteer Polishing an Airplane in Paso Robles, California]

Volunteer at the Estrella Warbirds Museum, Paso Robles, California

Featured Collection: Yellowstone National Park

"The Edge of the Spring" [Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Grand Prismatic Spring, Midway Geyser Basin

"A Stroll Among the Geysers" [Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Castle Geyser steaming, Upper Geyser Basin

"Pot of Gold & Silver Coins" [Aurum Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Aurum Geyser, Upper Geyser Basin

"The Fountain" [Orange Spring Mound in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Orange Spring Mound, Mammoth Hot Springs

"Hot Spring Hot Rod" [Cyanobacteria at Doublet Pool in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Cyanobacterial mats at Doublet Pool, Upper Geyser Basin

"Sunset at Geyser Hill" [Doublet Pool in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Cyanobacteria at Doublet Pool, Upper Geyser Basin

"It's No Fish Story" [Fishing Cone Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Grand Prismatic Spring, Midway Geyser Basin

"Sundial" [Dead Tree at Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Fishing Cone Spring, West Thumb Geyser Basin

"Bathing Beauty" [Gibbon Falls in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Gibbon Falls

"Where Clouds Are Made" [Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Upper Geyser Basin

"Hot Running Water" [Main Terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Main Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs

"Good Morning Yellowstone" [Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Upper Geyser Basin

"Bottomless" [Abyss Pool in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Abyss Pool, West Thumb Geyser Basin

"Bubbles in the Hot Tub" [Beach Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Beach Sprint, Upper Geyser Basin

"Terraces" [Main Terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming]

Main Terrace, Mammoth Hot Springs

Featured Collection: 10.5mm Fisheye Photos

All of these photos were made with my AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED lens. Some were left with the fisheye effect in tact, some of my fisheye photos were corrected for the fisheye effect, which introduced a whole new kind of distortion as you can see in the rockfish photo, and some were corrected and cropped back down like in the Soyuz photo.

"The Fishbowl" [Cruise Ship Lounge on the Brilliance of the Seas]

The Viking Crown Lounge on the Royal Caribbean Ship, Brilliance of the Seas

"First Runner Up" [Soyuz Descent Module at the Cabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California]

Soyuz Decent Module at the Cabot Space and Science Center, Oakland CA

"Rock On!" [Rosy Rockfish at the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco, California]

Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco CA

"Chaos" [Swimming Pool at an Abandoned KOA Kampground in Two Guns, Arizona]

Abandoned KOA Kampground, Two Guns AZ

"Cruising the Inside Passage" [Celebrity Millenium Cruise Ship in The Inside Passage, Alaska]

Celebrity Millennium, Inside Passage near Skagway AK

"Around Bryce Canyon" [Hoodoo Formations in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah]

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

"A Nearly Sunken Treasure" [Basalt Formation in Devils Postpile National Monument, California]

Devils Postpile National Monument, California

"Dot Com Bubble" [San Jose City Hall in San Jose, California]

San Jose City Hall, San Jose CA

"She Blinded Me With Science" [Big Bear Solar Observatory In Big Bear, California]

Big Bear Solar Observatory, Big Bear CA

"Light and Shadow" [Lions Lighthouse for Sight in Long Beach, California]

Lighthouse for Sight, Long Beach CA

"Feats of Engineering" [Hoover Dam from the Mike O'Callaghan - Pat Tillman Bypass Bridge]

Hoover Dam, Arizona & Nevada

"Eye on Old San Juan" [Plaza de Colon in San Juan, Puerto Rico]

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Featured Collection: MRI Digital Artwork

This collection is a bit different than what you’re used to seeing on my site. In 2017 I got access to a CD containing a set of full head MRI images. These low-resolution images inspired me to play with some Photoshop filters just to see what I could create from them. My first effort was “Stay Out of my Head.” Once I found I could manipulate them enough that I could enlarge them to printable size, I kept creating.

Food for Thought -- MRI Digital Art

What do you do when you have a bad photo of a beachside picnic table and BBQ grill? Turn it into a lovely place where one can get some piece of mind!

Fury -- MRI Digtal Art

I’m not sure why I created Fury – I’m usually a pretty mellow guy. Something must have been going on in my own brain, though, and seeing this completed made me think I might need to see a therapist.

One-way Conversation -- Digital Art From An Mri Scan Of A Human Head

One-Way Conversation was inspired by the events leading up to and including the unfortunate events of November, 2016.

Sensory Overload -- MRI Digital Art

Sensory Overload is my representation of overwhelm of light, smells, and sound experienced by the autistic mind.

Inflexible -- Digital Art From An Mri Scan Of A Human Brain

Ideas can get so frozen in a person’s mind that it becomes impossible to adapt to a changing world.

Inner Light -- Mri Digital Art

After such pieces as Fury and Self-Inflicted, I decided I needed to lighten up a bit and create something a bit more positive. Inner Light was the result.

Self-Inflicted -- MRI Digital Art

Self doubt and self incrimination are nasty emotions that are suffered most by those who least deserve it.

Stay Out Of My Head - MRI Digital Art

I didn’t have a plan when starting this piece. I just started adding color and texture, but as the brain seemed to get wrapped in plastic, the spikes to add more protection just seemed to come naturally.

Creativity - MRI Digital Art

I created Creativity to convey the thought that artistic expression cannot be contained, be it photography, painting, writing, or any other artistic expression.

Featured Collection: Butterflies

"Resting Kite" [White Tree Nymph Butterfly at California Academy of Sciences, California]

Paper Kite Butterfly – San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido, California

"The Eyes Have It" [Blue Morpho Buttefly in California Academy of Sciences, California]

Blue Morpho Butterfly – California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California

"Flutter By, O Butterfly" [Red Postman Butterflies at California Academy of Sciences, California]

Red Postman Butterflies – California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California

"Iridescence" by Darin Volpe - Blue Morpho Butterfly At California Academy Of Sciences, San Francisco

Blue Morpho Butterfly – California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California

"Standing at the Edge" [Zebra Longwing Butterfly at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, California]

Zebra Longwing Butterfly – San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido, California

"Orange Drink" [Sapho Longwing Butterfly in California Academy of Sciences, California]

Sapho Longwing Butterfly – California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California

"Peekaboo!" [Blue Morpho Buttefly in San Diego Zoo Safari Park, California]

Blue Morpho Butterfly – San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido, California

"Technicolor" [Longwing Doris Butterfly at Key West Butterfly And Nature Conservatory, Florida]

Longwing Doris Butterfly at Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, Key West, Florida

"Rice Paper" [Paper Kite Butterfly at California Academy of Sciences, California]

Paper Kite Butterfly – San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido, California

"Red" [Postman Butterfly at Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, Key West, Florida]

Red Postman Butterfly – Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, Key West, Florida

"Copper Blades" [Gorgon Copper Butterfly In Templeton, California]

Gorgon Copper Butterfly – Templeton, California

"Tropical Beauty" [Tiger Longwing Butterfly at California Academy of Sciences, California]

Tiger Longwing Butterfly – California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California

Featured Collection: Landscapes

"Between a Rock and a Hard Place" [Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California]

Yosemite Valley – Yosemite National Park, California

"A Nearly Sunken Treasure" [Basalt Formation in Devils Postpile National Monument, California]

Basalt Formation – Devils Postpile National Monument, California

"Coast Live Oak" [Creston California]

Coast Live Oak Treee – Creston, California

"Matanuska Glacier" [Sutton, Alaska]

Matanuska Glacier – Near Sutton, Alaska

"White Sand, Gray Sky" [White Sands National Monument]

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

"Blades" [Arches National Park]

Arches National Park, Utah

"Cowboy Cliche" [Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park]

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Utah

"Forest of Stone" [Hoodoos in Bryce Amphitheater at Bryce Canyon National Park, California]

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

"Winter In The Rockies" [Western Colorado]

Winter in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado

"Erosion" [Death Valley National Park]

Zabriskie Point – Death Valley National Park, California

"Gateway To The Klondike" [Snow-covered Landscape In British Columbia, Canada]

Spring Landscape – British Columbia, Canada

"Wildflowers And Crevasses" [San Luis Obispo County]

Spring Landscape – San Luis Obispo County, California

Featured Collection: Birds

"Standing on the Cat's Tail" [Red-Winged Blackbird at Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California]

Female Red -Winged Blackbird – Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California

"Li'l Falcon" [American Kestrel at Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California]

American Kestrel – Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California

"Wait For Us!" [Marbled Godwit In Morro Bay, California]

Marbled Godwit – Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay, California

"Let's Get the Flock Outta Here!" [Ross's Geese at Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California]

Flock of Ross’s Geese – Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California

"Hollywood Finch" [House Finch In San Simeon, California]

House Finch – San Simeon, California

"I Can't Work Like This" [Egret And Coot At Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California]

Great Egret and American Coot – Merced National Wildlife Refuge, California

"Pair" [Barn Swallows At Piedras Blancas Motel, California]

Barn Swallows – San Simeon, California

"Three Of A Kind" [Marbled Godwits In Morro Bay, California]

Marbled Godwits – Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay, California

"Positive Polly And Negative Nellie" [Barn Swallows At Piedras Blancas Motel, California]

Barn Swallows – San Simeon, California

"Winter Guest" [Marbled Godwit in Morro Bay, California]

Marbled Godwit – Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay, California

"Puff Ball" [Western Snowy Plover at Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay, California]

Western Snowy Plover – Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay, California

"First Winter" [Western Gull in Morro Bay, California]

Western Gull – Morro Bay, California