Fuzz Busted!
After catching Canadian Pacific Heritage Unit 7018 on the CP Chicago Sub in Genoa, there also happened to be an eastbound Canadian National train approaching on the Freeport sub a few miles to the south. With enough time to spare, we haded to the one and only grade crossing on the Freeport in Genoa, Sycamore Street. I was hoping to get a shot of the old Illinois Central depot here, but it is now entirely off-limits. So we set up in the factory parking lot across the street. But in the process of setting up our flashes, we attracted the attention of some of Genoa's finest. One sqaud car became three, and we were now surrounded. Having never shot trains in Genoa at night before, this was certainly a most unexpected development. But it turns out that they were well familiar with my "partner in crime," one Gilbert Sebenste, who has shot trains at this location many times before. When he told them we were here to photograph the train, they said something about hearing about him. We were just about to show them the pics we had taken a few minutes prior of the CP 7018, and then it happened!
Suddenly the crossing lights started going off, the gates came down, and the train horn started blowing. All of the officers jumped in their vehicles to take off. They wanted to get out of our way, but Gilbert hollered for them to stay. Two didn't hear and sped off. The third hung back to watch. I heard what Gilbert was trying to do, so I lifted my camera and pointed and prayed. This heavily cropped image ended up being the result. Because it happened so fast, I was unable to get into proper position. So by no means is this the best image in the world. But at least I was able to get one of the officers and the train together. For his part, in all the excitement Gilbert forgot to turn his flash transmitter on, so all he got was black. In the end, we both got busted. But fortunately, we did not get busted.
Fuzz Busted!
After catching Canadian Pacific Heritage Unit 7018 on the CP Chicago Sub in Genoa, there also happened to be an eastbound Canadian National train approaching on the Freeport sub a few miles to the south. With enough time to spare, we haded to the one and only grade crossing on the Freeport in Genoa, Sycamore Street. I was hoping to get a shot of the old Illinois Central depot here, but it is now entirely off-limits. So we set up in the factory parking lot across the street. But in the process of setting up our flashes, we attracted the attention of some of Genoa's finest. One sqaud car became three, and we were now surrounded. Having never shot trains in Genoa at night before, this was certainly a most unexpected development. But it turns out that they were well familiar with my "partner in crime," one Gilbert Sebenste, who has shot trains at this location many times before. When he told them we were here to photograph the train, they said something about hearing about him. We were just about to show them the pics we had taken a few minutes prior of the CP 7018, and then it happened!
Suddenly the crossing lights started going off, the gates came down, and the train horn started blowing. All of the officers jumped in their vehicles to take off. They wanted to get out of our way, but Gilbert hollered for them to stay. Two didn't hear and sped off. The third hung back to watch. I heard what Gilbert was trying to do, so I lifted my camera and pointed and prayed. This heavily cropped image ended up being the result. Because it happened so fast, I was unable to get into proper position. So by no means is this the best image in the world. But at least I was able to get one of the officers and the train together. For his part, in all the excitement Gilbert forgot to turn his flash transmitter on, so all he got was black. In the end, we both got busted. But fortunately, we did not get busted.