Western Heritage

NorthernElectric has added a photo to the pool:

This afternoon I decided to take my wide-angle Canon L lens and begin playing with it on a macro level. I normally photograph subjects on a grand scale, these same machines, but instead of being two inches tall, they're normally fifteen feet tall or larger with a vast landscape behind them (see my next few pictures). To bring things down to perspective I decide to play around with my Athearn (athearn.com/) Genesis HO Scale (1:87th) EMDI SD70ACe locomotive that I purchased two weeks ago from a local hobby shop.

This locomotive has special meaning to me. A native of Butte County, California the Western Pacific Railroad had a huge presence there - even on the western side of the county dominated by the SP - as the county and the small city of Oroville, CA served as the gateway to the famed Feather River Canyon, which made this railroad famous. Being a rail-fan, I naturally took to the old "Wobbly" and devoured anything I can about it and studying it furiously. Finding out that the old Sacramento Northern Railway (an WP subsidiary) was based in Chico I naturally loved it instantly. Being a mass transit nut my love for interurban railways and traction exploded as a child. Now a student in college with a major in Journalism I hope to make my living as a writer and photojournalist. Hence why I'm always taking pictures and practically live on Flickr. This locomotive normally adorns my desk but today for some reason I took it off my desk and sat in the kitchen with it with books spread all around while doing homework...even at 22 years old its amazing what small things comfort you and remind you of where you come from...

© D. Felice Strong-Baker Photo, All Rights Reserved.