The Photography of Justin Franz

A Summer in GN Country - June 23, 2011

2011-06-24T01:39:00.005-04:00

Photo by Justin Franz

The Baby Builder: Amtrak No. 7 rolls into Whitefish, Montana. June 23, 2011.

Traffic is down, Amtrak is messed up. How long could this last?

To: All BNSF Customers

06/21/2011

Preliminary Report: Minot, North Dakota Area Flooding

On Thursday, June 23, 2011 at approximately 1:00 a.m., BNSF plans to close the Minot, North Dakota area to rail traffic due to main track flooding.

In a proactive measure to minimize delays, we have begun the process of rerouting trains. Preliminary estimates of delays are 24-48 hours. We will provide more information regarding the rerouting and flooding as information becomes available.

A Summer in GN Country - June 21, 2011

2011-06-22T02:01:00.005-04:00

Photos by Justin Franz

It's been a long time since I updated this blog. And if history is an indication, it'll be a long time before I do again.

But lets give it a shot.

This summer I'm working as a reporter for the Flathead Beacon in Kalispell, Montana and living in nearby Whitefish. It's a great place to spend a summer and frankly I'd be fine with spending more than three months here, with attractions like Glacier National Park and the Great Northern Brewery at my doorstep.

But that isn't the only plus to living here. For the railfan, Whitefish is a BNSF crew change point at the base of the legendary Marias Pass line. With heavy traffic and stunning scenery, BNSF's Hi Line Subdivision is truly a railfan playground.

I've already spent a few days trackside and hope to spend many more. With that in mind I plan on updating this blog with images from my "Summer in GN Country."

Here are a few from today, June 20, 2011.

Enjoy!

A pair of BNSF GE's shove on the rear end of an eastbound freight near West Glacier, Montana, along the Flathead River.

One of the historic Glacier National Park Red Buses near Java, Montana.

A westbound BNSF grain train makes its way around a location call Ken Good Curve near West Glacier, Montana.

Alta-Mont 30: October 9 - 10, 2010

2010-10-11T15:47:00.011-04:00

Story and Photos by Justin Franz

Columbus Day Weekend often means one thing for railroad photographers in the Northwest - Alta-Mont, the annual railfan gathering at the Izaak Walton Inn at Essex, Montana. For three days photographers shoot trackside on BNSF's Hi-Line Sub over Marias Pass by day and by night look a slides at the Walton.

2010 marked the 30th Alta-Mont and about 35 people gathered in Essex over the course of the three day weekend. I joined photographers Paul Birkholz - Mountain West Rail - and Brent Mueller for two great days of shooting. What follows are a selection of the results. The weather wasn't perfect, with the exception of three hours on Saturday morning, but as always the times were great.

For more information about Alta-Mont check out the website!

An eastbound Z-Train rolls through Bad Rock Canyon near Hungry Horse, Montana.

A stack train rolls along the Flathead River east of Belton, Montana.

U.S. Route 2 and the Great Northern: A match made in heaven.

Helpers roll across Java Trestle east of Essex, Montana.

Paul and Brent waiting at Java

An eastbound manifest freight at Coram on Sunday morning

Silver and Maroon - A Fall of Griz Sports

2009-12-06T21:37:00.004-05:00

Photography by Justin Franz - All images taken in November and December 2009

Kodachrome Featured on NBC's Today Show

2009-11-28T01:23:00.000-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

18 Months and counting.... More coverage of the end of the Kodachrome era

2009-06-23T22:38:00.002-04:00

Kodak announced Monday, June 22 that they would end production of Kodachrome 64 after 74 years. I've used it since the very first railroad images I ever took in the early 1990s. Here is some editorials and coverage worth a look...

http://photo.net/learn/film/slide-film/kodachrome-discontinued/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105797026

http://homepage.1000words.kodak.com/default.asp?item=2388083

Also, the new title image was taken with Kodachrome 64 in the Fall of 2000. Clear Canadian skies, peak Fall foliage in the Notre-Dame Mtns. and fresh CN units leading the way. Perfect conditions for chrome...

Sorry Paul - Kodachrome era comes to an end after 74-years

2009-06-22T19:54:00.001-04:00

From Kodak.com

ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 22 -- Eastman Kodak Company announced today that it will retire KODACHROME Color Film this year, concluding its 74-year run as a photography icon.
Sales of KODACHROME Film, which became the world’s first commercially successful color film in 1935, have declined dramatically in recent years as photographers turned to newer KODAK Films or to the digital imaging technologies that Kodak pioneered. Today, KODACHROME Film represents just a fraction of one percent of Kodak’s total sales of still-picture films.
“KODACHROME Film is an iconic product and a testament to Kodak’s long and continuing leadership in imaging technology,” said Mary Jane Hellyar, President of Kodak’s Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group. "It was certainly a difficult decision to retire it, given its rich history. However, the majority of today's photographers have voiced their preference to capture images with newer technology – both film and digital. Kodak remains committed to providing the highest-performing products – both film and digital – to meet those needs."
While Kodak now derives about 70% of its revenues from commercial and consumer digital businesses, it is the global leader in the film business. Kodak has continued to bring innovative new film products to market, including seven new professional still films and several new VISION2 and VISION3 motion picture films in the past three years.These new still film products are among those that have become the dominant choice for those professional and advanced amateur photographers who use KODAK Films.
Among the well-known professional photographers who used KODACHROME Film is Steve McCurry, whose picture of a young Afghan girl captured the hearts of millions of people around the world as she peered hauntingly from the cover of National Geographic Magazine in 1985.
As part of a tribute to KODACHROME Film, Kodak will donate the last rolls of the film to George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film in Rochester, which houses the world’s largest collection of cameras and related artifacts. McCurry will shoot one of those last rolls and the images will be donated to Eastman House.
“The early part of my career was dominated by KODACHROME Film, and I reached for that film to shoot some of my most memorable images,” said McCurry. “While KODACHROME Film was very good to me, I have since moved on to other films and digital to create my images. In fact, when I returned to shoot the ‘Afghan Girl’ 17 years later, I used KODAK PROFESSIONAL EKTACHROME Film E100VS to create that image, rather than KODACHROME Film as with the original.”
For all of its magic, KODACHROME is a complex film to manufacture and an even more complex film to process. There is only one remaining photofinishing lab in the world – Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas – that processes KODACHROME Film, precisely because of the difficulty of processing. This lack of widespread processing availability, as well as the features of newer films introduced by Kodak over the years, has accelerated the decline of demand for KODACHROME Film.
During its run, KODACHROME Film filled a special niche in the annals of the imaging world. It was used to capture some of the best-known photographs in history, while also being the film of choice for family slide shows of the Baby Boom generation.
To celebrate the film’s storied history, Kodak has created a gallery of iconic images, including the Afghan girl and other McCurry photos, as well as others from professional photographers Eric Meola and Peter Guttman on its website: www.kodak.com/go/kodachrometribute. Special podcasts featuring McCurry and Guttman will also be featured on the website.
Kodak estimates that current supplies of KODACHROME Film will last until early this fall at the current sales pace. Dwayne’s Photo has indicated it will continue to offer processing for the film through 2010."

Some Recent Work

2009-06-17T00:22:00.003-04:00

With warmer weather coming around, free time is certainly at a premium and time spent on the computer (updating things like this blog) has been significantly cut. However if your looking to see some new material check out these two recent publications...

The recent issue of Passenger Train Journal (Issue 239) features a 1-page feature authored and illustrated by myself titled "Long Live The PCCs" and looks at the PCC cars of MBTA's Mattapan-Ashmont High Speed Line, one of the last places in the Northeast to still employee the iconic street car in regular service.

The second is something that has been 23 years in the making (and I'm only 21). Hot off the press is the second edition of Jerry Angier and Herb Cleaves "Bangor and Aroostook - The Life of a Maine Railroad Tradition." This is the most complete history of one of Maine's favorite railroads and tells the whole story from the first spike to the final moments on January 9, 2003. The book features five images by myself and many other more talented photographers. I'm very proud to have taken part in this much needed conclusion to a great story and Jerry has done an awesome job.

Rails Across the Inland Empire - Western Montana NRHS Slide Show

2009-04-13T23:15:00.004-04:00

MRL Helper Set at Tobin, Montana. Winter 2008

Photo by Justin Franz

On Thursday, April 30 I will be presenting a slide show titled Rails Across the Inland Empire at the Western Montana Chapter of the NRHS meeting. The program looks at railroading in western Montana, northern Idaho and eastern Washington between August 2007 and May 2008 with a focus on the Montana Rail Link between Helena, Montana and Sandpoint, Idaho.

The show starts at approximately 730PM and is held at the church on the corner of Daly and Higgins, about six blocks east of the University of Montana campus.

For more information visit http://www.mtnwestrail.com/wmnrhs/

A Grey Day on the Darby - Spring Break 2009 - Day 2

2009-03-30T02:40:00.003-04:00

Photos By Justin Franz

Here are a few quick images from todays chase of Montana Rail Link's Darby local.

Lolo, Montana
Switching Lakeland Feed, Hamilton, Montana

Lakeland Feed, Hamilton, Montana

Grunge - Spring Break 2009 - Day One

2009-03-29T01:22:00.003-04:00

Photos By Justin Franz

Grunge. That is the only word to describe the weather in Montana today, March 28, the first day of my Spring Break. While a lot of students try and head south to the beach, I'm staying in Montana in hopes of doing some railfanning in the northwest over the next week (I'm not the only one staying around, seems that most of UMs students stick to the Rockies during Spring Break, and who could blame you when you live here!).

I'm hoping to update this blog regularly during the next week with a daily look at railfanning and photography. However I don't have much to start off with. With clouds overhead there wasn't a lot of reason to get up early and I don't think I left the pillow till 10Am. With a quick check of the line-up I headed down to the Missoula Yard to find the one train I'd shoot this day - A westbound BNSF freight with two fresh GE's on the point (With the lousy economy BNSF and UP have started putting older units aside, one positive however is that most the power running around is new and looks presentable.)

Following the train west in the rain I shot it at Desmet, just west of town, where I also got this artsy fartsy reflection shot.

Desmet, Montana. March 28, 2009

The next location was 30 miles west of town at Lothrop, Montana, where I left the westbound in the rain and did a little exploring, looking for some new angles (I found one, and it's a killer shot for sure, but you'll have to wait to see that one)

Lothrop, Montana. March 28, 2009

And that was it for the days photography. After that I headed back to Missoula and hung out with friends around a grill in the rain watching dinner cook. Tomorrow morning MRL is dispatching a Darby local and snow is forcasted for the Bitteroots. That 5AM call time comes early so that's all for now.

More from the Mason Jennings concert - March 26, 2009

2009-03-27T21:23:00.004-04:00

Photos By Justin Franz

As promised, here are a few more views from the Mason Jennings concert at the Wilma on March 26. Also included are a few shots from the opening act, The Shook Twins, of Sandpoint, Idaho.

Mason Jennings Live in Missoula

2009-03-27T01:40:00.008-04:00

Photos By Justin Franz

This is a first edit of some shots from tonights Mason Jennings concert at the Wilma in Missoula. I'm hoping to go back and re-edit this with more images in the near future. For more information on Mason Jennings go to http://www.masonjennings.com/

Riding The Last Alcos

2009-03-24T02:06:00.003-04:00

It seems like it has been sometime since I've updated this site, but in the last week I've put up two stories so that has to be something!

Anyway, I just want to plug Jim Redmond's awesome Riding The Last Alcos site. Since 2000 the website has been THE source for information on this remote and stunning railroad in eastern Quebec. Every image you've seen of the Cartier in the last decade was most likely taken by a photographer helped by Jim and without question we owe him a big thanks.

Just recently the site changed to a new format, so check it out!

http://cartierrailway.multiply.com/

The Bonner Local - Spring 2008

2009-03-23T21:54:00.007-04:00

The Last Spring: MRL's Bonner Local Serving the Stimson Lumber Co. April 2008

Photos and Story By Justin Franz

Railroads Illustrated Magazine, Montana Rail Link News, June 2008.

"On Tuesday, March 18, officials of Stimson Lumber Co. notified employees at its Bonner mill they had 60-Days left before a shutdown that is feared to be its last. The mill had been shutdown earlier this year but was reopened in early March. Over a 100-employees will be laid-off when the mill closes in May, concluding Bonner’s history as a mill town that stretches back to the 1880’s. Montana Rail Link dispatches a local from Missoula to Bonner five-days a week and Stimson is the predominant customer, yet in recent years traffic from the mill has dropped dramatically. Whether the Bonner Local will continue to run after the shut down is unknown."

I wrote that small story that led off the RRI News Column over a year ago now. If I remember right it was just a few days before Spring Break in March of 2008 that the headline of the Missoulian read "Stimson To Shut Down." It was a shock to the area, that such a major employer was to go under and it was a shock to railfans that Montana Rail Link would not serve the Mill anymore, just as the railroad had done since its start up in 1987, and the Burlington Northern and Milwaukee Road before that. All the sudden my Spring Break plans became quite simple - Shoot that local .

The following Monday I headed east with the local to Bonner and shot it switch the mill, unfortunately by the time they departed the sun was behind a cloud for "the shot" of them leaving. On two other occasions I would try with no success to get the shot in sun, until late April that the combination of sun and shot came to be. The results can be seen at the top of the post.

However it wasn't that shot that would end up being my favorite.

60 Days Notice: An old switch lock secures the gate to the Bonner, Montana lumber mill owned by Stimson Lumber Co. and servered by Montana Rail Link. Last week, Stimson gave its employees 60 days notice of what will likely be a final shut down for the mill, ending years of rail service by the Milwaukee Road, Burlington Northern and todays Montana Rail Link.

After the local had left on that first day I stuck around and shot this and that. For some reason the lock on the gate caught my eye. With the tracks leading into the distance to an empty log yard it seemed to tell the whole story. My Photo-J teacher at the time here at the University of Montana agreed and I got an A for the assignment.

In the end the mill would hold on until Summer, after I had returned home at the end of the semester. However the story still had to be told and it was....

Railroads Illistrated Magazine, Montana Rail Link News, October 2008.

"Done. Montana Rail Link GP35 403 powered what will likely be one of the last locals to serve the Stimson Lumber Company on the afternoon of July 29, 2008. With only two cars, BNSF 564146 and 564152 billed for a Home Depot in Dayton, New Jersey, the train left the mill and ended over a century long relationship between the railroad and lumber industry in Bonner. Stimson has put the mill and land up for sale at $16-million, yet if a buyer is not found for everything before September 30th, all mill equipment will be placed up for auction, leaving only the land."

End of an Era - Marias Pass

2009-03-18T22:47:00.003-04:00

Photo By Justin Franz

From Mark Meyer, Montana Railroads Yahoo Group,

"Speaking of ES44 locomotives, some of the six-traction motor variety have replaced the venerable SD40-2s long in service in helper service at Essex. SD40s are being phased out and replaced with more fuel-efficient power, especially during the downturn in business. Two SD40-2s are expected to remain in the Essex area for work train service and may be used as auxiliary helper power as necessary. Helpers for the most part, are only used on eastward stack and merchandise trains."

Summit Crossover, Glacier National Park, October 2008.

Photo By Justin Franz

First Friday - March 6

2009-03-03T21:17:00.003-05:00

On March 6th, Dylan Peck and myself will be the featured artists at Sotto Voce in downtown Missoula. Both of us will display images from the past few months ranging from subjects like railroads, scenery and people. So please come on down see some photography, have a drink and maybe even buy a shot.

First Friday - Missoula, Montana - March 6th

Sotto Voce - 111 West Main Street, next to The Dark Room.

White Powder, Black Dimonds

2009-01-12T23:31:00.009-05:00

By Justin Franz

One from the cutting room floor

Newburg, West Virginia. March 2007. Photo by Justin Franz

In March 2007, Mike Confalone, Joe Posik, Tim Franz and myself made a three day trip to 'Wild and Wonderful' West Virginia to photograph the former Baltimore and Ohio 'West End', today CSXs Mountain Sub. What ensued were three intense days of winter railfanning as we criss-crossed northern West Virginia and western Maryland in search of Color Positon Lights, Interlocking Towers, coal train and of course the wild railroading of West 'By God' Virginia.

Now the whole story of that trip is told in the pages of Railroad Explorer Magazine in 10-page special 'White Powder, Black Diamonds - Four New England Railfans Head South.' The Winter 2009 issue tells the entire story authored by myself and illustrated by all four of us.

The Winter 2009 issue of Railroad Explorer is on sale now for $9.95.

For more information visit www.railroadexplorer.com

Election Day

2008-11-04T16:07:00.004-05:00

Photos by Justin Franz

Here are a few shots in and around Missoula, Montana taken today, November 3, 2008. Election Day in America.

More to come later!

MRL 20th Anniversary Excursion

2008-09-26T18:18:00.003-04:00

In October 2007, Montana Rail Link celebrated their 20th Anniversary by operating a series of excursions across the system. Here are two images from that day, scanned from Color Kodachrome 64 Slides (and changed to black and white in photo shop, due to some odd coloration from the poor scan)

Enjoy

Train Master David Franz, Northern Pacific Depot, Missoula, Montana

Montana Rail Link 10th Sub, Arlee, Montana

Photos By Justin Franz

Special Thanks to David Franz and Montana Rail Link

Plugging It

2008-09-21T15:30:00.003-04:00

For anyone who enjoys great railroad photography the Fall 2008 issue of Railroad Explorer is a must buy. Besides featuring what looks to be an excellent in-depth look at CP Rail's (Now Montreal, Maine and Atlantic) Sherbrooke Sub, there is an excellent photo essay by Tim Franz on his time on the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad in the 1980s. With an introduction by his son, myself, the essay has six awesome images of this shortline. As one who helped in selecting the images I can tell you it's an excellent spread, much of it never before published.

The Fall 2008 issue of Railroad Explorer is on sale now and sells for only $9.95.

Check out http://www.railroadexplorer.com for more information

Lock 11

2008-08-15T20:57:00.005-04:00

Photos By Justin Franz

During a lull in action of CSX's Mohawk Sub, I wondered over to Lock 11 along the Mohawk River to document this relic of the past still in use today. Here are the results.

For more information on the locks of the Mohawk River or how one works, check out this site....
http://www.eriecanal.org/locks.html

Your Crumbling Past - Cony High School

2008-06-22T23:06:00.008-04:00

School Bus Parking - Not Any More

Photos By Justin Franz

When you leave a place, even if it for only a year, things change. For me that change was the removal of Cony High School in Augusta, Maine, where I attended for four years. For the first three years we were in a 1960s era building that had been added on to the original school dating back to the early 1900s. In my Senior year we moved to a new building, leaving the run down and tired 60s era school behind. The original school has been preserved, yet the addition was taken down early in the Summer of 2008.
By the time I returned to Augusta in May I was quite surprised to see how much was gone and decided to record what was left before it was too late. So late one night recently I headed down to shoot what was left. Here are the results. Within days this section of the building would be gone.

While setting up on the sidewalk an Augusta cop pulled up. Within a few moments he was helping with lighting from his car. Talk about luck!

Preserved: The Old Flat Iron building will survive as a monument to Augusta's past.

Life In The West

2008-06-10T20:43:00.009-04:00

Photos By Justin Franz

Missoula, Montana is more then a place. It's a way of life, where people are much more relaxed and actually slow down to enjoy life. That's something I've noticed since leaving Missoula, where I attend school at the University of Montana, just a few weeks ago. Even here in Maine, "The way life should be," people seem rushed and hurried. It's not like that in Missoula; In the west.

I was able to meet Missoula and the people and places that make it up through the lens of my camera for my Basic Photojournalism class and the images that follow are from that effort. It's hard to capture a way of life on film, but maybe with these few images you too will get an idea of what "Life In The West" is like.

PBR: Missoula's Favorite - University of Montana Lacrosse Game - April 2008Montana Rail Link "Dirt Train" - Bonner, Montana - May 2008University of Montana Steam Plant Operator Jack Burns - January 2008

University of Montana Lacrosse Game - April 2008University of Montana student - Clark Fork River - Spring 2008"Philadelphia Phil" - Northern Pacific Depot - Spring 2008Robert Basher - Quality Seamless Gutters - Spring 2008House builder - Depot St - Spring 2008

Montana Rail Link Chief of Safety and Security Pete Lawrenson

Thanks to everyone who didn't have a problem with a college student and a camera (and big time thanks to Lynda Frost of MRL)

Campaign '08 - Life In America

2008-05-09T03:55:00.000-04:00

Photos and Story By Justin Franz

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Congressmen Ron Paul at the University of Montana - April 2008

Without question, the politics of running for president have become part of day to day life in America in 2008. You can't turn on the TV with out seeing a campaign ad, you can't drive down the street without seeing a bumper sticker and now you can't see this blogspot free of presidential politics (Starting from now on, this site will feature some non-rail photography. But no worries, for the most part you'll still get a healthy dose of branchlines, Alcos, SD's and mountain grades.)

As a journalism student here at the University of Montana, I had the chance to cover the election (mainly for my basic photo-journalism class) as it rolled into Missoula, Montana, with visits from Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Ron Paul. Usually the Montana primary, held June 3 this year, doesn't matter but as the Democratic nomination rolls on, more focus has been put in these later states (I'm not quite sure why Paul visited, considering McCain has secured the Republican nomination.)

On Saturday, April 5 Barack Obama (D-Illinois) brought his campaign to Missoula with a rally at the University of Montana Adams Center. Later that evening he continued to Butte for the annual Montana Democratic Dinner that featured both Obama and Clinton as guests. The following morning Hillary Clinton held a rally at the Missoula Airport, but since I don't have a car and I already got up way too early the day before, I let Hillary get by without being the focus of my camera (I mean come on, 10Am on a Sunday is crazy!)

Barack Obama - Adams Center - April 2008

On April 21, Congressmen Ron Paul (R-Texas) brought the message of his long shot campaign to the University Ballroom here on campus. Even though McCain secured the nomination, Paul continues to run. After signing his new book, Paul gave a speech to an ecstatic crowd.

Ron Paul - University of Montana - April 2008

Everyone is a journalist in 2008

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Note: In no way are these images an endorsement of Obama or Paul for President.

Wishing Trains: A Multimedia Exhibition

2008-05-02T02:50:00.002-04:00

For those in the Missoula area this weekend, it might be worth your while to check out 'Wishing Trains: A Multimedia Exhibition" by Catherine Moore about railroading in western Montana at the turn of the century. Along with Catherine's poetry and reading will be contemporary images of railroading here in western Montana by Aimee Lewis and myself. The event includes....

* Model railroads, courtesy the Missoula Model Railroad Club
* An original railroad sound composition by Joe Adkins
* McLeod Family films of Missoula, ca. 1930s
* Archival photographs of railroad promotions and Missoula train culture
* Historical railroad ephemera, courtesy Bill Taylor
* Poetry & nonfiction by Catherine Moore
* Local food & drink

Saturday, May 3, 7:30 PM
Stensrud Building
314 N. 1st St.
Missoula's North Side

Spring Time In Montana

2008-04-13T21:58:00.008-04:00

Photo By Justin Franz

Finally after what seems like forever, winter has released its icy grip on western Montana. The weather is wonderful and the greens of Spring aren't far behind. While this is the first post since Febuary, I haven't stopped railfanning. Seven days in late March were spent criss-crossing Montana Rail Link in western Montana over my Spring Break and the results of that effort can be seen on Railpictures.net (Check the link at the bottom of the right column). And not to worry, it wasn't all burned into pixels, plenty of Kodachrome 64 was burned during the week.

Hellgate Canyon, April 2008

With school finishing up, finding time to railfan is tough but with the awsome weather it tough not to. That was the case on Saturday, April 12 after waking up around noon and heading out to Hellgate Canyon, on the eastside of the University of Montana campus this westbound BNSF coal train was lensed coming into town. The path at the bottom of the image is the former Milwaukee Road right of way. The grass ain't green and the mountains are still snow capped, but spring is coming to western Montana.

Mullan Pass and Patience

2008-02-24T17:39:00.013-05:00

Story and Photography By Justin Franz

In October 2005 when I made my first trip to Montana, railroading here was in a storm of change between past, present and future. While the main purpose of the trip was to visit family and look at the University of Montana, an underlying goal was to shoot Montana Rail Link’s SD45s on Mullan Pass. Unfortunately the invaders had already arrived in the form of SD70ACe’s and on our one day there, they were the motive power of choice for helpers. I soon accepted the fact that classic images of 45s in helper service would be a subject absent from my slide collection.

Fast forward to President’s Day Weekend, 2008. With friend and fellow UM freshman Cameron Chapman offering a seat to Helena with him and his father Ed to shoot MRL, I really couldn’t refuse. So with a few rolls of film and an empty memory card I headed east on Friday, February 15, under mostly cloudy skies. While the weather wasn’t great, trains were moving and hopes of a successful weekend were high. But upon arriving at Elliston, where helpers on westbound trains usually cut off, just after sunset, everything changed. Sitting on the mainline, having just pushed a westbound freight, was three SD45-2s and an SD40. All the sudden six rolls of film didn’t look like enough.

Below are a few digital images of my weekend on Mullan Pass, one spent waiting and hoping for the combination of sun and SD45s. When you’ve waited three years, what’s another three days?

While there were SD45s, the SD70ACes remained the perfered helpers over the weekend. Here set of Ace's roll down hill at East Austin, Montana.

Close, but no cigar: On Saturday afternoon the 45s finally took to the hill, but under mostly cloudy skies. Those "Classic Images" would have to come another day.

On Sunday morning it looked as if it would finally happen, so we thought. Standing at Tobin we found blue skies to the west on Mullan Pass, and SD45s leading a train to the east! Between them however was this soal crushing scene, a derailed tank car.

By early afternoon the tank car was rerailed and dispatchers in Missoula opened the line up to let eastbounds that had been sitting on the hill to enter Helena. A eastbound BNSF grain train is just east of town, at Tobin.

Strike Two: With the line cleared MRL sent that long awaited westbound to the hill; with an SD70ACe on the point. It was sunny, but it wasn't what we were hoping for.

A westbound grain train storms by the station sign at Blossburg. The next day dawned clear, but again the first two trains of the day on the hill would find the SD70ACe's on the job. It appeared that I would again fail in my quest for 45s on Mullan Pass, until......

Victory: After three years, and three days, I finally shot a set of MRL SD45s in helper service, under screaming blue skies on President's Day. An hour or so before sunset the four classic EMDs grind their way up hill in this digi grab shot, just before droping the Canon XTi to burn the classic image on Kodachrome.

Special Thanks to Ed and Cameron Chapman, Eric Vernado and Montana Rail Link.

Unsettled Weather

2008-02-12T22:26:00.006-05:00

Photos By Justin Franz

As a student in the journalism program here at the University of Montana, I find I get some nice perks. One of those is being able to scan slides. Here are two of the first batch I scanned. I’m still trying to figure the thing out and these were touched up in photo shop to meet the quality of the original slide, but none the less hopefully you enjoy.

With Glacier National Park in the background, an eastbound BNSF train heads across the plains near Grizzly, Montana in October, 2007.

While the day started out sunny, it didn't end that way for the crew of Montana Rail Link's Polson Local, seen here in blizzard conditions near Evero, Montana in October, 2007.

Back Under Big Sky

2008-02-10T04:36:00.000-05:00

Photo By Justin Franz

After five awesome weeks back east, that included many a memorable day trackside, I’ve finally returned to my temporary home here in Montana. Unfortunately, with school work, a life to lead and other photography duties in photojournalism classes, time spent trackside hasn’t been as plentiful. Not to mention the less then perfect weather that has planted itself right over western Montana for the past few weeks. But that’s ok, there will be plenty of time to shoot later on in the semester, especially when the grunge of winter is replaced with the greens of spring. For now, I shoot what I can. Saturday evening was one of those times as my roommate, Dylan Peck (check out his photo-blog at http://chouinardphoto.blogspot.com/), and I went out for a impromptu night photo session around Missoula. One of the targets was the former Northern Pacific depot in downtown, now owned by Montana Rail Link parent company, Washington Corp. With its classic design and NP ‘Monad’ adorning the sides it’s a reminder of Missoula and western Montana’s rich railroading past, present and future. One I hope to capture on film, and pixels, in the next three and a half years.

Railfanning in La Belle Province 2000 - 2002

2008-01-15T01:00:00.000-05:00

Photography by Justin Franz

La Belle Province, the nickname of Quebec, was and is one hell of a place to railfan. With killer scenery, a unique culture and some of the most diverse rail action anywhere (What other place has commuter and intercity passenger trains, heavy haul ore roads, mainlines, shortlines, electrics, EMDs, Alcos, GEs..... you get the idea) Quebec is a great place to spend sometime. And back in the early part of this decade, specifically from 2000 to 2002, you couldn't afford not too with an exchange rate that favored the American dollar. Not to mention attractions like the Cartier Railway, then an all-Alco operation, and the Chaleur Bay Railway with their copper train running along the coast of the Gaspe Peninsula.

Six years later, although it's allot more expensive with a lousy exchange rate, a trip north of the border is still well worth it. So grab a map of Quebec and plan your own trip north as you look a few images from 'La Belle Province.'

Dawn at New Richmond: With a pair of New Brunswick East Coast RS18s, of CP Rail heritage,a Chaleur Bay Railway crew switch the paper mill at New Richmond, Quebec in September, 2000. The mill closed in 2005, one of the last regular shippers on the line.

Rocky coast, rocky future: The as-needed Gaspe copper train crosses the bridge at St. Therese-de-Gaspe along the coast of Quebec. Today the only train to polish these rails is VIA Rail's Chaleur.

Stainless Steel Sunset: Today the only train on the Gaspe line is VIA Rails Chaleur which has changed little since this September, 2000 view. With VIAs Ocean now made up with new European equipment, VIAs 16 and 17 are the last traditional passenger trains in the east.

Fall In Quebec: If there is anytime to go to Quebec, its October, when the Fall foliage is at its best. One of the best places to get foliage and rail action is Canadian National's Pellitier Sub. An eastbound stack train crosses the Boucanee Trestle near Estcourt, Quebec.

The Big Show: If there was one place to be in the early 2000s it would have been the Cartier. An ore road on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River the Cartier was an all Alco road until 2002. Here we see the southbound Log Train at Milepost 49, in the remote north woods of Quebec. June 2002.

Days Away: After two great trips in June and October 2001, I didn't think I'd make it back to the Cartier before the new GE AC4400s arrived the following year. I was wrong. With the new units just days away from arriving on the road, we made one more trek north. This image of a northbound ore train, seen at milepost 31, would be one of my last of the Cartier as an all Alco railroad. June 2002.

As time goes on I hope to scan more images from my trips to Gaspe and Cartier, in other words, To Be Countinued.......

Updates

2008-01-14T21:45:00.000-05:00

With friends and family to spend time with, and exotic SD's on Guilford to track down, I forgot about this blog for a week or so (which ain't bad, give me a few months and this thing will really collect dust).
Tonight I updated a few things and added another photo story. The biggest change is the image behind the title of the blog (Which for the record is a Montreal, Maine and Atlantic plow extra in Quebec a few winters ago). I also added some links to some great photography blogs and sites that are well worth a look. Just below that list is another group of links to some helpful railfanning sites such as the National Weather Service and some Yahoo groups that are always great for digging up information before your next trip. So check em out.

'Human Interest'

2008-01-14T17:37:00.000-05:00

Photo By Justin Franz

For the most part, my railroad photography is based around scenic action shots and there isn't a damn thing wrong with that. Who doesn't enjoy a nice clean set of power, coming around a nice big sweeping curve, passing a barn, with screaming fall foliage and blue skies to match. I think that's the shot most of us want when we head out in the morning. But as sweet as those shots can be (and they do rock) that doesn't tell the whole story of railroading. While locomotives, rolling stock and tracks is what bring us out, without people to run and maintain them we would have nothing to shoot. So to mix it up and tell the 'whole' story of railroading I try and grab 'Human Interest' shots whenever they pop up.

Here is one of my first attempts at such a shot, taken in July 2004. On our way to northern New Jersey to visit family and do some railfanning, my father and I stopped in Danbury, Connecticut on a hot summer afternoon with hopes of shooting Metro-North's fading fleet of FL9s. Unfortunately upon our arrival we found a MNRR 'P-boat' on the point (It was the first in many failed attempts to get the FL9s on their home turf for me. In the end I still haven't, but that's a story or rant for another day). Making the best of it, we walked on to the platform to shoot the train as it left and just prior to the departure talked with the engineer/conductor in the control cab. As he yelled to a late commuter to "get going," I put the camera to my eye and pressed the shutter. It was the first of many 'Human Interest' shots.

The Batten Kill Time-Warp

2008-01-05T00:05:00.000-05:00

Photos By Justin Franz

In the hobby of railroad photography, who hasn't said they were born 10-years too late and the classic images from people like Jim Shaughnessy only add to this idea.

When is someone going to create that time-warp anyway?

Well in Washington County, New York someone has, although it could be better described as a place time forgot. Home to the Batten Kill Railroad, this line made up of former Greenwich and Johnsonville (a subsidiary of the Delaware and Hudson) trackage could be the closest thing to time travel one has. With a pair of classic RS-3s, neat buildings, vintage equipment and great scenery it looks as if it is 1978, rather then 2008. Its an operation that I've wanted to shoot for sometime and with information that the BKRR would be running a flanger on Thursday, January 3, I knew I had to get there. Below are just two of the many images made on that crisp, clear day in the Batten Kill Time Warp.

Having just cleared the line, RS3 4116 pulls a cut of cars from the Guilford interchange at Eagle Bridge.

After a long day the crew of BKRR 4116 enjoy the ride home to Greenwich. Behind the Alco is BKRR Flanger 36006, of D&H heritage.

Special Thanks to the Employees of the Batten Kill Railroad, as well as photographers Mike Peverett and Tom Mik

2007 (Digital) Highlights

2007-12-28T18:05:00.000-05:00

Photography By Justin Franz

While most of my photography is done with a group of old beaten up Minoltas and Canons, loaded with K64, I have grabbed a few 'digi' shots using at first an Olympus point and shoot but more recently a Canon Rebel XTi. Here are a few Digital Highlights of 2007.

The winter of 2007 was a tough one for railroads in New England and the northeast as lines from Maine to New York dispatched plows to clear the way. In fact in one week, over a dozen were called to the front lines across New England and New York. Here a Washington County plow extra clears trail at Lyndonville, Vermont.

In March 2007 Mike Confalone, Joe Posik, Tim Franz and myself headed south for three days of shooting on CSX's Mountain Sub. With tough grades and stunning scenery, its a place thats hard not to love. On day two we lensed this eastbound coal drag at Newburg, West Virginia.

While the second part of our trip was sunny, day one found us in the mist of a major winter storm. After slipping and sliding around the roads all morning, we decided it was time to get some tire chains. Mike shows his approval of our new addition.

Soon enough the snow retreated and the often overlooked 'Mud Season' took its place. With its train in tow, three Montreal, Maine and Atlantic c30-7s attack the grade a Cookshire, Quebec on March 31, 2007.

One place I spent sometime this Summer was my much overlooked backyard, aka Guilford Rail System's branches out of Waterville, Maine and its mainline between there and Leeds Jct, also known as the 'Backroad.' One afternoon in Waterville this classic scene unfolded before me as a GRS engineer talked with a father and his son. Taking a quick break from burning the K64, I got this shot.

In mid-August I headed west to start school at the University of Montana at Missoula. Missoula is also the heart of regional railroad Montana Rail Link. On a late summer afternoon we follow the MRL Gas Local up Evero Hill. Near by the Blackcat Forest Fire continues to smolder.

From dealing with snow in West Virginia to dealing with fires in Montana - Railfanning in 2007 had its challenges.

With a semester of college done I headed for home in December. Just a day after Christmas, I top off 2007 with a chase of the Maine Eastern, seen here at Wiscasset, Maine.

Changing Seasons - A Decade of Railroading in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.

2007-12-28T01:21:00.000-05:00

Story and Photography By Justin Franz

Authors Note: The following was originally written for CTC Board Magazine but just as the images were about to be sent out, news came that the magazine would be undergoing a change in publisher. Since then the article and images (which were scanned by George Melvin - Thanks George.) have sat with no place to go. So with out further to do......

Headed North: CP Rail local at Newport, VT. August 1996

Every April the scars of winter along the Connecticut River are washed away as budding green bring the welcoming sight of Spring. Yet foliage isn't the only change in the valley, the railroads that serve the region have gone through the same in the past three decades - from being major bridge routes connecting Canada with the northeast, to shortlines left only to serve local industry, or abandoned right-of-ways - a shadow of an era gone-by.

One such route is the former Canadian Pacific Newport and Lyndonville Subdivisions that stretches from the Quebec-Vermont border south through an area known as the Northeast Kingdom, named so by former Vermont governor George Aiken, to Wells River Jct. where an interchanged was made with the Boston and Maine. During the 1970's, Daily pool-trains between the two lines would ply the rails from Newport, Vermont and East Deerfield, Mass with combinations of CP Alco Centuries in the flashy action red and B&M GP7's sporting the classic minute-men blue.

By 1996, the CP Vermont operations where vastly different from what it had been only a few years earlier. The once important gateway had now been made secondary with the acquisition of Delaware and Hudson in 1990. With a majority of traffic now going down the D&H, the Newport and Lyndonville Subdivisions where only kept alive by local traffic. While it was certainly not the place to find high-density main line action, Newport, the heart of the Vermont operations was high on any railfans list with the continued use of MLW RS18's, cabooses, and five man crews - It was a place where traditional railroad was rule, not the exception. And it was with that in mind that I made my first trip to the area in August of 1996, even if I didn't know it at the time. More than anything it was another day trackside with my Dad. Having only graduated from a Fisher-Price toy camera to real film a year or so earlier, my knowledge of what I was trying to photograph was little, But I knew there was something different about this place. A reputation stemming from slide shows with my dad and other photographers who would always be putting up images on the screen from the most recent trip to the area. From my front-row seat, on the floor just below the projector, I could see that Newport was a special place. That hot and humid August day in Vermont was spent chasing an image of railroading that was running short on time. Within a month CP Rail would cease operations in Vermont and the time-warp that was Newport would be gone forever.

The 11-th Hour: CP Rail RS18 1856 heads south near Sutton, VT

in August, 1996. CP Rail would leave Vermont by the end of

the month.

Two years later, on another summer day in 1998, I again found myself in Newport - On this day photographing the Northern Vermont Railroad, new operator of the line and a member of the Bangor and Aroostook System that took control of CP Rail trackage east of Montreal in 1995. Much had changed since 1996, missing were the Alco's, cabooses, and five-man crews, replacing it was the image of a new regional that was ready for business with a group of GP35's appearing in a stylish maroon and grey resembling that of the lines previous owner. The future seemed bright for the first time in many years. Plans for trailers of frozen-French fries from northern Maine to move over the former CP trackage through Maine, Quebec, and Vermont and then to southern New England reopened the former B&M line south of Wells River Jct. to White River Jct. where interchange was made with the New England Central. It was the first time since the New Hampshire and Vermont, a shortline owned by CSF Acquisitions Inc, ceased operation on the line in the mid-1990's. That dormancy would become the downfall of the service as the track south of Wells River Jct. was plagued with problems. But Vermont was not the only trouble spot for the regional as poor business decisions would send the system into bankruptcy in 2001. On January 9, 2003 the Bangor and Aroostook System was taken over by Railworld Corp. and reorganized as the Montreal, Maine, and Atlantic. Omitted from the MMA was the former Northern Vermont; south of Newport would be under the control of the Washington County, a part of the Vermont Rail System.

Short Lived: NVR local north of Lyndonville, VT in the summer
of 1998.

A New Day?: WACR power in Newport. April 2006.

And so it was on April 21, 2006 that I was driving north on I-91 towards Newport. Conversation, in-between a few extra winks of sleep, was focused on locations to shoot the pending southbound local - Not far from my thoughts however was my first trip to the area ten-years earlier and the change that this line -and I - have seen in the past decade. The early spring day was spent following the Washington County local south to Wells River Jct, where it swapped cars with its counterpart from White River Jct. Budding tree's brought the Valley alive, a welcome sight after a long winter and an interesting parallel to the last three decades of railroading in the Valley. What the future has in store for rails of the Northeast Kingdom is any one's guess. Has the Washington County and Vermont Rail System brought a new season to the former CP or is this a just a momentary pause in a long, hard winter?

Stability: While the names and power may change, the

scenery, like Jay Peak in the background doesn't. The

southbound WACR local has just left Newport yard. April 2006

Changing Seasons: Does the WACR signal a

bright future? Only time will tell. WACR local

outside of Wells River, VT. April 2006.

Welcome!

2007-12-28T00:43:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when I get bored on a cold winter night.

After looking at many great railfan photography sites by guys like Ryan Parent, Tom Nanos, Paul Birkholz and Blair Kooistra, I finally decided to get off my butt and do the same. So here it is. While I'm no computer wizard (heck I still shoot Kodachrome 64 as my main film) I think I should be able to figure this out and post the occasional photo or story.

Anyway, here's a quick bit about me: I'm from central Maine and have been doing rail photography since I was a kid, thanks to the help of my father, Tim Franz. I'm currently a student at the University of Montana at Missoula studying journalism. Course that means I spend time in both Montana and New England, which from a railfan point of view is hard to beat. Besides studying (ha!) and doing photography I also work on the occasional article, some of which can be seen in the pages of Railroad Explorer Magazine, and edit the Montana Rail Link News Column for Railroads Illustrated Magazine.

-Justin

The Portfolio of Justin Franz

2007-06-12T17:25:00.003-04:00

Author. Photographer. Journalist.

Justin Franz

qcmrs18@yahoo.com

(207) 446-4453

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Education

Cony High School, Augusta, Maine. Graduated May 2007

Currently Enrolled at the University of Montana - Missoula. School of Journalism.

Expected Graduation of Spring 2011.

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Experience

Internship, Capital Weekly, Augusta, Maine.

January - May 2007

Freelanced Contributor, Capital Weekly, Augusta, Maine

January 2007 - Present

Contributing Editor, Railway Preservation News, http://www.rypn.org/

2005 - 2007

Montana Rail Link News Editor, Railroads Illustrated, Kansas City, Missouri

2007 - Present

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Photography Featured In

Railpace News Magazine, Railroad Explorer Magazine, Trains Magazine, Capital Weekly, Railroads Illustrated Magazine, Passenger Train Journal, Railway Preservation News, Alcos Northeast, Rails Across New England - Volume 1, Railroads of the Pine Tree State - Volume 2, The Bangor and Aroostook In Color, The Bangor and Aroostook - The Maine Railroad

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Major Articles

"Maine's two-foot empire gains new life" Trains Magazine, August 2004

"A World Away From Mongolia" Railway Preservation News, October 2006

"Backroads, Branchlines and Geeps" Railroad Explorer, Winter 2006

"Fifty Cents Well Spent" Railroad Exploer, Spring/Summer 2006

"Last Call Under October Skies" Railroad Explorer, Fall 2006

"White Powder, Black Dimonds" Railroad Explorer, Winter 2009

"Long Live the PCC's" Passenger Train Journal, Summer 2009

"A Practice of Tradition" Capital Weekly, August 2008

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Awards and Accomplishments

Student Photo Contest Winner, Trains Magazine, 2001

Kennebec County Medical Society, Eleventh Annual Essay Contest, May 2006

First Friday Photography Show with Dylan Peck, March 2009, Missoula, Montana