The same day I took the Barn picture we went to Niles, California where the Niles Canyon Railway is located.
The history of trains in Niles Canyon dates back to the building of the original transcontinental railroad. The first Western Pacific Railroad Company (formed in 1862) started construction in San Jose towards Sacramento. It built twenty miles of track that reached into Alameda Creek canyon in 1866. Its first passenger excursion entered the canyon on October 2 of that year. You can read more about it here: Niles Canyon Railway.
It was fun looking at this caboose and yes I went a bit wild with it. I so rarely take any images with people in them but how could I resist this grandad with his grandson? 🙂
Addendum…since some of you have asked. I reduced noise, tone-mapped it in Nik HDR, used Topaz Restyle on a light opacity, created a low-key image and laid it on top of the previously processed layer and exposed the brighter areas I wanted. Then I sharpened it via Nik Output sharpener and added a vignette. Oh, I did pop out the color on those windows too. Hope that helps!
Western Pacific Railroad
Laura Macky Photography 
March 21, 2015 at 8:39 am
This is a very cool shot!!!
March 21, 2015 at 8:49 am
Thank you badfish!
March 21, 2015 at 8:40 am
So beautiful, Laura! Can I be curious and ask you how you edited it? 🙂
March 21, 2015 at 8:50 am
Thank you Ingrid. 🙂 Since you and Viktor both wondered, I modified the post and added a paragraph about the editing.
March 21, 2015 at 8:44 am
Lovely. How it was processed would be interesting.
March 21, 2015 at 8:50 am
Thank you Victor. 🙂 Since you and Ingrid both asked, I just added a paragraph at the end as to how I processed it.
March 21, 2015 at 10:27 am
Thanks
March 21, 2015 at 8:57 am
Reblogged this on Amazing Fine Art and commented:
Love it!
March 21, 2015 at 9:01 am
Thank you as always for your generous reblog!
March 21, 2015 at 9:01 am
Beautiful image Laura! Love the grandson, oh how little minds work and what his must have been thinking!
Tamara
March 21, 2015 at 9:02 am
Thank you Tamara! Too cute that little guy exploring life! Maybe a future engineer!
March 21, 2015 at 9:53 am
You’re welcome!
March 21, 2015 at 9:19 am
An excellent theme and image! Very nice indeed! 🙂
March 21, 2015 at 10:15 am
Thank you! I love trains. I need to take more of them.
March 21, 2015 at 9:27 am
Wow, this is such a beautiful photo! It looks a bit like a painting or drawing, you are amazing Laura!
March 21, 2015 at 10:15 am
Wow back for that comment John. Thank you! :))))
March 21, 2015 at 9:39 am
I love anything to do with trains. This is such a beautiful image. I think you made a wise choice including the people, they add a wonderful feel to the image.
March 21, 2015 at 10:17 am
Thank you so much Dan. I love trains as well and don’t take enough of them. I kept waiting for the “people” to leave but then I saw grandpa and grandson and I couldn’t help but include them. 🙂
March 21, 2015 at 10:01 am
wonderful capture
of a tense moment!
assuming the child fared well
with the car held steady 🙂
March 21, 2015 at 10:18 am
LOL…I love the way you see things! Thank you. 🙂
March 21, 2015 at 10:06 am
Reblogged this on My Choice.
March 21, 2015 at 11:05 am
Most evocative Laura
March 21, 2015 at 5:00 pm
Thank you Derrick! 🙂
March 21, 2015 at 11:40 am
Thanks for the processing information – people are a rarity in my shots as well, but when they work, no need to not use the image.
March 21, 2015 at 5:01 pm
You’re welcome for the info!
March 21, 2015 at 11:54 am
I love trains and your post-process is very well done, Laura.
March 21, 2015 at 5:01 pm
I’m so glad you like it Jane. Thank you. 🙂
March 21, 2015 at 12:17 pm
Where is this museum of which you speak of.. I must admit ive never gone thru Niles Canyon..
March 21, 2015 at 5:02 pm
The way we go is take 680 south, get off at Sunol, Hwy 84 and go west. It’s about maybe 6 miles or 8 miles from 680 I think?
March 21, 2015 at 1:13 pm
Reblogged this on Simple Moments Blog and commented:
Great simple moment that appeals to all of us. Many though have not seen or been in a caboose as they are no longer used. Nice story telling Laura!
March 21, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Thank you Frank! I’m so glad you enjoyed the little story. There is an operating train one can ride too. I think I took a picture of those. Future post here it comes!
March 21, 2015 at 2:29 pm
Your processing works so well, Laura. I love this. It also reminds me of Hopper.
Sarah
March 21, 2015 at 5:04 pm
Thank you so much Sarah. I’m glad you like it and a nice comparison too!
March 21, 2015 at 4:14 pm
Very nice! Great HDR effect.
March 21, 2015 at 5:04 pm
Thank you Les. I find tone mapping works great most of the time.
March 21, 2015 at 6:14 pm
There are a few people that I know that say Tone Mapping is not Photography. I beg to differ. Always have. I like using it. Don’t really care what others think. HDR enhances the photo! I don’t have NIK HDR. I use Photomatrix Pro. Seems to work well for me.
March 22, 2015 at 7:16 am
Thank you Les. I think if you take a picture with your camera, it’s always photography even if you make a painting out of it. I like Photomatix Pro too. I use both. For some reason I use Photomatix when I have bracketed photos and I use Nik HDR when I’m tonemapping. I think why I like Nik is that it creates a layer inside photoshop whereas Photomatix Pro does not.
March 21, 2015 at 8:21 pm
I love the processing, Laura, and I think the child and grandpa add an exquisitely warm touch.
March 22, 2015 at 7:16 am
Thank you Pam. I thought it was warm like that too. It was so cute to see how they were interacting. 🙂
March 22, 2015 at 11:22 am
Really nice!
March 22, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Thank you!
March 22, 2015 at 7:46 pm
oh this is classic!!
March 23, 2015 at 7:02 am
Wow thank you!!
March 22, 2015 at 9:52 pm
So what you are saying is I need an engineering degree to ‘tweak’ my photographs as well as yours (*)_(*)
March 23, 2015 at 7:03 am
You read my mind. LOL
March 23, 2015 at 8:31 am
Oh wow, Laura!!! This is just like a painting! How incredibly talented you are. I so enjoy viewing your work and learning from you. I inspire to be as good as you someday. (smile) (((HUGS))) Amy
March 23, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Wow thank you Amy! So sweet of you to say. I like trying new things. :-)))) We all have our own “thing” don’t we. It makes WP a special place!
March 23, 2015 at 8:31 am
LOL I just read what Pete wrote. Whew! Now I don’t feel so bad! OMG! Laughing out loud! YOU have a brain like my brother’s, and I well, I fly. Hehehehehehe
March 23, 2015 at 12:33 pm
LOL! Pete’s my buddy! He is one of my very first followers!
March 23, 2015 at 12:49 pm
I was SO relieved when I read what he wrote. LOL I did not know what the heck you were talking about. Hehehehehehehe
March 23, 2015 at 1:04 pm
I’m cracking up!
March 23, 2015 at 1:06 pm
So am I!!!!!! LOL
March 23, 2015 at 1:07 pm
hahahahaha!!!!
March 23, 2015 at 1:09 pm
Oh, Laura, I truly do LOVE your sense of humor! You rock!
March 23, 2015 at 1:17 pm
hehe you too Amy! We are two peas in a pod!
March 23, 2015 at 2:16 pm
I know. That is what I find SO funny!!! I relate perfectly with you!!!! Scary thought! *falling off chair laughing so hard!*
March 23, 2015 at 2:30 pm
hehehehehe
March 23, 2015 at 4:37 pm
Sorry, did you say something about the process? The image evoked childhood memories…I wasn’t listening. 😉