Ken's Featured Photo
Photo by Ken Rattenne

Blossom Valley Railroading

During the second week of February through the end of March California's Central Valley is a riot of color as thousands of almond and fruit trees begin to bloom in preparation for the Spring which is just around the corner. By the first week of March almond trees up and down the Central Valley appear to be sheathed in white, almost like snow. In compliment to the blossoms, photographers often have beautiful azure skies punctuated with large cumulus clouds topped off with the crisp light of clear late winter days.

While these elements alone can make for some incredible photography, when you add in the elements of railroading  - well, need I say more? If Winter railroading in the Sierra offers drama, then spring time railroading in the Central Valley offers a fragrant beauty! 

Case in point. Riverbank, California on February 26th 1996: Santa Fe 5182 and 5511, an SD40-2 and SD45B combo race south (railroad east) with a mix of empties and loads bound for the crew change town of Calwa, near Fresno. The train will be sidelined at Empire to await the passage of Amtrak's San Joaquin before allowed to continue its journey. 

The Santa Fe Railway has just merged with the Burlington Northern to form the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) but as yet the signs of this pairing off have yet to make their appearance in Northern California. Even so, the two diesels on this train are no longer owned by the Santa Fe, each bearing the markings MKM on their sides, indicating the units are now owned by locomotive rebuilder Morrison/Knudsen and leased back to the fledgling BNSF.

- Ken Rattenne



Photo Details
The image was shot Nikon FM2 using a 24mm f2  Nikkor lens. Film was stock Kodachrome 64. Exposure was at f5.6 at 1/500. 

Text and photographs copyright © 1999-2018 by Ken Rattenne & KPR Media Services