Unexpected Encounter

 A bit of mist was falling, not quite rain. The windshield wipers were only needed occasionally. The air smelled good, it had the certain smell that occurs when the rain hits warm pavement. Mixed with the fertile smell of the fallen leaves, even though it was fall, it reminded me of springtime.

    It was only a little past seven and already the night was dark. Headlights glared on the road, blinding the drivers in opposing lanes. Although there was the mist in the air, the window was open. There was still a bit of summer’s warmth hanging around.

     Heading south towards the store, I kept an eye on the near-by railroad tracks, as I always do. I wasn’t sure but I was betting that a train would be coming through soon.

    Glancing at the tracks between buildings, trying to see the crossing lights as I passed by, I was watching for a train and attempting to stay on the road. The traffic on my side of the road was sparse but on the opposite side of the road, both lanes were filled. At times their headlights robbed me of sight, reflecting off of the wet pavement.

    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw flashing lights, and then blue and red lights filled my mirror. My first thought was to check my speedometer. No problem there, so I slowed down and drifted towards the side of the road. The police car passed and then pulled in front of me, slowing down. I was wondering what I had done when it pulled into a parking lot where a couple cars sat with people standing around them. Breathing a sigh of relief, I sped up and continued on. My heartbeat slowly returned to normal. Even though I did nothing wrong, flashing lights have a way of affecting me!

    Coming around a bend a mile or two further down the road, I saw a bright white light. Its beam was lighting up the hillside beside the railroad tracks. There it was, the train! As quickly as possible, I found a spot to turn around and started my chase, my trip to the store forgotten.

    Luckily the traffic lights were all green and I was able to get ahead of the engine rather quickly. As I drove, I was debating where I should go to watch the train go past. There were multiple spots where I could stop. The night was too dark to get a photograph of it, all I would get would be a blurred shot.

    Then it hit me. I could still get a picture of the train. I’d set up the camera near the end of the tunnel and take the picture as the train first enters the bore. The lights would illuminate the walls of the tunnel and the tracks, but they wouldn’t be in the picture. I’d get a picture of the train with having the train even being in the shot!

    I had two more traffic lights to think about this. The tracks were once again beside the road and the engine wasn’t in sight yet. I had less than a mile to make up my mind.

    I made my decision and pulled into a parking lot and parked next to the crossing. Shutting off the car, I pulled my tripod out of the back, extended it and attached the camera. Then I hustled down alongside the tracks to where I would be able see the tunnel.

    The camera and the focus were both set in the manual setting. I focused on a light on a near-by building. I set the aperture to a rather small setting to allow for any miss-focusing and the exposure to a longer one to allow enough light through that small lens opening. The opening of the tunnel was hidden by the darkness.

    A test shot was taken and it came out “OK”. The tunnel was still hidden but I knew that would change when the train arrived. I could hear the train whistle as it approached the crossing before the tunnel, a mere ¼ mile away! I felt as if I needed a bit more light in the picture so I opened up the aperture another stop and took another test shot.

    This shot would end up being “the shot”. The train arrived as the lens was still open. The train lights lit up the walls of the tunnel and the opening became visible. I took off my hat to cover the lens in case the train appeared, but the exposure ended just before it came into view!

    The train roared out of the tunnel speeding towards me. The whistle blew for the next crossing as it passed me. I turned around and watched it speed past the flashing lights. It was loud and due to the darkness; it seemed to be traveling faster than normal as it passed my adrenaline filled body.

    Twenty or thirty cars, maybe even forty sped by and were gone in no time at all. The train had disappeared by the time I returned to the car. I disassembled my gear and took a quick glance at the picture I had taken. I thought I might have gotten lucky!

    Thank heavens I had my camera and tripod along with me. It was another exciting, successful train chase. It was rather short and unplanned; it was just another unexpected encounter!