Having never lived near a large body of water before, I had no direct experience with how awe-inspiring sunsets in such regions could be. Shortly after moving to the Seattle area, I found out in a big way when railfanning the southern reaches of Puget Sound one February evening. With the sun just above the horizon and the clouds stained a variety of shades of orange, pink and purple, the tranquility of this spectacular scene was spoiled by the headlights of a northbound train spearing the darkness -- along with the train's attendant rumbling -- while rounding Tatsolo Point, passing under the barge dock's aggregate conveyor. Nevertheless, what an amazing conclusion to the day.
Landscape photography is difficult due to the challenge of combining good light and good scenery. Good railroad photography enters another level of complexity since it requires the first two while there is a train in view.
