The First Train of the Year...

... same as the last train of the year.

I was out looking for some wild art Wednesday, January 3 and saw a crew from the city taking down holiday decorations. It was evening, and the light, while slightly diffused, was nice. I stood on the Y bridge and waited for them to come and take down the wreaths decorating the bridge. Free from the downtown canyon shadows, it would have been a nice photo had they ever come. Instead they turned just short of the bridge and headed back the other way.

But while I was waiting, the southbound GLT empties crossed the former B&O bridge in the nice evening light. The same set of power was on the train as the last time I saw it. The sky was bleached out by the last light, the blue sky of the day gone, and as the train slowly crossed the bridge, I thought about panning.

And tried it. But to pan a train moving less than 10 mph, you need a long, long, LONG exposure. Still, it worked out, more or less, and was a pleasant way to start the railfanning year.