They are called "ghost trains," but in truth they are simply old trains decaying on railroad sidings. And from November 4 through the end of the year you'll be able to enjoy some fantastic photos of these trains by Kathryn Scott Adams at Steamtown National Historic Site.
Under the nom de plume "Lucian Palmer," a tribute to her parents Ruth Palmer Conrad (an artist and historical preservation advocate) and Leroy Lucian Scott Jr. (a business owner and photography hobbyist), Ms. Adams employs "high dynamic range (HDR) digital image capture" to pull out an "range of tones, highlights and shadows" from her subjects. In this case, old steam locomotives and passenger cars.
"The older [trains] are especially majestic looking," says Ms. Adams says. "They are so strong. In fact, I think they’re so beautiful – the colors, the grit, the rust, not to mention the history. They are truly amazing."
Colleen Creamer, of B&W + Color Magazine, says that, "To better convey a sense of the trains' powerful character and time-tempered beauty, Adams combined different exposures of the same subject, which gives her photographs an almost vertiginous depth. This is especially apparent in images like Ghost Car, which pulls the eye irresistibly down a long, narrow corridor, past a jumble of upended, decaying seats, to a door at the far end leading to another compartment and another corridor, as if one were traveling further and further back in time."
Located in downtown Scranton, Pa., Steamtown National Historic Site is open daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. From I-81 follow exit 185 (Central Scranton Expressway); then, follow the brown and white signs to the main entrance at Lackawanna and Cliff Avenues (GPS: N 41.41, W 75.67).
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