From the train

[Julian Tanase]

Travelled to Sofia Bulgaria by train last week. I usually do the trip by car, but on this occasion I chose the train. Lots of time to rest, read, work. Shot a few photographs of the stations along the way, in both Bulgaria and Romania, through the glass of the carriage window. To my surprise, these came out better than expected (the dirt on the outside of the window made me think I wasted the frames). Camera was a Nikon FM3a.

These shots here are of Fomapan 100 processed in 510 Pyro.

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These following are Adox HR50, processed in Atomal 49.

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[Gianluca Drago]

@Julian Tanase, you had a good idea in documenting the railway stations along your journey, capturing them through the window. These images form a beautiful series that conveys a sense of suspended life and still humanity.

 

[Peter Roberts]

A great series, Julian. I agree with Gianluca and I especially like the first and the last.
On another level, as an old railwayman I find them interesting for the little details.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Nice series, Julian. In my usual fashion, I looked at the pics first, then read your words. I hadn't realised initially that you'd taken them looking out of the train window. Fortunately for all, the grubby window seems to have had little negative effect. The Adox frames seem particularly crisp.

 

[Julian Tanase]

A great series, Julian. I agree with Gianluca and I especially like the first and the last.
On another level, as an old railwayman I find them interesting for the little details.

Peter, glad you found these interesting. Indeed, for a railwayman, these old places have a certain charm. Unfortunately, I was not able to visit the old marshalling yards, filled with old steamers and so forth. Perhaps another time.

 

[Julian Tanase]

Nice series, Julian. In my usual fashion, I looked at the pics first, then read your words. I hadn't realised initially that you'd taken them looking out of the train window. Fortunately for all, the grubby window seems to have had little negative effect. The Adox frames seem particularly crisp.

I was surprised at this myself. Looking on the window, it appeared to be really grubby (good word). The film does not show it, I wonder why.

Adox films look indeed different when processed in Atomal 49; my trials with HR-DEV (for this HR50) proved to be a hate-hate relation. Blast...I still have 4 bottles of the stuff in my cabinet

 

[Pete Askew]

I enjoyed this series a lot as well and I do like that 'enforced view' that shooting out of train window brings both in terms of the subject matter and the composition. Sometimes the dirt can even add to the feel of the images created,

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I’m reminded of a few ‘out the train window’ posts this forum has seen over the years, and, as here, they are always interesting.

I have a very basic Z-gauge train set with no buildings, just the track, but I’m aware of how crazily enthusiastic people get about such things. And it naturally struck me while viewing your images, how useful the could be to modellers.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

I am not a fan of trains or technology, and as a child I did not have a toy train to run in a 1:100 scale model. But railway stations for me have always had a symbolic meaning of arrival and departure (a bit like life, perhaps). If they are stations in small towns all the more so, with their architecture standing still in time, but always with that big clock to remind you that time is not really standing still (or always is); stations standing still in space, because it's the space around them that moves, they don't.
When you look at them from inside a train you are travelling on, you perceive the relativity of things. Now it is you who are stationary in time and space while they are moving.
So, nice idea for your photo series, that's all.

 

[Peter Roberts]

I have a very basic Z-gauge train set

Good man, Rob.

My loft is almost completely taken up with a vintage Hornby O gauge layout. Stuff from the thirties through to the fifties, clockwork and electric. I'll have to look for some photos to post in 'Other Interests'.
By way of doing something different I'm currently making an N gauge layout based somewhere in Mitteleuropa. So Julian's photos are useful.

 

[Pete Askew]

I certainly want to see pictures. I have often been tempted by the idea, but have too many other 'interests' already.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I just don't have the room, so Z-gauge it is.