If Trains Could Talk

There’s something timeless about trains. Maybe it’s the scale—the sheer size of a locomotive—or maybe it’s how they’ve always been there, quietly shaping our lives and landscapes. As a photographer, I keep coming back to trains, drawn in by their presence, their history, and that they are just cool to look at!

Growing up in the Midwest, trains were everywhere. I played with toy train sets, watched them from car windows on long road trips, and got swept up in movies like Money Train, Unstoppable and of course The Polar Express. Trains are magical and larger than life. And even now, they still feel like a little kid when I see one crossing a bridge. Of course waiting for a train when you’re late for work isn’t always pleasant but it happens and all you can do is admire them as rail car after rail car goes by.

Photographing trains isn’t just about the trains themselves—it’s about context. They bring texture to rural fields, grit to city sidings, and structure to a landscape. In this photo, the bold red of the CN engine cut through the muted tones of winter. You can almost hear it coming before it arrives, the low hum turning into a full roar as it passes overhead. I was teaching a photo class and it was bone cold out, I was ready to head hope. A student knocked on my truck window and said a train was coming so I forced myself to get out and set up for a picture. I was frozen but it was well worth it.

For me, each train shot captures a moment of motion wrapped in stillness. Whether they are rolling down the track or sitting idle in the yard I love pulling out my camera and capturing a photo of them. If they could talk just think of the stories they all could tell.

If you enjoyed my story about trains and the pictures please consider buying me a cup of coffee. It’s the fuel that motivates me! And thank you for checking out my website and blog page.

Here are some additional train photos for you to check out if you’d like.