The 60 and I have some history. Growing up outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Black River & Western was one of the handful of short line railroads that operated steam locomotives in the area. I can recall my first impression of the line at about 6 or 7 years old - my grandfather had taken me and the rest of the family for a ride on the BR&W after a family brunch in Lambertville, NJ. The train was diesel powered, and I had no knowledge that the railroad had anything else. I enjoyed the ride and said to my grandfather, “wouldn’t it be neat if they had a steam engine?” “Yes, it would be!” He replied. I am not sure if he knew, but I think he did - we took a walk through the rail yard after the train ride and to my surprise, looming tall from an open engine house door was a surprise that sparked such excitement that I can still recall the feeling now, three decades later. One of the shop workers approached us and did not shoo us away, no, instead, he smiled and said “any day now!” - the engine was undergoing an overhaul at the time, but was nearly complete. My grandfather and I returned weeks later to ride behind it. We would do this regularly for several years until 60 went down again around 2000 - where it would sit in a state of limbo for the next 12 years while it was slowly worked on. It re-entered service in 2012, which, of course, my grandfather and I rode the inaugural public excursions.

However, for one reason or another, I did not find the time or have the opportunity to make the kind of video of the 60 that I always wanted to. I had moved away from the area in 2019, and in 2022, I saw that a few fellow railroad photographer friends (Dan Drennen, Oren Helbok) had collaborated with the BR&W to put together a photographer’s special. I wasn’t able to be there, but I was blown away with the work that they did and the incredible photos that they were able to pull off - I told myself that if they repeated the event, I’d travel up from Florida (where I lived at the time) to attend.

Thankfully, a “second chance” did arrive during April of 2023. I drove up from Florida that Friday - a long, 15 + hour slog, but well worth it. I arrived early and filmed the crew getting the engine ready. I was invited into the cab, where I got some detail shots of them firing the engine and getting it up to pressure. The weather, however, didn’t look like it was going to cooperate as well as it did in 2022. The previous year had bright blue skies and sunshine - this year, we were treated to a thick overcast morning with promise of an afternoon thunderstorm - and that’s exactly what we got. We were able to squeeze in several spirited run-bys, some of which were at speeds up to thirty miles per hour - the fastest I have ever seen the little 2-8-0 run. The track on the BR&W had come a long way since the 1990’s and 2000’s. However, during that last 30mph+ run by at Copper Hill siding, the sky let loose. The next few hours were soaked - we pushed on, and the rain did make for some interesting atmosphere, but at some point, we had to put the photo shoot on hold - rain, hail, lightning - we all stayed on the train, wasting about an hour or more that we could have been out on the line making photos. However, the rain didn’t last forever - just as the day session was about the wrap up, the sun poked out from behind the clouds in a dramatic display of “storm light” - dark blue clouds contrasted with golden sunlight - and a rainbow! We quickly arranged for some run-bys at Ringoes station, which were an excellent way to finish out the day.

However, we were not done - Dan Drennen had a night photo session planned at two locations - Ringoes, and Copper Hill Trestle. The night photo session at Ringoes was fairly traditional, the locomotive was staged with actors and engine crew members, and people got some good photos. However, I saw an opportunity for video in a puddle across the railyard. I asked Dan - “would you be able to leave the lights on when they move the engine?” He informed me that it wasn’t in his plans, and he was going to pack up for the next location. I explained what I had in mind for video - a reflection shot of the engine starting up, and he obliged. I staked my spot, placing the camera directly on the ground with a few pieces of gravel underneath the lens to achieve the angle I wanted.

The next spot was ambitious. Copper Hill Trestle is the largest trestle on the line between Ringoes and Flemington, and the sheer amount of light needed to properly illuminate the structure and its surroundings was much more than we had used to light the static scenes of 60 in the Ringoes railyard. However, Dan Drennen and company did not disappoint. What I witnessed at Copper Hill Trestle that night were some of the best night run-bys I have ever seen with a steam locomotive. He had even included a fisherman on the bank of the creek to make it feel like an O. Winston Link photograph come to life. Kudos to Dan and the BR&W volunteers, this night shoot exceeded my expectations in a big way.

The following day, the 60 would run its last “regular” excursions - not for a photo special - before it would be pulled from service for its 15-year inspection. I chased each run on Sunday, and I got lucky when I revisited the Copper Hill trestle during the daytime - a group of geese flew into my shot as the train passed over the bridge in a way that almost looked choreographed. I wish I could take credit for it, but it was just pure luck.

I stayed until the end of the day when they put 60 away for the last time for a while. Since this trip, the volunteers have begun to tear 60 down for another overhaul - while I don’t know how long it’ll take this time, I am grateful I was finally able to make the video of 60 I had always wanted to make. I huge thanks goes to Dan Drennen and all of the hardworking volunteers of the Black River & Western. I look forward to 60’s return.

Black River & Western #60: Steam Photo Special