UPY 585 or "Cowboy UP" . . .

[RJSorensen]

This photo of a remote control locomotive engineer on the footstep of his trusty UPY mount, has taken a special of place among the photographs of mine, I tend to favor. It has that real western look and feel that perhaps Ogden, Utah should be known more for. After all it ended up being the Junction City between the C.P.R.R. and the U. P. R. R. in 1869 and in doing so has a wild, if not interesting past. It is not just I whom wear the boots and a hat . . . this young fellow, RC unit in hand is every bit as western as any I know up north, he is welcome in Tin Cup anytime.

My wife has named this photograph "Cowboy UP" the UP of course is for the Union Pacific, but there is more to the story this than that. I hope perhaps this industrial shot can show a softer human side, through the eyes of a real cowboy . . .

As always I owe it all to Tom . . .

[Carzee]

Wow that is some personal transport -and the hippies are worried about SUVs!

Great pic and the colour is top notch. A good story too. Is he hooked up to the carriages in back of the pic or is he shunting do you think.. or what. Why do they have to use a remote?

[RJSorensen]

Carzee, yes he has control of both engines from his RC or remote control pack. They use these to move grain cars in and out of the many cereal mills in the Ogden, UT area. They are just small engines, but mostly always use two per hook up. The RC allows him to work the train alone if need be as well. To see the cabs empty and the smoke coming from the stack, takes a while to get used too . . .

[Woolburr]

Interesting shot. They occasionally use remotes over this way too, but most switching is still done with a 2 or 3 person crew.

[PhotosGuy]

Another nice one! Did you save any for next week? :D

[Jon Foster]

Wow, nice shot. The mountains are awesome. I like the cowboy hat too!

Jon.

[Harold_L]

Great shot - I like the cowboy and his steed.

[rckaine]

Great shot and story to go along with it.

Kaine

[J T]

That's truly a kid playing with his train set! I had a train set when I was a kid, so that would certainly be an odd feeling going to work every day and controlling a life-size train while moving railcars around. Can't say I'd complain, though!

Great picture!

[RJSorensen]

Thank you folks . . . yes the RC controller is a lot like the ones used for model airplane, RC cars and the like. I suppose in a way it is a big train set. Except dad is not there to put the cars back onto the track . . .

[CurtTerp]

Nice picture..... the mountain backdrop is great

[ACDCROCKS]

nice theme

[stoneylonesome]

Beautiful shot, very dramatic photo, and boy does the title fit. Great job.

[marie]

great shot
it's a beautiful engine

are the tumble weeds ever a danger on the tracks ?
just wondering is that one , on the right


love the songs about the tumbleweeds
but the nearest to seeing them over here is a large piece of flying paper curled up tight and blowing across the plains in the wind.
it's fascinating watching them dance and hop in a strong wind seemly as though running away
faster and faster
and can be seen for some distance until they just fly out of sight

:)

so I imagine the tumbleweeds must look good like that

the engine is a good colour . yellow is always cheerful
beautiful backdrop too

:cool:

[J T]

Hey marie, since tumbleweeds are as light as a feather, I'd have to say they pose no danger to railroad equipment. :)

[belmondo]

Man, I almost missed this one.

I'm running out of superlatives for your work, RJ. This one is really interesting for a variety of reasons. Of course, the scenery is breathtaking, but this is a part of railroading that most people don't see and aren't even aware of.

Radio control trains......who knew?

[marie]

Hey marie, since tumbleweeds are as light as a feather, I'd have to say they pose no danger to railroad equipment. :) :)
many thanks JT

I thought they maybe could get tangled in the works if a big one ever got stuck underneath when the train rolled over it

not sure what exactly goes on underneath a train engine
but you know how some cars can get jammed up if an empty box or something like it suddenly gets in the way ..

the train engines are a lot higher so I suppose the tumbleweeds pose no problem and as you say are as light as a feather


:shock:
(though that means they are killed stone dead on impact)

:(



:lol:

thanks a lot

[joayne]

This is a really wonderful image. The mountains, the heavy equipment the 10 gallon hat...The RC controller....

Wow i though my RC car was fun :lol:

[J T]

Upon further examination of RJ's picture, I've come to the conclusion that the remote being depicted in that photo is just a ruse. Somewhere, off in the distance, in a lonely room is a man still clinging to his childhood using one of these...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jimthias/Various%20Pictures/tyco_pak_.jpg

:D

[Ballen Photo]

This is a nice image RJ. The snowy mountains provide the perfect backdrop for this scene, and the engineer dressed in blue jeans, boots, and a Western style hat add an authentic flavor of the old west. :D
-Bruce

[Maureen Souza]

Another gorgeous shot, RJ. As always, I really love your train shots and their locations.

[RJSorensen]

LOL, as always thank you one and all. I have some airplane shots . . . dare I post them? You see the wife was a cooking me grits out back o da cabin last fall when we was up skinning . . . things. Well the fire got away from her and we had to be saved by airplane, on acount of no roads up where we was skinning . . .

Thank You Tom for making me a RR picture taker.

[Ballen Photo]

I have some airplane shots . . . dare I post them? You see the wife was a cooking me grits out back o da cabin last fall when we was up skinning . . . things. Well the fire got away from her and we had to be saved by airplane, on acount of no roads up where we was skinning . . .Please DO post them. :p
-Bruce

[RJSorensen]

Well Bruce . . . they are up, lol. Nothing like being in the middle of such. There are two, one copter and one plain . . .

AND this thread with its power packs and such has made my cheeks hurt from smiling . . . thank you.

[Mike R]

great image, I like the composition and the color/sharpness