Something remarkable (train picture)

[Belmondo]

This is a view of the Palm Springs Amtrak station (that dinky beige building). The picture itself is no great shakes, but it is amazing in one important regard. The Santa Rosa Mountains are green. This is a result of the record-breaking rainfall we've had this winter, and it has turned the desert into a very lush looking landscape. I've spoken to people who have lived here for 20-30 years, and they've never seen it like this. I just thought you might like to see something that you very likely will never see again.

The locomotives, incidentally, are waiting to tie onto the back of a train (just out of the frame) to help push it over Beaumont Pass.

http://www.onlinephotographers.com/gallery/albums/Hot-August-Nights/Palm_Springs_Amtrak_Station.jpg

[Turbowolf]

Love the wind turbines in the background

But bummed that you are getting all the moisture ... went to Yellowstone, snow was melting.

Bought x-country ski's for up on Mt. Rainier ... no snow.

Went out today to shoot my favorite falls ... little water.

Seeing Green Hills in a California desert ... Priceless! ;)

[Maz]

Nice Photo Belmondo. Every two inches horizontally seems to contain a different landscape.
Thanks for sharing a nice picture of your part of the world.

Maz
http://www.homesteadsforsale.com

[sparker1]

That is , first of all, a very nice image. Beyond that, the unique capture of those mountains while green is very special. I was in that area a couple years ago in early May and saw some beautiful fields of wildflowers. I wonder how it will be this year, having gotten so much rain. It could be an amazing show. Please keep us posted as to unusual conditions related to the heavy rainfall.

[sdommin]

Do you think you could do something about the rain? I'm heading to Sacramento in a week and I'd like some good weather for Yosemite, San Francisco, Reno (Bodie), etc.

See what you can do, OK?

[DeeplyDigital]

A fantastic picture. With a lot of impact.
You could send it to the BBC (they'll let you keep your copyright) as they are collecting photographs re. climate change....

Julia

[gramps]

Great picture......the size of the windmills compared to the engine is really something.

[Big_B]

Great shot belmundo! Strong colours, composition and story. All good. :D

[Mills]

I think it is a great shot. So much to see. The cloud formations are incredible. The picture is great because it has many different elements to be drawn to.

[Reigh Higgins]

Nice shot. There's a lot to see in that photo. Good job!

[JMAS]

I'm glad you decided to share, Tom.
Besides the fact that it is rare it also is a very nice photo.

[stoneylonesome]

Well maybe if you turned off all those fans you wouldn't dry out the mountains so fast and it would stay green :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: This is a wonderful shot. Shows power to the Max. diesel and wind.

[Kent2]

Nice pic!

I know I need to get out and about here soon for some of the country around here is green and that will not last too long. Lake Hodges is on my list, it's overflowing again since about 98? We are just not used to rain, and green. When will the dessert flowers start popping up if they have not already?

Kent

[RbnDave]

Nice Shot. I like the clouds building above the mountains on the upper left. Looks like more rain is on the way.

With the mountains, wind farm, and trains, that site looks ripe for some more cool photographs. The desert is the best place for a photgrapher to live.

Are you going to get a lot of wildflowers this year?

All that green stuff is going to make great fuel after drying in the sun all summer. I can't wait for the Fox News coverage of wildfires later this summer.

[Belmondo]

Are you going to get a lot of wildflowers this year?
.

Everyone says we will, and they're already starting in spots. I might actually go looking for some next week if I can figure out where to head.

[Solo175]

Mr. B
I really like the way you have captured a great deal of activity in a still moment. This is a kind of picture that I could keep going back to look and keep wondering. If the desert blooms, I hope you can get there.

[HJMinard]

Tom! Really nice ... I really like this one!

[skyphix]

Thats quite an impresive sky you've got there.

[marie]

what a beautiful shot Tom
all the more because of what the rains have done to the area

I love how the mountains are sloping to the right in the picture
and those lovely wonderful clouds really add to the scene
the wind turbines look huge beside the locomotive.
nice that it yellow (for the shot)
gorgeous
the colours are beautiful .
must be a real treat to see all together there right now

[ssim]

Frappin amazing Tom. That is a great shot.

[Raj]

Belmondo,
pardon my current state
BUT what kind of lens would take this sharp/crisp picture ... ?

[thomascanty]

Do you think you could do something about the rain? I'm heading to Sacramento in a week and I'd like some good weather for Yosemite, San Francisco, Reno (Bodie), etc.

How are you planning to get to Bodie? There will be a ton of snow up there, and the road to town won't be open this early in the year. I don't think it usually opens until around April. Do you have a snowmobile lined up?

[thomascanty]

Everyone says we will, and they're already starting in spots. I might actually go looking for some next week if I can figure out where to head.

I've noticed a lot of wild poppies sprouting in Griffith Park already. I'm going to be in Death Valley in a couple weeks. I hope there's a good show of wildflowers out there by then. They got over 6" of rain this season. That's a lot for Death Valley.

[Belmondo]

Belmondo,
pardon my current state
BUT what kind of lens would take this sharp/crisp picture ... ?

That was taken with the 24-70L

[sdommin]

How are you planning to get to Bodie? There will be a ton of snow up there, and the road to town won't be open this early in the year. I don't think it usually opens until around April. Do you have a snowmobile lined up?

According to the research I've done, Bodie is open all year, but the road might be impassable unless you have special transport. I know that most of the mountain passes are closed seasonally (for example, Rt. 120 over the Tioga Pass from Yosemite), so I'll take either Rt. 50 or I-80 via Tahoe/Reno. So, I'll have to do a little more research a few days ahead of time and maybe change my plan!

[jgbeam]

WOW!! Looks like you pasted about five shots together. :shock: What kind of sound do these windmills make?

Jim

[Belmondo]

WOW!! Looks like you pasted about five shots together. :shock: What kind of sound do these windmills make?

Jim

They are virtually silent. When you're right next to them, there's a slight amount of mechanical noise, but very slight. When the wind is blowing with any force, and it usually is, it tends to drown out what little sound is created.

[thomascanty]

According to the research I've done, Bodie is open all year, but the road might be impassable unless you have special transport. I know that most of the mountain passes are closed seasonally (for example, Rt. 120 over the Tioga Pass from Yosemite), so I'll take either Rt. 50 or I-80 via Tahoe/Reno. So, I'll have to do a little more research a few days ahead of time and maybe change my plan!

Yes, Bodie is open all year, but in winter it is VERY hard to get to. Almost impossible, actually. You either have to have a snowmobile or go on foot -- either via snowshoe or cross-country ski in on Highway 270. Either way, it's about a 13-mile one-way trip from Highway 395, and since no camping is allowed there, you have to get back, too.

The best way to Bodie from Reno (and really, the only way there in a non four-wheel drive vehicle in summer conditions) is Highway 395 to Highway 270 -- the last 11 miles of which are unpaved and very washboarded even in the best of conditions.

Sorry, but I don't think you're going to make it there. I've been to Bodie three times, and have always wanted to go in winter, but it is a very inaccessible ghost town. Too bad. I'll bet there are tons of great winter photo ops there...

You might want to think of Virginia City instead.

[DWilkin]

Lovely shot, Thosey. I agree with the comment about sending it to BBC. Really neat juxtaposition of nonrenewable energy consumption, renewable energy generation, and increased winter precip. All the trees up here think it's spring already and the tree pollen is driving everybody nuts, six weeks early. Just finished writing the course on sustainability. Want to read my reasons why real estate commissioners need to understand about energy and land and water and stuff?

[DeeplyDigital]

Want to read my reasons why real estate commissioners need to understand about energy and land and water and stuff?

Would you send it to me? I'd love to read it. I am an environmental crusader.

Julia

[Belmondo]

Would you send it to me? I'd love to read it. I am an environmental crusader.

Julia

Julia:
DWilkin emailed the material to me, and I've forwarded it to you by PM. It is too big to to be contained in a single message, so I broke it into two parts. If you have any difficiulty, you may email me at twilkin1962@earthlink.net, and I will send it to you that way.

If somebody wants to send it to BBC, feel free. I'll even let you take credit for the shot.

[freddycr]

Beautiful composition and landscape...what a great job on the exposure ...those clouds look almost solid !!
Love it.

[Wazza]

Great image in all respects! :)

Good to see the extra rainfall brightening up the landscape.

[Ballen Photo]

I find this a remarkable contrast between objects man made and nature.
Oh, nice shot BTW! :D
-Bruce

[DeeplyDigital]

Julia:
DWilkin emailed the material to me, and I've forwarded it to you by PM.
If somebody wants to send it to BBC, feel free. I'll even let you take credit for the shot.

Thanks for the mountainous info. I will send the photo in for you, with your description and you as the copyright holder etc. When / if I find out when and where they put it up I'll let you know.

Now lets hope page one of this thread opens for me and gives me the pic...

Julia

[RJSorensen]

How I missed this I do not know . . . would someone please p.m. me if I don't show up in a train thread?

Regarding the shot . . . your work is always very nice. This is double nice.

[DavidEB]

AND you still have snow on San J !!!

[Belmondo]

Well, this thread is several weeks old, but we still do have a little up there. Ironically, it's cloudy today, and flash flood warnings are being issued. We had a couple drops this morning, and that is very unusal this late in the year.

[mrclark321]

Hi Tom

Do you have any idea what the power output is on all those wind turbines?
I have never seen so many.

Dan