Decommissioned train rediscovered

[bnpndxtr]

This short train (OK, an engine and caboose) was parked for years at the Naval Air Park at the New Century Aircenter (formerly Johnson County Industrial Airport), near Gardner, Kansas. It was parked on a track near several naval aircraft that have been placed on stilts for visitors to see up close. This was the kind of landmark that was fun for kids (of some years ago anyway) to play on and explore. Over the years it had been broken into and defaced by vandals, yet it was still interesting to be able to walk up to an old engine and take a look up close. Recently I noticed that the train was gone and the tracks had been ripped out. I was disappointed, but I guess they didn’t want anyone getting into it any more, or perhaps simply viewed it as an attractive nuisance. A few days ago I was taking the back roads to work and I thought I spotted the train again. It appeared to have been moved to the extreme north end of the airport facility, parked at the very end of an out-of-use service track that runs behind a local factory. On closer inspection, sure enough it was the same train, somewhat hidden away from the public. The nameplate on the engine indicates it was put in service in 1943.

http://www.pbase.com/bnpndxtr/18026

[Leighow]

Interesting detective work.

I like the narrative.. but prefer a more nostalgic treatment with morning/evening sun adding to the magic.

[bnpndxtr]

Thanks for the comments. I actually did take shots of this train on a sunny day too. But, I found that the shadows were usually disruptive to the composition, and detracted from the feeling of desolation that naturally surrounds the subject. There were a few pictures in the group that are good candidates for selective desaturation, and the shadows would detract from the treatment I think.