22 thoughts on “Rusty Rails”

  1. That’s as good of a photo/video essay as I’ve ever seen, Edd. And I saw a lot during 22 years in TV news. It reminds me of the now dormant Canadian National line on my parents homeland of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia and the old Sydney & Lousiburg RR on the same island. Well done!

  3. So very simple, yet so powerful and moving. Edd this is excellent!
    In my interview posted here last week I spoke in depth about two things: inspiration and a personal project.
    I draw inspiration from this, not to copy but rather model a similar video with commentary from a selection of my images.
    And your “Rusty Rails” piece is just that; a personal project with a narrow theme which left me both satisfied and wanting more.
    Matthew

    1. Thanks so much for your kind words, Matthew, and I would love to see a video with your images and narrative,

  4. Very nicely done, Edd. Makes me long to return to the former G&SI branch line that ran south out of Mendenhall, Mississippi. Your scenes remind me so much of that area and of that piece of railroad, now long gone. You definitely captured the essence of the locations and how they once thrived and supported the railroad.

    1. Thanks Danny. I hope to get back down to Mississippi some day. I would love to do some more photography there.

  5. Edd, I enjoyed your pictures very much, I am a retired engineer who still operates trains at a museum now on an old branch line. Very much like your pictures except no weeds in the tracks. When you do this for a living and see it every day you get use to it, enjoy it but take it for granted it will always be there and I never took the time to take more pictures than I did. I’ve learned a great deal from your pictures on things to look for and photograph, thank you

    1. Thanks for your comment, John. One of the things that I most enjoy about photography is finding a picture in familiar and ordinary things.

  7. Edd, this is spectacular, well done. Love the juxtaposition of the recent photos of historic buildings and the narrative of how things used to be. This is the epitome of the Trackside Photographer’s mission, and it is fitting that you are the creator. Very, very impressive.

    1. Thanks, Bob. I hope to be able to feature more video on the Trackside Photographer in the future. The Maine Central video that you and Denis did helped me see the possibilities of this medium.

  9. Every photograph was a beat of my heart. I grew to adulthood in Southern West Virginia, not far from this valley. You have given me a gift I won’t soon forget. Thank you. We are so lucky to have this newsletter to display talents and times gone by.

  10. Love the narrative and the photos. Very nice together. I’m from the west but hope to do some traveling in Virginia as my family settled in Virginia Colony so long ago. Quite a labor of love. Thank you so much.

    1. Janie, thanks for your comment. I hope that you will be able to visit Virginia, it is a very lovely state and I know you will enjoy seeing the country of your ancestors.

  11. Thank you for sharing this story on Father’s day!
    You took me down past roads. I can see the way things were. I can hear the traffic and see the young people.
    Thank you my friend!

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