Pete Lerro vs. Larry Fellure

Steve Freer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:24 pm **Posts:** 380

Or should we say 2011 vs. 1960?

See

http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=364826

and

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=34693

Interesting, don't you think?

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Thu Dec 01, 2011 4:42 pm

Classic rail shot, if not dangerous perspective.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Steve Freer wrote:

Or should we say 2011 vs. 1960?

See

http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=364826

and

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=34693

Interesting, don't you think?

Steve -

Interesting to say the least! Thanks for posting.

Two thoughts:

1. Somewhere out there, someone must have done a "head shot" of the 4960 when she still had her old Burlington "front end". Would like to see that shot next to the Grand Canyon-ized 4960.

2. Everytime I see a shot of Illinois Central 4-8-2 #2613, I always think that "she's the one that got away!" Even TRAINS Editor David P. Morgan came out for her preservation, but it was not to be!

Les

Alan Maples · **Posted:** Thu Dec 01, 2011 9:23 pm

Les Beckman wrote:

Somewhere out there, someone must have done a "head shot" of the 4960 when she still had her old Burlington "front end".

How about from the Bristol & North Western days.

Alan Maples

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Alan Maples wrote:

Les Beckman wrote:

Somewhere out there, someone must have done a "head shot" of the 4960 when she still had her old Burlington "front end".

How about from the Bristol & North Western days.

Alan Maples

Alan -

I'd accept it. Although it represents the O1a after the C&S Shop folks repaired her after she had a slight accident which destroyed her headlight. They mounted the new headlight "C&S style" which was slightly higher than CB&Q practice (the top edge of the headlight about even with the top line of the boiler instead of above it as in this photo). But like I said, this photo will do and I appreciate your posting it. Makes me homesick for her "homely" old Burlington face. Now if we can just get someone to post the two 4960 photos side by side. Anyone?

Les

derail · **Joined:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:45 pm **Posts:** 142

I don't think I would realize it was the same locomotive.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

derail -

Thanks much!

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 02, 2011 2:29 am

"derail -

Thanks much!"

I second that, and extend it to the original poster, Steve Freer.

Now, how many people here remember a cropped version of Larry Fellure's shot as a large wall poster back in the 1970s?

bigjim4life · **Posted:** Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:24 am

Richard Glueck wrote:

Classic rail shot, if not dangerous perspective.

Dangerous, if they were both moving. Were both moving, or only one of them?

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:30 am

Can anyone recap why Grand Canyon changed her original appearance? I suppose it was an effort to "Santa Fe" their fleet?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:00 pm

bigjim4life wrote:

Dangerous, if they were both moving. Were both moving, or only one of them?

I'll let Brother Lerro describe his shot, but as I recall he did it with a wireless-remote-controlled digital camera. Fellure's shot was supposedly made by digging out a spot in the ballast between the ties, placing the camera, and hooking up an extra-long cable release and tripping the shutter at a spot pre-determined in advance, I believe before a photo run-by.

This hearkens back to a tale director John Frankenheimer told of his epic, The Train (1964). During planning for the big derailment scene, his crew had liberally set up every movie camera they had at every imaginable angle--something like eight of them total. Then a camera jockey came up with one more wind-up camera and asked where to put it. Frankenheimer almost off-handedly said "dig a hole and get an up-aiming shot." Well, they dug far enough for a camera guy to be there filming, and as they started an old freight car rolling for the first of two wrecks--where a car is derailed on the tracks in front of the train that is the subject of the movie--the camera guys finally realize "Hey, wait a minute, there's this big train car coming right AT us! What the %#*&!@ are WE doing here?!?!?" and bailed.

As those of you who've seen the movie know, the car goes off the rails, pounds the ties and ballast, and ends up with one wheel/axle spinning to a stop in mid-air only a foot or three from the camera lens.

Frankenheimer said that for years later, he was constantly asked by cinema enthusiasts and fans how he got that miraculous shot. He said he replied "Simple. You bury a camera, wreck a whole damn train, almost wipe out your film crew...."

Stephen Hussar · **Posted:** Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:17 pm

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

This hearkens back to a tale director John Frankenheimer told of his epic, The Train (1964)

Anyone who hasn't seen "The Train" on dvd, should. I would suggest selecting "commentary" in the special features. Listening to Mr Frankenheimer's thoughts and descriptions, while watching the movie is well worth your time!

Stephen

Steve Freer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:24 pm **Posts:** 380

Les Beckman wrote:

Everytime I see a shot of Illinois Central 4-8-2 #2613, I always think that "she's the one that got away!" Even TRAINS Editor David P. Morgan came out for her preservation, but it was not to be!

Anyone know the "rest of the story?" Not sure I want to hear it, but.....

J3a-614 wrote:

Now, how many people here remember a cropped version of Larry Fellure's shot as a large wall poster back in the 1970s?

Haven't seen that on ebay lately...nor in any tourist railroad gift shop! Wonder if there are any more out there?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:30 pm

Annnnnnd now the technique comes back to bite railfan photographers in the posterior:

http://www.uprr.com/she/photo-video.shtml

According to Trains Magazine Newswire, "UP set up its photo/video guidelines in response to an individual who placed a video camera between the rails to document the passage of steam locomotive No. 844.

The rules also address recent actions taken by professional photographers, who have been staging yearbook portraits and other photo shoots on UP tracks."

railfanmag · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 9:44 pm

Pete's shot was taken during a photo charter (his own charter, BTW) so I'm sure it was done under the watchful eye of the railroad.