Back in the 70’s and 80’s it was quite common for my late husband and I to railfan up and down the East Coast. We’d make vacations devoted to finding the unusual, distinctive, and forgotten railroads. From our many photos collected, we’d model engines, buildings, and entire scenes immersing ourselves in everything model railroading. With collections still at hand, my primary concentration is painting them in watercolor.
This latest work entitled “Oxford” holds a special meaning. My first memories as a child were of this town where I once lived with both parents, my baby brothers, and a dog named “Lucky”. I remember the sound of the trains, this coal company, and many of Oxford’s buildings. I returned in the 80’s to find the house in which I lived still standing. We’d gone to do what we refer to as “chase trains” and specifically this one because of its roster of Alco engines.
This was the Octoraro Railroad at the time that operated on what had been the Pennsylvania Railroad. This RS-2, was from the Toledo, Peoria, and Western Railroad and sold to the Octoraro in 1983. The photo from which this was taken by me, was entered originally in a Northeast Region photo contest taking first prize in prototype.
I feel grateful to have had so many wonderful opportunities to capture scenes such as this one and conveying that in my latest watercolor.