michael Wrote:
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> C. I own a car so I was pretty sure I had no
> chance. I had thought about renting a vehicle, but
> like someone said you don't know how good their
> tires are and most rental cars don't have good
> ground clearance.
I've heard all of the jokes about rental vehicles being better than SUVs and Jeeps, because rental vehicles go ANYWHERE.....or so they say. Just keep in mind that virtually all rental agencies strictly prohibit the use of their vehicles away from paved roads. Also keep in mind that they have the ability to know exactly where the vehicle has been, using GPS. If you have a problem, and damage the vehicle, they might come after you for all of the damages, regardless of whether or not you purchased their "insurance." If they can prove you violated the terms of your contract (the many pages of fine print in the folio that contains your contract), they will likely void the insurance, and at that point, you're not only looking at paying for the damages, but also paying the rental cost of the car, for each day it is out of service.
As Greg noted, THE best way to get good photos of the train is to sign up for a photo charter. Someone else plans the stops for the best light, the train takes you to the spots. You'll get lots of locations, and you'll probably even get smoke.
I'd rather spend my loot supporting the railroad and enjoying a nice train ride than spend it on car repairs, or possibly paying for a rescue if I get stranded. The charter also offers a great social experience, meeting some other folks who are really good at photographing trains. I'll take a photo charter over a chase any day of the week. But that's just me....
/Kevin Madore