Sumpter Valley #14

In cycling through our SVRR Archive photo files, I have passed over this one before because it is fuzzy, not really presentable quality. However, I decided to go ahead and share it because the subject is pretty cool, and the reason it is fuzzy is worth noting. First of all, this is Sumpter Valley Ry. #14 in switching service at South Baker circa 1920's. This was one of the former Eureka & Palisade engines that was traded to the SVRy in 1912. Note the lifting cylinder present on the pilot for shifting the coupler from high side to side for standard gauge, or low centered for narrow gauge. As to the fuzzy photo, any of us that are old enough to have used film cameras remember when it was necessary to properly focus each shot before snapping the shutter. That is probably not so much the problem here, but rather the fact that the engine and the brakeman are moving. The film of the 19teens and 20's required more open shutter time for the exposure than modern film, so it was very had to capture a decent photo of anything that moved while taking the shot.




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2022 05:07PM by J.B.Bane.