Re: But......

Gavin writes "...the worst footplate crime is copious amounts of black smoke, photographers might love it but it is NOT good enginemanship."
Interesting that you should say this. Link's first N&W photo was of train #2 taken at the Waynesboro, Va. station on January 21, 1955. Link took this on his own, while on assignment at nearby Staunton, Va. He sent a copy of the photo to the N&W along with a request that he be allowed to enter railway property to document the railroad and its employees.
The N&W responded favorably, but they noted that in the photo, the safety valves on the locomotive were lifting and that this was poor operating practice. They requested that Link not take photos in which there was excessive smoke, lifting safeties or other examples of poor operating practice! Link's second Waynesboro shot honored that request!
As a railfan and photographer, I find myself torn by the smoke vs. no smoke issue. I realize that smoke indicates poor operating practice, but without smoke or steam, photos often lack drama, or sometimes even fail to pull the image of the locomotive out from the background. This is why photographing in winter is so satisfying. The huge white steam plumes are dramatic and authentic! In warmer seasons, a little smoke, and on occasion a lot of smoke, may make for a better photo. When a coal fired engine is working near maximum power, a fair amount of smoke can be authentic through. We just have to pretend that our photo trains are maximum tonnage!