Northeast Corridor No.1

Northeast Corridor No.1

A brooding late winter afternoon...an AEM-7 electric locomotive on the point of a southbound Northeast Regional train blasting along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor high-speed mainline at 125 mph. The AEM-7, primary power for non-Acela trains on the line since the early 1980s, is being phased out, replaced by the new ACS-46 Cities Sprinter locomotives.

So, time for some photos along the Corridor to remember her by...

While the "Meatball" (so named for its Swedish design) is a bit on the stubby and unassuming side (appearing all the more so in this telephoto perspective), it is a true "Kraftpaket" as its European fans might say. It made high-speed passenger service a reality on this densely traveled Amtrak mainline, after the legendary Pennsylvania Railroad engineered, Raymond Loewy designed GG-1 locomotives were retired, many after nearly 50 years of service.

The location is near Martin State Airport northeast of Baltimore.

The moment was captured on Ilford HP5 Plus film, exposed at ISO 800, through a Nikkor 80-200 mm f/4 lens at its longest setting, on a Nikon FE2.

Photo + Design ©2015 Steve Ember