Union Pacific Train Driver Tacoma 1980 Today's Coolphoto 01/21/2024
Mike, with Ramona, who was named for his favorite rail siding in Idaho.
Railroading is in the family. My son-in-law worked for BNSF some years ago as a freight conductor. He named our first grandchild after his favorite siding in Idaho. My grandfather, Bartley Costello, was a road and bridge supervisor for the old Northern Pacific. He was killed, along with his best friend, while inspecting the tracks in Spokane. They fell to their deaths from a trestle.
I remember driving up to Headquarters Idaho in the mid seventies with my Uncle Frank, a Jesuit priest and namesake of Bartley’s. Headquarters was the end of the line and the extent of the territory that was Bartley’s responsibility. Though meeting a tragic end on the railroad, Bartley’s children remained devoted to their parents all through their lives, and carried the railroad with them as a fond memory. Uncle Frank carried a gold railroad pocket watch for many years in tribute to his father. My aunt Mary, a Franciscan sister in Oregon, was honored by a placque on their goat barn in the Columbia Gorge with the logo of the Northern Pacific.
Bartley Costello on a Sheffield Hand-Car, 1920
Engine 3176 is called an EMD SD40 Dash 2 (SD40-2) diesel electric locomotive, built in 1972. It still operates as part of the Union Pacific fleet, though now probably run remotely without a crew in the switch yard. Some 5000 of these monsters were built. They weigh up to 200 tons and can pull over 800 thousand pounds.
Thanks to you my good friends for fifty years of professional photography and twenty five years of online success with Coolphoto.com! I am at the end of my retail sales career and am closing up shop by the end of this year. I will continue to post new work on Coolphoto, in the form of members-only galleries and Today’s Coolphoto blog posts such as this.
I am sending selected original photographs to the Christopher Petrich Collection at the Northwest Room of the Tacoma Public Library, and I am creating new bound volumes of selected pieces under my Coolphoto imprint. I have four titles in the pipeline to add to the three volumes already published: A Complete Guide To The Lighthouses on Puget Sound Including Admiralty Inlet (ISBN: 978‐0‐9744775-0-8), Dreams (ISBN: 978-0-9744775-1-0) and The Beach At Fox Island (ISBN: 978‐0‐9744775‐2‐7). Each new title will be issued in very small editions of 100 or fewer copies.
For those with questions about my original works, or anything else for that matter, please send me a message. I’d love to hear from you!
NEW PHOTOGRAPHY, BEAUTIFUL AND ORIGINAL
Most Editions are small, 5 and under. I’ve been at this a very long time and I have hundreds of vintage silver collectibles. I’m always taking pictures in Tacoma, of Tacoma people. The best images, on the best paper, in small editions, from a Tacoma photographer, of Tacoma.
Vintage prints are made within a year of the photographs create date. My usual practice is to print within a few days or weeks of exposure. What you see is a scan of the actual print that is for sale. Price does not include shipping or taxes.
Please note that vintage prints are imperfect. They’re old, after all. If you’re worried about it, bring it up. I’ll do my best to answer your questions.
Vintage - When I print the photograph within a year of the original exposure, that becomes a Vintage Print.
Archival Pigment - When I print in my studio using computer technology with pigmented inks on acid and lignin free paper, I call that an Archival Pigment Print.
Silver - When I print in my darkroom on gelatin silver paper, that is a Silver Print. These prints are double weight on a cotton fiber base.
For a private viewing of my current work, call 253 961 7147 to reserve your place on my calendar.
