For those of you who are not in the know, here in Michigan we have a real-live steam locomotive that runs during the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Owned and operated by the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, MI, it is THAT steam locomotive, you know, the one featured in the The Polar Express movie.


This is my third year photographing the steam engine, and every year I try to find another way to photograph it, one that is better than an image I captured before. I highly recommend either riding on or photographing this train, it is a piece of history that has been lovingly restored and brings happiness to both children and adults alike.


For 2018, we had quite a variety of weather anomalies, such as a full rainbow (wow!!), fog, and the absence of snow. The funnest part, however, is hanging out with my photography friends as we race down country roads to get to the next shooting location before the train arrives. Below are my favorite images captured during the 2018 season (in no specific order). The last image is of an old amusement park we came upon on the side of the road (with a bit of Photoshopping sprinkled in by yours truly!) driving through the back roads surrounding Owosso.


These images can be purchased in my Boats, Cars + Train gallery.

Pere Marquette 1225 steam train and colorful cars under a full rainbow arc stretching across stormy sky over rural farmland.
Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive pulls colorful passenger cars through countryside at sunset with dramatic purple clouds.
Pere Marquette 1225 steam train emerges through a foggy forest in black and white photograph with billowing steam above.
Pere Marquette 1225 steam train passes railroad crossing sign while releasing thick clouds of steam.
Pere Marquette 1225 steam engine creates massive cloud of steam while traveling through winter landscape.
Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive leads colorful train cars across open farmland under a cloudy sky with trailing steam.
Historic Pere Marquette 1225 steam engine billows steam past Robbins Furniture Co. warehouse building in Owosso, Michigan.
Pere Marquette 1225 steam train passes railroad crossing sign while releasing thick clouds of steam.
Pere Marquette 1225 steam train creates dramatic silhouette against colorful sunset sky over rural landscape.
Misty abandoned rural landscape scene in Michigan with windmill, swings and birds flying with sepia tones.

I hope you enjoyed the Pere Marquette steam locomotive in all it's glory! It is fun to capture, and plan to take more images in future years.

Urban skyline panorama featuring modern skyscrapers and office buildings of Detroit, Michigan.