The Ghost of Pere Marquette 1225

Under a moonlit sky, Pere Marquette 1225 races through the night, its massive form reduced to streaks of light and shadow in the long exposure. The locomotive’s drifting steam softens and partially obscures the moon, casting an otherworldly glow across the scene. At the right edge of the frame, a solitary approach signal at Durand, Michigan displays yellow over red - an indication for the diamond where the line crosses the Canadian National Railroad. Its steady aspects stand in stark contrast to the sweeping motion of the train that rushes past.

Captured during an exceptionally rare 2 a.m. return run, the moment existed only for a handful of seconds and was witnessed by even fewer people as the run was kept secret from the public and known only by a few of us volunteers and the railroad itself. The resulting image preserves the fleeting presence of 1225 as both power and apparition - a ghost train sliding through the stillness of night, meeting the unwavering gaze of the signal that guards the rails ahead.