Delaware & Hudson Unit Coal Train, MTPL-I, Binghamton, New York 2 - 1990

James Welling made this photograph of a train in Binghamton, New York. There is a real emphasis here on the physicality of the subject, the train itself, and the hard, factual detail of the metalwork. The image is dominated by grayscale tones, with the texture of the train and ballast described in granular detail. It’s interesting how Welling has composed the image, with the train running out of the frame on a long diagonal. The eye is drawn from the front of the train, with its boldly striped face, along its length into the distance. On the right, the twin rails recede into the same vanishing point, creating a powerful sense of depth and perspective. This image reminds me a little of some of Bernd and Hilla Becher’s photographs of industrial structures. Like the Bechers, Welling is interested in the objective recording of the everyday world, although here there is also a strong emphasis on the formal qualities of the image itself.