In 1955, photographer O. Winston Link set out with massive arrays of flashbulbs, specialized reflectors, and an assistant to capture the last days of steam locomotives in the U.S. Viewing himself as more of a preservationist than artist, Link devoted himself to capturing images of the trains, workers, and communities that were rapidly changing as steam engines gave way to diesel. His work, however, is not merely straightforward documentary photography. As Ken Johnson of the New York Times observed, “The truth is that Link’s train pictures were not products of chance but of elaborate planning and ingenious stagecraft. His process was more like a movie director’s than a photojournalist’s.”
