LOL, I just found this. Okay, here goes:

Technical Stuff === I use Adobe Bridge and Photoshop CS5. This is a simplified workflow but it should give you an idea:

1. I shoot all digital photos in camera RAW, no exceptions. (RAW is not really a format but it can be thought of as a format. RAW is a data dump of all the information the sensor has recorded. Nikon RAW files typically end in the extension .NEF)
2. I use the histogram in the camera to determine exposure before the train gets in the photo, shooting a picture to determine that I have captured the entire tonal scale within RAW. I do this because I do not want my exposure to be thrown by headlights.
3. When I get home I upload my RAW files into Bridge, converting them into DNG in the process. I immediately back these up to an external hard drive.
4. Using the slide show feature in Bridge I go through the images and grade them. The 5 star images are the top of the line, and those are the ones I continue with.
5. I then open them in Adobe Camera Raw (this is a software program that is the Processing engine in Bridge and Adobe Lightroom.)
6. I set the white balance to daylight, I burn and dodge the images using filters built into Adobe Camera Raw and apply a -15 vignette to the images using tools in Adobe Camera Raw. These are like Negatives.
7. I export these photos as TIFFS. This is my first pass. I then run these through the Image Procesor and export them this time as 800 pixel JPEGS and post these to Facebook. These are like Proof Prints.
8. When I find ones I really like I go back into the now tweeked DNG (digital negative) files and open THEM into Photoshop.
9. I duplicate the background layer and then using the curves tool I nail down the color balance for the lead unit. I set a black point in the darkest spot I can find (usually the black hole under the coupler.) I set a white point on a white spot (typically the handrail.) I set a gray point on a neutral toned spot, Lark Dark Gray on SP or UP Gray works fine.
10. Then I create a black mask on that layer and paint those colors in using the paint brush tool. That makes the skies blue and the foliage green and removes color casts. You may not want to apply that to shadow areas though because they may block up.
11. Repeat this process, adjusting the density of layers, bringing down highlights like the sky and bringing up shadows like dark noses and/or underbody details, painting in areas using layers and masks.
12. Save that as a multilayer PSD (Photoshop file).
13. Resize the photo to your export size, (typically 800 dpi for posting), flatten the image then duplicate it. Apply smart sharpening (Sharpening gives the illusion not the reality of sharpening) and then mask off that. Paint the sharpening in using your paintbrush to numberboards, headlights and critical lettering.
14. Using the Type Tool add caption and credit and save that in another folder as a multi-layer PSD file.
15. Flatten that and save as a JPG file (your final print) with a 10 quality setting and you are good to go!



For analog conversions I scan as 16 BIT TIFFS and follow a similar workflow. If the tonal scale is awful I scan over, under and in between and use Merge to HDR. Results look something like this:



or in Black and White:



Of course being an old fart helps too!

~Steve