Streak Shots can be some of the most dramatic night photos.

In their simplest form, they are moving images that streak various forms of light across the photo as the subject moves past an open shutter.

Here is a 24mm view of the mainline bridge over the New River near Sewell, West Virginia, using the full moon to light the scene. The date is June 25th, 2010. Equipment - Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5 - 5.6 lens. Exposure - 14 minutes at f8.0. ISO 100. Loyd Lowry

They only come out at night! At least that is the case for the Wisconsin and Southern trains which operate between Janesville, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois. The eastbound train crosses Seaman Road which is roughly three miles south of the Illinois / Wisconsin state line at 11:18pm on August 26, 2010. The train has four SD40-2s on the point and 13,000 tons behind! Not bad for a line that almost became a bicycle path. Equipment – Nikon D200. Exposure – 20 seconds @ f6.3. ISO 800 with available light and car headlights. R.R. Conway

Amtrak Cardinal Service running about 30 minutes late is flagged by the Semaphore at MP 47.6. These Monon semaphores in Crawfordsville, IN are quickly being replaced and may all be gone by now. The photo was taken on April 10, 2010. Equipment - Canon rebel XTi , 18-200mm lens. Exposure - 29 seconds, f/16, ISO 800. Robert J Della-Pietra

It is a bitter cold night at Wadsworth, Illinois as an eastbound CP freight passes on the main line. The date is January 8, 2010 and Soo Line SD60 #6025 is laid up with a bad wheel. The unit spent at least a week at Wadsworth awaiting repairs and the icicles hanging off her frame prove that she has been stationary for a long time. Amazingly, the unit was idling the entire time and was not shut down and drained. Equipment – Nikon D200. Exposure – 20 seconds at f13. ISO 800. R.R. Conway

The BNSF just got on the Elgin Joliet and Eastern at Eola, Illinois and is headed towards Logistics Park in Joliet on September 19, 2008. The photo location is 87th St. in Plainfield, Illinois. Equpment - Canon Rebel XTi, 18-200mm lens. Exposure - 42 seconds. ISO 100. Robert J Della-Pietra

Here is another magnificent example of an available light action shot and it too comes from Chris Guss. The C&NW coaling tower is located at DeKalb, Illinois. The shot was taken on August 18, 2008 with a Canon 5D, 68 seconds at f 8, ISO 400. Copyright 2008 Chris Guss