The train arrives—and the snow arrives with it. Nick Colvin’s slow-motion film turns a wintry platform scene into a curling white wave, with snow sweeping towards the people waiting nearby.
The clip was published on March 15, 2017, after the storm widely known as Stella. Contemporary reporting placed the scene at Rhinecliff, New York. Colvin’s own description connects the unusually dramatic arrival with the fresh snowfall. His original upload is called Amtrak Snow-mo Collision.
Watch the original Amtrak snow video
Watch Nick Colvin’s original video on YouTube. The slow motion makes the moving snow especially striking: individual pieces briefly stand out before the scene disappears into a white cloud.
The word “collision” in the upload’s title describes the train meeting the accumulated snow. It should not be read as a report that two trains crashed. Nor can the apparent motion in a slow-motion clip establish the train’s actual speed.
Why does the snow rise into a wave?
As a moving train meets snow occupying its path, that snow has to move out of the way. Some is pushed forward and sideways; loose material can also be carried by the disturbed air around the train. Gravity then brings the airborne pieces back down. The combination produces the rolling shape that makes this scene so memorable.
That is a general explanation of the motion, rather than a technical reconstruction of this particular arrival. The video does not supply measurements of snow density, accumulation depth or train speed. It also cannot tell us everything about the decisions made before the train reached the platform.
One useful reminder for a snowy station
Winter scenery can make waiting for a train feel like an unexpected photo opportunity. Keep the camera secondary to the platform instructions. Amtrak’s boarding guidance says passengers should remain behind the yellow line and safety strip while waiting, and stay clear of moving trains.
Follow staff directions and any additional restrictions during wintry conditions. A zoomed-in view from an authorised waiting area is preferable to moving towards the track for a dramatic angle.
For a very different snowy surprise, explore Karim Bouchetata’s photographs of snow on the edge of the Sahara. Or turn a quieter snowfall into something playful with these 30 creative snowman ideas.
Video: Nick Colvin. His upload lists Jukin Media as the contact for licensing and reuse. The original film remains available through the link above.
For another perspective on a city shaped by heavy snow, explore TGR’s Boston street-skiing film and the record 2015 winter behind it.
Why the platform makes the snow’s movement so clear
The platform gives the scene a fixed edge against which to judge movement. At first the snow is part of the track bed; as the train reaches it, it becomes a moving cloud with a distinct leading edge. Compare that edge with the stationary platform and the train behind it. This makes the change from resting snow to displaced material easier to follow than it would be against an empty white background.
Slow motion also changes the balance of the scene. A short event becomes long enough to reveal separate folds and clumps, encouraging viewers to study its shape. It does not establish how much warning the people on the platform had in ordinary time. The spectacle of the replay should therefore be kept separate from the practical experience of waiting beside an operating railway.
Keep the slow-motion treatment in mind when returning to the opening frames. The replay gives time to study snow that moved through an ordinary station arrival much more quickly than it appears on screen. Colvin's credit, the Rhinecliff setting and the March 2017 storm context explain why this is a particular event rather than a routine view of every winter train. The film is especially effective because it stretches a brief change in movement: snow resting beside the track becomes a moving cloud, then falls back into the surroundings.
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