Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 13: August 9, 2004

[Bergie]

In our online feature, Trackside with Erik and Mike, Trains.com staff members Erik Bergstrom and Mike Yuhas go trackside and share their photo results with you. In each installment, we’ll include let our users vote on who got the best shot. Read this week’s installment.

Please vote and then share your comments.

[DICKK]

I voted against a similar picture last week that Eric took but something about this weeks picture is striking. I think this picture would be great in a calander or in a frame hanging on my den wall. As much as I liked Eric's picture, I also liked Mikes picture which emphasizes power arriving up the track. This is a tough vote but I vote for Eric based on originality.

[Anonymous]

I'm going with Erik again this week. Actually I liked the first of the sunrise photos (without the loco) with the sun lowest in the sky the best. I thought the loco added one too many elements in the composition.

For the same reason I voted against Mike's photo. Just too many things happening, the oncoming train is the subject, the retreating acid train and the shine on the rails are distracting. I also think the train is too far away. Waiting a few more seconds would have improved the picture (IMHO anyway).[}:)]

[Anonymous]

Erik Should have left the Locomotive out and just captured the signal

[Anonymous]

Although Eric's photo is great and captures railroading in an artistic and unusual way, Mike's photo simply has too much going for it (jointed rail, coaling tower, mile marker, nice foliage and the rear end of another freight). Being that this photo was taken in 2004, it's amazing that pictures like this can still be taken on Class I's!

[Anonymous]

Tough call this time around...but I went with Eric.
Usually, I prefer a more traditional action shot like the one Mike took.
I also agreed with the writer who said that the locomotive was a bit of a clutter factor in Eric's entry. Funny thing, I didn't even see the loco until it was mentioned. That gets us back to the topic of monitor brightness.
Anyhow, there was something about Mike's shot that was almost 'staged' looking. Maybe it was TOO ordinary. Anyhow, while it's a fine photo, it just didn't toot my horn.
One final thought. My favorite of ALL the samples was Eric's "ISO 100, 1/250 sec at f9.0". The lighting and sun angle were more pleasing, there was no clutter...just an interesting study of block signals at sunset.
TJB - Nashville, TN

[Anonymous]

I liked # 1 as it show a good working engine and consist and the background is great also.

[kuschi]

This time I voted for Mike's pictures. I think it is a great captures of an American Railroad. You have to look several time at it to get all the details. I disagree that there is too much going for it. It is a pity that it is not available in a better resolution

I don't know if it is my monitor's, the picture's or the rebel's fault but the lens flair effect is a little bit odd in Eric's picture. It is not as even as I would expect it, maybe it is caused by a filter or so. I like to take pictures from the sunset or rise, too, but then the overall pictures is my focus. In my opinion if the train was more in the background then it would have been a great pictures.

[Anonymous]

Mike:

Your photo should be selected as a "Rail picture of the year."

Eric:

You may need to work on the shadow effect a bit. The sun overtook the shot.

[Mookie]

call me a romantic-I like Eric's picture!

Mookie

[Anonymous]

It's a hard choice but I have to go with Mike's shot if only because it captures the sight of jointed track in main line use. It struck me as soon as I saw the picture. If there's one thing that separates trains from all other modes of transport, it is the rhythm of the rails. Eric's sunset shot is a beauty but in this case I have to go with 'function over form'.
Mark, Fredericton, Canada

[PRRK4s1361]

Call me a romantic also; I seem to like Bergie's pix better due to my attitude this morning. I'm on pins & needles today getting ready for a vacation trip to Myrtle Beach SC from PA and that pix seems to stick out as a great mood shot. I did like Mike's also but to me the first thing that stuck out was the milepost. I usually prefer shots with another subject sticking out, but my disposition this morning goes with Eric.

[Anonymous]

I really like both of the photos in this installment, but cast my ballot for Mike's shot on the Adams Sub. Perhaps I'm slightly biased, having spent a couple days looking for trains on that line during a trip to WI two years ago. There's just something about a jointed-rail, TWC secondary main through the cornfields... I love the sun and headlight glinting off the rails and the way it makes the joint bars stand out. And I, for one, don't think the train is too close at all. In fact, I might even like this shot a bit more if the train was about 5 car lengths further away.

I like Erik's shot, too, but find myself a bit distracted by the expanse of nothing on the right side of the frame. I think I'd like this shot quite a bit more if the camera had been turned a bit more to the left (although that would create a big expanse of black from the locomotive's silhouette, which might not be so good, either). I also wonder how this would look with a bit wider lens and perhaps even a slow enough shutter speed to create a slight motion blur. Like TJB, I tend to prefer Erik's train-less shot at sunrise, especially with those great corn tassles in the left part of the frame. And again, I think I'd like it even more with the camera turned a bit more to the left.

Excellent work, guys!

Scott Lothes
Cleveland, Ohio

[fish1467]

I voted for Mike's photo, because I liked the composition better. The photo has a lot of depth and your eye is drawn to look down the tracks to the hazey distance.

[ReimanTrainfan]

I had to vote for Mike this week. There was so much going on! It shows the power of the engine and has good photo composition. [^]