Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 14: August 23, 2004

[Rex Beistle]

The huge power transmission tower was a very significant negative in Erik's photograph. Mike's is a bit dark but the more pleasing to me. I voted for Mike.

Both are 'nice to look at' pictures, Erik would have received my vote if it were not for the monster high voltage transmission tower.

[081440]

I had to go with Erik's photo this time. It was a though choice. I do wish you guys had stuck with the original idea and photographed the same train at around the same time.

Thanks for some great photos!! [:)]

[Anonymous]

I like both shot composition wise. I'm a polarizer nut so I have to go with Mike. But brickbats for Mike for underexposing, not a good Idea with the polarizer. Want more color ever heard of Photoshop Elements that comes with the DR? Erik you had the catch of the week but you blew it with over exposure, PSE could have fixed that and also the color temp was off, again PSE will fix that. I wish I could attach pictures to this forum. I ran Eriks shot and it looks right now. And would have been a winner!
Paul

[Kozzie]

Yes - a real tough decision this time.

Eric's by a nose. I agree with Noah - the added detail of seeing one of the crew up close was good. Quite an unusual shot.

Dave
(Kozzie)

[Willy2]

I voted for Erik's photo this week. I like the SD45 running long hood forward. I also like the close view of the engine and engineer.

[Anonymous]

I had to vote for Eric's photo. It really shows a hardworking local, in your face up close! I also didn't like Mike's photo because, although the color was good, it was a little too dark for my taste. I also liked the curve and the trailing cars in Eric's pic. I really like knowing a little about the reasons behind the photo before we vote. My vote is to keep it the way it is now, with you giving us a little background. Keep up the good work guys and THANKS again. Robertdale
Creston, Ia

[Anonymous]

Voted for Mike's this week.

Eric's was nice, but really didn't show enough of the locomotive and train.

I liked the sky in Mike's.

[Anonymous]

Erik's shot shows up on my monitor as washed out. More importantly (to me) it was a few seconds too early to see much of the side. I like to see the whole engine.

The colors in Mike's shot are outstanding! I guess most people here either don't have their monitors set like mine, or have way different video cards & monitors. I can see most of the details very well. The 2 notable exceptions are inside the cab and the shadow on the bottom front of the lead engine. (It looks more like loss from over-compression than from underexposure, but I haven't seen the full-blown original to know for sure.)

2 nice shots, but this week's choices were not as difficult as last time.

[wcfan4ever]

I went with Erik's shot. There is so much in that view. You see the engine, engineer, and the last car with the elevated curve. That shot has so much in it. Love the shot. Mike's shot did seem a little too dark. It was a great shot because of the all-WC consist but too dark.

[Anonymous]

Mikes photo, I'm more of a mordern person.

[Anonymous]

Erik's shot got my vote. Fallen flag, unique operating situation, hard-edged industrial feel. And I think the tower adds to the feel.

Mike's, Fallen flag OK, but no other unigue feature, and a little too dark, and just another grade level wedgie.

[locomutt]

Those are all great shots,but I think i'm going to have to go with Bergie on these.

[Anonymous]

I voted for Erik's shot because the locomotive is right there in your face; in general I do not like those kinds of shots, but this one was great !!! Mike's shot was just too dark for me; I would rather sacrifice a little bit of deep color in order to see more of what is in the shadows.

[Anonymous]

Mike gets money$$?

It's a "No Brainer".

[Anonymous]

I liked the lighting on the locomotive, and the fact that you could see the engineer gave the photo a real edge in my opinion