Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 16: September 27, 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.

[Sterling1]

I liked both of their shots, but this time I had to go for the train stretching into the distance. The NS detail is very nice; it's about time they put cameras in their cabs, I was wondering when they were going to do that.

[espeefoamer]

I voted for Erik's shot of the train coming out of the tunnel .Great shot[:)]!

[rcdailey]

I had posted earlier after voting for Mike's shot. However, I had been thinking since then about Erik's shot and wondering whether it might be even more dramatic without color. So, I saved it to disk and opened it with an editor (a simple one) and changed the color to "grayscale." I'd suggest that anyone else who cares might do the same. I think it is even more dramatic in black and white, a sort of blast from the past with modern equipment. After all, the color scheme of the uniit is black and white, and most of the surrounding area is lacking in strong colors.

[jimmac230]

Voted for Mike but Erik's was good too. How about calling this one a tie for both.

[Anonymous]

My roots on in that SF double mainline - but for a picture story I prefer Erik's tunnel shot.

I really appreciate you work and time you guys put in for this photo contest - it's great!

[Anonymous]

Being from Pennsylvania, I just love that deep woods look... Thats what swayed my decision

[npapaletsos]

Hello again.
This time is Mike, nice picture, nice colors, nice train. Erik's picture is not impressive at all and it is a bit out of focus in front. Let's face it people, unless there is something very special going on, days without sun are for making your archives not for taking pictures especialy in such dark areas. On the other hand this is our fun so we can go whenever we want and not when the weather is suitable.

Best regards

Nikos. Thessaloniki, Greece

[fish1467]

I wanted to vote for both of them, but I went with Mike's. I liked the lighting and the perspective. However, Erik's tunnel shot was excellent also. I would be glad to frame them both and hang them on the wall.

[BruceGKoprucki]

I have to go with Mike's photo. I'm an Illinois native and like ATSF's main. I like the lighting, the telephoto emphasis of the track dip, and the surprise westbound train. A photo that has more to reveal the longer you look at it. But kudos to Erik on catching that NS unit at Tunnel City; that's a rare bird up here (Mpls-StPaul area.) I'll have to check out Leeds my next time back to Illinois.

[BobbieVee]

Both pictures are great, but i really like black engines.

[Anonymous]

Boy, what a tough one! They were both really great shots so that makes it very hard to decide which one I liked more. In the end, there was just something about Erik's picture that eventually won me over.

[Anonymous]

I voted for Mike's, it had good color was well conceved and tells a story.

[brilondon]

The only reason I voted for Erik's Photo was that it was not the BNSF ugly colours and I like the tunnel shot. As usual both pictures were very good and if they were of the same railroad i would just have to flip a coin.

[Anonymous]

Sorry Eric, you're photo just seemed flat and not as dramatic as Mike's.