Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 27: March 21, 2005

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alco628

A comment about the MOW crew shimming up the track. This is a common practice when the roadbed is frozen in the winter. You can't tamp the tie up because it is frozen in the ballast so you have to shim it with plywood shims. If the shims are thick you even have to use longer spikes for a good job. After the roadbed has thawed in the spring the shims are removed and the ties are tamped up.

Both shots where good but I would have to go with Eriks photo this week. Here is a photo of the two different spikes, the larger one for the winter when it is frozen and the regular type of spike.

[thehoot]

Both of the photos are excellent. To me because the subject is "Trains" Eriks photo has great impact of the loco's.
I really like Mikes photo of a general train scene and has a good photo that i could look at on a wall for a long time.
Congrat's to you both.

Happy Railroading and photogrphy.

[Anonymous]

Mike,
Great shot with the sun and all. What is the model type of the Conrail locomotive?
Mike
e-mail- [e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Even though Erik's picture was of the traditional side shot; featuring a Heritage G.E. in the lead; the Elephant style configuration made this shot the best

[Anonymous]

Mike's shot was one of the best I've seen in any of the contests. The lighting was good, the engines clear (liked the color contrast), the different types of rail cars, the train perfectly centered in the picture, the sun hitting the snow ..... it just seemed like the pefect shot.

Again I'll say that the quality of the shots are so much better than when you started these contests.

[wcfan4ever]

Mike, I love the sun shot. I picked it because of the ex-CNW 40-2 leading and the ex-Conrail unit trailing heading into the sun. That setting sun just adds everything to the photo.

[Anonymous]

I went with Erik's photo. Love the exhaust! The whole picture in general convey the power of railroding!

[emmar]

I love Erik's photo,it is much better than mike's photo.I like the brute power that is portrayed in Erik's photo and the composition is better.This week the chioce was obviuse.

[steve14]

On the crossing work, since this is my former territory, if you look closely, the rails on each side of the joint are different sizes. It is also very close to the edge of the crossing. This makes for a continual maintenance issue. Compromise joint next to a crossing. You can't tamp the track without removing the crossing planks which is a lot of work and a comp joint always seems to get pounded harder by trains anyway. Worst of both worlds.

As was noted by an earlier poster, the shims being put in are because the track bed is frozen and the tie can't be brought up to the rail. The crew just has to remember to come back as soon as the ballast thaws and get these shims out and tamp the tie.

I liked Mike's shot a little better, though both are excellent.

steve14

Former Assistant Division Manager Engineering, Gateway Division and Former Manager Projects--US for CP, now Chief Engineer Maintenance and Construction Caltrain.

[krussl]

Mike's train picture wins over Eric's "roster shot"

[Anonymous]

I voted for Eric! I like the look of the BRUTE POWER of the BNSF (My favorite).
The shot shows the real power on today's rails. I could almost hear the engines as they were winding up. Great Photo Eric!

[Robertdale]

WOW, talk about nip and tuck. This week was very tough to decide, both photo's are very good. However, since Eric chose to shoot BNSF and I live just off BNSF's mainline through Southern Iowa I had to vote for him this week. Keep up the good work guys. I kinda like having a tough time deciding.
Robert

[cumminspwr]

I thought both pics. looked really sharp, but had to go with the UP/Conrail mix...................John

[Anonymous]

Nice one eric! BNSF just so happens to be my favorite, nice angle by the way!!!!

[Anonymous]

Two equally good photos and equally different reasons, I think, for voting the way I did. With the BNSF train the evidence of hard working units is obvious. The color quality of the shot is great and with the rear of the train in view it adds some necessary perspective to the shot so as not to make it just another engine shot. The U.P. shot of the welded rail train has a completely different quality to it. It is more serene; laid back, imparting a lazy late afternoon feeling to the whole shot. The snow tells you about the time of year and the obvious temperature. But my whole reason for going with this shot as the winner is the surrounding trees and more importantly the shrubbery and grass in the foreground. It gives a distinct feel of what a model railroader tries to accomplish in their modeling. If it wasn't for the sun and the engines realism this would look just like a model railroad shot. That feeling of 'is this real or is it a model' is what sold me on this picture as the winner this week. Dale Trongale [^]