Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 29: April 18, 2005

[Bergie]

This week's installment of Trackside with Erik and Mike is now live within the Railroading section on the Trains.com home page. Please read this week's column and then vote for your favorite photo below. Click here to read Trackside with Erik and Mike Vol. 29.

[LennyFries]

Guys: If yer gonna fight, do it right- ten paces and toss yer camera's at each other!!! I think the UP's business train is a good shot cause you can see all the train and know it's consist. The other is hard to see that it is a passenger train so different from all the rest. I do like the E-units head in the face shot. Lenny

[Noah Hofrichter]

What can I say, WSOR E-UNIT I'M THERE!!!!!!! These are the units that the WSOR had up untill 2001, when they sold them. The units went into storage by the company that bought them for a while, but then the WSOR bought then back last fall. They are, in my opinion, some of the best looking deisel Engines out there. The WSOR's paint shop forces in Horicon Wisconsin, painted them. They did really a supurb job on, as they do with all of the stuff they paint. But enought of my rantings, Mike's it is! One of the other things I like about the picture is that if you blow it up, you can see the Conductor waving!

Noah

[espeefoamer]

I went with Erik's photo because you can see the entire train.Mike,if you had submitted the photo posted on the W&S website,you would have easily gotten my vote.

[Kathi Kube]

Gotta side with Erik on this one, guys. I'm a sucker for pastoral Wisconsin scenery (read: cows, barns, fields, ...) and I love seeing more of the train. Although, you nearly had me on this one, Mike, with that lovely WSOR. If you'd shot her a little more broadside, I'd be there all the way.

Until next time...

Kathi

[Anonymous]

Tough, but ended up going with Erik's for the reasons stated above, more of the train visable won it, and they are just so shinny. Just a little bit more of a 3/4 shot on Mike's and it would have been an easy winner, a smaller local railroad with E-units up front, yowza.

[Anonymous]

First I'm gonna say WOW to two good shots. Its take time plus talent to get both snapshots. The big UP, and at that a business consist, don't see them to often, so I gotta go with the recognition of each individual car clearly sighted. Then too, I must confess, having worked as a UP train conductor, so many times I wondered if I'd ever get my opportunity to ride inside. The picture only accentuated my continued dream. Maybe one day. THANKS! Brother HK Hall

[Anonymous]

Hello all, its your St. Louis photo guru checking in after a long slumber. Also after being recently published in the Feb. 2005 CTC Board and (hopefully) soon to be published the the TRAINS Magazine "Gallery." [:D] Mike, I must say your photo is wonderful. It is much better composed, has better lighting, and a more interesting subject. You smoothly incorporated the Saukville sign into the photo and gave it a sence of "being." Oh, and did I say good composition? [;)] Well done Mike!

[Anonymous]

I voted for eric as i am a up fan,(as well as a new haven rr fan). But that is not the main reason, I like alot of other people enjoyed seeing the whole train, not just the lead engine. I would have voted for mikes' shot if it had at least a few of the engines, I like older diesels vice the newer diesels.
Ben

[gemperfilm]

I have to go with Erik and the UP. The funky lighting turned out to be an asset, kind of a sweet surreal light that you sometimes get video-taping near dusk. I like it.

[chanda]

I had to go with Mike's photo. You don't see E-units every day and when you do its a picture from any angle.

Chanda

[Anonymous]

Hard to vote against E units, but Mike's shot was too nose-on...couldn't even be sure it was a business train behind. The less-than-perfect light on Erik's shot actually enhanced it in the digital image, in a way that it probably *wouldn't* have on film.

Now, if Mike had entered the photo currently on the Wisconsin and Southern's Web site, that would have earned my vote--no contest.

--Mike

[acelachaser]

Gotta go with the broadside shot on this too..I'm a sucker for E units as well,but even more for the whole train. The only thing that would have made Erik's photo better would have been if UP was leading with their E units.
And again..another shot that shows the adavantage of digital vs. film and the Rebel's capacities

[fish1467]

I liked the historical feel of Mike's photo.

[Anonymous]

Had to vote for Mike this time that head shot close up an the fireman waveing is a shot of days gone by. Two AA e-units an varnish on a run today thats two thumbs up!