Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 38: September 12, 2005

[wccobb]

No Contest !!
It ain't the WC or the IC or the CN which is driving up the cost of model railroading !!!

[Anonymous]

I voted for Mike's shot, how ever both were very good, I get tired of UP colors as they are traveling up and down the mainline near my home.

[Anonymous]

I went with Mike's photo, for the variety, the framing, and his patience; but I could just as easily have voted for Erik's photo, for the clarity of the shot, the story, the two totally different types of train.

Hey, can I split my ticket?

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by agemper

I agree completely. Erik why did you pick the shot with the conductor. You had a better shot of the train cresting the hill with no conductor present. I would have voted for that one. Mike, Great Job!

A.J. Gemperline

Actually, I showed the only shot of the westbound that didn't include the eastbound's conductor popping out of the door. Once the westbound had picked him up, he almost immediately went to the front porch. Plus, getting a shot of a train crest that hill is a tall order, unless you have a lot more than 300mm worth of lumber in your bag. ([:(] Maybe some day!)

[Anonymous]

Mike's got my vote even before I read the story. Erik, your story is compelling; however, the variety of power and the crewman standing guard tells a story of action and intrigue. Add the fact that here in Columbus, GA we see many UP and BNSF units among the Thoroughbreds but it's a treat to catch the upper midwest roads. locoduke.

[northwesterner]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bergie

QUOTE: Originally posted by northwesterner

I had to go wirh Erik's photo for two reasons: 1) I love a good story, and this one only took4 photos and a minimum of text to explain, ans 2) this is my old stomping grounds from kidhood. Erik, where you at old Kirk Road taking thos photos?

Yes, Kirk Road is where I took those photos. As an out-of-towner, it was the first at-grade crossing that I could find east of Geneva.

Thanks for voting!

Take care,
Erik

The next time you are around Geneva, try going another mile or so farther east. At Kautz Road, the busy UP tracks cross also busy ILL 38 at about a 30 degree angle!

[Chris30]

Ahhh... the Fox River sag gets another coal train! I voted for Erik's photo. Even though it was a hazy summer day, a couple of things offset the haze, First, the armour yellow UP engines look brighter on a hazy summer day (and they were clean!). Second, I like the effect of the headlight shinning on the hopper cars. I have to admit though, that I agree with an earlier post about using the previous picture showing the east coal train about to crest the sag and the westbound just comming over the crest to the rescue. It's a better picture and would have gotten a lot more votes. Even though the zoom distorts the picture, you still get a good sense of the grade the eastbound is climbing.

Erik, if you're in Geneva again I would suggest the Geneva depot, the Fox River bridge from the park below, or Kress road (@3mi east of Geneva).

Mike's photo was just ok ... The light was poor. Too dark and nothing really stood out in the darkness.

CC

[Home erfline rr]

I went with Mike's photo as it shows all the motive power of both trains.

Question for the rail workers viewing the pictures -- doesn't the porch door of the UP unit block the conductor's view of his standing train?

[fuzzybroken]

I thought Erik's photo was very nice, and told an interesting story too. Mike's was certainly good too, although I think he should have used his photo of the ex-KCS locomotive with a CN noodle, IC-style numbers, with GTW reporting marks! That one was really interesting. Then again, I also liked Erik's photo of the train up at the top of the hill!

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[fuzzybroken]

Hmmm... another tie? Current voting is 195-193, Erik, but both are still 50%! Your photos are both really great, guys!!! [:D]

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[tmcc man]

i have to say eriks photo, because of the conductor on the front platform. That was a one time thing to see a broken coupler.

[mikeyuhas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chris30

-- snip --

Mike's photo was just ok ... The light was poor. Too dark and nothing really stood out in the darkness.

Yes, the light was poor, that's why I shot it at ISO 1600, f2.8 at 1/800 sec.

You can't expect much else for a photo taken nine minutes before sunset on a cloudy day...

[lhtalbot]

Erik gets the vote.

Larry

[kicksvette]

OK. Both good shots of meets. But Erik's was just a bit more unusual and thus got my vote.

And it has nothing to do with the fact that the crossing is about 2 miles from home. When I started looking at the pics my 1st thought was that must be Old Kirk Rd. Old Kirk is the correct name. Kirk is the overpass in the background on the separated train shot. The view to the east over the hill leads into the West Chicago yard. Had the train separated at the next grade crossing to the east, it would have blocked Route 38, a major 4 lane east-west through the area. That's the road I use to run between home and the Railpark in Rochelle. I ran that route on Labor Day. Spent most of the day at the Railpark. When it was time to leave I decided to chase an eastbound stacktrain from Rochelle to home. Outran the train through Creston. Got passed by the train at the downtown grade crossing in DeKalb. Passed it again before LaFox. Then I decided to make 1 last stop before hitting the house. That stop was at Old Kirk. Saw the stack again, then caught a westbound empty coal and a westbound scoot. The good thing about Old Kirk is even if something goes wrong, you can get to the other side of the tracks by using the Kirk overpass.

That same area had more troubles later in the week. Another eastbound coal stalled out going up that same hill when one unit cut out. I listened on the scanner as the UP Omaha Dispatcher 11 had a following eastbound pull up and give a shove to the stalled train to get it over the hill, over the Route 38 grade crossing and into West Chicago yard. Happened about 7 pm and nade a mess of the rest of the evening commute schedule.

Glad you were able to find the site, Erik. Are you sure you weren't at the Sugar Bomb gentleman's club around the corner?

[Noah Hofrichter]

Bergie, Okay, so on UP it’s unusual. I guess I wasn’t surprised by it as I’m used to the little WSOR local and the run around track up here, where that kind of thing happens every time I see the train.

I’ve been reading the replies with interest. I thought this little poll was supposed to be about the best photo, not about the best story?? Sure, I liked the description of the events in Bergie’s photo too, but still.....

And a further plug for Mike’s photo[;)]. The whole idea from the beginning of this column was to describe how to use the Cannon Digital Rebel, and to show photos of how it can be used. I think Mike’s photo reinforces that idea more, as he had to take his shot in low light, and work with the settings to get the photo to turn out properly.

Noah