Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 41: October 24, 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. 41.

[lhtalbot]

Both good, but #1 seems a little too dark in the area I would like to see some detail in. There is a signal back there but the contrast prevents you from seeing much of the train.
#2 gets the vote. I am a sucker for fall foliage pics & this one is pretty good for what we have in this area so far. Another week should do it. Would that be a good topic for your next volume?

Larry in Wauwatosa

[Richard A]

Guess I'm just in the mood for some Fall foliage! Photo #2 all the way!

[Anonymous]

Photo 2. It's just plain better.

[Anonymous]

Photo 2 is hands down my favorite. However, it is not just the fall foliage. Note that the sky is overcast and the lighting is more subdued which does a better job of bringing out both the colors of the train and the fall foliage. If my language seems a bit "particular" I apologize, but having written for a newspaper where grammar and usage had to be perfect, I still tend to do that.

[Anonymous]

As much as I love blue CEFX units, I think Photo 2 is better. I love the way that it is composed. Both the train and the scenery are shown very well. With Photo 1, neither is shown too good, especially considering that much of the train is in shadows.

I must compliment you on those first photos, Erik! Very impressive! The ones of the CP and Amtrak trains are just such fantastic photos. That MOW train was a great "find". My favourite thing about MOW trains is that you can find vintage equipment and fallen flags that otherwise would have been taken out of service years ago.

[PBenham]

View number two is way out in front and I, for one can say that if I had taken both shots and had to choose one, or the other, to show in my member's slide night presentation #2 would get in. While #1 would get in if the limit was over 10 shots, depending on how I'd done on other shots over the last year. The head on angle is ok, but the composition of #2 is superior side by side with #1.

[Sterling1]

Photo 2, I liked the fall colors. Photo 1 although with the cool blue loco front (I think CEFX) has most of the train in shadow.

I still liked Photo 1 for the blue CEFX unit. Nice!

[gemotor]

In terms of pure drama, photo 1 has it. Photo 2, while having a lot of nice fall color, seems static or dead, to my taste.

[Anonymous]

It's too bad the sun wasn't shining in photo no#2 as it would have been even more stunning. CN isn't my favorite RR but an excellent shot!

[trainboyH16-44]

I like photo 1. They are bith good, but I think the train coming towards you is quite dramatic. If the sun had been shining for photo#2, I might have voted for it.
Matthew

[trainboyH16-44]

Oh my, I am in the minority....

[Anonymous]

Photo 2, very colorful.

[Anonymous]

I liked both photos. Photo #1 does have the drama of the train emerging into the light. Photo #2 with the fall foliage, graying sky and the look of rain in the air has my vote.

[Noah Hofrichter]

I went with photo 2. Although not Sunny, I think it's just plain better. While photo 1 is in the Sun, in my opinion, a shot from the shady side of the track is worse than a shot on a cloudy day!! And I'm a sucker for fall colors too.....

Noah