Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 43: November 21, 2005

[FrankStratton]

I like #2 the best. It was a tough decision but after a while I thought #1 was just too busy. These are a couple of great shots guys, nice going.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

[Noah Hofrichter]

This was a hard, hard, hard choice this week. But, after much studying and deliberation, I went with photo 1. It is something new and different, uniquely composed and visually interesting with the road leading into the fog and the lighting play on the fog. To me number 2 was more of a standard wedgie.

By the way, to whoever owns photo number 2, it appears you have a speck of dust somewhere in your lens system. If you look to the very back of the coal train you will notice it.

Noah

[fuzzybroken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by PBenham

Photo 1 has that little something different. It shows a train the way most of us see one in our other activities, like going out for Beer, going to work, or whatever. It had to be a grab shot, or a race like crazy to that spot shot. Besides, i'm tired of UP wedgies, espically when abuse of a telephoto is involved. Put another way, it's pedestrian.

[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D] That's a great description!!!

I also voted for #1. (Again, I believe I know which photo was whose... though that did not sway my voting! [;)]) The perspective, with the train crossing the bridge, the traffic, and the hills and trees in the distance gradually fading into the fog really make the shot! And that WC engine, though not a "real" WC engine, really looks sharp in this shot!

Of course, #2 is certainly not chopped meat! It is a beautiful shot of a railroad that I just don't see enough of here in Wisconsin. I also liked the caption, "raking leaves..." [:)]

Keep up the good work guys! For a diversion, check out my album of an unpainted KCS SD70ACe, and on or after Thanksgiving (11/24), see my Engler Electric Marquee page!

[Anonymous]

Tough choice but the CN shot (#1) gets my vote. Great composition and great use of someting less than ideal lighting.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

[Anonymous]

No. 2 is a legend but no. 1 is a poem! The background trees really did it for me.

[virogue]

Hi Everyone,

Voted for No1. The locomotive on a bridge, that morning fog, the road and traffic behind... yep this all makes me think of a regular American morning.... wish I could see it by myself more often ;-)

By the way, I thank you too, Erik and Mike, Mike and Erik, for sharing all those pictures and thoughts (and techniques?!?) all along the weeks... Your mails are a welcome weekly distraction! Hope there are many more to come!

Enjoy the turkey, happy holiday to all of you and your families!
Take care,

Vianney Roge
France

[boydjr]

hi ... i voted for photo #1 i like the contrast of the traffic and the train going over ..its cool..
photo #2 was good too but UP dose nothing for me.. don't let up see that photo ...they may want to charge you for showing it... well bye for now.......

[mrunyan]

Went with #1. Not your usual photo, nice composition. Looks like an ex WC from an ex GEC Alstom unit. Play with photoshop, take out the traffic and put in a river with Stegasaurs drinking. Yep locos and dinos, every kids favorite stuff.

[DICKK]

Voted for number 1. Just not your standard train in the country shot. It kind of places the railroad above the mess we call the US highway system.

[kicksvette]

This started off as Trackside with Erik and Mike. Then it became Trackside with Bert and Ernie. It has now morphed into Trackside with Abbott and Costello. If you can include a guest photographer like you've done in the past with Tom Danneman, the column could become Trackside with the 3 Stooges.

I searched around the Kalmbach display at TrainFest and didn't see you guys. Or maybe I just didn't recognize any of your multiple personallities.

As for the pics...

The UP shot looks very familiar. That Pink Lady ballast and left hand running reeks of CNW territory. And if I thought about it long enough, I'd probably pinpoint which town those silos are in. Two unit coals passing each other are almost expected around here.

The CN shot, unfortunately is photgraphic testament to what is happening in railroading right now. The WC on the side of the cab indicates that this is another example of a regional succombing to a major. So what happens when the 2 big westerns buy up the 2 big easterns and then each of them swallows a Canadian? I can foresee the day of only 2 railroads for the entire continent.

As for my vote. I went with the mood of the fog. The background would work in a model setting as it is something not seen everyday. The railroad over the street can be found easily enough, but the weather and lighting conditions make the shot. Abbott gets the vote.

P.S. Watch out for tryptophan poisoning on Thursday. The turkey will get you every time. YAWN!!!

[wccobb]

#2 a great shot -- every "element" crystal clear, totally recognizable and understood. But, it takes little "railfanning" experience to know completely what is going on.
That fog in #1 holds forth a tempting suggestion that there's still something more hidden in the mists -- something more not yet known -- a reason to keep on looking -- and there's still some challange and still something more for those who continue in their pursuit of ferroequinology. Hadda go with #1.

[chris35]

WOW, I liked both of these photos but I had to go with #1 because CN is my favorite railroad. I really liked that grey paint scheme and the fog was awsome, the traffic was the only thing that i didn't like, would have been even more awsome if the road was empty or in was a river. The UP train was a great photo but in the end I had to go for #1

[Anonymous]

Sorry, Mike. I had to vote for Erik's shot this time...It's not a bad photo, Mike, I just see it all too often--taking away the emotion others may feel. If your locos were green & yellow, though, I'd have found a way to vote for yours twice! lol

[Anonymous]

I liked both, but voted for # 2, I was looking at how sharp the photos were, number 2 showed the buckle in the rail and the leaves were sharp on the rail bed. I see foggy pictures all the time here in the Pacific Northwest in the winter and early Fall. Both pictures are very good. Thank you for showing these fine photos to all of us.

[Anonymous]

Photo 1 gives me the "fonlies", like, fonly the road was a river I'da voted for it, but it ain't, so #2 gets my vote. Besides, power like that going by me that close raises the hairs on my arms.