Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 47: February 13, 2006

Posted by wcnut

on Wed, Feb 15 2006 11:26 AM

I went with Mike's shot this week. Yeah its another pacing UP shot, but, kudos for getting out there. Erik, I totally sympathize with not being able to get out. I have a newborn and a 20 month old at home... enough said. Erik's was interesting... new METRA power and the Sears tower, but Mike's had some good motion and emotion. You could almost hear that flag snapping in the wind!

Greg
"wcnut"

Posted by Anonymous

on Wed, Feb 15 2006 12:24 PM

Before I comment on this edition of "Trackside", I would like to offer the following suggestion:
I'm probably going to open myself up for criticism, but why not offer a third category for the voting, namely, abstention, just to see how many of us don't side with either photo (for whatever reason)?
Now that leads me to this edition's photos. Yup, you guessed it, I did not vote as neither photo did much to impress me. It's not that they are "bad" pics but they are rather lackluster in their composition and one is not even taken this year but last spring.
As always, I find the "Trackside" photos entertaining no matter how good or pedestrian they may be. It's just that this edition's submissions seem "run of the mill" to me. Nothing to "write home" about.

Posted by Anonymous

on Wed, Feb 15 2006 2:17 PM

Sorry Mike, I like your preference for paced shots, but this one didn't do much for me. Eric's shot isn't the greatest either, but I like the blue sky reflecting on the steel rail, and the skyline in the background.

Posted by Anonymous

on Wed, Feb 15 2006 8:00 PM

Nice Photo Mike.....AND what is good about Erik's picture. I could take a picture out of a train easily but took get a neat visual effect like Mike I could not do. WHAT IS GOOD?

Posted by Anonymous

on Wed, Feb 15 2006 8:23 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by gemotor

OK, if I gotta vote, it's Mike's shot, if only for the technical aspect. It isn't much of a photo, actually. Too bad more snow hadn't piled up on the front of the locomotive - that little tip of snow on the bottom of the plow pilot is a teaser. I like Erik's shot, but it needs serious cropping. Too much foreground and too much sky. The photo as seen in full blow-up is sharp and my screen crops it nicely. Cropping would work well without losing image quality. The cropped photo would have gotten my vote on the basis of composition with the interlocking on the left and the downtown skyline nicely framing the outbound commute, but alas, constraints of time and all that . . . Western Avenue, Erik?

Posted by Anonymous

on Wed, Feb 15 2006 8:28 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by gemotor

OK, if I gotta vote, it's Mike's shot, if only for the technical aspect. It isn't much of a photo, actually. Too bad more snow hadn't piled up on the front of the locomotive - that little tip of snow on the bottom of the plow pilot is a teaser. I like Erik's shot, but it needs serious cropping. Too much foreground and too much sky. The photo as seen in full blow-up is sharp and my screen crops it nicely. Cropping would work well without losing image quality. The cropped photo would have gotten my vote on the basis of composition with the interlocking on the left and the downtown skyline nicely framing the outbound commute, but alas, constraints of time and all that . . . Western Avenue, Erik?

I agree somewhat with the cropping. Cropping some of the sky would be a great help, but I would not crop the bottom. I like the way the track leads your eye towards the oncoming train. The skyline adds to the overall photo.

Posted by ValorStorm

on Thu, Feb 16 2006 3:49 AM

Mike's.

Posted by kolechovski

on Fri, Feb 17 2006 9:27 AM

Mike's isn't anything special. Erik's is.

Posted by Anonymous

on Fri, Feb 17 2006 11:46 PM

Excellent Picture

Posted by Anonymous

on Sat, Feb 18 2006 9:50 AM

Had to vote for Erik's. I miss arriving by train into a large city. I am currently working in Vietnam where there is virtually no skyline and the rail scene is limited to 1960 narrow gauge diesels.

Posted by zardoz

on Sat, Feb 18 2006 2:31 PM

Went for Erik's due to the amount of railroading visible: the tower (which is Western Ave, to answer the few questions), the interlocking, the train he was on and the oncomming train, all combined to show a nice slice of modern-day big-time railroading. I liked Mike's shot also, but what it had in 'emotion' it lacked in detail.

23 17 46 11

Posted by Anonymous

on Sun, Feb 19 2006 11:03 AM

I like Erik's photo...good composition...the tracks lead you to the oncoming train, and then onto the tower in the background. it shows movement, with a static shotv (and all in focus too).

If Erik had several rapid fire shots before the oncoming train passed - that would be awesome (IMHO)!

Mike's shot this week doesn't do anything for me...big deal a moving UP! Seen that before!

Mike

Posted by Sterling1

on Sun, Feb 19 2006 2:43 PM

I could have picked Mike's photo this week. However, how often does one get to see a picture from the rear of a F40-cabbage looking at Chicago's downtown and an oncoming Metra train?

"There is nothing in life that compares with running a locomotive at 80-plus mph with the windows open, the traction motors screaming, the air horns fighting the rush of incoming air to make any sound at all, automobiles on adjacent highways trying and failing to catch up with you, and the unmistakable presence of raw power. You ride with fear in the pit of your stomach knowing you do not really have control of this beast." - D.C. Battle [Trains 10/2002 issue, p74.]

Posted by Anonymous

on Tue, Feb 21 2006 9:16 PM

I had a hard time deciding which one to vote for, so I am glad it was a tie. I guess it all had to do with which type of scene you liked best.

Posted by Anonymous

on Wed, Feb 22 2006 11:46 AM

I liked Mikes. I like action shots.