Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 51: May 8, 2006

[jimmac230]

Went with the short train with open door. Both shots were great

[mrunyan]

Mike got the vote, not on what I like or don't. It's a photo contest. His shot was so sharply in focus, razor sharp black shadows really showed the depth of field. Yes the little red local that could, was more eye catching with color, and I love seeing WC equipment, but it was not as good technically. Thanks for the battles gentlemen, vol51 was a good ride.

[MacdonaldRB]

Erik's photo got my vote. Mike's ist ate soft an' lacks clean sharp colors. It appears ast though it wast taken on an o'ercast day rather than the day wi' a sett'en sun.

[wctransfer]

As much as i wanted to vote for Eriks, as he has a nice WC SD45 (perhaps that 7495?), I liked the WC praire look, and "up north" theme to Mikes. I went with Mikes.

Alec

[wweidner]

Close choice, but I love a long "mixed" frieght.

[Anonymous]

I Went with Erik - The Reds and the Engine Presence projected did it for me

[davefinger]

[;)]

Yeah count me in Eriks column too. Since I do much of my shooting with a Panasonic shooting on DVC PRO HIDEF, I liked the color of the CP AND WIS CNTRL units. Youse guys ***ing 'bout the door open is bush. This is REAL RAILROADIN' ...Not a staged shot. Not a fan of Uncle Pete anyway.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK GUYS. Always nice to see what people with still camera's are up to.
Dave L'F

[Anonymous]

I chose Eriks phot because the pic caused a dept of field. It is a great pic.
I also liked the UP pic that was tacken by mike but eriks pics were beter.

[Anonymous]

mike`s was the better view and detail

[Texas Zepher]

I wanted to vote for the "rock" train. I like the way the telephoto "crushed" them. Since I couldn't I went with its sibling.

[Anonymous]

This was a close & difficult choice for me. [?]
Both pics had their good and bad points. I finally ended up choosing Erik's photo on the strength of the lighting, color and perspective. I feel this would have been a much better pic if the access door on the locomotive's hood were closed. The open door detracts from the integrity of the subject (locomotive). [:(]

[Anonymous]

Mike got my vote this week, I just liked it better. Erik, now you know you should have flagged that train down and told the crew th SHUT THAT D*** DOOR. Some folks
don't realize when you go out to photograph trains, you "take" what you get. Thanks to both of you, as far as I am concerned neither of you has submitted a bad photo. Keep up the good work.

[kolechovski]

It's nice seeing a bell on a widecab's hood...not a common sight.

[mandelswamp]

This one was extremely tough to decide. Both shots were well executed and showed off both the locomotives and some (or, in Erik's case, all) of the consist. Since Erik's train was much shorter, he has a tighter shot than Mike's but that didn't influence my voting. In the end, I decided that a photo of a locomotive with the nose door open is not often seen so Erik's entry got my vote because it was a more unusal subject. I suspect that most other photographers would have tossed such a shot in the wastebasket as a spoiled picture so congratulations Erik for being bold enough to put up a picture that most railfans would deem unacceptable.

[LennyFries]

I actually like the picture with the door closed but on a sunny hot day I'm all for creature comforts. I myself travel in my car most of the time with the window open-nothing like a fresh breeze while traveling! Additionally I like red and colorful close-up pictures.