The all new Trackside with Trains, Vol. 81

[jcamelots]

I have to state up front that I'm a little bias toward daytime photography, and in this case the COLOR in Andy's shot won me over rather easily. Also, I don't really subscribe to the assumption that because good night photography is more DIFFICULT, it should get extra points in a day-night comparison.

[espeefoamer]

Mike's night shot wins! The all gray SD40-2 along with theghostlyweeds,made an excellent photo.

[monttrak6]

That night shot with a short train is most wonderful. It is the kind of shot I hope to emulate on my in progess model railroad. That picture is RR'ing to me... branch line out of the way non-main, non-unit train, non-traditional!!!

hands down a WINNER. not thst the CNW shot didn't garner some desire to vote for it... but the single unit sitting there in nowhere bought it !!! 

 

[ONR 1737]

I truly enjoy this section and congratulate Trains.  As we go through voting for photos I feel sometimes its just a gut reaction to a shot (which is valid) but could Trains establish some criteria for voting such as technical merit, composition, etc.? 

 

Thanks for a great web site and a fun idea.   

[zardoz]

I guess I'm the only guy who doesn't like the LED-looking headlights in Mike's shots. I know, it's a tradeoff of doing white balancing, but I don't like it.

Welcome to the party, Andy. I have a set of replacement teeth in my desk drawer if you'd like to borrow them.   (Trust me, I've felt this type of pain before.)

Irregardless (), hats off to both of you for a fine first installment of Trackside with Trains.com. (Remember kids... irregardless is not a word, it's a double negative.)

Bergie

From Merriam-Webster's dictionary:

Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less Pronunciation: \?ir-i-'gärd-l?s\ Function: adverb Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless Date: circa 1912

nonstandard : regardless usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

http://mw1.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless

[Bergie]

I guess I'm the only guy who doesn't like the LED-looking headlights in Mike's shots. I know, it's a tradeoff of doing white balancing, but I don't like it.

Welcome to the party, Andy. I have a set of replacement teeth in my desk drawer if you'd like to borrow them.   (Trust me, I've felt this type of pain before.)

Irregardless (), hats off to both of you for a fine first installment of Trackside with Trains.com. (Remember kids... irregardless is not a word, it's a double negative.)

Bergie

[Anonymous]

I like the subject matter in both shots.... Andy, when I first saw the tumbnail, I was expecting something a little more crisp that kind of popped off of the screen, with lots of color and sharpness to the photo. Unfortunately that didn't happen when I looked the larger version.

On the other hand Mike's shot had a lot of sharp edges and a clean look that I really liked. Especially since it was a night shot.

So this week I gotta go with the veteran's submission and vote for Mike's CN photo...

[broarthur]

First off, I'm going to enjoy seeing what Andy and his "railfanning dog",  Scout, is going to bring us in the future.  His first shot in my opinion is a beauty.  I think Mike snookered him with the night shot though, it got my vote.  Both of you keep up the good work. 

[Partsman_ba]

Hey all, hate to be too hard on Andy, but doesn't putting the consist right down the middle of the photo violate basic composition rules? Just didn't pop for me! On the other hand, Mike's shot is so artistic it makes me want to stay up all night and try to get an image with just a little of the mojo he captured! Lens flare be damned (to tell the truth, I wear glasses, so lens flare looks normal to me!)

[loadmaster747]

Mike, your ghostly shot was excellent; we've come to expect nothing less from you.  But,  Andy's shot gets my vote this installment.  Why, you might ask?  I have to confess to a huge soft spot in my heart for any "fallen flag" railroad that had Chicago in its name... Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Chicago, Milwaukee, St.Paul & Pacific, and of course Chicago & Northwestern.  Add the rural Midwestern setting, the fact that the train is in motion, and toss in a tunnel motor, and my choice was easier than many of your past battles with Erik.  Welcome, Andy, and keep up the good work!

P.S. I don't think I have ever seen a Golden West freight car that DIDN'T have graffiti!

 

[islandbridgejct]

I went for Andy's shot. From this side of the broad Atlantic, it's an icon of American railroading: plains, grain, a farm in the distance, and a train running through it. Mike's picture reminds me too much of the time the ghost train came down our branch - still sends shivers down my spine thinking about it.

[Stephen Clark]

Welcome Andy, Both photos were great again making for a hard decision again. The Tunnel Motor would have looked better in black and orange. The night photo was great and one of the best that I have ever seen. I voted for Mike's photo. Keep up the good work.
Steve C

[BNENGR]

I thought that Andy's photo was very nicely done but have to give my vote to Mike for the great night shot!

[NYC]

Andy your shots of countryside railroading were very good but I think Mike decided to take advantage of the new kid on the block and post a very impressive night photograph.  The lighting off the side of the train adds to the magnificent effect.  It has been a long time since I felt such a lopsided pull to one of the photographs in the competition.

Andy, don't give up, next time load up for bear.

 

 

[LVJJJ]

the ghost gets my vote.  wonderful shot of an interesting consist Andy, but Mike's shot borders on greatness 

[mandelswamp]

Andy, welcome to the Trackside photo contest.  I think your Wisconsin & Southern train HJ2 at Whitewater photo is very impressive due to the dark blue of the water and the candy apple red coloring of the locomotives.  Your submittal for the contest, the UP M-BUVP28 train at Lebanon is also quite nice for the reasons that you mention.  I particularly liked the farm in the upper left and the graffiti covered blue box car on the right.  However, Mike's submittal to the contest simply has a lot more WOW factor.  It is the type of shot that I like to see on in a Trains calendar.  So my vote this time went to the Trackside with Erik and Mike veteran, Mike Yuhas.

[mikeyuhas]

Not bad... for a ballerina!

Thanks, Rocket Man, I think!

[Chris Owens]

Mike, Excellent job !!!! 

[dreams]

Mike - I really liked your night shots and had to gladly give you my vote  Where did Andy get the idea that they had 6-axle power?  I have seen hundreds of trains on that sub & don't ever recall seeing 6-axle power.  How to you find out when a train is tied down?   I really enjoyed Andy's shots also, especially the WSOR shot.  I see them frequently on the Saukville sub also, on their way to Random Lake & thereabouts.  I look forward to your new competition.  Chuck

[DadH]

Once again the Night Shot says it (almost) all. Had to vote with my preferences, but Andy's shot had a lot going for it tho I felt a little closer zoom would have been better. As someone failed to point out, the grafittied car was unavoidable. Here in the Far Southwest, that is about all you do see.  If you don't see it, be VERY grateful. DadH

[Anonymous]

1st off, Welcome to trackside with Trains.com Andy.  I liked your UP heritage shot a lot except for the very same reasons as stated above on clarity and cropping, had you pulled in closer & used USM on the shot, you'd have had an exceptional shot there.  Erik, I also agree with several others here, the first night shot with the artificial blues was by far and away the better of the two shots you showed us. having said that I still went with your second shot for my vote as it just had more feel to it than Andy's.  I look forward to seeing more of Andy's shots in future editions.  Good luck on the new format, and give Erik a hello from all of us.!

[DennisHeld]

This was easily the night shot, but it wasn't even the best night shot in the 'Trackside' discussion. The one in Saukville with the IC and the deep, deep blue sky was one of the best I've seen.
As night shots go, Mike's entry was very good. The othe entry, with the CNW heritage engine, has the train getting lost in the scenery. I'm not a big fan of train photo taken perpendicular to the direction of travel.

[Rocket Man]

Welcome to Trackside Andy! You almost got my vote with 1995 in the lead. I loved everything about the photo (CNW colors, farm, cropping, the whole pastoral scene, and "pastural" scene for that matter...) except the lack of crispness.

Mike's photo was stunning to me. "Zardoz's" suggestion that it looked like an O. Winston Link photo, made me doctor Mike's photo to B&W and he is right! I love the light on the side of the train, the "ghostliness" of the grass, the headlight, etc. Very nice night shot.

Not bad... for a ballerina!

[StephenDx]

Thanks for the fun Erik and glad to see you still get your name "in print" alongside this column

Mike and Andy ... what can we say! Both shots have their attraction.

Andy, welcome to the column and great that you have provided a shot that is competitive. Initially I thought I'll be going with the night shot until I had a closer look at yours. There is good color saturation and the subject drew me in to have a closer look at the detail. Pity that the detail of the loco numbers is not very sharp, makes deciphering the numbers a little hard. Someone bagged the grafetti'd first car as being bad. To me that adds to the shot showing the reality of todays world where nothing is sacred, including railway (I am in NZ) assets on railway property which is private property I thought

Mike, you have your work cut out for you if the others put up this calibre of photo I actually liked your 1st pic better for its saturation of color for a night shot, ... until you mentioned that if was white-balanced for the ambient light. Still like it though, its a beauty! Your second shot was a little disappointing in that the glare of the ambient light, which appears to have been VERY bright, and the lens flare kind of ruins it some. Thinking about it though and your comments about it make it a well executed shot has mentioned by others.

Upshot is that the decision of who gets the vote is harder. I took some time to read comments already posted before making my decision and thought that Mike was going to get a landslide. On seeing the current results, Andy 33%, Mike 67%, Mike is being pushed hard.

So who got the vote? Andy.

Why? I don't know ... better color and feel for railroading in action. If Mike had put in his other pic, the decision would have been Mike without question.

If this is the sort of competition we are going to get, this is going to be a fun column to follow

[WSORatSussex]

I have to agree, the heritage unit takes it!

 

Andy, Welcome, The WSOR shot would've got my vote too, so save it for later.

Ed

[DICKK]

Really liked the content and atmosphere of the nightime shot but gave a sentimental vote for the heritage unit.

[al-in-chgo]

Just luuuuuuuuve those night shots!  - al

[jrhambone]

I'm a sucker for night shots, especially good ones.  Easy voting this time.  I have enjoyed the previous 80 episodes of "Trackside" and that has kept my interest in the weekly web offering.  Thanks for all the great photos Eric and Mike have provided...and for all the great photos to come.

[asnjoe24]

This new chapter of Trackside opens with two great photos.

Andy's UP shot has great scenic perspective, with the CNW heritage unit and the tunnel motor adding to it. I think what is really eyecatching about the photo is the green shade of the heritage unit's paint scheme against the green hill of the farm in the background. The change in the tree color also give it an airy feel.

Even though not as colorful with the grey, unpainted engine, Mike's CN shot is a bit more visually intriguing. Although it may or may not have been Mike's objective, the shot does have a rather spooky feel to it in line with Halloween, with the darkened sky and misty-looking weed movement against the consist making it look like it's emerging out of a cloud. Even the blandness of the engine makes it look ghostly in appearance. Though very bright, even the headlight adds to the shot in my opinion, almost like blending the real and the imaginary. In short, there is definitely a ghost train kind of feel to Mike's shot, and this appealed to me more, so Mike won my vote for this week.

- Bryan