Trackside with Trains Vol. 301 'Hump Yards'

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Wish I could watch from the top of Clearing's hump with cuts going in both directions at once.

[BOB WITHORN]

West Colton was very impressive when I was there in the 80's. Uncle worked there and each time I hit Cal. He'd take me up in the hump tower to watch. Quite something to watch a 2 track hump in action.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Technicians and geographers

The two types of railfans

by Beaumont, Ralph 

from Trains January 1985  p. 22

frontispiece  railfanning 

[highgreen]

Following and voting for the photos on "Trackside with Trains, vol...." over the years, I've noticed two broad types of voters. One type likes what I'll call "documentary" or journalistic photography. It records what's on the scene the way a company P.R. photographer would. In the volume on "hump yards," Bob Jordan's and Frank Orona's photos are examples of such photography.

Then we have what I'd call "off beat" or "creative" (be careful here! - all photography is a creative act) or "fine arts" photography. Scott Ridenhour's and Jim Evans' entries are, in my opinion, examples of that. (A disappearing hump track? Oh, my!) Brian Schmidt's photo straddles the fence between the two types.

I'm not fool enough to say I like one type better than the other. For some readers, "them's fightin' words." Sometimes one type tells the story better than another for a given subject. I'm just pointing out that these two types of images have a long and respectable history in railroad photography.

Making the image work to tell the story - documentary (journalstic) or fine arts - you be the judge as to which works better in a given situation.

[cx500]

I preferred Bob Jordan's submission since it included the hump towers. 

Surprised that the moderators did not make it a "sticky" so it didn't get bumped off the initial index screen.  Not many people have participated in the voting as a result.

John

[Steve Sweeney]

Voting is open for Trackside with Trains Vol. 301: "Hump Yards" Whose photo says it best? Voting is open through April 16.

http://trn.trains.com/photos-videos/trackside/2017/04/vol-301-hump-yards