Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 56

[Bergie]

I went with Mike's photo because Erik used "bazaar" when he meant to use "bizarre"

Whoops!

All better now!

Erik

 

[Datafever]

Thank you for your warm welcome, zardoz.  I accept your apology and look forward to spending an enjoyable time here.  While I am new to the forums, I am not new to the site.  But I just recently stumbled across "Trackside with Erik and Mike" and devoured all of the archived volumes.  (Where are the missing volumes?)  I have enjoyed them greatly and plan to purchase a digital camera soon.

[zardoz]

I went with Mike's photo because Erik used "bazaar" when he meant to use "bizarre"

This is the photo critique section. 

The grammar critique section is elsewhere.

Please take your frivilous comments there.

Hmmm...

How about putting it this way then-?

As I was unable to decide clearly which of the two photos was the better (both having good points, but neither one decidedly better than the other), I opted to select Mike's photo for nothing other than the frivolous reason of Erik's incorrect word choice.  I then added a smiley to make it obvious that I was not being serious.

I sincerely hope that not all railfans that post here are as unfriendly as your post appears to be.

Datafever,

My apologies to you.  I somehow missed the smiley.  Your post was well done. 

Not exactly the type of welcome you deserved.  Again, I sincerely apologize.  Welcome to the forums.

[Datafever]

I went with Mike's photo because Erik used "bazaar" when he meant to use "bizarre"

This is the photo critique section. 

The grammar critique section is elsewhere.

Please take your frivilous comments there.

Hmmm...

How about putting it this way then-?

As I was unable to decide clearly which of the two photos was the better (both having good points, but neither one decidedly better than the other), I opted to select Mike's photo for nothing other than the frivolous reason of Erik's incorrect word choice.  I then added a smiley to make it obvious that I was not being serious.

I sincerely hope that not all railfans that post here are as unfriendly as your post appears to be.

[zardoz]

I went with Mike's photo because Erik used "bazaar" when he meant to use "bizarre"

This is the photo critique section. 

The grammar critique section is elsewhere.

Please take your frivilous comments there.

[Datafever]

I went with Mike's photo because Erik used "bazaar" when he meant to use "bizarre"

[Anonymous]

Re:  Trackside with Erik & Mike, Vol. 56.  Maybe it is just me but viewing. voting and posting a reply in the Forum was much easier under the old format.  I hope this is the place to state your comments on this weeks photos.  That said, I vote for Erik's photo.  If this is not the place for comments on the photos, please let me know.  [e-mail].

[CP Railfan]

Good steam shots will always win my vote. Even though I like seeing AC4400, SD90MACS, and SD70MACS, there's nothing like seeing a steam loco huffing and billowing smoke.

[Railfan1]

I went with Mike's pic.

[ANDREW50]

MIKE;I still don`t like the smelly boxes on wheels. The boiler at full tilt gets it this time! I have a Rebel 6.0 with a 55mm-300mm lens. For close in what would be a recomended mm range or brand and features. Most of what I do has been satisfied by this lens but what could be better for close work? [e-mail]
LATER!

[garya]

I voted for Mike's picture. Much as I like the 261, I live in St. Paul, and go out of my way to see the Commercial or the Empire Builder. Couldn't vote any other way. Sorry, Bergie!

[Modelcar]

....I had to think about these two photos....I appreciate both.  I finally chose Erik's believing what I see is a nice balanced photo.

Mikes is nice too....Like the detail and sharpness on and around the locomotive and of course the blare of the passing passenger train.

[espeefoamer]

Frankly,neither shot excited me this week.They were both good shots but nothing special.When in doubt I always vote for steam.Therefore Erik wins my vote this week.Mike, your other U Boat photo was much better,and would have easily won my vote.

 

[Noah Hofrichter]

I'm probably going to get thrown off the forums for this.......

...but I think both photos were rather dull and boring. 

I agree with the poster that said he liked the "grab" shot of the local switcher, with the associated details like the switchman; at least that image conveyed some feelings for those of us that have walked in those shoes. If Mike had submitted that one, I would have voted for it.  His submitted shot was ok, but I would have liked to see the entire locomotive.

I also agree with the poster that liked Erik's portrait (vertical) shot of the steam.  If submitted, I would have voted for that one. Like Mike's, his submitted shot was ok.

You kind of summed things up for me too Jim. I couldn't figure out why I had such a hard time picking a photo I liked, and then it hit me, it's because neither really made me think "wow!" when I first saw it, which is a feeling that I normally get when looking at the photos in this collumn. Mike's shot was still nice, but I never cared for photos where the rear of a locomotive is cut off. I too would have probably have voted for the ISO 1600 shot, as you still had to look to find much grain, and I think it was better composed as well.

Erik's shot is neat too, but it's a standard shot of a steam locomotive, and something you see quite often when you see photos of steamers. Now the vertical shot, that was pretty cool, as you don't see that angle nearly as much. I did like though Erik how you timed it so the 261 was in a spot where there were no flowers sticking up above the ballast, but yet they kind of "surround" the locomotive. Pretty neat in that aspect.

Both photos are still good photos guys, but I just don't think these are up to your usual level as some weeks. Keep up the good work though, you guys still do a heck of a lot better than I can.....

Noah

[Bergie]

I voted for Bergie's photo this time, but Mike's sure is good, too.  You guys love to make it difficult for us, don't you.

Bergie, that 6 foot ladder idea is an old one.  I was lucky enough to be in college at the University of Texas (1966-69) when Russel Lee was on staff there.  He suggested that I keep certain accessories with me in my old station wagon beater for the inevitable obstacle that always block that one special shot.  One of these accessories was a 6 foot ladder.

Other items were small bean bags to stabilize my camera or a long lens, colored chalk to mark (in an unobtrusive way) trees and/or rocks to help me find out of the way places that I wanted to revisit, and emergency snack food wrapped in plastic for those long periods of waiting for a train, the best light, etc.

Thanks for sharing, Richard. That's good stuff.

Something tells me that it was easier to use a ladder for railfanning back in '66 than it is in '06. I'm not sure I'd pull it out in a well-traveled area for fear that someone would freak out and call the police for suspicious behavior. As it was, I was in an out of the way parking lot so I felt comfortable doing it. Not sure I'll ever pull it out near a grade crossing.

Thanks again for sharing... although my camera bag already weighs around 30 pounds (or so it seems) so I'm not sure my back can take many more accessories.

Bergie

[zardoz]

I'm probably going to get thrown off the forums for this.......

...but I think both photos were rather dull and boring. 

I agree with the poster that said he liked the "grab" shot of the local switcher, with the associated details like the switchman; at least that image conveyed some feelings for those of us that have walked in those shoes. If Mike had submitted that one, I would have voted for it.  His submitted shot was ok, but I would have liked to see the entire locomotive.

I also agree with the poster that liked Erik's portrait (vertical) shot of the steam.  If submitted, I would have voted for that one. Like Mike's, his submitted shot was ok.

[jjlamkin]

Wow, I can not believe how clear Mike's night shot is and without a tripod or support! I had to vote for Mike's. The contrast is just so GOOD.

Stay Safe,

Jim

[JoeKoh]

both shots were great but I voted for bergies this time.

stay safe

Joe

[LVJJJ]

Because I prefer diesel over steam, was gonna vote for Mike's Alco until I spotted the Amtrak P-42 behind the 261 tender.  I think using the GE "streamlined" power as the helper in a steam powered consist is a brilliant idea, angular SD-40's just don't fit in with passenger trains.  So, with the smooth sided helper in there keeping the consist consistent, I had to vote for Erik's photo.  You guys are really learning how to use those cameras, it's getting harder to choose as both photo's are usually of equal quality.  Larry in Blaine in Pacific Northwest (the sun's still shinin and its September!)

[lhtalbot]

Close vote. I love steam & it is unusual to see any these days. But when you know it's coming & have the time to set up, it's not that difficult to get the shot. On the other hand, nite shots are always difficult to do. So I voted for Mike's shot this time. Besides the Amtrak, did you also catch a slow rising aircraft in the background? A while back, TRAINS Mag ran a series of b&w nite shots & some of those shots were long enough exposures to see star movement. Nice work both!

Larry in Wauwatosa

[Chris Owens]

Both were great shots

[jrhambone]

It is difficult to vote against live steam...but Mike's night shot takes the prize for me. 

[Richard A]

I voted for Bergie's photo this time, but Mike's sure is good, too.  You guys love to make it difficult for us, don't you.

Bergie, that 6 foot ladder idea is an old one.  I was lucky enough to be in college at the University of Texas (1966-69) when Russel Lee was on staff there.  He suggested that I keep certain accessories with me in my old station wagon beater for the inevitable obstacle that always block that one special shot.  One of these accessories was a 6 foot ladder.

Other items were small bean bags to stabilize my camera or a long lens, colored chalk to mark (in an unobtrusive way) trees and/or rocks to help me find out of the way places that I wanted to revisit, and emergency snack food wrapped in plastic for those long periods of waiting for a train, the best light, etc.

[Rocket Man]

Mike, if you had entered the 1600 ISO handheld, I may have voted for you! I like the newspaper-esque quality of it as well as the little details that all of the sudden pop out at you, like the railroad worker with the lantern, and then the engineer in the shadows of the cab. That was good stuff, not to mention the quality of using handheld.

The photo you entered was cool, but it also seemed to have the feeling like you caught a fast mover by luck. (which reminds me of a "wannabe" shot that I would get) yours of course had great exposure, etc. I wonder what it would have looked like with a point of view about 45 degrees to the right? Maybe not as good... just wonder...

Question for you Mike: Not being familiar with the area where you took the photo, was the airport behind and to the right of your point of view? Looks like you got a nice light trail of an aircraft (probably a prop) taking off.

Erik, 3 wedges in one! Smoke, Tree line, Consist, wow! loved the reflection on the side of the Northern. Too bad the consist was like a poorly patterned quilt, but, you couldn't control that. I also like the engineer hangin' out the door, not too mention the fact that it was a steam shot!

[gemotor]

I didn't vote.  Erik, you shoot yourself in the foot.  That vertical shot of 261 is superb.  The smoke fills the top of the frame, more head-on gives a stronger sense of power.  Never mind which one is sharper.  The composition get my vote.  Too bad you didn't submit that one.  The horizontal shot is dull, another wedgie, even if it is a shot of 261.  Besides, it shows more of the Amtrak diesel and that breaks the mood.

[da Milwaukee beerNut]

Beard support or not - Erik gets the 261 ROCKS nod this time. Can't dock him for the silver streak in his shot - Amtrash insists on it being there. BTW - was this the P42 that popped a fuel injector and had to be towed out of Milwaukee ???
I also gained a bit of height for a couple 261 shots - a rooftop perch using a Saturn quadrapod.
Really isolated vibrations from the train rolling by 6 feet away at 60 mph!

[samfp1943]

In sticking with the "I always vote for steam" assessment strategy I used last month, Bergie gets my vote this time.

Way to smarten up and grab the "steam junkie" voting bloc, Bergie!

Pop Z

I really liked the feeling with Mike's shot, as Ed mentioned, it captured that 'lonely feeling', but I voted for Bergie's shot, just an old steam fan, every time!  Keep up the good work, both of' 'ya!

[edblysard]

Both shots have minor technical flaws…Erik’s is a little dark, and the wedge…which is sometimes the only shot you can get…Mike’s is tilted a little…

So I decided to print both out…and showed them to my 13 year old daughter.

I asked her which one made her think about “railroads” or "railroaders" the most.

 

She picked Mike’s shot, and for the same reason I did, it made her feel lonely.

Which is how a lot of railroaders get, riding an "old horse" and stuck out waiting for a hot shot to pass, or just staring at a red board, spending time wondering when they will get home.

So the emotional appeal won out…

Ed

[blhanel]

I had to go with Mike's this time, although both were excellent.