Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 39: September 26, 2005

[Bergie]

Blind voting has returned in the latest installment of Trackside with Erik and Mike. Please read this week's column and then vote for your favorite photo below. Click here to read Trackside with Erik and Mike Vol. 39.

[lhtalbot]

Very nice! I like this departure from the usual shots.
I vote for A, because it gives me more of a feeling of "railroad" than does B.
Both are great shots. I take many shots like these, so it makes me feel better about not wasting "film" on pics like this.
Is that a cemetery in the background of exhibit B?

Larry in Wauwatosa

[PBenham]

Exhibit B was a more compelling subject,since there is so much meaningless graffiti out there,The date stone wins easily with me.[:)]Newer bridges do not have dates on 'em. I guess there's a reason for that. PB

[Anonymous]

Again, two good photos but I must vote for Exhibit B because it is so out of the ordinary. To me, if you use your imagination, just under the ID Number the
graffiti takes on a depth that appears to me to be several animals to the left just under the number and dead trees just to the right. Oh well, when you are 90 years young
you can sometimes "see" things. But it is still a very interesting picture.

[Noah Hofrichter]

I take it that neither of you have had much time railfanning lately, huh? [;)]

I went with B. Something about the Bridge, the 100 year thing, it kinda signifies that the modern railroad as we know it has a history that goes back a good ways. Besides, give me a rocking train on old rail any day over ribbon rail that is sweeping the high speed lines.

Noah

[kolechovski]

Certainly a new type of vote, and interesting, too. I feel the second one has so much more to it.

[espeefoamer]

I went with B. I was really intrigued by the texture on the bridge abutment.There seemed to be so much depth in the picture.I was really impressed by the photo[:)].

[mandelswamp]

I reached the same conclusions as many of the others, namely that both pictures are interesting and well shot but that Exhibit B was just a tad bit more appealing so that it gartnered my vote. The historical impact of the date on the bridge pier stone and the cracks and chips just draws the viewer in to study it further. This was a most unusual and quite enjoyable Trackside event!

[Anonymous]

I liked "A" because it had a beginning and end. This is what a railroad does to exhist.

[cumminspwr]

I went with xibit B, I too like the ol' bridge thing. What will the next set of pics. be of.......a pile of railroad spikes,or piled up old railroad ties?[:D]

[Anonymous]

B was very artistic, the kinda thing you would frame or put in a book, nice work!![^]

[CopCarSS]

Exhibit B is by far one of the best "no train railroading" pictures I have seen in a long time. It ranks right up there with some of the tremendous work I have seen from such masters as Don Ball Jr. and Gary Benson. Fascinating Picture. Can't wait to see who owns it!

[Anonymous]

I voted for B, being old I like looking for old items, on abandoned right of ways and rail trails that have been set up out here in the west, I have some dated nails from ties of the old Milwaukee RR as well as signs that were left behind and signal blocks, many of the old tunnels bear the dates back in the 1800's out here in the west

[Anonymous]

A prerequisite parameter for voting in a genre of this caliber is to use the "enlarge" option in order to fully capture the essence of these pictures. Not only does this format (blind) increase interest, it provides insight into the soul of the photographer. Enlarged, "A" speaks volumes in relating stories not only of the rails but of the "second-look" items, such as the Hyatt bearings; the weathered ties under shiny railtops; loose spikes; tongue-and-groove siding, etc. Regarding "B", who else sees visions of lightning streaks in the stone, and wonders what caused the chip in the nose of the abutment? A very close call, I go with "A.

[Anonymous]

I like photo B because seeing how old something is, intrests me.