The latest version of Trackside with Trains features images from nine photographers, including one Trains magazine reader. This round's theme: Water.
View the selection and vote for your favorite!
-Matt Quandt Online Content Editor Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Looks like I'm the third voter this morning...as an East Coaster and have seen lots more water around trains and railroads than these pics depict, I found it difficult to come up with a real gem. I like Andy's foggy view, because that often is what the surf and tide bring with them, but, still it wasn't enough to allow me to give it the number one pick. Jim's steamer is too easy because water is turned into steam and the locomotive is crossing a bridge over water. So, Aaron got my vote as a reminder that not all water is in rivers, lakes, oceans or bays, but can sometimes fall down upon you forming puddles and floods...just wish there was more water to remind us more of the dangers of floods and water.
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I would be voter No. 16, based on the percentages I saw after my vote.
...which was, by the way, for the reader submission: very familiar territory for me, and a standout, even in this territory of small but distinctive railroad bridges. I wonder if they'll be putting more girders up there for a third track sometime soon.
Interestingly enough, I had a tough choice to make, and all of the top row of this presentation were my final-cut choices. So often, rivers play a role in the location of railroads, either providing a water-level course for them (or the path of least resistance) to follow, or an obstacle to cross: the bigger the obstacle the more spectacular the crossing, As one photographer suggested, too much water can cause problems in either instance, but I prefer to think about the 350 or so days of the year (fewer if you're a roadmaster or a Mudchicken) in which there are no problems, and in which railroads and rivers coexist like they're supposed to.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
It was a tough choice for me between Mike's and Tom's images. Both were quite excellent. What tipped the balance was the more prominent presence of the water. Mike's shot said "bridges" to me more than "water".
And even though all the photos did technically have 'water' in them, I felt that Tom's image had the best union of trains and water, plus his image had the sharpness and depth of color that was not as evident in some of the other images.Also, some of the other shots seems to be just train pictures that happened to have water in them, or water shots that happened to have a train in them.
I had in mind a "railroads vs water" type of shot, but none really fit the bill in my mind. Tom's image, though, prominently featured water, even if it wasn't a deep, wide river or raging torrent, and got my vote.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
I went with Don Dieckman's photo, although none of the photos were what I had in mind. I would have expected a photo showing the interaction of rail and water, like the port of Long Beach, the Duluth ore docks or a coal transfer on one of the rivers.
You're absolutely right, Paul--things like that would just about automatically be winners. None of the ferry slips on Lake Michigan even have rails leading to them any more, unfortunately. Don't you wish those Hulletts were still operational? That'd do it for me!
No shortage of nice photos. This week's pick is Tom's photo. Has several things going for it...
Branches frame the railroad part of the photo....and we have a beautiful reflection in the still water.....and all in sharp focus. Low sunlight seems to warm the photo. Nice white puffy clouds mixed with blue sky. And of course, the required "water" part of the photo actually is a major part of the composition.
Quentin
Well put. Exactly why I voted for Tom as well.
I liked Mikes photo, hard to beat feather river! Composition, water, classic location! Looks good Mike!
All great photos this week. Very hard to choose just one. I picked 3 that I liked best but of course could only choose one. The three were Mike's, Andy's and Tom's. Mike's Feather River Canyon has lots in the photo and great scenery and got my vote.
Went with Tom's, since not only was the water very evident, he used it to great advantage with the reflection. I did give Andy's some consideraton, however, enjoying how he captured the water in the atmosphere as well. That sort of weather is best appreciated from a warm dry location!
John
It would be nice to be a little more specific...like reflections in water, or whatever! I mean rain could be water too!
Great photos all. Was thinking Tom's but was looking for something a bit different. Then I saw the one by Elrond Lawrence.
Now that is different. Water is the main subject & the train is blurred by its movement. Got my vote.
The other photo that was in the running was by Aaron Jors.
StephenDx: Computers and trains are my greatest interests GMT +12hrs (+13 in summer)
Wow, it was nice to see my picture selected for this one. Thank you to people who voted for me or had nice comments on my picture. Whenever a new topic is announced, I try to think of pictures I have taken that meet how I interpret the subject. In this case, I thought of trains along water, or crossing over water. This is one of my favorite locations where trains cross water, and one of my favorite shots I have taken at this location.
Having said that, I feel that the photo by Tom Nanos is excellent. It is wonderfuly composed and executed. It is a good lesson to someone like me, to remember to turn the camera sideways at times and make use of the vertical elements of a scene, and to look at the big picture, not just the train.
Don
Thunderhands It would be nice to be a little more specific...like reflections in water, or whatever! I mean rain could be water too!
"Water" from Websters Dictionary:1 : the liquid that descends from the clouds as rain, forms streams, lakes, and seas, and is a major constituent of all living matter and that when pure is an odorless, tasteless, very slightly compressible liquid oxide of hydrogen (H2O) which appears bluish in thick layers, freezes at 0° C and boils at 100° C, has a maximum density at 4° C and a high specific heat, is feebly ionized to hydrogen and hydroxyl ions, and is a poor conductor of electricity and a good solvent.
I just had to go with Tom's photo. It's a perfect capture of autumn in the Northeast, the light, the clouds, the "Halloween" colors of the locomotives, just everything! Being a steam fan I would have voted for Jim's photo, but unfortunately the modern bridge and background just sort of spoils it a bit. Sorry Jim!
What's 164 going to be?
Tornadoes??
maybe just "destruction" or "damage"
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