Trackside with Trains, Vol. 83

[LU-Trains]

OK Chris and Rocketman, you got me . . .

Wine taster - yes.
Artist - yes.
Musician - yes
Composer - yes
Museum patron - yes.
Man of Letters - yes
Able to wear black tie and tails well - yes.
University Professor - yes.
Railroad Geek? - YOU BET YOUR SWEET OILCAN, BUDDY!

I’ll try and be a little less poetic next time.  

And of course, use smaller words . . .  

 

 

[Modelcar]

....You fellows made it tough for me this week.  I honestly really like them both.

I'm biting the bullet and casting my vote for Mike's portrait shot.  I like the depth in the picture.  The engineer's features are so sharp.  It is a photo I like.

Drew's photo of the retreating train in the sunset is a beauty too.  Sorry, I can only vote for one.  And looking at the voting so far, I'm in the minority.  So be it, those are my true feelings of the photos.

[cpprfld]

I loved Drew's photo, I loved the color contrast with the setting sun. My mother taught me that if you don't have anything good to say don't say anything at all. I really would like to see some of the photo's OJLAR would post.

[Bill the Cat]

I'm rather partial to the shot of the Cedar Rapids, but then, I was in the Superdome ahead of it at the time.

 

Thanks! 

[freightcarguy]

I had to vote for Mike's shot.  Drew, the subject and composition of your shot was great but it was too dark.  I know how tough it is to take a shot into the setting sun - easier with digital than silver-based imaging but still tough.  But, doesn't your camera have a "sunset" setting that would have allowed you to slightly overexpose the scene, so that you could see more of the Cedar Rapids than its tail light?  My P H D digital does and it can give you some nice pictures.

[Tommy Toad]

Drew - You should have stuck with the CSX out of Milwaukee photo!

[Rocket Man]

Hey Dr. LU-Trains,

I'm not complainin', just noticin' & enjoyin' the fresh literary breeze, so to speak. Keep the colorful comments a comin'! I'm a wine geek too... (vs. snob)

I also forgot to welcome you to the group as I noticed it was your second post at the time.

 

[bigmac]

I voted for the sunset.  Seeing something different riding the rails, even a rail grinder, usually catches my attention.  This was not only a special car, but the timing and lighting made it a very, very nice photo.  Thank you gentlemen for the efforts.

Bob

[Partsman_ba]

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=227421095&albumId=622829

Try this link to see what I came up with. As you can see, I didn't go for the full daylight look, just less contrast to bring out that beautiful Milwaukee Road color and keep the sunset from overloading. I had to redo it this morning, since I didn't save my first tries!

I know Art is in the eye of the creator, so I respect your decisions, I just was amazed what I could see when I tweaked your compressed image! I was just imagining what could be done with the original image. Do you shoot JPEG or RAW?

[edblysard]

Personally, I liked both shots...

Drew's is quite evoking...the train is heading out in to the night, taking people away from home, family, familiar places?

It has kinda a lonely look to it, very compelling.

But I always like seeing other railroaders, and I like the silhouette effect from the ditch light...

And not a wedge in sight!

Going with Mikes this time around, just because it shows the human that runs the machine.

But, like Chris, if I had taken the shot Drew submitted, it would be poster size at least, maybe even wallpaper, and hung on one side of my living room.

[tree68]

Had to go with Drew's shot.  I like Mike's shot, and using the ditchlight as backlight had real potential, but the halo around the edges of the tuque immediately shouted "Photoshop" (and not a very good one) to me, even though a closer look (and realizing the positioning of the ditch light) proved otherwise.

[StephenDx]

Sorry Mike, photos of the people of railroading is a good subject but only if both photos are on the same topic. That gives a clear indication that Drew was the choice for me this time round.

The brief look I had at the voting to date has you on the end of another beating  

Hopefully you won't go so far out on the limb next time

[rojakaniaa]

Neither picture is exceptional in any way.  Drew's picture was just a little too late in the day, ( maybe just have been the settings on the camera...couldn't see enough of the car.).  Mike...I think your photo would have been a lot better if your subject was actually on the train, instead of the goofy pose of him in front of the engine

[LU-Trains]

Hey Larry, (tree68) -

Had I not just recently read my NMRA Magazine cover to cover I would have never known what a Microferroequinologist was.

But now, seeing your picture, I even know what one LOOKS LIKE!

I stand in the presence of greatness. 

[tree68]

[ValorStorm]

Drew new. Choose you.

[espeefoamer]

I voted for Drew's excelent EB shot.The Milwaukee Road Skytop observation car with a dome ahead curving into the sunset was almost perfect.Though the light may have been better had the train come by a few minutes earlier,the photo was great the way it is.Mike,better luck next time.Maybe you should go steam hunting.

[emmar]

Ouch! Mike is having a bad week (and I didn't help much cause I voted for Drew's photo). Looks like its gonna be a landslide in favor of the newbie. Better luck next week Mike.

[wcnut]

I am glad to finally see a portrait shot for competition and it's not because I have known Ron for a long time.  I like the composition of the shot, only being able to see part of the locomotive.  I think it would have been too predictable to have Ron standing on the loco, or at least having the whole loco in the frame.  Also, there are a lot of little clues to tell you that it is a glorious Wisconsin winter: knit hat, multiple layers, snow, and the overcast sky.  One thing, next time tell him to kill the ditch lights!

While I think Drew's shot is interesting and dramatic, it didn't take me as much as the other.  And maybe it's because I think "railroader" shots are not well represented in this forum.  I know the polls have shown that this forum is mainly a "locomotive up front" kind of group, I would like to see more "railroading" shots.

Kudos to both,

Greg
"wcnut"

 

[wcnut]

This pose is very fitting for Ron!

Greg
"wcnut"

[LU-Trains]

OK, so Mike’s picture is not doing so well this time out.  But I don’t know about you other railroad guys (and well, maybe, gals) but I have Mike’s Railroad Picture website on my computer railroad favorites.  I probably pull it up every few nights and take a visual stroll thru modern railroad history, compliments of this great railroad photographer.

I was raised in Hardin, Missouri, where both the Wabash and the Santa Fe raced through town - over 85 trains a day in my youth.  It was a pleasure to see some other areas of Missouri in Mike’s recent pictorials -Thanks for the great shots of the coal trains around Eureka and Pacific, Missouri, Mike!  If you haven’t been to his site, you should give it a look - www.mikeyuhas.org.  (No charge for the advertisement, Mr. Yuhas.)

Disclaimer:  Because of recent critical critiques of my writing style, I am also including a secondary and somewhat more plebeian version of the previous two paragraphs:]

Me like Mike.  Mike have good pictures.  Go see.  www.mikeyuhas.org.  Lots of choo-choo trains.  Big trains.  Little trains.  Pretty colors.  You like too.  Go see.

Off to Chicago for a week.  Merry Christmas All!