TrainsMag.com Reader Poll – January 26, 2004

[walthuston]

While I love to see photos taken in winter, especially in snow, I can no longer tollerate the cold so now I shoot mostly in spring, summer and early fall. I'll leave those snow storms for the younger crowd.

[brilondon]

I always prefer summers warmth to the @!!* crap we are getting today to photograph trains. It is just much better light during the summer as well. The snow shots often are nice to look at but I don't need to be reminded of how cold and crappy the weather was when I took the pictures.

[Anonymous]

A winter day because the chances are better of getting a really dramatic photo with the winter as a background, especially snowstorms!!
Al SC

[Anonymous]

I voted for winter because I like cold weather even though I have lived in Texas for the last 27 years. I used to be a signal maint. helper and I love the cold just get out there and light the switch heaters. That is the only ground you see then the old C&EI comes across and fills the switch points with snow again. Cool

[andyhjn]

i vote for summer. too cold to be out sitting and waiting for a train to roll by.
andy. on the frozen island of long.

[Anonymous]

You can get much more interesting photos in winter. But this sub zero weather? Brrrr!

[Anonymous]

I voted for summer. While I think the winter shots a beautiful to see, I would rather look at them in a magazine or whatever. I think there is nothing more beautiful than a picture of a steam locomotive in winter, but rather have someone else doing the dirty work.

[Anonymous]

Actually I would go both days. For winter shots I prefer the day or days after the actual storm. I like clear or partly cloudy skies with plenty of snow on the ground but I don't venture too far from the heater in the little red train chaser.

[Anonymous]

In a snowstorm? Not likely with a digital camera. Fantastic lighting on a clear winter day with the temperature around -30C. But the question was "Snowstorm" or Summer day". I had to choose "Summer day". p.s. here in Alberta we've been getting a lot of "Snowstorm" days lately!

[alpreston]

I might have chosen spring or fall if those choices had been present. Winter snowstorm? Not a chance - way too cold. When the temperature's down around -30°C and the wind's blowing enough to pu***he effective temperature down another 10 - 20 degrees both I and my camera feel better indoors......

[Anonymous]

Before I was 55 or so, I would have said "winter" (and I have the photos to prove it), but my bones just won't bear it anymore.
Really, even now, my answer is not "a perfect summer day", but "a perfect fall day" (we have the spectacular Northern Catskills to play in, and I would have thought you Wisconsos would have recognized this particular special season, too).
Cheers, & c.
Steve Delibert

[tilecki]

Personally I prefer a crisp fall day over both summer (too hot) and winter (too cold). The backgroud scenery is much better at that time of year. Too bad that was not a choice.

Tony

[Dalin]

I can't imagine a better time to photo trains at the Tehachapi Loop than during a beautiful summer day. The colors of the BNSF & UP engines just shine in the sunlight.I have been there during a snow storm, and there is no comparison.

[JoeKoh]

I would take a summer day so Matt and i could go to Lattys grove and play in the park too while watching trains
stay safe
joe

[Anonymous]

There's just no contest-perfect summer day. Winter should be outlawed, there is not one reason it should exist. For the last 12 years I've been employed as an emergency services dispatcher and I HAVE to get to work regardless while most people can call out if the weather/roads are too bad. For the last 17 years I've also been a volunteer firefighter and I can tell you it is no fun being frozen into your turnout gear with an airpack frozen to your back and having the entire fire scene turn into an immense outdoor skating rink. To think that I'd even want to pursue rail photography in this kind of weather is absurd (although I have to admit winter does offer some tremendous photo ops). For me winter is best passed by organizing my photos taken during the spring/summer/fall and working on my N-scale layout.

[DICKK]

Seeing a train on a clear summer day is nice but seeing a train pulling its load on a blustery winter day illustrates the one thing trains represent when all other modes of transportation are stopped. POWER!!!!

[Anonymous]

Summer!!!! I am so coooolllldddd!!!! Its hard to stand outside when the wind chill is below zero. I nice summer day is just great. The best time is when the sun is just going down. Perfect.

[Anonymous]

I voted for Summer. I may like the cold, but I'm sure not going to spend a WHOLE day in it just taking photos.

[Anonymous]

Nothing beats a cold winter snowstorm taking pictues in a train yard!!!! cold air, steam rising for the diesel and that great snow!!! summer is for fishing

[Anonymous]

Anything but this freezing crap.

LC

[locomutt]

Perfect Summer days are geneally just that.PERFECT
Winter snowstorms are really fasinating to see.
In the winter you really get a chance to see first hand
what the road and equipment are up against. Could
be trackside in a picturesque spot, a yard, a highway
crossing,or just on the road, mabe pulling a 1% grade.
Just use your imagination in whatever you see,or want
to see.

Sure summers are nice(warmer too) but for picture
taking WINTER is the only way to go.
Although cherokee woman preffers summer.

[Bergie]

Would you rather spend a day photographing trains in a winter snowstorm, or on a perfect summer day? Please vote and then share your comments below.

Polls on Trains.com are not scientific and reflect only the opinions of the users who have chosen to participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, the readers of our magazines, nor the public as a whole. Bottom line, our polls are meant for fun and to stimulate conversation amongst our forum users.