I just posted the latest installment of Trackside with Erik and Mike in our new section within the Railroad Reference area of TrainsMag.com. That's right, we now have our very own corner of the Trains magazine site.
Read Trackside with Erik and Mike Volume 55
Voting for Trackside with Erik and Mike now occures at the top of the Trackside with Erik and Mike section. Click here to vote.
Please feel free to add your comments regarding this week's photos here.
Thanks, Erik
Hmmmmm...some similar shots this week. I think I like Mike's slightly better. The telephoto compression of Bergie's shot is fun, but the I don't like the shadow on the left side of the loco nose, and I think I would have liked a trifle more room in front of the loco for some reason. Also, I'm not a big fan of shots that cut-off the train at the edge of the frame, unless they absolutely have to.
The curve at the very end of the train, and it's disappearance into foliage rather than the edge of the frame of Mike's shot is slightly more aesthetically appealing, at least to me.
Great shots as always though, guys. Thanks for sharing!
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Willy
We need a new votong category. . . . ."None of the Above"
Two plain vanilla shots. Ho Hum
Chuck Hinrichs
James, Brisbane Australia
Modelling AT&SF in the 90s
chuckrail wrote: We need a new votong category. . . . ."None of the Above" Two plain vanilla shots. Ho Hum Chuck Hinrichs
Sounds like someone needs to be our next special guest. Trackside with Erik, Mike and Chuck. Join us for a month and you'll find out how hard it can be to obtain presentable photos every other week (especially when you live in southeastern Wisconsin!).
Bergie
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)
I went with Erik's myself. I've seen quite a few shots of coal trains in green surroundings, but the low lighting angle, the vertical curvature of the train and the locomotive really looking like it's working did it for me. An excelent shot Erik, from an excellent location (always liked Duplainville, although I don't get down there enough).
Noah
ok, nothing special here so my vote goes to Erik. Just a little more interesting photo, I like the "sag" in the middle. The telephoto helps too. Larry in Wauwatosa
....I must vote for Mike's photo this week. Like the sceenery included in the shot and the extended shot of the train slicing down the center in balance.
Of course Erik's shot is nice as well....but this week we must go with Mike.
Quentin
I like Erik's shot this week. Sometimes it is better to have more going on in a scene, it gives a better sense of busy mainline railroading. Good job Erik!
Bergie wrote: chuckrail wrote: We need a new votong category. . . . ."None of the Above" Two plain vanilla shots. Ho Hum Chuck Hinrichs Sounds like someone needs to be our next special guest. Trackside with Erik, Mike and Chuck. Join us for a month and you'll find out how hard it can be to obtain presentable photos every other week (especially when you live in southeastern Wisconsin!). Bergie
Try living in Southest Missouri, we don't even have highway bridges. Tough for me this week, too, pretty similar. So, with personal interests, I went with Mike's because it's a UP coal train in a good patch of woods. I saw a single CN unit pulling a train today (an SD60F on a fricken UP manifest). So, maybe it's just to soon for me to see that again.
Pump
Sorry again Erik, I voted for Mike's shot. It was an interesting photo due to the angle. The overhead view makes it stand out from the standard "roster" shot. It was a tough decision! Both of you keep up the GREAT job.
Stay Safe,
Jim
jackal wrote:Erik, you said: "I guess I could have shared the rear-end of this train and asked you to use your imagination, but I know how much we all like to see the head-end power." Even with a northbound, though, you probably would have got the exact same shot as you did. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and SCRRA's Metrolink both operate push-pull, using the locomotive as the head end for trains outbound from Union Station (in San Clemente's case, heading south) and the cab-car at the head end heading into Union Station. So, even if you had seen a northbound Pacific Surfliner, it most likely would have been facing the exact same direction (i.e. locomotive on the south end) as the train you photographed.
Hi Jackal,
Thanks for posting.
You're absolutely right. Once I was heading the the nearby restaurant (on the San Clemente pier) the northbound finally showed up and it was indeed pushing. I was actually referring to the rear end of the southbound, which actually had good light on it.
Again, thanks for sharing.
Take care,
Erik
I think that if you are taking photos for publication, you should do a better job. Personally, I think both photos stink in this months edition.
I have railfaned all over MO and I disagree that there are not good photo spots at trackside.
If you shot the San Clemente picture and it was no good, why didn't you go further south th Del Mar? With the L.A. basin or Cajon Pass within an hours drive, maybe you would have had better luck.
Erik got my vote this time.I like the train streched out over the undulating landscape.That was really cool.Mike's shot was also very good but it was a UP train and any UP shot automatically starts with one strike against it.
Erik,that top shot of the CN train was great until I clicked on it.I noticed in the enlarged picture that the nose door had been left open,spoiling the shot. Otherwise it would have made for a good entry sometime.
I liked the crispness and the symmetry of Mike's shot, and it's excellently framed and exposed.
I liked the 'grittiness' of Erik's photo, and how the length of the train and how the track profile is evident. If it wasn't for those scrap ties.....
Each had their positive features. A difficult decision. Mike gets the nod this week.
Mike I liked your UP train the BEST would have liked to seen it from lower level but this was
GOOOD. Keep up the good work. OJR
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