Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 57

[Bergie]

I just posted the latest installment of Trackside with Erik and Mike in our new section within the Railroad Reference area of TrainsMag.com.

Read Trackside with Erik and Mike Volume 57

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

[oltmannd]

Mike has the dramatic curves of the double track and heat distortion from the locomotive's exhaust, but Erik has a sunny day and a very quaint depot - even with the distraction of the overhead wires this noses out Mike's shot by a slim margin.

Of course, that's only my opinion.  Your mileage may vary.

[zardoz]

I lilke Erik's shot because of the use of the old depot, and I know how difficult it is to get a good shot in that area.  Too bad about them wires.

I liked Mike's because of the good use of the less-than-idea conditions, plus the exhaust looks cool, and I like the lines of the tracks and the nice clean ballast.  Too bad about that microwave tower.

Mike's by a nanometer.

[CShaveRR]

I can't even put my finger on the reason(s), but Mike's spoke to me more loudly. 

I remember autumns in Wisconsin--the beautiful colors I'd been promised turned out to all be varying shades of yellow.  That may have had an adverse effect on Erik's photo, as far as I was concerned.

At least I didn't allow a prejudice for one railroad over another to affect my vote (were I a couple of generations younger, I might say they both sucked!).

[2cdtrains]

Why do you need a remote to take pictures? 

[mikeyuhas]

Why do you need a remote to take pictures? 

Only for lengthy time exposures. The Canon digital cameras we use offer exposure times up to 30 seconds; anything greater than that, you need a remote device (there are a couple different types) to hold the shutter open.

[senshi]

You guys are making it hard to decide.  I'm going to go with Mike's photo, just barely.

[Hugh Jampton]

Why do you need a remote to take pictures? 

Only for lengthy time exposures. The Canon digital cameras we use offer exposure times up to 30 seconds; anything greater than that, you need a remote device (there are a couple different types) to hold the shutter open.

A remote (aka cable release in olde speak) is also usefull when you break out the really long lens as it eliminates camera judder caused by pressing the button on the camera.


Sorry Mike,, when I looked at your shot my eye was instantly drawn to the tower in the backgound (which could easily be eliminated with photoshop or some such, given the homogenious sky), so I went for Bergie's (also because I like red engines).

[Datafever]

Both photos are pretty good, IMO.  The overhead wires are a distraction that aren't noticeable in the thumbnail.  But Mike did a good job of capturing some foreground vegetation.  Erik gets kudos for the way he captured the train wrapping around the depot.  I chose Mike's photo mostly because I'm an old Burlington Northern fan.

[da Milwaukee beerNut]

Eric's by a hair - the tower in Mike's shot is distracting. Splitting the train with the old depot is well balanced. Guess I am getting used to wires in rail shots - impossible to avoid at times. (Not that Mike could get that tower re-located!)

[Anonymous]

    I voted for Mike's because, well, I am sick of sunny day shots, and the combination of the overcast sky, the double track, and the curve all  made for (IMHO) a better photo.
I just wish we could go back to film cameras (can you tell I do not own a digital?) Oh, and while I am at it, both photos were so close in subject matter, I could say they both sucked. Can we get a little more adventurous?

[TheBeanTeam]

Mike's only because he asked for the vote in such a nice manner. Both are nice photos IMO and the wires in Eric's and the Tower in Mikes gave equal distraction for me. Nice work guys.

[Modelcar]

....This time...similar shots...Long lens, approaching trains but a difference in the weather....

Must vote for Erik's photo.  Like sunshine, hence brightness and the brightly lit depot and engine.

Mike's photo depicks dreariness....Both photos are done in an equal quality manner, I simply choose Erik's for a brighter presentation of a scene.

Sorry you didn't have sunshine Mike.

 

[TOMinTN]

Talk about a tough call.  I wish there was an option to vote for a tie.  I'd have used it this time.

I wound up voting for Mikes shot, but I'll be darned if I can give you any substantive reasons.

 

[Noah Hofrichter]

Both are good photos again this time, kudos to both photographers. But, there is something about cloudy photographs, especially if they just don't seem that bright, that I never cared for. I had to vote for Erik's shot this time, as I just felt it was a little better; it has a depot, a train pulling hard on the curve, sun, and a little bit of Yellow to the trees, showing that fall is approaching in Wisconsin. Very, very nice. Mike's is pretty nice too, but I just can't get as excited about cloudy day shots.

Noah 

[Chris Owens]

Both were good photos, I didn't like the fact that they both GE's....

[ANDREW50]

THANKS! I voted for yours Eric,mainly the choise was lighting. I just like the brighter daylight and the clarity it provides. The station is a cavet too! Is the 20D a Canon Rebel also?[e-mail]
LATER!

[Anonymous]

I had to vote for Mike's shot.  That orange of the BN, along with the headlights, draws your eye directly to the engine, even without the help of the sun.  Only after I looked over the engine did I look at the rest of the picture.

Erik's shot sort of confused my eyes...I kept wandering from the station to the lead unit.  The yellow of that station really drew my attention away from the main focus, the train.


I guess I'm just nautrally drawn to bright (and shiny) objects

[LVJJJ]

Aha!, most of the comments for Erik's photo mentioned they liked the  happy sunshine, rather than the sad clouds of Mike's picture, my feelings exactly and always (you really miss the sun here in the Pacific Northwest during the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer).  My first reaction to Erik's photo was, cute.  It's just nice.  Love the old wavy rails in the left foreground, and that drop off must be fun to negotiate with a six axle loco.  Is that a crossing light or something weird hanging off one of the cars in the left background?  Even tho I much more prefer BNSF, had to go with CP because of the composition and lighting.  Larry (formerly of Las Vegas, now back in Blaine).

[gemotor]

It's Erik's photo today.  There's just more to it with the Brookfield depot and the train wrapping around it.  Excellent composition in both photos.  I do like the refraction ripples above the BNSF Dash 9's though, and I almost went for that effect.  But an overcast day in Illinois is about as interesting as an overcast day here in Washington.  A rainy day, now there's something to conjure with.  Erik, what was that object seeming to hang off the side of the second car?  Looks like someone waving their hat.

[lhtalbot]

Both photos pretty much the same. Like certain things each, I didn't notice the wires until someone mentioned them. Voted for Erik's this time, maybe the blue sky over the white??

Larry in Wauwatosa

[Anonymous]

I had to go with Eric this time, Mike.  Your pic looked ok but was too dark which flattened out the details.  I have that trouble too, but I boost the shadows out on my raw shots and then convert to jpg.  Keep up the good work the both of you!

[SrBldr]

This one was a tough one to vote for.  I noticed that others are having the same problem as both shots are very good

           Sr

[jjlamkin]

Wow, this was a tough one. Both photos are GREAT! The depot in Erik's made the choice for me, although Mike's was a very very close second. Mike's photo content looked a lot cleaner (i.e. less stuff in it). Keep up the great work.

Stay Safe,

Jim

[wweidner]

I think these photos boil down to whether you like a "right turn" or a "left turn"!!!

[zardoz]

  Erik, what was that object seeming to hang off the side of the second car?  Looks like someone waving their hat.

It is the crossing light for the road that ends on the crossing in the image.  The road parallels the tracks.

[Anonymous]

Sorry Erik, my vote went to Mike only because it was taken  at Buda,Il near Princeton, Il, where I watched many trains while visting relatives. Both pictures are good, and the depot would have probaly changed  my vote to Erik.             Rail Man   

 

[Robertdale]

I feel that both photo's were very good, however I liked Erik's pic better because of the depot and more of the train was visible coming around the curve. Please keep up the GREAT work guys.

                                                                                                         Robertdale

[wcnut]

I went with Erik's this week.  I like the broad curve in both shots, I just think Mike was robbed a little from the Illinois landscape.  Don't get me wrong, a love a good rural blanket, but in this case I think the depot adds a lot to Erik's shot.  Now if that cell tower, or whatever it is, was a barn, grain elevator, or some such structure, I would have to look closer at the shots.

One negative about Erik's is that I don't like that you can see one of the flashers from the crossing signals, on first glance I thought a load had shifted.

Greg
"wcnut"

[Rocket Man]

I think Erik's had more interest, but more distractions. I think I would have like Erik's more if it were overcast.
Mike's just appealed to me more this week. Cleaner and more pleasing to the eye. Both were incredibly equal offerings for comparison as well. Good job guys!