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 60
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 add your comments regarding this week's photos here.
Thanks, Erik
Well, Erik, in spite of the fact that my daughter and son-in-law also graduated from Bradley, and the fact that your shot is probably more scenic, I have to go with Mike's, because it appears to be more railroady. Somehow protrays more action, even after one has enlarged yours. Sorry!
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)
Sorry Mike, I had to go with Erik's this time. Living right near Peoria, the Iowa Interstate is always visable on my drive home along their yard in Peoria. Also I like the Illinois River in the background. This is the line I have operated my Fairmont motorcar (speeder) C&O M1171 on for the Chillicothe Corn Fest last year.
Everyone stay safe,
Jim
Weeellll, since I happen to have a shot of that very same IAIS engine in my collection, taken near Homestead, IA a year ago,
http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/6832/IowaInterstate1.jpg
you can guess where my vote went...
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
....This week I choose Mike's shot....Only reason is it contains more "railroad" stuff. The two photos to me seem equal in quality. One comment I might make: Eric's shot has the train in shadow...{except the front}.
Wonder why the ditch lights are not lit on the right hand train. Thought all trains were required to have them turned on.
Quentin
This was a toughy for me this week. I'll preface by saying that I like both shots very much. I've tried to list my thoughts on each shot below, and I'll reveal my vote at the end.
Mike's shot: Well, I'm always a fan of a head on telephoto, and this one is no exception. The fact that you bagged two trains for the price of one in a very natural position (e.g. you didn't force the perspective just to get two trains in the shot) is a huge plus. The lighting is nice, and as you mentioned the shadows are just cooperative enough so as not to wreck the shot. Using the bridge to frame the shot adds to the image, too. The only part I don't like is the dead space on the left side of the image. To me it throws off the composition. It's not bad, but I would've liked to see the composition shifted a little to the right, or this shot cropped a bit on the left side. Could be a personal taste, thing, though.
Erik's shot: This is the type of wedge shot I like. The train disappears into the background rather than being abruptly cut off by the edge of the frame. That always make for a more "harmonious" shot, IMHO (I think it better portrays the train in it's environment). There's some dead space in this shot, too, this time on the right side. However, I think the composition works for two reasons. 1) The train is moving into the shot. In any type of action picture, whether it be sports, auto racing, or railfanning it usually works better to show where your subject is going and not where he, she or it has been. This shot is no exception. Additionally, because we're moving into the winter months, the trees are bare and we get a good glimpse of the river. I think it's huge addition to the shot. What I don't like is the angle of the sun. I can understand it's a grab shot while taken on a trip that had other ultimate intentions rather than railfanning. Additionally, this is the IAIS. It's not like shooting the UP in Nebraska where one can work most angles at some point during the day because there's usually a train in either direction. Still, it does detract from the shot a bit.
In the end, it was a very hard vote. I looked for a long time at both shots evaluating the good and the bad. In the end, my eye forgave the lighting of Erik's shot a little more than the dead space of Mike's. Additionally, I just really like the addition of the river to Erik's shot. It really was a tough decision, and this was getting really nit-picky, though. Great shots guys, and 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
Eric
Illinois river in the background always gets my vote. But I also like catching the indications lit on Mike's shot.
Go Eric
Bob
Jack Fuller
Welcome back!
Wow, this is a tough one. At first I thought it was Mikes vs another wedgie.
But as you have repeatedly pleaded.....look at the enlarged version. Erik's is a great shot. I try to judge first by content, then include the narritive. When you combine both, it of course tells more story, & I love that part. Having had those same feelings when "stalking" trains, it's easy to get into the picture. I always vote before I read the comments or check the totals. It's great seeing another line, & the scenery is beautiful. I guess the tie buster was the 2 trains. Mike got my vote.
Larry in Wauwatosa
Well I had to go with Erik's shot. It is classic IAIS! I live in the QC and go to school at Bradley and see them all the time. It is a great class 2/regional railroad and beats the class one's hands down in my book They were both great shots but the IAIS will always get my vote! Thank you both, for the great shots.
Bill PearsallGO BU!
Both shots are pretty good again this week, but Sorry Erik, I had to go with Mike's. Erik's was a pretty good shot, but between the lighting being on the wrong side of the train (something I've never cared for) and the trees blocking an otherwise nice view of the lake, I just found that to be too many cons to Mike's shot's pros. With the side by side meet, the local's train having a jog in it, and the overpass to frame it all, I just had to go with Mike's this week.
Good shots though, both of you!
Noah
Had to go with Erik's shot. dont care for the UP, and seems as how it is my second favorite railroad, only 2nd to Norfolk Southern. I just love the IAIS' paint scheme.
Both fantastic shots. My thoughts are along the same lines as copcarSS's posting. I studied both shots for a long time and decided that Erik's was just a bit better. I love the composition of the wedge shot with scenery ahead and the train disappearing into the background. The perfect wedge angle, IMO.
This was probably the toughest choice of the entire series. The Iowa shot is great...perhaps almost too perfect. One thing for sure, it's very pretty.
But the nitty gritty action of railroading is front and center in the UP photo, and while it's definitely not too pretty, it's very interesting.
I'd have liked to voted "tie" on this one...and wonder if perhaps that shouldn't be a third voting option.
FWIW, I voted for the UP shot.
TJB - Nashville, TN
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Go Huskies. Forward Together Forward
Fan of - C&NW - Milwaukee Road - CGW -
Hello Folks,
Although both shots were great, Mikes photo with the two trains, were good ! the bridge took away from the shot , I couldn't help but wonder about the rest of the train. Erik shot was also a good shot with the landscape, and the nose of the cab in the light but the side was in the shadows! leaving me ? ?
I guess after learning from "Wendy L. Cochran" about taking train photos, who "I think is a great railfan photographer", I think they were leaving something....... my vote will go for Erik's as the best of the two.
Chris
AWESOME pic Erik! I'm being bias because I was the conductor of that IAIS train (BUSW...aka "Peoria Rocket"). We had a late start out of Bureau because my engineer for the day had to deadhead out of Rock Island and wasn't rested until 08:15....so we was running a little late than normal that day. Train consist of 31 lds of grain, 4052 tons, 2000 ft. A short train considering previous three days our train consist has been 60 to 85 cars southbound (TT westbound). After interchange with the TZPR in Peoria we headed back to Bureau with a consist of 0 lds x 91 mty, 3003 tons, 5700 ft. At Bureau we turned the corner and headed west towards Rock Island as an extra mty grain train, met a recrew in Sheffield on our Hours of Service, and d/h back to Bureau. Too bad you didn't have time to follow us all the way to Peoria and back, the line is very slippery this time of year with leaves on the rails. We experienced some wheel slip going both ways, especially near Sparland where you took that shot at.
It was nice to see you out at trackside and a treat to see you chose this pic up for vote to be this week's favorite. I know which one will get my vote!
K A Weaver Orion, IL
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.