Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 68

[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 68

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

[Modelcar]

 

....My vote is with Mikes.  Strange reason.  I equate both photos equal as quality from the photographer.  Obviously similar type of settings and compositions.

Have to make my judgement from the content. In this case, that is the railroad equipment....The equipment in Erik's photo looks more unkempt, crapy....Mike's, brighter colors, etc...

One unrelated photo question:  Seems strange, tank cars connected right to the power...Maybe they are not fuel carrying tanks.  Just thought that was not done where it could be avoided.

[fuzzybroken]

I must have been #9 to vote -- probably the highest I've ever voted!  And I tipped the scales in Erik's favor...   I liked Erik's shot better, since it is something that we won't see anymore, as SOO 6004 is no longer on the roster.  I just like the rare and/or endangered stuff, I guess.

I was kinda wondering why I didn't see Mike yesterday...

[zardoz]

Another difficult choice!

I like the uniqueness of Erik's shot; two units of SOO power, mis-matched number boards on the lead unit; but most of the train seems a bit out-of-focus to me, and the overhead wires and tower are a bit of a distraction.

Mike's image of the "one-unit wonder", all nice and clean, with enough snow on the pilot and walkways for effect, made for a sharp photo. 

 

Mike gets the vote this week.

[zardoz]

I must have been #9 to vote -- probably the highest I've ever voted!  And I tipped the scales in Erik's favor...  

50/50 when after I voted.

[cpprfld]

I went with Mike's photo this time. It was difficult to choose, because both photos were so similar. I liked Mike's photo better because of the sharpness of the color of the locomotive.

[Noah Hofrichter]

Both shots were really good this week guys! I had a hard time deciding. In the end I went with Erik's. Between the sweet light, the awesome power, and with a little more telemash just seemed like the best to me. It was definately a tough decision though!

Noah

[PBenham]

Well, I put the Jinx on Mike, by voting for his CP shot over Bergie's SOO SD60 shot, decided by the time honored Vermont Quarter method. Mike's shot was a bit better, but I'll do my damage.. and vote for Mike's shot. We did not get anywhere near 80 in Mudville, USA, but 60 sure was an improvement on what we're gonna get this coming weekend, when winter is supposed to return

[UnionPacificVic]

Two standard loco mug shots.   So how do you vote?  What seperates these two pictures?  I voted for the picture with the little extras in it-- Bergies.  What is that "mist" emenating from the side of the train?  Is it snow being slung up?  Is it steam?  Or in a "harken to the past" moment, is it brake shoe smoke?  Whatever it is, it lends character to and otherwise standard approach shot.  That, and the beat up SOO grinder leading the way.  That little extra and the lighting difference is really all that seperates these two otherwise fairly standard photos. 

"Did you see what I did?"

[CopCarSS]

Difficult vote this week. Two very similar shots.

Advantage Mike: The image looks a bit sharper. There's less clutter (Power Lines, etc.) Little bit more of a wintery feel.

Advantage Erik: That delicious late evening light.

Since photography literally translates from Greek as "Light Writing," my vote has to go to the nice warm light of Erik's shot. Just my personal preference as a "Golden Hour" photo chaser.

[asnjoe24]

It was a really tough choice for me this week; both have some characteristics that really caught my eye, so I had to weigh them by how much they had before I reached my final decision of Mike's. Though the day that Mike's CP photo looks clear, there seems to be almost a pale blue shade to the photo that brings on a cold, winter mood, contrasted with the light patches of snow on the ground that suggest a spring thaw. That's what won me over.

Erik's Soo Line photo also grabs me for a few reasons: 1.) the Soo Line engines are worn and give the impression of their seeing a long haul, 2.) the consist is autocarrier, and autocarrier cars are the most common thing I see sitting in the ABQ yard in my area, and 3.) the trail of blowing snow, mist, brake smoke, or whatever it is that is being blown up by the train, giving it the appearance of emergence from mist. That effect is really awesome, and was the first thing that caught my attention in Erik's shot, making it a great one.

- Bryan

[Rocket Man]

Real Estate = Location, Location, Location
Photography = Lighting, Lighting, Lighting
Winner = Erik, Erik, Erik

[gemotor]

Well, much as I normally like the long, warm light of late afternoon, the power lines pretty much spoiled it for me in Erik's photo.  The composition of Mike's photo is right on!  A bit of winter trees in the background to set off the crisp focus on the locomotive - check it out under high magnification, the locomotive appears three-dimensional against those trees.  Shows ya what selective focus can do.  In fact, the greater the magnification, the better this image looks.  The thumbnail looked just too contrasty and blue, but two steps bigger, really nice.  Good work, both of you.  I'll be looking forward to spring as much as you. 

[Anonymous]

Sorry guys, didnt cast a vote this time as neither shot did much for me. Composition wise they were equal.  Seen these types of shot time after time after time after time ad infinium

[gapotter09]

I must agree...Mike took a big chance in getting this picture with those tank cars directly behind the locomotive.  Where were the Auditors for OSHA ?? Whatever happened to the

normal operating rules.

 

 

[lhtalbot]

Both shots seem to be the same, so I had to use some other criteria to vote.

I went with the poor little SOO engine, beat up & raggedy, even the numbers are make-shift (is that an upside-down 9?) No new paint job, just doing it's best day after day...............

OMG! What an I saying???? I HAVE gone insane, & didn't realize it until now????

Larry in Wauwatosa

[pawbase]

I couldn't resist that Gleaming Engine!!

[Mookie]

 Yawn..

[ValorStorm]

Chose Erik's. They're both very similar photos, except that in Erik's pic the train looks like it's bursting into the sunlight. The train in Mike's...isn't.

[mandelswamp]

At first, I was leaning toward Mike's photo because his had a nice new shiny locomotive in it and Erik's engine looked rather drab.  However, I took one more close look at both and decided that Erik's photo featured a closer view of the train and in my opinion, a more dynamic shot than Mike's.  So Erik won my vote this time.  Mike, I hope you have a wonderful vacation and bring back lots of interesting photos to share with us in future editions fo Trackside with Erik and Mike.

[Bergie]

 Yawn..

It's a good thing I'm not petty. If I were, I would be tempted to move over to the coffee shop and give your posts the same treatment.

Bergie

[CNW 6000]

Mr. Bergie it seems like you heard what I said last time, not that it mattered all that much in the scheme of things.  The power you have is unique and your shot has the 'little things' that make pictures stand out.  You've got the beat up older units still giving their all, a sense of power emanating from the exhaust plume coming from the engines, and a sense of speed from the powder/snow/whatever being kicked up by the train.  To sum that up it's a railroad at work, working hard.  I like that picture.  That being said I usually go for widenose power as it's a favorite of mine, but yours Erik gets my vote.  Nice shot! 

[Mookie]

 Yawn..

It's a good thing I'm not petty. If I were, I would be tempted to move over to the coffee shop and give your posts the same treatment.

Bergie

I apologize if I upset you.  Let's just say I don't care for either one this week.

Mookie

[Willy2]

 Yawn..

It's a good thing I'm not petty. If I were, I would be tempted to move over to the coffee shop and give your posts the same treatment.

Bergie

I apologize if I upset you.  Let's just say I don't care for either one this week.

Mookie

Yikes!

I decided to go with Mike's photo this time around. I liked the nice clean power on the point rather than the older locomotives in Erik's pic. However, I thought both photos were almost equal in quality and it was a really hard choice.

Some people have mentioned that the power lines in Erik's photo decrease its quality, but I don't see why the power lines in Erik's shot take anything away from the photo. In fact, I didn't even notice them until I looked at the photo a second time. Details, details, I guess.

[TrackTalk 1]

This is the first time that I've responded in the comments section of the contest.  While each shot has it's own unique charitstics they both share the same type of compostion.  I voted for Eriks photo because it reminds me so much of what everyday railroading is all about.

The semetry of the jointed rail, the workaday locomotives in run 8 lashed together only because they are the horsepower needed, the trail of light snow kicked up by the movement of the train, the low late winter but warming lighting, the late winter leaveless trees, the crew attentive to their task and how the sum of all the parts come together to represent everyday railroading.

[Bergie]

This is the first time that I've responded in the comments section of the contest.  While each shot has it's own unique charitstics they both share the same type of compostion.  I voted for Eriks photo because it reminds me so much of what everyday railroading is all about.

The semetry of the jointed rail, the workaday locomotives in run 8 lashed together only because they are the horsepower needed, the trail of light snow kicked up by the movement of the train, the low late winter but warming lighting, the late winter leaveless trees, the crew attentive to their task and how the sum of all the parts come together to represent everyday railroading.

 

Thanks for joining the conversation, TrackTalk1. Welcome!

Bergie

[LVJJJ]

voted for Erik, more train less landscape (seems happier too), what power lines?, also prefer EMD.  Whatever happened to the 6000 hp units EMD & GE were supposed to build, since Mike's shot is of an ES44AC?  Larry of the North

[zardoz]

 Yawn..

It's a good thing I'm not petty. If I were, I would be tempted to move over to the coffee shop and give your posts the same treatment.

Bergie

I apologize if I upset you.  Let's just say I don't care for either one this week.

Mookie

Gee, I'm glad I didn't catch any flak for my non-committal response in the last contest...

[Chris Owens]

I really enjoyed Mikes photo.

[Railfan1]

I went with Erik's this time. For some reason I find it interesting to see locomotives with mis-matched number boards. It was a tuff choice yet again.  Keep up the great work.