In our online feature, Trackside with Erik and Mike, Trains.com staff members Erik Bergstrom and Mike Yuhas go trackside and share their photo results with you. In each installment, we’ll include let our users vote on who got the best shot. Read this week’s installment.
Please vote and then share your comments.
The feeling as I see it goes to Mike’s excellent photo of the UP diesel shows sunshine while the other on show it too dark and it looks dirty![8D]
Paul
Mike’s was the best shot, showing blue sky and power lines and picture was very sharp, Erik’s looked muddy and dark. I voted for Mike.
I voted for mike. Clearer background decided it.
Both good pacing shots; however for reasons others have listed, Mike gets my vote.
Erik gets my vote. His photo has the greater sense of motion–the point of getting a pacing shot. One can’t control the equipment nor in what state of condition it is in.
Mike’s shot of the Union Pacific in the sunlight won my vote. Eric’s looked like it was taken when the two gunslingers shot it out at high noon at the OK Corral. 
I don’t know why, but I find Mike’s pics far superior than Eirk’s. Well, for one thing, Mike’s Dash-9 is much clearer and the resolution is terrific. Or perhaps I’m a big fan on dash 9’s. either way, hats off to Mike
Thanks Mike for a great shot of the UP diesel, it doesnt get any better.
Both images are fine for pacing shots, but the CP engine shot definitely lacks some light. Sad because it could have earned my vote otherwise! Details came out better on the Onion Pacific AC4400.
Thanks for your column Mike, Erik, and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!
Vianney Rogé, France [:D]
They were both good shots. If I could have voted for both I would have. I picked Mike’s simply because of the railroad, which I admit is not the proper thing to do , but I could not decide on them and one has to.
DIDN’T LIKE EITHER PHOTO! MAYBE IF THEY GOT OUT OF THE CAR, THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH MORE CREATIVELY!
Erik’s picture would have been clearly superior if it had been front lit, like Mike’s. Mike’s is also sharper. In Eric’s defense, I ended up deciding that he better captured the motion. Also, seeing the engineer helps “put me in the scene” by capturing the connection between the photographer and the person he is photographing. In the end, I think Mike’s shot is just hardware while Eric’s shows relationship.
Erik’s photo better shows the equipment “at work”, I think. Both photos fail when judged from other POV’s.
I admit that Eric’s photo is a little out of context, in my opinion; however, there is some kind of beauty to be said of a ‘snoot-nose’. So Eric got my vote this time around. But please, guys; be more safety conscious (sp?); we want to be sure you’ll be around for the next edition.
I voted for Erik’s photo. I’m not quite sure why I liked it best, but perhaps because it was a somewhat older unit and I’m a bit partial to CP.
Both are very nice action shots, and so similar, that I am not surprised that my vote for Erik just put him in the lead…63-62. Why did I vote for Erik’s? Well, his is of traditional power (which looks better than the widecabs IMHO), and CP’s nice red paint just gives me that feeling I can;'t describe.
edit-and I forgot to mention the sight of the bell…also very nice, and hardly seen these days!
I thought the UP photo looked better
Erik gets my vote. Both had sharp subject matter, however, the Usually Parked can never win over almost any road. Erik’s photo said “speed” to me…and a snoot…what can I say.
Walt
Yes the UP is better lit and you see more of it, but if it’s a pacing shot, the weeds in the forground give a much better sense of motion, you can almost feel the wind. If you just want to see the UP take a static shot.