Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 22: January 3, 2005

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.

I liked Erik’s for the snow, it’s something I wish I could shoot in around here in Central Wisconsin, as currently, there’s none of it! I also liked the warbonnet scheme, one of my favorite ATSF schemes, I just wish it wouldn’t have been painted over with the “BNSF.” Sorry Mike, but I’m just not a big UP fan!

Noah

Tuff choise, but I voted for Mike’s. I like it because it shows a lot of action and normally it is hard to shot two trains at the same time like this.

Again, Mike’s photo for the timing (and the luck) of being able to line up two trains. That is even harder with so many fewer trains in Australia, but I try from time to time.

Peter

I think it just is a beautifull night shot.

its one of the best night photos i have seen …put it on a 2006 calander …you see alot of train shots but thats a great one

Both picture’s looked nice,kind of hard for me to decide…John

I went with Erik although I generally prefer Mike’s shots. Although it was a bit dark (Duh! It was a Night Shot!) Erik’s seemed to hold more interest. I had the feeling the locos were poised for action …

Erik’s shot is awesome. The night and snow is just perfect!! Nice job!

Before Christmas there was a comment about the Air Conditioning unit being orange and not matching. I am sure when the original failed, the shop forces took a spare unit off the shelf to keep the Loco on the road instead of tieing up the unit waiting for repair. I have seen this same situation before, but with a silver AC unit on a H-2 dash 9. We see lots of units with different color radiator fans, Oakway units with blue fans, and SD60M’s with blue fans. Any thing to keep the units rolling.

Erik’s photo reminds me of one of the Santa Fe CW40-8’s that I run on my layout. Great shot!

Great exposure Erik, but I just can’t bring myself to vote for basically the same shot twice! I’m not discounting Mike’s shot in any way…I did like it a bit better even though it’s the same boring UP stuff I see around here!

Erik’s night shot suffers from the general lack of dynamic range (ability to capture a range of brightness levels) that digital cameras have. Don’t know what post-processing Erik and Mike do, but Erik’s shot clearly needed some (or more) brightening of the `dark’ areas of his shot. I’m sure his eyes saw more detail than the camera captured.

I liked the two trains,…BUT… being from Roanoke, Va home the O Winston Link Meusem I had to compare the night shot to that of the master and found it DID in-fact measure up. GANNB

mIke’s shot is great with the two doubles.

I was hopeing that Erik and Mike would take it easy this week after the holidays yea.[(-D]
Ok, Mike (you the man) two trains at the same time that is, was good timing almost better than a photo shoot. Erik a good no great night shot but Mik’s two trains at the same time. [yeah]
this could be a tie vote week[?]

As much as I dislike UP, I had to go with Mike’s shot. There is just something about it that I like.

Both shots were great, however I went with Mike’s shot this week. Mainly for a reason Mike likes it, a very nice going away shot. And that old saw blade logo doesn’t hurt! Nice light too.

Greg

Mike you got the entire sceen spot on, well done. Erik, the angle on locomotive is perfect but the lighting was just not there, sorry I’m spoiled by O Winston Link’s night shots.

Barry