Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 46: January 30, 2006

The latest installment of Trackside with Erik and Mike is now live within the Railroading section on the Trains.com home page. Please read this week’s column first then vote for your favorite photo below. Click here to read Trackside with Erik and Mike Vol. 46.

I voted Eric’s photo because I like seeing the snow fly after the train passes, plus I am a fan of CN.

I liked Erik’s IC repaint shot, but I just loved the way the snow was caked up on that snoot nose, that was awesome. Along with that barn, which living on a farm, it got my vote!

I voted fo Eric’s shot. I love how the thrain was kicking up snow, the green signal in the background, the class unit on the point…it all came together and Mr. Bergstrom created a wonderful photgraph.

Not to say the Mikes was bad, I like the effec of the curve, but Eric gets my vote.

Top notch work guys!

Yup Eriks is my fav this week - into lots of colours!!! I think the red (loco) and white (snow) set each other off well.

The splash of CN red makes the photo as does the clouds of snow.

Chuck Hinrichs
No decent snow in Kentucky. . .yet!

I voted for Eric because i liked the fuller snow cloud effect. Now, if Mike had submitted that marsh shot for voting, i would have voted for it hands down. In the marsh shot, I liked the fact that it shows the fact that trains do run on something other than completely dry land. Train through forest, while beautiful, does get old after a while.
As for the voting pictures, Mike’s train seems to blatently end rather quickly, where as Eric’s train could go on for ever, you can’t tell.
Keep up the good work guys!

Now, can you guys go for all the Class 1’s in Wisconsin in one day on their home rails? I figure you will need the summers additional daylight to accomplish it.

Erik’s shot I like better as it shows more of the train and a bit more snow flying.
Erik seems to be getting the hang of making the better shots, of course having a teacher like Mike helps, eh Bergie?

Eric’s took it this time for me, everything was sharp including the block signal , it was nice to see the snow, as out here in the Pacific Northwest we are seeing the main lines blocked by mud slides and flooded right-of-ways.

The main line is cloged with at least 15 freights and the AmTrak is not even running through my town today or even this week.

Voted for Erik. Not a UP fan at all.

Too bad I don’t have one of those cameras…

Mike, you had a very nice photo but there is something about Erik’s submittal that seemed more dynamic that made me select his photo over yours. If you had used your Amtrak photo, I would have voted differently. The challendge for Mike now, is to capture a photo of Erik in his head gear and present it in the Trackside column.

As much as I like the UP shot, I had to go with the CN shot, the blowing snow did it for me.

I don’t even care about the signal, it’s such a good shot of CN. the UP shot is okay, but not inspirational in any way. Red and snow wins every time!

Erik’s photo is by far the best of the two, Love the snow the fact I could read the number boards. Bergie you are the man this week…

Even being a UP railfan I went with Eric’s shot of the CN… to me it just shouted COLD!!! although both shots were outstanding!

Well, I’ll quote Zach to start things off, and add a few comments of my own. Blecch! Snow! Too much of the train “disappeared” into the whiteness of Erik’s photo, Mike’s had the advantage with just one car! But the cloud of snow appeared much further back in Mike’s shot too, so that helped with my decision.

I actually kinda disliked both photos for much of the same reasons, and a little of different reasons, but ultimately I had to go with Mike’s. Looks like I’m in the minority here though…

Ouch! For me it was difficult to decide, because in some aspects the two pics are almost identical - perspective, kicking up snow, curve, coldness…

But then Eric got my vote, because the trailing cloud of swirling snow is just a bit more dramatic than in Mikes shot. But both pics are simply great! Brrrr… must have been ***ed cold waiting for the train to come!

Ron

I voted for Mike’s photo. I thought the angle was more unique. It almost looked 3D, the nose really sticks out of the photo. To me, Eric’s photo is just too generic.