Vote for your favorite image in the Trackside with Trains Vol. 303: “Hometown pride” photo contest! The poll is open through April 14.
http://trn.trains.com/photos-videos/trackside/2017/05/vol-303-hometown-pride
Stuck between Brian and Max’s…both fit the theme very well, but I think Brian’s is closer to the “home town” idea…Even though I worked for 20 years switching the city docks here, and should have a bias for ship and trains together, Max’s shot, while good enough to go on a calendar, shows more ore dock theme than railroad.
So I go with Brian’s…
Brian Schmidt:
Most interesting theme! But, for voting clarification, exactly what does ‘Hometown pride’ have reference to? Is it a small community with one or two railfans that get excited about some old or new power passing through, or something in the community, like a historical roundhouse, the railroad by the rim of the Grand Canyon, etc., which the whole community area can thrill and be prideful of?
Somehow, as is often the case, the theme concept may be eluding voters. For example, YOUR photo, Brian, is indeed a cool photo, but basically is the same as Alex Mayes’ photo, yet the voting results on those two photos are widely apart. Somehow I wonder if voters are NOT really theme conscious but are swayed by nostalgia, the older power in your photo. It would make a lively and enlightening discussion herein if more voters came forward and explained how they interpreted the theme and why they voted the way they did.
Best,
K.P.
I was looking for something that would personalize the photo for a specific place - such as the Aberdeen & Rockfish loco at Rockfish. Another consideration would be a “named” locomotive at it’s namesake.
An article on the Aberdeen & Rockfish that I enjoyed immensely - well done in every respect:
I always check for the theme first, and three words stood out, namely HOME, TOWN and PRIDE. For me “pride” immediately eliminated Brian’s picture of a filthy old GP wearing the remains of a previous road’s paint scheme (sorry Brian). At least one other was in a purely rural setting, even if it was otherwise an excellent picture.
Eventually, by elimination, I voted for the shiny ONR FP7 in its “home” shop.
The railroad owns the ore docks 
Berkshire Hathaway owns BNSF, and millions of square feet in retail and rental buildings, I wouldn’t accept a photo of one of their apartment buildings as a railroad themed photo….Don’t care who owns the ore dock either.