72 hour challenge "Yards or Yard throats" ending Monday 7th May 2007

[Colonel]

1. All challenges close at 12 midnight (24:00 hours) Eastern Standard Time on Monday 7th May 2007, and will be noted with a "Time's up!" post within the thread.
2. Please use the challenge as a motive to take a new photograph rather than using a photograph that you have taken in the past.
3. Challenges are open to everyone, have fun!!
4. Though not required, commenting on other peoples pictures is encouraged.
5. Only one image per participant so please choose the image carefully.
6. Any posts with images taken before the commencement of the challenge will be deleted.
7. For photos to be eligible they must be taken between the 5th and 7th of May 2007.
8. Ensure dates and times on your camera are correct.
9. See All time Challenge Topic (http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=87660)

[Mr. Train]

Looks like I will have to set this one out. I don't have good access to a yard:cry: put by all means carry on the rest of you.:lightbulb:

[Colonel]

Hot off the press there will be a prize for this contest

Pentrex (http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=88328)

[THarms77]

Here in Northern Illinois we have a few "yards." What is considered to be a yard? More than one siding?
This may help Mr. T to find a good spot.

Tim

P.S Could the prize be a free year TB membership? :shade:

[Colonel]

Anything more than a mainline if that helps.

[doofus]

Oh yeah! I'm ready for this one!!!!!

[Colonel]

Who will be the first to post their image for this challenge?

[doofus]

I have one, but I am not quite satisfied with it. I am going to try it over again. http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/images/icons/icon12.gif

[SteamDonkey74]

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/PNWR_North_Portland_Rail_Cut.jpg

Here's a four loco Portland & Western train chugging up through BNSF's rail cut yard in North Portland, about a mile from my house. The rear two locos are ex-Santa Fe.

Adam

[r_i_straw]

The yard at Rusk on the Texas State Railroad.
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/601/IMG_1193.JPG

[HemiAdda2d]

Dang, gonna be a tough vote again, by the looks of it!

[OC Engineer JD]

Thats just what I was thinking! :)

[HemiAdda2d]

My submission; Great Falls BNSF yard:

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/930/GF_yard_2.jpg

[campp]

Yard Limit
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1197/Yard_Limit1.JPG

[THarms77]

This picture was taken at the CN Wallace yard in Freeport IL. This yard was previously an Illinois Central yard. This line runs right behind the house I grew up in, which is why I love trains today. Ironicly enough, this same line goes right behind the house I live in now as well. (thanks for the help BNSF7173, I finally posted a full size photo. STUPID ME!!)

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/520/Freeport_Wallace_Yard_006.jpg

[Doug A.]

BNSF's ex-Burlington Northern "North Yard" located in Fort Worth, Texas. View looking northwest toward the skyscrapers of grain in the nearby suburb of Saginaw.

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/651/yard3_s.jpg

[Flash Blackman]

Doug A.: Is there a walkway there to take a picture like that? Very nice. A great place to look for freight cars.

[Doug A.]

Flash, it is indeed a neat place to view freight cars! There is a walkway/sidewalk but not much of one. Fortunately it's usually not an insanely busy road, but sometimes it can be.

[inch53]

CSX 2348 and 2501 waits quietly for Mondays work load. Illinois Ceral Mill, Paris,IL.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/102_1909.jpg

inch

[J Starbuck]

We had a great day Saturday and got a few good pics so it was hard to choose but here's my entry.

UP yard at East Clinton

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/2004_0305Contest_yards0022.JPG


[Quote] Colonel "Anything but mainline if that helps"

That's what was going through my head when I took this one.
It's a link to the first runner up photo which is anything BUT mainline.
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/2004_0305Contest_yards0015.JPG

[Tim Loutzenhiser]

Missed a shot of a coal drag heading west through the Waverly Yard in Holland today - it's the opening day of Tulip Time and I encountered too much traffic to catch it (I did get a pic of it by the depot being lead by an SD-40). So - here is what I have to offer - a shot looking west towards the yard at the Consumers Power Plant at Port Sheldon Michigan:
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/519/052007_079a.jpg

[NSFan14]

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/5-6-07_09_R.JPG

[doofus]

Here is mine. It was hard to pick the one to post.

North end of the Alliance NE South Yard.

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1432/2007_0504yards_10014.JPG

[Doug A.]

Alright! This is some good stuff! (Tim and Doofus, that's dirty pool making a bonified coal train junkie have to be subjected to such photos!)

NSFan, that's some really cool rust you got going there! Kinda like "we don't need no stinkin' mainline, we'll just run everything through the yard". Great pic.

[MRL]

It has been raining this weekend and finally got a brief break in the weather and this is what I got.

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/2007_0506SB_5-5-070053.JPG

[Scott Stutzman]

This was a hard one for me to choose a Pic to enter!
North Vancouver, Washington Yard with Locomotive Service tracks.
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/968/Vancouver_5-06-07_NYES.jpg

Runners up for me.
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/968/Vancouver_5-06-07_NY02.jpg
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/968/Vancouver_5-06-07_NY_TBPC.jpg

[SteamDonkey74]

Next time I go on a road trip I may be sending some of you PM's to try and figure out where your respective yard shots were taken!

Adam

[Colonel]

Amazing images this is going to be a close challenge.

[NSseeker]

NS's Altoona Yard
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/img0831.jpg

[Keith]

Have a couple of things to do, so I'll get and post my pic a bit later!

[Keith]

Rio Grande North Yard
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/No1.jpg

[wurlitzer153]

Rio Grande North Yard
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/No1.jpg

And I think we have a winner! LOL :p

[OC Engineer JD]

This is going to be a very close one......GREAT submissions this time guys! :)

[Colonel]

Ok the challenge is now closed. Congratulations to all of you this is one of the best yet and I'm sure its going to be one of the closest.

[E-8]

Really hard to choose.

Charlie

[HemiAdda2d]

Definitely a tough vote... And I didn't vote for my own, either... :)

[MOPMAN]

I went out and shot a couple of pics at a yard near my house, but they couldn't hold a candle to this weeks submissions. Great photos.

[J Starbuck]

My vote is in.
Looks like we might only have a race for the silver and bronze medals.
Supurb photos everyone!
Haven't checked but is fifteen the record number of entries so far?
Good to see lots of participation.

[campp]

Seems like this pace is picking up on this contest! Great shots everyone, some very cool photos.

[William Cowie]

Great job, guys!
Looks like Keith he be da man... again!! :D

[Guys, please just take a moment and feel for me - this guy lives in the same town as me... how am I EVER going to compete?? :D :D]

[Colonel]

So far 42 have voted lets try and beat the 50 mark like we did last night. Encourage members to vote so that we increase the popularity of this contest.

[Keith]

[Guys, please just take a moment and feel for me - this guy lives in the same town as me... how am I EVER going to compete??]

Well, ALMOST the same town. About 35 miles north is all!!
I actually went to Denver twice Monday, in order to get my shot for this challenge. Once in the morning with a visit to Caboose Hobbies, and once again later that night.

How to compete...?? Get out, have fun, take pictures and be creative.
:D :D

Or do as I did? Put just under $50(:eek:) in the gas tank, then burn about 80% of that, driving back and forth! I hit about 250 miles just driving to/from Denver this time. At well over $3/gal, that's NOT gonna happen too often.

Then again........:happy3:

[HemiAdda2d]

Gas is bad enough in GF, that I rode my bike to work this morning....
And it's not even summer yet!!! :omg:

A very nice turnout for this challenge--we need more votes!

[SP 9811]

Are ya close to work Hemi? Gas prices do suck!:thumbs_down:

Gas is bad enough in GF, that I rode my bike to work this morning....
And it's not even summer yet!!! :omg:

A very nice turnout for this challenge--we need more votes!

[HemiAdda2d]

3 miles.. I did a test run (after not being on a bike in 10 years) on monday, and made the run there in 10:37. Not bad. The trip back from the parking lot took double that, thanks to a mostly uphill profile, and a fierce headwind. Wind? In Montana? Naaaaawwww...... :p

[MOPMAN]

Gas prices are the main reason I quit railfanning....well to be honest that and the same Dash 9's, GEVOs, SD70s in UP, CSX, BNSF and NS are becoming boring. The KCS terminal has more BNSF & NS power than KCS. Even worse, nothing has a caboose on it anymore. But I do vote and this has to be the toughest selection yet.

[SteamDonkey74]

I used to do a lot more railfanning involving lots of driving. Gas was closer to $1.25-1.50 when I was doing more of it. I also have the added dimension that I am frequently railfanning with my two four-year-olds, and so clandestine sleuthing through yards or scrambles down ravines are not as likely as they once were. The kids pretty much know to stay clear of trains, but I can't expect them, at four, to be solely responsible for their safety, so we tend toward overpasses and other somewhat removed viewpoints. I am not going up within ten feet of the trains like I used to.

My entry this time was taken, believe it or not, on the way to the grocery store, within about two miles of my house. For everyday railfanning I live in a pretty good location. I can see a fair number of industries, lines, and types of trackage within two or three miles of my house, including two mainline carriers and some shortline traffic, too.

Adam

[HemiAdda2d]

I have to agree, Dash-9's and all the grungy power used these days gets old, but "boring" pictures of modern power sure beats no pics at all. As much as I love the old D&RGW, I still flew to CO, and spent 3 of the most hardcore days with a great friend, covering 800 plus miles in the boonies to capture the scenery. The trains and sounds thereof were icing on the cake. Granted it was all UP power, with a few straggler Espee units, and the token Amtrak trains, but it was still a huge thrill nevertheless; "Trough Road" notwithstanding!

[MOPMAN]

Hemi, you were in the mountains with trains. If I were in the Rockies, I would be happy...period. Here in Dallas it's just the same ol stuff.

Wow I just noticed the next post will put the satanic curse on me. I guess I'll just have to quit.:omg: :omg:

[HemiAdda2d]

You do have a point... But ya know what? Kids love trains, no matter if it's Borgrail or otherwise. My 2 y/o son loves trains, he could care less if they are Beansniff, Uncle Pete or what have you. He smiles so big, and jumps and wiggles around and has a grand ol' time.
And for that, I'll go watch!

[friscobob]

In my line of work my choices change every 13 weeks or so......this time around it's a rerun of sorts, but o what NS and CSX run on their trains!! GEVOs, Dash-9s, hi-nose SDs and GPs, old Dash-7s and -8s, and rent-a-wrecks by the score. And it was years since I shot a live F-unit, and here I am mere miles from TWO of them! Or how about BN and Santa Fe power passing a locomotive with Arizona Eastern paint en route to Albany? Shot that in Ft. Valley last week.

Last year in New Mexico I was spending 3 bucks a gallon for gas, but still managed to railfan along the Gallup Sub between Gallup and Belen. This year it's 2.78 in some places in GA, and I'm still chasing down shortlines as well as shooting Cordele action. And if the fires down south ever die down, I'll head SE to Folkston.

And I can't wait to get back home to see what Borgrail is running on the ex-Katy these days.....about 20 trains a day with Lord knows what for power.

My railfanning is mostly limited to time- I have one or two days a week I can do any train-chasing, and lately I've been just shooting NS, CSX and HOG action near and north of Cordele. Still, a great way to get out into the countryside, away from the I-road.

[Scott Stutzman]

We have a Three way tie for second at least!

[Colonel]

51 voters I think that's a record

[Doug A.]

We have a Three way tie for second at least!

Yes, maybe the contest should be those three vs. Keith, just to make it fair.... :shade:

[SteamDonkey74]

I gotta hand it to Keith. He's got a really great photo.

Not only do we seem to be breaking a record for number of votes cast, but it looks like everyone has gotten some votes on their picture, too. Great stuff everyone!

[Colonel]

Only a few days of voting to go, this has been one of the best challenges

[Stourbridge Lion]

51 voters I think that's a record

:shade: :shade: :shade: :shade:

[Colonel]

Congratualtions to Keith for winning the challenge, it's an excellent photo and well worthy of winning the prize.

[campp]

All right Keith, two in a row! Good job, great shot!

[Stourbridge Lion]

:shade: :shade: :shade: :shade:

[HemiAdda2d]

65 votes? Wow, what a poll! Great job, Keith! Not that I was biased towards your fantastic photo of a favorite location or anything... ;)

[Keith]

And all I did was go back Monday night to grab my shot, after checking things out earlier that morning.
Definately wasn't expecting my pic to do THAT good! :embarassed:

I even had to double check all photos before I entered my votes.
Again, congrats to everyone who entered! :D :D

[Doug A.]

Keith,

Just an overall great photo, congrats! If I was thinking I should have done a night shot, since the weather here has been horrible. That's the good thing about these challenges is hopefully it gets you to think, and to really try to go the extra mile (literally, in your case) to come up with something special...and you did.

I like the challenge because it keeps me from kicking into robot mode. I generally am not too concerned about composing the shot since I mostly take photos for modeling purposes and my upcoming "Doug's 10,000 Bad Pictures of Freight Cars" coffee table book. Now, I actually have to use my right brain a little bit.

Mostly, I'm just glad to see the participation and the voting turnout. Keep 'em coming!

[Colonel]

This has been an excellent challenge and I already have the subject for the next one :D this weekend.

[Mr. Train]

Congrats to Keith on winning. Nice photo.