Steam versus Diesel

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

I wanna know my audience...simple poll which do you prefer to look at photos of steam or diesel (both is not an option)? Pick one!

[tomt]

Originally Posted by Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

Pick one!

can't ...

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9

[WembYard]

Why not both? and what about electric?

Well, if you insist, it has to be diesel I'm afraid.

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

Originally Posted by WembYard

Why not both? and what about electric?

Well, if you insist, it has to be diesel I'm afraid.

Hmm, good point. Seems I have overlooked electrics, put them under diesel. I want to keep this poll very simple.

[Ween]

I'm not a big fan of steam, just like I'm not a big fan of prop jobs when it comes to my aviation interests...

[ssw9662]

Steam looks out of place to me unless it's in the right setting, which is why I prefer seeing photos of diesels.

[jdirelan87]

Its not that I don't like steam, its just that I can't help but look at the techology as "fake" or "qauint." They had their time and now they are just reminders of a bygone era. Diesels work hard everyday earning money, playing a key part in the country's ecomony.

Diesels are important and real. Steam is just a big toy.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by jdirelan87

Its not that I don't like steam, its just that I can't help but look at the techology as "fake" or "qauint." They had their time and now they are just reminders of a bygone era. Diesels work hard everyday earning money, playing a key part in the country's ecomony.

Diesels are important and real. Steam is just a big toy.

BLASPHEMY!!!

Andrew, I don't think this is a fair question to ask. I love my huge diesels, but there's nothing like the sound, feeling and smell of a big steam locomotive speeding by just a few feet away.

No way could I ever decide which one I prefer.

[Mgoldman]

I'll generally take steam over diseasals but some of my favorite photos on the site happen to be diesels. Show me an interesting, unique composition that is tact sharp and you have yourself one additional member of the audience, regardless whether it is steam or diesel.

Maybe you need to rephrase your question as - "Given the same composition and location, which would you prefer to see as the subject?". In that case, I would also generally say steam though I can see John's perspective being at times steam might be out of place, or rather out of date.

To that end, however, I would invite ANYONE who is "stuck in the present" to relive the past and bare witness to a REAL HIGHSPEED MAINLINE steam event. I visited Louisville, KY last year and imagined what it was like to have been there in the 50's and 60's noting the L&N and GM&O reminders still present today. The same effect is much more dramatic witnessing a large steamer running by at speed. You have to experience it to believe it.

Doyle McCormick once made reference to Steam Engines having a presence, a life force even. You can hear them breath and watch them mechanically go about their bussiness. Rarely can you feel that presence with diesels, though watching freight on the Soldier Summit or Techachappi is certainly a treat.

As for guaging your audience - I'd like to think that could be best measured by the number of people who continue leaving comments (still free, right?). In leiu of that, I'd have to rely on the less accurate view counts, and a few private E's. Otherwise, RP would simply be a place to store photos.

/Mitch
Stop, look and comment!
Click Here to take a look at my photos on RP.

[Mike B.]

Steam is dead, just like the C&NW.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by Mgoldman

To that end, however, I would invite ANYONE who is "stuck in the present" to relive the past and bare witness to a REAL HIGHSPEED MAINLINE steam event. I visited Louisville, KY last year and imagined what it was like to have been there in the 50's and 60's noting the L&N and GM&O reminders still present today. The same effect is much more dramatic witnessing a large steamer running by at speed. You have to experience it to believe it.

I couldn't agree with your more, Mitch. Definitely a MSTA type of thing.

[trainboysd40]

Steam! Like Mitch/Doyle said, steam is a living creature! You just can't help but appreciate it when you see it flying at track speed across the prairies, and you can't help but love the artistic quality the steam will add to any photo!

PhotoID: 193527 Photograph © Matthew Hicks

PhotoID: 193455 Photograph © Matthew Hicks

In the second photo, she was coming out of the hole and the throttle was wide open for a while - Even the most hardcore diesel fan could be swayed by that scene! (Pity I couldn't do more than a wedgie due to time constraints)

[Joe the Photog]

As far as seeing pictures, I just want to see interesting things presented in a visually appealing way. Sometimes I want to see UP Heritage shots. Otehr times I want to see F units and 70 tonners back in the day. Right now, one thing I've been looking for on line are Columbia, SC area photos from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Hard to come by, I can tell you.

As far as taking pictures, I can go out on the deck of where I live and see anywhere between 60 and 80 deisels a day. Most of them will be GE and EMD wide cabs less than ten years old. Yawn. There is no steam running anywhere near me with any regularity and, in fact, I've seen steam exactly three times. Two of those times were the Shay in Spencer and the other time I had to drive 650 miles one way to see a steamer.

So, yeah, give me steam to shoot PLEASE!!!

You guys in Pennsylavania, I hope you know how good you've got it!


Joe

[Mgoldman]

Originally Posted by Joe the Photog

You guys in Pennsylavania, I hope you know how good you've got it!
Joe

Yes, we love our steam, including former SC resident steam engine #40.
Thank you for letting us have it.

; )

/Mitch

[JimThias]

Hey Joe, you're welcome to come up to Michigan as we have steam here, too.

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

Heck, there's even one soon [2008] to be two here in Joisey! LOL

Thanks for all the responses, didn't think it would turn into such a discussion but fire away (no pun intended).

[Flowing]

I prefer steam in all instances. I owe being a railfan to seeing the N&W 611 in steam when I was 7-years-old. I was hooked from that moment on.

Really, I like it all; I love railroading. But I go to greater lengths to shoot steam. I feel like there is more 'soul' in a steam engine than a diesel, and that steam engines add life to a photo. I'm one of those people who don't call steam engines 'units,' because not one looks or sounds the same; maybe that's what seems to give them their personality. I don't care too much about historically accuracy in modern steam operations, as I'd rather have steam running in some form now than not at all.

[Joe the Photog]

Originally Posted by Mgoldman

Yes, we love our steam, including former SC resident steam engine #40.
Thank you for letting us have it.

; )

/Mitch

Mitch;

You should be aware that I am stockpiling eggs for when I get back up to Pennsylvania. I'll be asking for your street address shortly. See your e-mail. I'll be shooting steam in South Carolina shortly, I suspect.


Joe

[Andrew Blaszczyk (2)]

Originally Posted by Joe the Photog

I'll be shooting steam in South Carolina shortly, I suspect.

Do share! Feel free to shoot an email my way.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by Andrew Blaszczyk (2)

Thanks for all the responses, didn't think it would turn into such a discussion but fire away (no pun intended).

Don't be silly, Andrew. You knew this could/would turn into an interesting discussion. I'm sure there's much more to come, too.

[a231pacific]

Jim Thias said: I love my huge diesels, but there's nothing like the sound, feeling and smell of a big steam locomotive speeding by just a few feet away.

I agree completely.

Steam engines are a thing of wonder, but they are also history. Diesels are the face of railroading today and if you love trains, you should love diesels too!

I shoot mostly steam, since that's what I do with my limited vacation time, but I watch diesels go by every day on my way to and from work and I appreciate the many excellent diesel shots posted here on RP.

Andrew, I'll look at and enjoy whatever you post. Same with Mitch, the various John's and all the other good shooters that post here on RP, diesel or steam!

Michael Allen

[fuente1]

Steam all the way! Although limited in availability, I prefer it and travel to witness it before its totally gone. "Deezuls" are fine to shoot as well, I just prefer the older equipment.

[Mgoldman]

Originally Posted by fuente1

Steam all the way! "Deezuls" are fine to shoot...

My buddy calls them "diseasels".
Ross Rowland (of C&O #614 fame) calls 'em "dismals".

: )

Just not enough visible moving parts.
I live right next to the Trenton Line and if it weren't for a horn (which they are trying to outlaw at the nearby crossing), I'd never even know one went by. Besides, back in the day - Steam, at times, ran FASTER then diesels do today 79 mph.... bah.

By 1940, the Chicago-St. Paul schedule was reduced to 6 hours, 15 minutes, at an average speed of 65.6 mph for the 410-mile trip. Train No.6 was allowed 58 minutes for the 78.3 miles from Sparta to Portage, Wis., at an average speed of 81 mph. There is an early authentic record of one F-7 [Pacific steam engine] averaging 120 mph over a five-mile stretch of a 19-mile run at which speeds exceeded 100 mph for the entire distance. - from the Iron Horse Web Page http://www.ironhorse129.com/Projects...onHiawatha.htm

PRR 4-4-0 #7002 is believed to have set a world speed record of 127.1 mph in 1905 - according to the PRR Museum's roster information.

And famous NYC #999, another 4-4-0 reached a speed of 112.5 mph on May 10, 1893.

But that was a long time ago using quaint technology from a by-gone era.
; )

/Mitch

[PLEzero]

I will have to agree with John on his point. I enjoy the modern diesels. They represent the time period in which I live. The railfans who came before me had their chances to document their time period which had steam and the early years of diesel. While a nicely executed steam photograph will mostly likely look far superior to any diesel photo I don't find a huge interest in tourist lines. They just aren't 'real'. While it is cool to be able to see steam in 2007, going to a tourist railroad just doesn't strike my fancy when it comes to documentation as much as the 'real deal'. Just a personal preference I suppose.

[bigbassloyd]

I agree... steam today just looks out of place

if only I owned a Delorean, and some flux capacitors..

Loyd L.