Upload Failure?

[Noct Foamer]

I tried to upload my first shot, and I'm not sure it went through. I got this message:

Upload OK
You failed to select a valid locomotive. Please be sure you've selected an appropriate locomotive, and try again.

In the "Locomotive Type" box, I typed in, "I have no idea." Really, that kind of thing just isn't important to me, so I don't pay attention to it. For me, there are engines with 4 or 6 axles, wide nose, skinny nose, or high hood. That's it. I really don't care one way or another, at least on diesels. (Steamers are another matter!) The only diesel I can identify on sight is a GP-30. Is there a default I can check--i.e. "generic diesel"? A diesel is a diesel. Did the shot go through anyway?


Kent in SD

[Hatchetman]

If you want to play the game, you gotta play by the rules. Have fun. I doubt you will enjoy playing by other people's rules.

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by Noct Foamer

A diesel is a diesel.

Hi Kent,

I feel the same way.

I rarely raise my camera to something that smells like diesel fumes. That said, RP is a stickler for accurate data, so "generic diesel" isn't going to cut it. Yes, you could probably select "Other" and put in something like what you are proposing, but I think the screeners will object and can your shot for "Bad Data".

Over the years, others have posted links to sites that can help with diesel identification. Hopefully, someone will do that again. I would bookmark that sucker myself, because I am also a stickler for for accurate data. If I do shoot a diesel and post the shot, I don't want to look like a total dufus.

As for whether or not your shot is in the queue, that's an easy one. Go to the "Members" tab and look up at the top to see if you have anything in the queue. If you see anything other than ZERO, click on the number to see the thumbs of the images that are waiting to be screened.

[Andrew Crosby]

Hi, Kent - Try going to a website like "The Diesel Shop." You can search for the loco type by railroad name and engine number, then include that in the locomotive field in the upload page. It's actually quite easy. (If you search the web for 'engine rosters' or something you can find other sites._

I think I've seen 'unknown' for locomotive type on accepted shots, though. Just can't recall if you can that in or what.

[Andrew Crosby]

Oops - dropped a word: Meant "Not sure if you can TYPE that in or what."

[magicman_841]

Just type the railroad and road number in Google...

[BobE]

Easiest way to ID a locomotive is rrpicturesarchive.net. Choose "by railroad" from the View Photos menu on the left. You get a list of locomotives by railroad and number, most of them ID'd by model. Even if your specific locomotive isn't listed, you can interpolate the model if No. 1234 is listed, then 1236. You can also choose "search" from View Photos. Type in the number.

You can do the same kind of search at RP, but rrarchives has 10 times as many images to search through.

[nikos1]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=BNSF+4710

[milwman]

Google it CN8800 or what ever it is

[Holloran Grade]

Originally Posted by Noct Foamer

....... "I have no idea." Really, that kind of thing just isn't important to me, so I don't pay attention to it. ......

[Freericks]

The site owner's site, the site owner's rules.

Would love to see your shots on here, Kent, but like the Shower before you swim in the pool rule, or the no shoes no shirt no service rule, you got to toe the line on this one.

As noted above, takes all of ten seconds to do a Google search.

[Mr. Pick]

Like Andrew said, The Diesel Shop is the easiest and most accurate way to find an ID on a diesel loco that I've come across:

http://www.thedieselshop.us/

[Joe the Photog]

Kent;

Tell you what. Post your picture to this thread and let us tell you what model the lead locomotve is. Is that easy enough?

[Noct Foamer]

I had no idea that what kind of diesel it is would be important. I only care about the color, and how the light is hitting it. It has dawned on me that since I am a stickler for sharpness, I can simply enlarge the photo and read the type right on the engine's frame! I do have a Train Spotter's Field guide in my car, but I like the idea of simply googling it.

I have a bigger problem though. Looking at the shots I've done so far this year, only half of them even have an identifiable engine in it, if they have one at all! How can I tell what engine something is if I shot it as a silhouette? Sometimes, I'm only shooting the light from the headlights. Sometimes, I'm shooting railroad scenes with rolling stock only. I'm just not that hung up on having an engine, and out here there are generally hours apart anyway. They must take those kinds of shots because I see one a couple of times a week.

As for playing by their rules, I understand that and have no problem with it. Very low likelihood I'll even change a shot and resubmit if rejected. I'm perfectly comfortable with what I do. A few years ago I used to delight in sending my own interpretation of wildlife photos in to a big online wildlife photo gallery. Their version showed majestic animals--a sort of "Bambi-ized" version of reality. Mine showed animals ripped apart, dead in the snow, or dead and frozen into lake ice etc. To me, this showed the reality of nature, and it's really not all that pretty or uplifting. Manyt hated my shots and screamed for the moderators to take them down. They eventually made an official rule that the main subject of the photo had to be a live animal. I immediately posted one of a live possum, crawling out of the belly of a very dead deer. I accompanied it with a long caption explaining that I caught the feeding habits of a wild possum, in the wild.


Kent in SD

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by Noct Foamer

A few years ago I used to delight in sending my own interpretation of wildlife photos in to a big online wildlife photo gallery. Their version showed majestic animals--a sort of "Bambi-ized" version of reality. Mine showed animals ripped apart, dead in the snow, or dead and frozen into lake ice etc. To me, this showed the reality of nature, and it's really not all that pretty or uplifting.

You mean like this? (click at your own risk!)

[Noct Foamer]

Oh my gosh! GREAT SHOT!


Kent in SD

[Noct Foamer]

Well shoot. Now I keep getting the "File not found" message. I am uploading directly from my hard drive, and it is jpg 1200 pixels longest side. I'm heading to Kansas City now for railfan weekend there, and will have to try again Sunday night.


Kent in SD

[Freericks]

Originally Posted by Noct Foamer

SNIP....

I have a bigger problem though. Looking at the shots I've done so far this year, only half of them even have an identifiable engine in it, if they have one at all! How can I tell what engine something is if I shot it as a silhouette? Sometimes, I'm only shooting the light from the headlights. Sometimes, I'm shooting railroad scenes with rolling stock only. I'm just not that hung up on having an engine, and out here there are generally hours apart anyway. They must take those kinds of shots because I see one a couple of times a week.


Kent in SD

Of course - There is an "Other (Enter Below)" You can then write "None" or "Unknown" or "Bambi Killer" in that box.

As to the file not found... Something changed since you last uploaded it. I'm sure if you try again it will work.

[Andrew Crosby]

Funny stuff, gang. You guys are in rare form.

No worries, Kent. If I caught on to how to play along with RP, you'll figure things out soon enough.

Look forward to seeing some of your work here.

[Andrew Crosby]

You've all probably seen this newly accepted 'Unknown' Danneman shot by now.

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/435522/

[Chris Z]

Originally Posted by Andrew Crosby

You've all probably seen this newly accepted 'Unknown' Danneman shot by now.

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/435522/

What do you mean? The locomotives is obviously an SD70MAC and a GEVO. The Loco field is filled in as SD70MAC.

Chris Z

[Freericks]

Originally Posted by Andrew Crosby

You've all probably seen this newly accepted 'Unknown' Danneman shot by now.

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/435522/

Confused

This upload followed the rules to the letter - it seems to go against your point.

[JRMDC]

Originally Posted by Freericks

Of course - There is an "Other (Enter Below)" You can then write "None" or "Unknown" or "Bambi Killer" in that box.

For my non-engine shots, I have always put in a space so that it comes out blank, but I now realize I need to up my creativity to keep up with the Charles's of the world.

[Andrew Crosby]

Originally Posted by Freericks

Confused

This upload followed the rules to the letter - it seems to go against your point.

Sorry if I was unclear. My point is that the Danneman shot says "Unkown" in the train ID and engine number fields. Kent's original issue was that he didn't have that info, and it seemed he was unable to get the shot through on the submission page without it.

[Freericks]

Originally Posted by Andrew Crosby

Sorry if I was unclear. My point is that the Danneman shot says "Unkown" in the train ID and engine number fields. Kent's original issue was that he didn't have that info, and it seemed he was unable to get the shot through on the submission page without it.

Oh, I had read it differently. I had read that he didn't choose the locomotive type. See his original post below.

Originally Posted by Noct Foamer

I tried to upload my first shot, and I'm not sure it went through. I got this message:

Upload OK
You failed to select a valid locomotive. Please be sure you've selected an appropriate locomotive, and try again.

In the "Locomotive Type" box, I typed in, "I have no idea." Really, that kind of thing just isn't important to me, so I don't pay attention to it. For me, there are engines with 4 or 6 axles, wide nose, skinny nose, or high hood. That's it. I really don't care one way or another, at least on diesels. (Steamers are another matter!) The only diesel I can identify on sight is a GP-30. Is there a default I can check--i.e. "generic diesel"? A diesel is a diesel. Did the shot go through anyway?


Kent in SD

In the end, there are ways around this issue if someone really doesn't know and doesn't feel like participating, but as noted before - why not, if you have the ability to find it?