January 2006, new contest

[ezdays]

A while back I had asked for input as to what you would like to see for photo competitions. One suggestion was to do one about: “is it the real world or scale?” Let’s go with that for January. Here’s how it should work:

• Post a picture of something you took, your layout, someone else’s layout or something in the real world. It can be a train, line-side, scenery or even just a building or other structure, train related is great, but not necessary if you have something else to show. Do not say whether it is from the real world or a model, just post the picture in this thread. After all, that’s the point of the contest.
• It can be a new picture or an old one, just as long as the one entering it is the one that took the picture.
• When you post the picture, either PM or email me and tell me which it is and where the picture was taken. If you don’t, I will bug you until you do. In order to determine the winner, I need to know that before the voting starts. If I don’t have this information, I will have to disqualify that entry since I will have no way of knowing if the voting is correct or not.
• Because I will be privy to this information ahead of time, I will not enter into this competition and I won't vote either. The contest is open to all other registered members including the Gauge staff.
• When it’s time to vote, everyone will vote on each picture as which they think it is, real or scale. The picture with the most wrong votes wins.
• Remember, it can be any picture you took in the real or scale world where you think you can trick us into thinking it is the opposite of what it really is.
• You can convert you pictures to B/W or sepia in order to get that “old time” effect if that’s what you want. You can add a touch of smoke or steam and adjust some color, but you cannot change the photo by adding or deleting anything or altering it significantly, except as noted here.
• When voting time comes, you will pick “real” or “scale”, but you will be asked not to view the voting results until after you have voted for each entry. You will be on your honor on this since we cannot control that function of the Gauge’s polling system. The reason I ask this is so that you are not influenced by what anyone else thinks. Remember, no peeking, you will be on your honor not to do so.
• Prizes will be as usual, bragging rights for the month, a bunch of “attaboys” and a spot in the gallery “winner’s circle”.
• This contest closes Midnight, Jan. 31, GMT.

Good luck to all who enter.

[Ralph]

Here's an old one I found in my files....
Ralph

[hminky]

Some old wood on a bridge during a field trip
Harold

[Drew1125]

Summer 1931...

In the hills of eastern KY, a 2-8-0 Consolidation roars out of a tunnel, pounding the grade with a string of empties bound for the coal fields...

[Jac's Lines]

Ok, here's mine: Canadian Pacific Engine #2317 idles on a siding...

[ezdays]

Hey, we've got some great entries to get us started. You'd be surprised which is what though...

Time for the rest of you to get your cameras or old pics out and submit and entry.

[NicTrain35]

Very nice photos everyone! I'm going to have to get some photos of my layout. I have a 10 ft. x 4 ft. layout in my living room. Take care everyone.

Nick

[Chessie6459]

Great Pictures So Far Guyz. Keep the coming.

[shaygetz]

My great-Grandfather, William P. Schissler, gearing up for tonight's Revival services on the rear deck of the last Baptist chapel car "Rebekah", just outside Camden Yard roundhouse in Baltimore, circa 1937.

[CharlesH.]

Here's a pic from an old storefront.

[nachoman]

I noticed...so far all black and white! Then again, if you took a photo of a steamer in color, it may be a dead giveaway Hmm. I need to come up with somehting now...

kevin

[brakie]

Here is a picture of the Bucyrus(Oh) T&OC station I took last winter.

[Chessie6459]

I like it Larry.

[CSX6638]

Seaboard RR Alco RS-3, 0-6-0 steamer, and an old GE.

[ezdays]

Things are looking good. I know a lot of you out there are capable of entering this one, I've seen models that look full scale and the opposit, so let's get going, you've got just a bit over a week left to enter.