Western Pacific GP20 Screenshot contest

[NStrains]

The Leaning High Hoods of Norfolk Southern

For me, this shot has it all! All of my favorite things, a high bridge, high hoods, high detail, heavy train, small town, street running, super elevation and of course, the Norfolk Southern! It also hits on a lot of things that got me interested in trains. Norfolk Southern was the first railroad I can ever remember seeing on the rails here in Virginia. Usually seen throughout the small towns on the way to my Grandma's house. The high hoods were still quite normal in the early '90s. High hood GP40-2s were the first locomotives I grew fond of. Always having a pair pass by the baseball fields I practiced on in my youth leagues.

Screenshot_Norfolk Southern Coal District_40.02312--79.89277_09-44-27.jpg

[slick204]

"Rise and Shine"

I have several favorite locomotives in the sim but when it comes to steam, I always come back to Mike's little Consolidation. For me it has the right combination of challenge and enjoyment. Balancing the throttle, reverser and firing rate just right to make the grade gives me a sense of accomplishment and makes me smile. All the other enhancements Mike has included (wheel spin, advanced braking, all the animations) are icing on the cake.

This screenshot is from a scenario I was working on quite a while back. I like how it silhouettes the engineer in the predawn light.

Rise and Shine.jpg

[SevenXNinja]

UP SD60M 2249 leading a Manifest through the Forest to Railfan town

[AlecWarper]

The Railroad in the Clouds

20160517093319_1.jpg

The Denver and Rio Grande Western is by far my favorite fallen flag railroad. The Rio Grande wasn't just a railroad that survived in a land which few had even tried to tame, it thrived for 118 years before purchasing the Southern Pacific and taking operations to the coast. Entrenched deep within canyons, gorges, and mountains themselves, the railroad was an integral part of the state of Colorado, helping start up numerous towns that would stay long after the Rio Grande had steamed off into the night.
I chose this picture of a westbound coal drag in the Spring of 1988 at the top of Soldier Summit, as I felt it best represented the miraculous heights the railroad achieved both historically and geographically, along with the hopes for the railroad's future as it headed out of Utah and Colorado and towards the Pacific.

[trmike999]

Out of the Mountains, and into the Plains
Empire Builder #8 heads out of the mountains of Glacier Park and into the Great Plains of Montana and crosses the Two Medicine Bridge. It is running extremely late and the sun is already setting.

Empire Builder East Marias.jpg

Marias Pass has always been my favorite mountain pass route. It's something special and fascinating to me, and I've even done a full run through the entire route. The scenery is beautiful in both real life and in the simulator - they've done a good job with it. I like the east slope simply because of the change in scenery as you go along the route. I've always thought of the Two Medicine Bridge between Grizzly and East Glacier to be the "transition" between the plains east and the mountains west of the bridge; almost a dividing line. Going westbound on the route, the mountains approach and it almost seems like an incoming challenge - I've always liked the shots of the mountains in the background. The Empire Builder is also one of my favorite transcontinental Amtrak trains, and it's nice to see the Dash 8's leading an Amtrak train.

[Mkai1984]

Rolling onto the hill
UP 7964 leads an Eastbound stack train past Dale, Wyoming originating in Oakland headed for global 3.

Sherman Hill has always been close to my heart after I took a trip up to Cheyenne with my mom. But what makes it even more special is that I can recall many of the places I stopped to see trains on my way over the route! I like dale simply because of the rocky formations surrounding the area and I was also able to see UP 1996 stop here to make a crew change. But above all is UP 7964 and its beautiful blue patches on the sides of the nose and tail, they really stick out on a Union Pacific train because all you would see on a normal UP train is mostly yellow. And another reason for UP 7964 to be my absolute favorite is that it is my very first repaint for Train Sim 2016!

[artimrj]

The Winners are!

merciless245
berkshirefan765
dejoh
americansteam
zekthekid
sevenxninja
nsl714
overshoe
shaa

I just got home from work, long day and have a bunch of stuff to do, like shower and eat.. Hopefully I will get the keycodes to you all tonight, if not tomorrow for sure.

[ZekTheKid]

I finally won a screenshot contest here!!

Everyone had very good screenshots, thanks to you all for submitting your entry!

[TheTeenageFoamer]

I second zek.

Congrats to the other winners!

[artimrj]

Oops I goofed!! I had 10 keycodes. The 10th winner is AlecWarper.

All keycodes have been delivered. Check your PM if your on the winners list.

[Shaa]

Thank you and congratz to the other winners

[Overshoe]

Thanks much. A very pleasant surprise. The GP20 will look good on the Feather River route which I won on Matt's Charity stream. I think I'll buy a powerball ticket for Saturday night :)

Congrats to the other winners.

[dejoh]

Thanks you guys. Great shots one and all. I appreciate being a part of this fantastic forum, good group of folks here.

[AmericanSteam]

Thank you all. I liked everyone's submissions. I am new to these forums and I will wait for the next contest. I will say this that all of you are a great bunch, knowledgeable and helpful.Thanks again.

[ErikGorbiHamilton]

Very Good Shots everyone! Gratz to the Winners!