Welcome to the Unofficial Screenshot Competition! This is a fun and friendly alternative to the official Screenshot Competition run by DTG. Here you can share your weekly themed TSC screenshots using any 3rd party / post shot editing etc. creations which are not allowed in the official competition. Rules: TSC only shots allowed. Screenshot should be in some way (can be very tenuous) linked to the theme. Otherwise anything goes. You can enter up to 3 screenshots, posted as separate posts. You can delete and replace if you wish. 3rd party content / Reshades / Reskins etc. are welcomed but are not mandatory. Previous week's winner to decide winner (can't enter themselves). The winner chooses the new theme for next week (and becomes the new judge). The Judge of the week's decision is final. We strongly discourage any negative comment or criticism of another entry by a fellow contributor, this is a light hearted & fun contest! This is a major "we are all friendly" thread and we hope it will always remain so. Please keep chat to an absolute minimum. Entries will close at 10PM GMT on Saturday, March 1st 2025 and will be judged by me - bellminsterboy In the event of this week's winner not responding by 10PM GMT on Sunday, March 2nd 2025, a new thread will be created using the results of this week's poll. The theme for this week is: My Favourite Train/Loco Feel free to interpret the theme however you wish.
My favorite modern "train" (as in symbol) ZLCBR heads northward underneath Mt. Shasta as the sun sets.
I want to include one from each universe. I have a solid choice from the German: The 155 Series. It received mixed reputation due to its scenarios, and the demanding graphics. Plus mandatory Pzb, unrealistically low consist brake effort, which together are truly PTSD material. If you can put that all aside and just concentrate on driving, it's a fine beast. Looks and sounds good enough for its age, me thinks. And the stopping sounds, those are nerd material for sure, but I'm just going to say, they are really well captured. I recall reading that this loco was DTG's one masterpiece.
After a hiatus of train sim, I could not hold back on contributing at least one shot for this week's great theme. For me the amazing AP 86 taught me so much about how these "Tap Changer" icons of the UK network actually worked. Trust me, it took many readings of the manual, and multiple overloading of the Class 86 Electrical circuits to eventually learn how these beasts are supposed to work. Could never get bored of these beauties.
One of my favourite eras to drive in would have to be anything to do with the steam era up to dieselisation. I always find it very interesting properly visualising a long gone era of railways and the sheer diversity of operations, lines and locomotives compared to what we have in the current day. Here British Railways Class E4 '2795' (once classified as the GER Class T26 before grouping into LNER) is seen running a local service in north England with 3 coaches and a van wagon pulling into Kirkby Stephen East, England on a picturesque late afternoon in the United Kingdom arriving from the now closed Eden Valley Railway where a small section still exists today under heritage operations. Motive Power: GER Class T26 / LNER Class E4 Route: Stainmore, Shap & Eden Valley Scenario: 1535 Penrith to Darlington Enhancements: Armstrong Powerhouse Sky & Weather Enhancement Pack 2.0 + Armstrong Powerhouse Cloud Enhancement Pack, ReShade
Like mfeets I too enjoy my fallen flag railroads of the United States of America and the Western Pacific Railroad is definitely up there as one of my favourites. Western Pacific Railroad EMD GP20 '2010' is seen here moving through Oroville Yard, California on a cloudy afternoon on the way to the shed sidings having just returned from James Siding carrying a rake of empty boxcars that had resources and equipment being used for nearby highway works. It is unfortunate that many fallen railways around the world were involved in assisting developing the very industry that was the cause of their demise. Motive Power: EMD GP20 Route: Feather River Canyon Scenario: [GP20] Canyon Works (Part 2) Enhancements: Armstrong Powerhouse Sky & Weather Enhancement Pack 2.0 + Armstrong Powerhouse Cloud Enhancement Pack, ReShade
The American candidate is the EMD F59PHI. There are so many hood units that for me it's automatically about something different. I was considering the electrics of the NEC ecosystem, but decided for something more universal. This one is capable of traversing all American routes, with a fine speed, It's also a bit special, unlike the P42DC which is the standard workhorse.
Metro North P32AC-DM trailing on this inbound Hudson Line express to Grand Central Terminal, calling at Harlem-125th Street. A P32AC-DM Genesis coupled with any variation of Shoreliner push pull coaches is my favorite train
And last, here is my British winner, the Class 158 in CT (forgot...) livery: The above is an edited version (small gamma correction and moderate saturation boost) to improve skies at least, here is the original: This was captured on Somerset & Dorset, as part of my project of attempting nicer photos from these older routes, too. I like most UK trains, but touring this unit was slightly more fun for me and it brings the option to visit UK's niche, rural farmlands. To fulfil the idea of giving some pics to the OP, here is one I shared a few times but maybe you don't have it:
bellminsterboy Please let us know if you are unable to judge this weeks contest, if so that is perfectly alright. Just please note that if you don't reply or can't judge in general I may take it upon myself to create a new thread with a Freestyle theme for Week 9 if no one has any problems with that. I'll do this in about 12-ish hours from now if we don't have a response yet. If that happens please note you are more than welcome to come back and let us know your Top 3 for this week, and whoever was your Top 1 winner of the week may take over judging of the Freestyle theme if they wish to do so.
Sorry about that folks, last 48 hours have gone wrong! Anyway, without further ado...some lovely pics this week and I really enjoyed both seeing them and learning about the reasons for why they're your favourites. In third place is mfeets with this gloriously moody shot beneath Mount Shasta. In second place is Craigie-C with this fine shot of a double headed Class 86. I loved the composition, the range of colours and the bus overhead too. In first place is Blazin, for this classic steam image. Genuinely I felt transported back to the 1920s with this, with a good range of colours, good composition, and believable stock. Great job everyone and over to Blazin for next week!
Thank you very much for 1st place and congratulations to the other winners! The new weekly contest is up with the theme of Important & High Profile Services! I hope you enjoy and have fun! https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/unofficial-screenshot-competition-week-9-2025.89712/
