Trees Recognition

[colorado71]

Can someone tell me please if the conifers in this image are Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesi), Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmanni) or other?

 

[cascaderailroad]

Very good question !

I think the other trees are quaking aspens ?

 

[mp202]

I remember John Citron telling me that he is an expert on various plants. I'd wait for him to provide his input.

 

[cascaderailroad]

The real question is: What trees in Trainz, replicates these, without being the bilboard type, or unprototypical trunked speed trees ?

These look like @ 5m - 20m tall, and are on the Cumbres & Toltec in southern Colorado

 

[normhart]

Oh, look! A speeder! EDIT: ooo nice snowplow too!

Uh, what was the question?

:hehe:

 

[BLACKWATCH]

Not much into trees, but they look like 'Norwegian Spruce' to me.

 

[bernhart_lossiemouth]

Americans are well known for your trees. We no.

 

[colorado71]

Norwegian spruce (Picea abies), also known as European Spruce, Spruce, Red Fir and so on, grows also in Romania. I am sure those conifers are not Picea abies. Judging after the altitude of that point on Cumbres Pass it may be both Douglas Fir and Engelmann Spruce. Actually, I am almost sure they are Douglas firs, but I want to be sure. The cones of these trees are hanging-down and this is a characteristic of spruce trees and of Douglas Fir.

 

[activerail]

According to Doris B. Osterwald author of Ticket to Toltec (A Mile by Mile Guide for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad) and looking at Google images the trees here are Englemann Spruce. The other trees would be Aspen.

 

[robd]

Tree recognition for beginners:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug8nHaelWtc

 

[JCitron]

Well I will pipe in then, since I saw my name mentioned.

These look like Spruce trees to me. Colorado Spruce would be appropriate or even Engelmann Spruce as has been mentioned. Pofig made some trees that are similar. What number designation they are? I couldn't tell you! I just remember seeing them as I was treeing my big route.

Notice the brownish patches on the top-most branches? That's caused by a wood borer beetle that has been raising havoc through out the west. It has wiped out great swaths of spruce trees up in Glacier National Park and other areas. Very sad since it brings in a blight (fungus) that wipes the trees right out.

Great look train and terrain. I've been through the area but was chasing tornados and not trains. No, we didn't see any funnels, just some super cell thunderstorms.

John

 

[rickf77]

Hey John, are you sure those brownish red areas are not cones? Our spruce seemed to have a heavy load of cones this year. Out back the trees look just like these, but smaller I would guess. Just wondering, I'd never question a nature nut!

Cheers....Rick

 

[JCitron]

Hey John, are you sure those brownish red areas are not cones? Our spruce seemed to have a heavy load of cones this year. Out back the trees look just like these, but smaller I would guess. Just wondering, I'd never question a nature nut!

Cheers....Rick

Hi Rick,

Good point. They do look like the cones. You have a lot too? That's not good for us either as that means a lot of snow and or a cold winter. The squirrels have been going crazy around here with the hickory nuts and acorns too.

John

 

[rickf77]

I think you're right my friend. I had to put away the sandals and dig out my socks around the first of Oct. Well, at least we got lucky with hurricanes this year. Colorado looks nice. Boy, those Icelanders sure have good roads! We're still repairing ours from last winter.

Rick

 

[JCitron]

We did have a nice Indian Summer, but it's now cold, almost instantly though. We did luck out on those horrible storms this year. They do have nice roads. Ours too are still pothole city!

John

 

[colorado71]

Many thanks to all for the discussions here and for the help to elucidate this problem.
colorado71