Teen Railfan Place - Winter 2009

[EJE818]

UP 3028 has arrived at the Illinois Railway Museum. It can be viewed from the museum website's mainline webcam.

I will have photos from the Dells trip up later tonight or tommorow, videos are still being put on Youtube, most have already been uploaded but more are coming!

[BNSF & DMIR 4Ever]

For once in a long time, I caught a MAC-less train on my home subdivision, the Brainerd Subdivision.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqLtazUvodE&feature=channel_page

[ns3010]

I feel deprived of not seeing a train in almost two weeks.
I'm going down the shore tomorrow. I might go railfanning in Bay Head and/or Point Pleasant either Wednesday or next Tuesday (or both!). They look like the two days with the least favorable beach weather, so why not. Only thing is there's a 40% chance of rain down there for Wednesday, so that may be out of the picture.

I want to get all that I can in, because once I (hopefully) get a job, between the beach and work, finding time for railfanning might be a little tough.

[B.Erdmann]

Tomorrow i start my new job, im working at a publishing place in Iola. luckely its only 16 hrs a week so ill have some off time. i need to get out & watch trains, havent really done so for a few weeks.

[EJE818]

I'm back from the Dells, and despite yesterday and today being as slow as heck on the CP, the first three days made up for it! I caught 486/487 with IC&E power three times throughout the trip, as well as one of the few large pac-man SD40-2s left on the CP leading a 283 train, as welll as the normal Amtrak, CP and BNSF coal trains.

UP 3028 looks to be an excellent addition to the IRM roster, even though it's time as UP 3028 will probably be short lived. IRM hopes to have it running during diesel days in unpatched CNW paint from what I have read. It was retired last December in operatable condition from what I have heard so it won't take much to get it running by Diesel Days. It is currently at Proviso waiting to be sent to IRM and they are hoping to get it sometime this week.

One other significant thing is that the 3028 is believed to be the first SD40-2 to be preserved.

[Anonymous]

I was in Boston today at a training session for the Museum of Science's Volunteer Program, and I spent some time afterwards at the park across the street railfanning.

Alex: This is the location I mentioned to you on Skype last week or so.

North Station is right across the river, and the twin ex-B&M lift bridges were kept busy with boat traffic on a great weekend.



The Museum of Science is also very close to the Lechmere Viaduct on the Green Line.



Duck Boat! These amphibious vehicles are a staple of Boston traffic. (With my Museum of Science badge, I get free rides, so maybe I'll get you some photos taken from the Duck Boat sometime this summer!  )



A shot from underneath the bridge. The crossties above span an open gap, and it gets pretty loud when a train passes overhead! You can see that in the video link at the bottom of this post.



And of course, the photos don't show the lift bridges in action, or the bottom of the Green Line at speed, so check out the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxp3talskkU

Enjoy!

[BNSF & DMIR 4Ever]

Time once again for the weekly report, and what a fine week it was.

 

First up, talk surfaced earlier in the week that Proctor had requested EJ&E 665 be sent down from Keenan. Nothing was seen as of Friday, however. During one of the checks, however, I did note that the ore traffic had picked up with the reopening of United Taconite. I also found this lone T Bird car hanging around the yard.

 

Next up, it was time to do the weekly trek across the pond, so to speak. While the BNSF yard wasn't exactly busy, I noted the presence of two Dash 9s, and one of the ES44C4s as well. An SD70ACE was also working on one of the coal trains heading to Midwest Energy, and I decided to shoot that later. However, I wouldn't make it back in time, which didn't bother me a bit.

Heading down to Pokey, I didn't find much of anything happening, so after a quick turn around, it was off to Stinson. The CP/SOO Geep combo was seen working, but no photos, due to bad positioning. As usual, Itasca Yard came through, and provided some interesting action to make the day worthwhile, and a nice bunch of guys working on the switching duties.

First up, UP SD70M 5043 trails two other SD70Ms(both of which I'd already photographed in the past).

While the three locomotives continued switching, I noticed a tint of orange behind them. Sure enough, the Itasca Transfer hadn't gone back to Pokegama quite yet, and EJ&E SD38-3 659 was parked. As stressful as it was at the time, looking back, it was really quite comical. As the cars needing to be switched dwindled, and opened up the chances of getting the J photographed, they moved back and hooked up with the cut of cars headed back to Pokey. Eventually, the switching was finished, the line was cleared, and I was able to get a couple of nice shots.

 

As I took the second pic, the train was getting ready to leave. I flew into the car, and soared down the line a bit to the nearest crossing. Not having a whole lot of time to set up, a rushed video ensued.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlA_wEdujsM&feature=channel_page

 

Rather content, I head out(the train went down the curve instead of straight ahead, leaving me without anymore opportunities), and as I headed back down Stinson, I decided to see if I can beat them back to Pokey. As fate would have it, I did quite easily without even speeding. At the time, I can't decide whether I wanted another video, or pics. I decide to push the limits of my zoom, and take some distance shots, and some video as the train got closer. Turned out nice, if I do say so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AbESzXxnkQ&feature=channel

[WCfan]

Well, tomorrow I'm off to Iowa, we're leaving at 2am. See you guys Sunday.

[B.Erdmann]

I already have my license.

its nice except for the fact i dont have my own car yet. the restrictions you have for 9 months well lets just say i already broke that. so far i havent lost any points or got any tickets.

[ns3010]

I'll only be on the NEC north of Newark beteween Kearny Jct. and Newark. After leaving HOB, the train goes through the Bergen Tunnels, past the MMC, and over the Waterfront Connection at Kearny Jct., before going onto the NEC. And I'll be going on either a Tuesday or Wednesday, so there'll be plenty of frequency.

I will NOT be getting off in Newark, for ANY reason! I'll be making this trip alone, so that's not an option. Yes, Newark Penn is in one of the "nicer" parts of Newark, but still. I don't want to die, so DOCK can wait.
The first time I EVER saw Transit Police in my 15 years was two weeks ago, because they were directing traffic in Netcong (Transit is rebuilding traffic and the town is reconfiguring and widening Main Street). The crossing was still functioning, but they still thought they needed to direct traffic...
On a similar note, I forgot to mention that on Saturday, while passing through Netcong, some MOW equipment was rolling through, but I was too slow to get pix. But I still have those pictures from Washington Yard on Saturday to upload...

And one more thing, in that pic, that looks like it's probably a 2300 series train, which I'll be taking from HOB to BH. The geep and solid Comet III consist give it away (NJCL trains usually have CIIIs an geeps [unless they're electric, then they'll probably have CIIIs or MLs and ALPs])...

[Lord Atmo]

 http://www2.irm.org/blogs/index.php?/archives/361-IRM-acquires-an-EMD-SD40-2.html

 

MY PAST!!! MY PAST IS COMING BACK!!!! MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!!!

 At last I can die happy!

[Anonymous]

The NJCL gives you a fair view on the ride to Newark. You pace PATH for a while, although the PATH train frequency is pretty low on weekends.

And of course DOCK (giant, Amtrak owned lift bridge) in Newark is really awesome... Not much to see while riding over it, but there's a parking lot that you can get to if you go towards the sunny side of the station (to avoid backlit shots), take a right, and keep going till you get to a parking lot where you can see DOCK. The transit police came to visit while I was there, but specifically said what I was doing wasn't illigal at all (That's a nice change!) and that they got a tip-off from someone who saw the camera pointed at the bridge and thought "Terrorist!!!!"

PATH and NJT transit both cross the bridge, the largest multi-level lift bridge in the US. I don't know if it still opens, but... I used to know what that sign below the control house midway on the span said! [Amtrak DOCK...Blah blah blah...]

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1582847

[ns3010]

To get us back on topic...

I already have one trip between up here and the shore that is in the planning stages. I have to come home after 4th of July, so I'll get a ride up with my dad on Monday the 7th or something (he has to work during the week, but he comes down on weekends). Then Tuesday afternoon or on Wednesday, I'll hop on the train somewhere (either Mt. Olive, Lake Hopatcong, Mount Arlington, or Dover) and ride to Hoboken. I'll do some railfanning there because there's tons of trains (as you probably guessed, it's the major terminal for the HOBOKEN DIVISION, duh!). Then I'll grab a 2300 series train down to Bay Head, maybe snap some pix of the yard, and then someone'll pick me up there.
Never been to Hoboken or ridden on the NJCL before, so it should be fun (I've only ridden the NRHS "Santa Claus Special" [I have a slideshow on Youtube, link to channel is in my sig] between Port Morris and Hackettstown and MidTown Direct into NY Penn [twice round trip from Dover and once round trip from Denville]).

Also, I heard about Hoboken Rail Festival yesterday. I've heard of it before, but I don't know much about it. FWIK, it's a huge collection of various railroading equipment in Hoboken, which you get to see up close. I did a few searches, but couldn't come up with anything. Assuming they're doing it this year, it'll be sometime in Septemer. If they are having it, I'm definately going.

[WCfan]

ns3010

TrainManTy

Noah Hofrichter

In Wisconsin you can get a learner's permit at 15 1/2, which you're required to have for 6 months, and then you can test for your full license at 16.

 

Wow... I'd be able to get a learner's permit in 6 months... Scary!

I'd be able to get mine in 6 months too. Exactly six months, in fact. If I still have school at this time next year, I'm definately driving.

We take a written test (in my HS, all Sophomores take Driver's Ed during the first quarter, followed by the test) for our permit when we turn 16 (one year from now for me) and a "road test" (actually driving) for your "provisional license" at 17, and then the full license comes after that. So I have two more years before I can drive on my own.

I'm taking drivers ed in July... after that I'll get my temps, then once I turn 16 in March I'll have my own license.

[ns3010]

TrainManTy

Noah Hofrichter

In Wisconsin you can get a learner's permit at 15 1/2, which you're required to have for 6 months, and then you can test for your full license at 16.

 

Wow... I'd be able to get a learner's permit in 6 months... Scary!

I'd be able to get mine in 6 months too. Exactly six months, in fact. If I still have school at this time next year, I'm definately driving.

We take a written test (in my HS, all Sophomores take Driver's Ed during the first quarter, followed by the test) for our permit when we turn 16 (one year from now for me) and a "road test" (actually driving) for your "provisional license" at 17, and then the full license comes after that. So I have two more years before I can drive on my own.