The way things used to run was that CN would send the Manifests(I've heard them referred to as core trains as well) south on the DM&IR trackage, and the rest of the traffic(NB and SB) on the Peg. Just last week, I caught a northbound Manifest in Fairlane. I'd have to question what they would do with Intermodals, since I don't think the Missabe is equipped for that kind of traffic.
From what I've gathered, A403/404 will now be switched at Proctor, and all moves into Proctor have had the power heading back down the hill light. There are no cars being taken back to Pokegama.
I'm in agreement with questioning the seemingly mass exodus to Proctor. As you mentioned, it's a bit of a back track for the northbounds to halt at Adolph, and back up to pick up whatever cars they might need. Plus, I can only imagine how much the non-railfan drivers in the area are going to love that sort of move.
Last year I caught an intermodal heading north on the Missabe.
Well, it seems like CN is really going to stick with this plan, seeing as how much money they have already stuck into it...
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That does seem a bit odd that CN would use Proctor for a switching yard, but that means more good power in the yard that you'd never expect to see, such as the possibility of EJ&E.
Proctor is a perfect place to expand. Tons of room, diesel house and car shops on site, CN core trains already take the Missabe Sub, now it is a matter of routing the Proctor originated trains north on the Missabe, rather than the Peg. Most yardmasters have already been moved to Proctor from Pokey. Its really not that out of the way, the trains have to climb/descend Steelton Hill at some point anyhow.
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WCfan That's quite confusing on why CN is turning Proctor into a switching yard. I can understand that they want to relive congestion at Pokey, but Proctor just seems so far out of the way. I suppose they could use Pokey for the Q trains that need to make pick-ups there, and they could use Proctor for a terminating and originating point for the A and L trains. Other wise it just seems to far out of the way. I also didn't know that Adolph had a connecting track to get on the Interstate branch from Proctor. Well I guess CN is just trying to make things more efficient. I also have to question about the old DWP, it seems like CN never uses it. I've heard CN uses it for directional running. But on my two trips up there, I have never seen a train south of Shelton Junction on the DWP. You'd think that the Shelton Junction connection track would be a bottle neck. I mean I haven’t seen trains go around that curve in land speed records. If I ever go up there again, things will be a lot different.
That's quite confusing on why CN is turning Proctor into a switching yard. I can understand that they want to relive congestion at Pokey, but Proctor just seems so far out of the way. I suppose they could use Pokey for the Q trains that need to make pick-ups there, and they could use Proctor for a terminating and originating point for the A and L trains. Other wise it just seems to far out of the way. I also didn't know that Adolph had a connecting track to get on the Interstate branch from Proctor. Well I guess CN is just trying to make things more efficient. I also have to question about the old DWP, it seems like CN never uses it. I've heard CN uses it for directional running. But on my two trips up there, I have never seen a train south of Shelton Junction on the DWP. You'd think that the Shelton Junction connection track would be a bottle neck. I mean I haven’t seen trains go around that curve in land speed records.
If I ever go up there again, things will be a lot different.
Yes Adolph connects to the Interstate Branch, Missabe trains dont just fly down to Superior. Also yes that is how SB core trains reach Pokey also.
North on the Peg, SB on the Missabe.
Well the J ran a State Line coal train today, thankfully with the good power up front. Leading was EJ&E 675, second was CN SD40-2W 5338 and third was CN SD75I 5717. Thankfully the SD75I wasn't leading today and the J was! http://www.flickr.com/photos/24084206@N08/4148905720/
Well, some semi-bad news about the 3010 and the Toys For Tots Train.
Mech forces shopped the 3010 yesterday. It will be heading to Washington on tomorrow's H-02, and Allentown on Thursday's H-65, to be in Enola by Friday. How long it spends in the shops will determine if it will be back in time for the TFT train on the 12th.GP38-2 (rebuilt GP38AC) 5620 is the replacement for now, but apparently is too tall for the M&E. So who knows what will happen for power. Unless NS can swap power or get the 3010 back by next week, there will be no NS power for the train...
Why is luck always against me so I can't catch the 3010???
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On the flip side, they might swap a M&E Alco instead of a boring NS EMD unit for power!
ns3010 GP38-2 (rebuilt GP38AC) 5620 is the replacement for now, but apparently is too tall for the M&E.
GP38-2 (rebuilt GP38AC) 5620 is the replacement for now, but apparently is too tall for the M&E.
I don't see how there would be clearance problems with NS 5620 (GP38-2) if NS 3010 (a GP40-2) has no clearance issues. I am pretty sure that GP38's and GP40's are the same height.
Alex
They are, but it's all dependent on horn placement. The location (and possibly also type?) of the horn on the 3010 allows it to fit below the wires at Summit. There have been several locos on H-02 where the horn has struck the cat in Summit.
Also about a M&E ALCO. For the train, the only confirmed equipment is (was) the 3010, some kind of NJT loco, and M&E 1775 (Marine boxcar).It was never confirmed whether or not M&E or NYS&W would tack on one of their locos, although each railroad is supposed to have some kind of their equipment on the train. There's a "For the Railfans" page on the website that will have the lineup for the train. It'll probably be up a few days before (so sometime next week).
Also, the same day is the TSRHS Santa Train, which I WILL be riding. I know for a fact that it will have 2 locos (not sure on what kind, and won't know till it arrives at the station) and likely 9 Comets, like in all the past years (Unless for some reason they use MLs, assuming they fit west of Dover [don't know if there are any clearance issues]). Last year, it was:PL42 (4021)-PL42 (4007)-CV-CV-CV cab-CIV-CIV-CV cab (MNCR 6707)-CV-CV-CV cab (NJTR 6007)Photos of the train are here: Santa Train 2008
...must be REALLY low wires! If it's low enough for a too-tall horn to hit the cat, it should be arcing to the roof of a locomotive! Or maybe it arced to the too-tall horn...not actually hit it.
I tried out my new Canon SX1 IS on Wednesday. I really like the 560mm zoom lens! I could never do this with my point-and-shoot...the Red Line crosses the Longfellow Bridge.
Also, there was a private car in South Station - Southern 1, reporting marks AMTK 800034.
I don't know the actual clearances, but I'd have to guess they're probably somewhere similar to those in the North River Tunnels (but definately not lower).Once, the 4112 was really bouncing on its way through Summit, and the horn hit the wires and was destroyed. So the K5LA (all Transit stuff has those, except the 4112) was replaced with a P01235, which was taken from a retired E60CH:Now, of course, that's the most believed story, but can you ever believe a railroad story?
Still no word on if the 3010 will be back by Saturday. I'd say there's a chance, but not very large.
And now I'm really mad. Yesterday, I saw it was supposed to snow next Saturday. And now they're saying rain (but not as big of a chance)
We had snow up here...I was in it! Actually, it was more like sleet then...marching in the dark (5:30-ish) in a parade, in the sleet, playing a fife and trying to keep the fife & drum corp looking and sounding acceptable. We held up the whole parade of vehicles behind us because we were the only group marching! And it was all my fault because I'm the Fife Major!
We had snow too. About 7 inches in 7 hours! And something was wierd (my dad said probably something to do with temperature?) because we couldn't get up our driveway in my dad's Explorer, even in 4x4 low! And then he got about halfway up, and couldn't get any further, and then slid back down until the back wheel ended up in the garden! So I spent my Saturday night digging my dad's truck out of the snow... fun...
And everything's your fault!How much snow'd you get?
Well, now they're saying 35 and sunny for Saturday. What next, a giant Nor'Easter and 10 feet of snow!?
And it seems they're trying to do anything they can to get the 3010 back in Dover by the weekend. Word is it will be leaving Enola soon, I'd guess maybe tomorrow. So hopefully they can have it back to its assigned home by Wednesday. What I heard is, "The Don of Dover will not be let down!"
And I found the perfect place to catch the Santa Train as it arrives on Saturday morning. Since they are finishing up all that road/grade crossing work in Netcong, there's now a sidewalk along Route 46, on the south side of the tracks. It's early morning, and the train will be coming from the east, so it'll still be backlit, just not as badly.
Busy(and cold) week in the Twin Ports this past week. Right away Monday, I stumbled upon a CSX SD70ACE, 4848, in the BNSF engine facility in Superior.
Later in the week, I finally ventured out to Proctor Yard to catch some of the action in the recently renovated yard. Right away, I spy the two switchers now assigned to the yard, CN GP9 7044 and fellow GP9 7211.
Before I left, I snapped a quick overview shot of the yard as the snow starts coming down. You can see a couple of fresh Ore trains, as well as some Limestone as well. The PRS is switching the Missabe cars, while the previously shows GP9s handle the CN traffic.