Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
5371 came into Va;;ey Park from the west, 3300 came in from the south, so they were on different trains. Maybe VP can put them togetehr but I somehow doubt that will happen. Plus, I don't think there is a MVPPR, but there is a MSSPR so it might have to go up to St. Paul to come to Proviso, which I really hope happens. Great day at IRM yesterday! The main reason I went was for the Terror on the Railroad haunted train event, but that quickly changed when I saw a engine with pulserating ditch light coming up to the depot. Indeed, it was the 7525 and it was operating. First, it made a high speed run-by with BN 5383 behind it, then it pulled into the depot and had to stop for 15 minutes to wait for the 2 car CTA train to depart. Then, 7525 uncoupled from 5383, went back out to the mainline, and made another high speed run-by, with no assistance. Then it pulled back into the depot, pushed BN 5383 into the locomotive shop, then it switched some engines around the yard. Quite a large engine for a yard switcher, but IRM has done crazier things before! Here are some photos of 7525.
Here is 7525 and BN 5383 pulling into the IRM depot.
The two engines sit at the depot waiting for the CTA train to depart.
Still waiting for the CTA train, seen through the window of the IRM depot.
Now running with no assistance, 7525 passes SP SD7 1518. 1518 is pulling one of the hauted trains for the Terrow on the Railroad event, the "Screamliner".
It is rare to get night shts from IRM, but with the special event going on, the museum stayed open until 11:30 at night, and here is 7525 sitting by the locomotive shop. Notice that you can see the camera hole right above 7525's cab, that is the IRM mainline webcam that you've been able to see 7525 the last few days.
Overall, a great day, and Terror on the Railroad was great. Funny hearing people screaming in the cars behind us! I would've never thought I would see 7525 operating again, but it just happened to be the SD45 CN donated.
By the way Brent, great shots!
Robby, there is a MVPPR (nicknamed the "Vipper") and a MPRVP on the Adams line, as well as a MSSPR and counter part. Two different locations in the Twin Cities, so the UP feels the need to run two trains I guess.
Just checked, the DGRW unit is headed back to North Platte. Kind of what I figured they'd do (as that's how the power sets usually rotate), but I wasn't sure. The 3300 is expected to arrive Valley Park later today. It'll be interesting to see where it heads off to next.
Glad to hear IRM's SD45 is up and running too. Definitely will have to make a trip down there next summer.
Some nice photos posted lately too. Matt, I think I see in a couple or spots what you mean about color, but for the most part they still look like darn good shots to me! In todays digital world, color correction is pretty easy too.
Noah
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Grrr, then I'm thinking 5371 will probably eventually head back to Roper unless they put it on a MNPPR, oh well. I'm happy with what I got yesterday. In fact, here are even more shots of 7525. I went kinda crazy with photographs and was chasing this thing all over the museum getting photos. Hey, I don't regret it at all and plan doing it again next summer. I'll probably be there during Diesel Days, most likely the Saturday. If any of you are there and run into me just ask and I could tell you all the places to see the various engines that the museum owns. Again though, if you want to come to see this engine come to Diesel Days, as almost all of IRMs operating diesels will make appearances. I will post exact days for this as soon as I find out, but it usually is in the middle of July. Ok, I'm sure all of you want to see more photos of 7525, not more rambling about IRM, so here they are.
The crew gets back on the 7525 as the CTA train (not visable here) departs.
Now ready to depart, the conductor talks to the IRM dispatcher to get permission to move forward and uncouple BN 5383.
More of a side view of 7525. Maybe IRM could work with Operation Livesaver now that they have a OLS engine at the museum.
Here it is switching the yard, moving CB&Q SW9 9255 into the locomotive shop.
Another night shot.
These photos kinda give you the picture of what it is like at IRM, but really, they don't show anything. It isn't until you go that it really get the feeling of what really goes on here. I'd like to go to the Duluth museum as well as the Green Bay museum in the future, but first, I'm looking forward to probably going up to see the MNNR next summer, but I know it won't be in the middle of July when Diesel Days is going on. The part I like best about 7525 staying in WC is there will be something operating in WC paint, plus 7525 won't have to deal with the wrath of CN anymore. IRM, unlike CN, will actually maintain it, so it should be operating for a long time, but if you have the chance, come out and see this engine next summer. Should be a interesting operating season at IRM for 2008.
whoa whoa whoa. i think we need to come to a common understanding here.
robbie, noah, you're both wrong. yes there IS an MVPPR, as noah said, but here's the whole story:
there used to be 2 trains through Altoona. the MPRVP and the MSSPR. only last summer, the MSSPR was cancelled and replaced with the MVPPR. a new local, the LTB60, brought all SSP traffic up to Altoona and returned as the LTB61 with the SSP traffic the MPRVP dropped off in Altoona. this is due to a congestion in VP and bringing that SSP traffic in was definitely not helping. so now UP uses Altoona as a backup switching yard to help bring down congestion.
the LTB60 is a cool train to see. it definitely doesnt look like a local. i have seen 2 SD9043MACs towing it before. usually it's a trio of CNW zombies. but unfortunately, this train ALSO comes in the dead of night.
the westbound manifest was also recently changed from the MPRVP to the MBUVP. i guess they base them out of Butler now. it still isnt helping them to get here faster. well it kinda does. i have seen the MBUVP pull in once when i was waiting for the ZEMCH (had to call my mom to insist on letting me stay till 11:00 PM on account of seeing headlights in the distance. she hates when i bike home in the dark). both trains came at once, with ZEMCH having to wait for MBUVP to clear the siding. it was a great night....until i saw the lead power on MBUVP was that accursed 3042.
*sigh* i hope that helps
yes the vipper is a very new train. and yes, this track seems to be a night track. i cant, for the life of me, figure out why....
i need another trip to the BNSF
This maybe a little bit of suject, but..
I have heard rumors that WC 6005 came through Wausau on Saturday. I missed it, of course. But She should come back to Wausau tommrow. Now I usually take the City bus home, but I have Jazz Band tommorw. So right after that I'll see if my dad will drive me down to the yard and see if shes there. It's hard though because some times the SB could come early or late, but she usually comes around 3ish. So I just hope I can see her tommrow, and I sure hope she's leadin' too.
I hope that you do see it there. That is one of the WC engines that I've never seen.
WCfan wrote:This maybe a little bit of suject, but..I have heard rumors that WC 6005 came through Wausau on Saturday. I missed it, of course. But She should come back to Wausau tommrow. Now I usually take the City bus home, but I have Jazz Band tommorw. So right after that I'll see if my dad will drive me down to the yard and see if shes there. It's hard though because some times the SB could come early or late, but she usually comes around 3ish. So I just hope I can see her tommrow, and I sure hope she's leadin' too.
how do you know 6005 is female?
EJE818 wrote:I know there is also a MPRBU. 3300 just ran on that train a few weeks ago. Sounds like that line in Wisconsin is mainly a night operation. I've always been told there isn't a MVPPR, but I guess that has changed in the last two years.
The Vipper and MPRBU I've still been trying to figure out. The MPRBU/MBUPR are both relatively new, having just started this summer. Shortly after that started happening, I also started hearing a train known as MBUVP and MVPBU. I figured that the UP had simply started changing symbols at Bulter for some reason now. But I still have heard a train refered to as MVPPR from time to time too, though whether that was simply an engineer with a habit that is hard to break or really that train's symbol I don't know.
The Adams line does seem to have a higher percentage of it's trains at night, though there are a few daylight trains out there if you time it right. Just depends from day to day. Seems like around here you can almost count on a late afternoon appearence of MBUVP, and roadrailer can be found in light during the summer.
Lord Atmo wrote: WCfan wrote:This maybe a little bit of suject, but..I have heard rumors that WC 6005 came through Wausau on Saturday. I missed it, of course. But She should come back to Wausau tommrow. Now I usually take the City bus home, but I have Jazz Band tommorw. So right after that I'll see if my dad will drive me down to the yard and see if shes there. It's hard though because some times the SB could come early or late, but she usually comes around 3ish. So I just hope I can see her tommrow, and I sure hope she's leadin' too.how do you know 6005 is female?
Anyways, a question for Eric. How the heck do YOU know Ilea Jaeh? And for that matter, why does EVERYONE know her!?
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