Trains Newsletter: Two steps ahead of the wrecking ball

Angela Pusztai-Pasternak

What are your predictions?

 

 Predictions about what?

Bucyrus

Angela Pusztai-Pasternak

What are your predictions?

 

 Predictions about what?

I apologize if I was not being clear. We would like you to predict what railroad subjects you think should be captured on film (or digitally) before they change or vanish completely. Topics might include branch lines, commodities traffic, technology, locomotive types. The list is endless. Then, if you'd like, include a link to a photo you've taken to illustrate the concept. Photos taken after July 19, 2010, could be featured in a future Web story. Or, you can wait until Monday to read Mr. Lothes' predictions for some inspiration.

Umm, ya, I replied to thread about 6 months ago, but it was closed by the moderators just after my reply.  It was a taboo subject not to be discussed in this forum.  As a student at the Univ. Of Montana in the mid-60's I road freights -- in the cab, in the caboose, and ya, in boxcars.  I rode all over -- from Missoula to Spokane, Seattle, Helena, and and even up the NP branch to Wallace, ID via MILW trackage rights -- in a blinding snowstom.  I was always welcomed by all railroaders, dispatchers, engineers, conductors, et al, and was in the caboose for a good portion of that ride over Lookout Pass and down MILW trackage along the St. Regis River.  I have many slides of that era that are priceless to me, but that subject is not to be mentioned here at all.  Some photos of my riding were published on Altamont Press, but it not here.  Sorry for the loss. I see stories here of fans being afraid to look at dates stamped on old rail for fear of being arrested for trespass, and that makes me sick.  A bygone era? Ya.

BNSF is replacing a lot of old signal bridges and targets with new bridges and "L" shaped signals on its Transcon route.  The old signal bridge in Emporia, KS, which dates from the late 1970s to early 1980s (ATSF), will be soon removed.  New signal mast is in place and soon will be activated.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2150023

 

Regards,

Russell Honey

Engineer, conductor in locomotives.  Eventually Positive Train Control, grade seperations and technology will result in un-staffed remote operated trains.  For same reason, line side signals.

Angela:-

The remnant of the C.& N.W. "Cowboy Line" east of Chadron, Nebr. to Merriman, Nebr. seems to be a one commodity railroad that isn't long for this world.

And, of course, there's the nagging question of what's to become of the Union Pacific's (nee D.& R.G.W.'s) Tennessee Pass Subdivision in Colorado.  A portion of the line at the east end is operated by the Rio Grande Scenic (?) and an outfit called "Rock-n-Rail," but there's quite a few miles of heavy welded rail and forlorn C.T.C. signals that are just rusting away. 

A couple of weeks ago I drove along the San Luis & Rio Grande's line west out of Alamosa, Colo.  The track looked to be in pretty good shape and I did see a crew switching the San Luis Central interchange at Monte Vista.  West of Monte Vista the track is still there, but it doesn't appear there's any business.  In fact at South Fork, Colorado, aspen saplings seem to be taking root between the crossties.  Not a good sign.

Lastly I've read on this website and elsewhere that the Santa Fe Southern, a shortline spinoff connecting the New Mexico state capital city with the BNSF connection at Lamy, NM, isn't doing too well either.

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Later, 07/27 @ 1900 CDT.

West of Monte Vista, Colorado I did see some rotary-dump "coal buckets" in storage.  Also in storage were quite a few white, well-insulated CORX tank cars that used to haul beer concentrate from some brewery in Golden, Colo. to a bottling plant in Virginia.  

May not be too exciting, but here is an example of railroad crossing sign changes and something which is not likely to last forever.

Emporia, VA is one of two places where I had seen "button copy" railroad crossing signs (the other is Vineland, NJ.  If you aren't familiar with road signs, "button copy" was an early way to improve night visibility by placing metal buttons within the writing of signs that would reflect headlights.  My understanding is that Button Copy signs were primarily placed in the 1950s and 1960s and have largely been replaced by reflective paint or relfective sign backing which improves night visibility.

Here is a close up picture of one of the button copy signs in Emporia - http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1205925 which would have been taken sometime during 2007 or 2008. Here is another close up which is very good at showing the buttons -  http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1336719 from December of 2007.  Here is a more distant shot of the same sign - http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1205924

Emporia also had something which I have never seen anyplace else - a black background on a RR crossing sign - unfortunately since I generally stopped by there in the afternoon and it was directly facing the sun at that time, I never did get a good shot of it.

Now on October 17, 2009 I stopped by Emporia and this is what I saw: http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2151334

The Button Copy sign at Business U.S. 58 crossing and the lights/gates was removed and replaced with a new sign.

At the other crossings, the button copy remained for a couple of more days, but I stopped by there again a bit later and they were all sitting on the ground replaced by modern signs/lights/gates (one of the road crossings there was totally closed off) which look exactly like the ones at every other CSX crossing.  The black backed rr crossing sign was totally gone - it was knocked over and its base/lights were sitting there but the sign was no where to be seen.

http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2151345

And you know something, those signs really did show up good at night.

But the point is that even something as mundane as railroad crossing signs could hold suprises and offer uniqueness which may not remain forever. 

Here are some interesting signs from Vineland, NJ

http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1183988

Check out this relic

http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1183987

Another old sign (with flashers)

http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1183991

Same sign (I believe), this time with train:

http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1184009

Button copy, but in much worse shape than in Emporia (really, this is an active railroad crossing):

http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1190847

Yet another different looking sign:

http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1190851

Another button copy in better shape (and this may actually look different from the ACL button copy if you compare)

http://penncentral2002.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1190849

Since I haven't been back to Vineland since those photos were taken in 2007, I have no idea if they have been replaced - since Vineland has much less rail traffic than Emporia, they may last a while longer - but you have to figure that even on a lightly used line some of those signs are going to be replaced.

The one relic up there reminds me: when I was young there was an ancient "No Trespassing Southern Railway Co. Property" sign where I lived - it was all rust like the Railroad Crossing 150 Feet sign (the one labeled "look at this relic") and was obviously very old.  It stayed I believe up about 1990, but I didn't get my own camera to 1991 so I never got a photo of it.  But that is another area where you can still find some relics which aren't likely to be around for ever.

And I guess in fairness I'll point out that Vineland and Emporia aren't the only places where I've seen button copy rr crossing signs - the B&O Museum also has one as part of their collection