Brian SchmidtFolks, we are working with our partners in Rochelle to banish the spider this spring. Plese keep in mind that the Trains editorial offices are more than 100 miles away, so we can't just take off and handle this ourselves.
While the spider is mostly an annoyance - it's still fun to gripe about it....
The camera isn't exactly in an easy-to-reach location. That's great for the view, and for prevention of vandalism, but does make otherwise simple tasks like cleaning the lense (or dealing with spider webs) a bit of a job...
Knowing the constant battle my aunts fought with spiders at their lakeshore cottage, I can appreciate the challenge this arachnid poses.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
BaltACDA service oriented company that is dinged by the railfan community constantly.
That's almost as bad as employees publicly "dinging" the company they work for. And then wondering why it goes down the tubes. Sad.
ChuckAllen, TX
tree68Knowing the constant battle my aunts fought with spiders at their lakeshore cottage, I can appreciate the challenge this arachnid poses.
Soon after moving into our house (which had been empty for a year since the builders left), I emptied a can of insect spray on a Black Widow spider in the garage. I swear the #$%^&* was laughing at me so hard that she fell out of the web. I finally managed to squash it with a shovel as it tried to get away. Bernz-O-Matic took care of the egg cases she left behind.
Brian: I do hope you're not taking our complaints about Spidey too seriously. Yes, it's a nuisance but most folks on this thread know the relationship between Trains and the web cam. We also know how difficult it is to deal with spiders; they are persistent little devils.
I just wish there were more web cams around the country (world?) with as much action 'up close and personal' as the one at Rochelle. Of course, more individual control, wider view, another camera looking at this one from the other side of the diamonds, all signal aspects shown in the corners of the screen, .... I could go on for quite a while with that wish list but I'm glad to have what we do.
xjqcf A private car train just went west on UP. Anyone know what this was?
A private car train just went west on UP. Anyone know what this was?
http://www.aaprco.com/news/aaprco-midterm-meeting-at-kansas-city-and-special-train-may-18-20-2017/
Jeff
Busy spidey this afternoon around five CDT.
Busy and healthy looking.
When I was a Specialist Four, E-4, Field Radio Relay and Carrier Equipment Repairman (MOS 31L20) serving with the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) in the old Republic of Viet Nam, I was terrified of using our 501st Signal Battalion (Airmobile) privy at Camp Eagle (located West of Highway QL-1, between Hue and Phu Bai).
Black widow spiders made their home just below the toilet seat, and yes, there indeed were instances of guys being bitten on the family jewels.
Fortunately, that never happened to me!
One of the scariest things about being in the old Republic of Viet Nam, aside from being under fire and having people try to kill me, was all the multitude of venomous creepy crawlies.
During the Monsoon, when on perimeter guard duty, we were forced to share our sandbagged bunkers with those venomous creepy crawlies in the pitch black darkness, as every creature (including me) tried in vain to stay dry and warm (and yes, it did get cold during the Monsoon season in the Northern part of the old Republic of Viet Nam).
When I was in grammar school, we had a black widow in our outhouse. Her web was in a corner, in front of and to the left of the seat. We let her be so she would keep the flies down--I never noticed any flies inside.
The thing to really watch out for was the paper wasp nest outside, over the door.
Johnny
When I first arrived at Dong Ha, Republic of Viet Nam (near the DMZ), the other guys told me not to kill any spiders, because their cobwebs trapped mosquitoes, which would give us malaria.
writesong Ran accross a 3" long spider in a banana tree while I was on TDY with a ROK 25th Division rifle company (still wonder who I offended in 1/10 Cav to get that TDY). Strange looking beast: It was 3" long but only about 1/2" wide with no taper and black and yellow stripes running the length of the body. Completely ignored issue insecticide but couldn't ignore the ROK 1st Sergeant's .45 at close range.
Ya gotta remember, spiders are NOT "insects" (8 legs, not 6) and as such, "Insecticides" are useless. If they do work, it is not because it poisoned the spider to death, it is because it had an oil base that the spider could not shed fast enough and it suffocated.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
cefinkjr Bernz-O-Matic took care of the egg cases she left behind.
Ya know - more that one house has burned down due to homeowners using that "tool..."
tree68 cefinkjr Bernz-O-Matic took care of the egg cases she left behind. Ya know - more that one house has burned down due to homeowners using that "tool..."
Even more homeowners don't take normal precautions when using dangerous tools. Some of us are just lucky.
cefinkjrEven more homeowners don't take normal precautions when using dangerous tools. Some of us are just lucky.
Ever notice on the woodworking shows on PBS that you'll occasionally see the caption on the bottom: "Use caution when operating power tools"? I'm glad they reminded me because I had been planning on using them with complete abandon.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Just watched a near-perfect meet between an EB UP coal train and a WB UP mixed manifest- engines passed each other about 25 feet east of the diamonds.
EDIT: And it just happened again, only better! EB UP mixed and WB UP stacker met on the diamonds after an EB BNSF cleared.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Paul of Covingtoncefinkjr Even more homeowners don't take normal precautions when using dangerous tools. Some of us are just lucky. Ever notice on the woodworking shows on PBS that you'll occasionally see the caption on the bottom: "Use caution when operating power tools"? I'm glad they reminded me because I had been planning on using them with complete abandon.
If they didn't put those warnings up, some fool would sue, saying, "Theyth didnth tellth meeth noth tooth lickth theth bladeth whileth ith wath spinninth."
Appears to be a fairly major project going on at the diamonds. It does not appear to be the main replacement, but more focused on replacing a track panel on BNSF 2 track (furthest away from the park) just west of the diamonds. This track is out of service; UP has a form B in effect.
xjqcf Appears to be a fairly major project going on at the diamonds. It does not appear to be the main replacement, but more focused on replacing a track panel on BNSF 2 track (furthest away from the park) just west of the diamonds. This track is out of service; UP has a form B in effect.
Section has been removed; the subgrade has been removed and is being replaced. Workers have now started on the east side of the diamonds; looks like it's being prepped to be replaced also.
Just a real "bee-hive" of activity! One small "BobCat" type EndLoader and THREE larger articulated EndLoaders swarming all over the place... and a full set of "drones" standing around pretending to be garden statuary.
Crane on site
Crane took old track panel away .. new panel being put in place.
I saw what might have been the first UP traffic on #2 since that panel was replaced. Both units did a very nice dosey-doe as they crossed the diamonds. Might need a little more work there, Guys.
My bet is that this work on adjacent BNSF panels is preparation for replacement of the diamonds next weekend. I'm going to be tied up from Friday to Monday with VFW Memorial Day activities so I hope somebody gets a good video and posts a link to it here.
Around noon I saw a pair of new SD70ACe-T4 units leading a coal train in full UP paint and markings (not the demo units).. couldn't grab a screenshot or the numbers in time.
cefinkjr I saw what might have been the first UP traffic on #2 since that panel was replaced. Both units did a very nice dosey-doe as they crossed the diamonds. Might need a little more work there, Guys. My bet is that this work on adjacent BNSF panels is preparation for replacement of the diamonds next weekend. I'm going to be tied up from Friday to Monday with VFW Memorial Day activities so I hope somebody gets a good video and posts a link to it here.
UP has been running traffic on #2 track in both directions all day. They have a form B zone and a form C with a flagman giving authority to pass through the interlocking. BNSF has been dead until now (they had an unrelated track window further west until 12:00) but just got the first one through (eastbound stacker), with one close behind.
Did my memory just deceive me, or did the EB BNSF intermodal train that just clear the diamonds at 1616 CDT consist of TOFC loads entirely? There wasn't a stacked set of cans in sight. I don't believe I have ever seen such a large train made up like that. And it had three units up front.
BTW, the first thing I noticed was it was trying out the new track panel laid this morning.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
Looks like they're setting up for a second day of fun. A bunch of people are on scene scoping out UP east of the diamonds. I did notice yesterday a couple of endloaders carrying a rather longer track panel east along UP #1 track, so perhaps that's today's agenda.
They seem to be focusing on #2 track (closest to the park). A track worker just poked at the ballast on #2 with a ballast fork, just like they did before yesterday's track panel work.
xjqcf They seem to be focusing on #2 track (closest to the park). A track worker just poked at the ballast on #2 with a ballast fork, just like they did before yesterday's track panel work.
Old section cut and removed. Bobcat at site and waiting
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