WSOR on CP

[GTW4914]

Thanks for the info fuzzy.

[fuzzybroken]

Yes, there is a small (two streets, IIRC!) subdivision off Waterford Avenue to the east of the power company r-o-w/big open field with enough houses to have a few complainers.  I live about 1/2 mile away from the crossing, and enjoyed hearing the horns, now all I can do is listen for the sound of the diesel engines...

I wouldn't say the railfanning there is entirely ruined, just, well, "different"!  And, on the other hand, there's a nice set of bridges in the Menomonee Valley that are really nice (publicly accessible!) for railfanning...

[dknelson]

Fuzzy,

What's up with that crossing at Waterford?  Making it a "quiet zone" crossing sure ruined the railfanning there; where does one park nowadays?  And why in the world would THAT crossing be designated as a "quiet zone"?  I sure don't see many houses around there.  Are the workers in those small businesses being kept awake?  Sheesh!

You park as close as you can and, like the Fuzz-meister, bring a folding chair and scanner. 

Some people speculate it was the new senior living apartments on 13th St that caused the crossing to be a no horn crossing, which in turn created the no parking zone.  I am sure some of the neighbors to the east complained.  I know some of them were under the impression that the trains only blew their horns to entertain the railfans because they would scream "go home go home" at us when they would drive by.  They didn't realize they had to blow for the crossing anyway.  Heh heh some of the engineers now DO blow their horns for the railfans they see at the crossing -- what few there are left that is.  (On the scanner they sometimes refer to us as "the papparazzi").  

Dave Nelson

[zardoz]

Fuzzy,

What's up with that crossing at Waterford?  Making it a "quiet zone" crossing sure ruined the railfanning there; where does one park nowadays?  And why in the world would THAT crossing be designated as a "quiet zone"?  I sure don't see many houses around there.  Are the workers in those small businesses being kept awake?  Sheesh!

[fuzzybroken]

Thanks Dan and Zardoz!

Great shots, Mark! Will that train always run during the day or will it run at night like the Janesville-Belt Railway train? If it is going to be during the day, I might have to consider going to Rondout and seeing it.

I would guess that, at least for now, the train will run during the day.  It seems like WSOR likes to run things out of Horicon fairly early in the day, so it probably runs right before or right after the HM.  Of course, schedules are subject to, and probably likely to, change!

I saw that train going past my work today. And it kinda surprised me to see those loco's on the Cp heading to chicago. But any who i did not get a car count. But it looked really cool to see different power on the Cp. But then again I have been seeing A couple of Up engines on the Cp in last couple of days.

There should be LOTS of foreign and foreign-looking power on CP these days, including a lot of leasers that are still in UP paint.  CP  is leasing some 50 units from NREX, all different models of SD40 and SD50 (SD60s too?).  Photos of leasers:
http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/pictures3/railroad/cp02.html#d
But I've seen some UP widecabs on CP recently as well:
http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/fuzzyphpfoto/cp02/fia.htm

I have got a question does anybody know if there is public parking near the diamonds and tower at rondout ill.

Not really.  Actually, the parking situation at Rondout kinda sucks.  On the bright side, the North Shore Bike Path (former North Shore interurban branch to Mundelein) bridge makes for a good overhead vantage point.  My recommendation, bring a bike and be a true multi-modal railfan...   About the best place to park is along the little dead-end street that goes through the "giant culvert" beneath the bike path, and you should probably avoid parking in the club lot.
 

[GTW4914]

I have got a question does anybody know if there is public parking near the diamonds and tower at rondout ill.

[railfan619]

I saw that train going past my work today. And it kinda surprised me to see those loco's on the Cp heading to chicago. But any who i did not get a car count. But it looked really cool to see different power on the Cp. But then again I have been seeing A couple of Up engines on the Cp in last couple of days.

[EJE818]

Great shots, Mark! Will that train always run during the day or will it run at night like the Janesville-Belt Railway train? If it is going to be during the day, I might have to consider going to Rondout and seeing it.

[zardoz]

Good ones, Fuzzy.

[CNW 6000]

The pic fja is a nice shot.  Good catch Mark!

[fuzzybroken]

Just as I was about ready to head for bed (been working extra shifts lately, good for $$ but bad for railfanning ), I heard over the scanner that WSOR 4076 was on Wash 4 (i.e. the lead from CP's Muskego Yard to the main)!

So, off to Waterford Avenue I headed, and got there right after a train had passed.  Fortunately, I knew it wasn't WSOR 4076 East, since it was a stack train (182 for those of you keeping score).

A short while after I had set myself up with my lawn chair, camera, scanner, and a sudoku puzzle I still haven't solved , Amtrak 331 came by.  I might post those pictures, but not today, I still need my ...

I did, however, get photos of what may well be the first WSOR trackage rights grain train on CP, according to Mr. Yuhas!  Didn't get a car count though, I was too busy taking a few more pictures that may eventually be posted of some of the interesting WSOR covered hopper relics...
http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/fuzzyphpfoto/cp02/fja.htm
http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/fuzzyphpfoto/cp02/fjb.htm

Also, I heard UP 3300 getting a track warrant from Butler as far as Airport, so those of you to the south who are not constrained by education or employment may get a chance to see and/or photograph 'er...