tree68 CShaveRRComments welcome, of course! In addition to being an alternative to the "Diner," as I recall, the Lounge was supposed to be sort of a "no specific topic" railfan thread, to include the posting of pictures. While there haven't been a lot of pictures, it has served the railfan aspect pretty well. The diner was intended to be the home of off-topic socializing, and was copied from similar threads on other Trains/MR forums.
CShaveRRComments welcome, of course!
In addition to being an alternative to the "Diner," as I recall, the Lounge was supposed to be sort of a "no specific topic" railfan thread, to include the posting of pictures. While there haven't been a lot of pictures, it has served the railfan aspect pretty well.
The diner was intended to be the home of off-topic socializing, and was copied from similar threads on other Trains/MR forums.
Let's try one more quarter...http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/226239.aspx
Dan
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...
Only 125, well now 126, posts in this topic over the last quarter. May be a good time to draft a letter of intent to the STB.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
With the upcoming end of another three-month life at the Lounge, I'm wondering whether now would be the time to consolidate things over at the Chatterbox.There was a time when we needed an alternative to the "Depot Diner and Coffee Shop", and, more recently, the "Flat Wheel Diner", which seemed to highlight fictional food above life in general. The past quarter has brought new life to that venue, and taken the attention away from fictional serving of food.
We like trains, people over there like trains. The conversation about railroads is generally deeper over here, but we could do that over there as well. We're still available to answer questions for the newbies, give advice to the people who want to hunt trains, and whatever. But sometimes a smile or two helps things along as well.Comments welcome, of course!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Happy birthday today to our favorite (and brightest, wittiest, and best-looking) creature from the swamp: Ed Blysard.As you used to say, Ed, Stay frosty! (Just don't stand out in it!)
Sometimes these things start innocently enough...We got out of church, and wondered aloud whether there was anyplace we should go before going home. I decided to take a route along the tracks, and noticed that an eastbound train was lined up, with no scoot due for well over an hour. At that point it occurred to us that we really should put gas in our car (first time since our trip home on Christmas), so we went to our usual gas station, still the best price among all we saw. Then, since I had screwed up on a color choice for a quilt, I offered to take Pat to the quilt-fabric store to get the proper shade of purple (darker than what we'd already gotten...twice!). We headed off that way, then decided that we had enough colors to get by, so I just went toward the tracks in Elmhurst.The eastbound on Track 1 was still lined up, and it had high greens on both signals in Elmhurst, typical of what a scoot would get. So I was ready to go home. And as I drew in my hopes and was turning around, down the track appeared a headlight! I was able to find a spot first-out at the crossing for the manifest, which gave me a few good sightings to check on; nothing particularly new. After the train passed, I looked up as we were crossing the tracks...another headlight, eastbound on 2! I drove around a few blocks, and by the time I got back to the tracks I could see that it was a stack train. I drove west along it as it was headed east. Nothing exciting (I don't usually look too hard at the cars on a stack train, but there were some series of secondhand cars I was hoping to see...no luck this time). We headed back toward Lombard along North Avenue. Amazingly, the gates on the CN were going down ahead of us! A very long eastbound freight came through. I had to get into the left-turn lane to get as close as possible. There were, again, a few potentially-useful notes made.So we turned left on Addison Road, crossing the track where the train had just been (single track...not a chance we'd see anything else there). But about a half-mile south, we crossed the UP again. And, coming around the curve was another eastbound on Track 2! It turned out to be another stacker, and it also turned out to be stopping short of the crossing, for whatever reason. So we left it there, and headed for home. Never did catch the westbound that had appeared to be ready to head out while we were in Elmhurst.This entire episode took about 45 minutes, including filling up with gasoline. I often wish I'd have this much success on the trips I take to go train-hunting!
Merry Christmas, everyone!Right now we're in the Land of No Trains, waiting for the weather to improve. We may decide to remain until tomorrow. Either that, or put runners on the car and find a good horse who knows the way...COER is becoming one of those companies that gets a lot of cars when per diem pays more than mileage. In their case, the cars are owned by The CIT Group. And I suspect that they're patched.
Carl - Saw about a dozen COER boxcars headed east on the CSX Chicago Line through Utica Sunday. All very similar, but I don't recall now if that means "new" or just all patched the same. I'm leaning toward at least recently painted...
We had an old pot signal that was getting real bad (dirty/old/unfocused). We'd come down to the signal in the morning and the sun would hit it at such an angle that you couldn't see what it said. No biggie, it was the first interlocking signal coming off dark territory, so you had to be prepared to stop regardless, so we'd stop the train, I'd hop down, walk over to it, shade it with my shadow so I could see the slow clear it was trying to show, jump back in the cab and off we go.
Got some funny looks from the people sitting at the adjacent road, but you do what you have to do.
Signal has been replaced, BTW.
Carl, that's one for The Treasury of Railroad Folklore!
Johnny
Jeff, if you had a less experienced conductor, you could have said that you were using the horn to call for the signal. Then, watch the signal clear up after you sounded the horn.
jeffhergert . . . After talking to him and switching back I look up and we still have approaches on the bridge and pole signal, but I can't see the yellow on the pot signal. I ask the conductor and he can't see it anymore either. We can't tell if it went red or dark. While we are "job briefing" (discussing the situation) I start to see it sort of flicker between yellow and unobservable. The conductor notices this too. Then I see what's causing the "flickering." About a dozen turkeys had been hanging around the track eating spilled grain. We couldn't see that pot signal because there was a turkey standing right in front of it! He was just the right size to block the light . . . Jeff
Then I see what's causing the "flickering." About a dozen turkeys had been hanging around the track eating spilled grain. We couldn't see that pot signal because there was a turkey standing right in front of it! He was just the right size to block the light . . . Jeff
Train Crew: "DS, can you verbally clear us past the pot signal ? We can't see the indication."
DS: "Why not ? What's the problem ? Is it out ? Should I call the maintainer ?"
Train Crew: "No, there's a large turkey standing in front of the signal . . . "
Good thing it wasn't a bear, I suppose. Thanks for sharing !
- Paul North.
P.S. - More on Track Breach Protection - such as when a train crew member has to occupy a 'hot main' to walk and inspect a train - such as one that's gone into emergency - or a malfunctioning locomotive, etc.:
http://v045.ax2600ab.omhq.uprr.com/emp/news/uponline/2013/september/09_11_weekly_safety_topic.shtml
Had a weasel been holding the turkey in front of the pot to see what you would do when you reached the pot?
Shoulda grabbed the turkey. Sounds like he was already stuffed.
Norm
We were stopped today in Council Bluffs because of traffic ahead of us. Where we were stopped was at the west end of the yard complex, which includes controlled switches and signals. This stretch of track has 5 signals in about two miles, all but one an absolute signal. We were stopped, behind a train about midway where we could see the next 3 signals. The first one on a signal bridge, the second was a "pot" or dwarf signal and the third a wayside pole signal, all absolutes.
The train ahead left. After a few minutes all three signals changed to approach. That pot signal is always hard to see, especially in daylight. As I was getting ready to pull, I had to change radio channels for a minute as we have to check with the yrdmstr if there is any Track Breach Protection in effect. After talking to him and switching back I look up and we still have approaches on the bridge and pole signal, but I can't see the yellow on the pot signal. I ask the conductor and he can't see it anymore either. We can't tell if it went red or dark. While we are "job briefing" (discussing the situation) I start to see it sort of flicker between yellow and unobservable. The conductor notices this too.
Then I see what's causing the "flickering." About a dozen turkeys had been hanging around the track eating spilled grain. We couldn't see that pot signal because there was a turkey standing right in front of it! He was just the right size to block the light, but until he moved away from it, not big enough to be noticeable by himself. I released the brakes and we started across town.
Jeff
I picked a bad day to go train-hunting today. Besides cold, rainy weather forcing me to use the car, I encountered (from a couple of blocks away) a Metra-pedestrian incident at Main Street in Glen Ellyn. I don't know about the extent of the injuries, but the eastbound scoot involved was annulled east of Glen Ellyn, and its passengers accommodated on the next scoot an hour later. No traffic was getting through easily (even the westbound scoot sustained a long delay). A crossover at Wheaton might have been helpful here, but those new crossovers haven't been placed in service yet. I caught an eastbound manifest stopped on Track 2 in Wheaton, but he was still sitting there when I returned from West Chicago (no immediate action on CN at West Chicago, either).Plenty of reefers visible on the manifest I saw, but none of the new ones. I have enough research work to keep me occupied while Pat builds up her Christmas wardrobe.
I've been bemoaning the fact that my sightings in December have so far taken up only one page in the "paper trail". It's allowed me to get a few things researched for other folks, obtaining help from online contacts, etc. But yesterday we had lunch at my favorite deli, and in less than an hour three freights went through: an inbound WEPX coal train, an outbound manifest, and an inbound train comprised entirely of brand-new TILX frac-sand covered hoppers (334300 and 334400 series). There might be another 100 cars coming later, as the series shows as going up through 334581.(The coal train and manifest didn't have anything for me...just a few cars to check on, and I had that information already.) What I'm hoping to see for myself is one of UP's 100 new mechanical reefers, ARMN 170225-170324. The lower-numbered cars in this group were probably relettered from GBRX reporting marks.
Fascinating note there Carl. As I only see the trains destined for Pulliam in Green Bay, WI (not rotary equipped) I won't see any of the 'bathtub' sets unless someone screws up or BNSF takes the contract over again. If BNSF gets it they run trains to Weston through this area too and then I would see the 'bathtub' gons. Once, a bathtub set was sent to Pulliam by mistake and nobody caught it until it was at the plant. Saw loads go up and back in the same day as they couldn't unload them in Green Bay. Train was sent west to Weston.
Caught an interesting lash the other day. GP38/SD60F/GP38...and boy were those Geeps screaming! Also caught a lash with SD38/SD60F/GP38...same thing. A couple of times I wished I was doing video instead of stills.
I study those WPSX trains when they come past me. They usually have a fine assortment of gons and hoppers, with rotary-coupler ends painted three or four different colors.What I'm looking for when I see them is the gon (one per train) with two rotary couplers. They can usually be differentiated by some change in code in UMLER listings, but not in WPSX's case. WPSX 401-781 (yellow rotary ends) have no double-rotary cars that I've found. WPSX 801-927 (green rotary ends) have 801 and 802 with two rotary couplers. WPSX 1001-1150 (hoppers with vermilion rotary ends) have at least four double-rotary cars, with random numbers; a couple of those appear to have been added after the cars were built. Finally, WPSX 1401-1814 (unpainted aluminum, with orange rotary ends) have at least three cars, all in the 1700 series, with two rotary couplers. I don't know how many more are out there.
Ma Nature finally sent us some (little) amount of that white stuff that falls from the sky. Not much though...two and a half more days until vacation...sigh...
Jeff - a WPSX loaded coal train was through your neck of the woods overnight/today. Had WPSX 600 (gondola) in consist. Were you the lucky one who got to "drive" it?
zugmann CShaveRR I noticed on the gon picture that there is a little of the sand flying off the top. That would be bothersome, as I mentioned, to anyone whom that train was passing by, and to the ballast eventually. Gives the DPU traction.
CShaveRR I noticed on the gon picture that there is a little of the sand flying off the top. That would be bothersome, as I mentioned, to anyone whom that train was passing by, and to the ballast eventually.
I noticed on the gon picture that there is a little of the sand flying off the top. That would be bothersome, as I mentioned, to anyone whom that train was passing by, and to the ballast eventually.
Gives the DPU traction.
I will say that I did notice "a bit" of sand in the air as the train went south/east bound past me. It wasn't a cloud of sand or anything but I did notice it. I'll have to dig in my notes to see if I can find what the train symbol was...usually I have/know/find it but it's not coming to me for some odd reason. I wonder if they still run like that. I don't normally 'fan' that line. Good excuse for a road trip!
You're welcome. I think I have a photo...but can't seem to find it. I'll keep digging unless someone can chime in.
Thank you for the pictures, Dan. On the pictured covered hoppers, does anyone know how many hatches do they have on top?
James
jeffhergert I haven't seen gondolas for frac sand, only covered hoppers. It could be something with the grade of sand and where it's going. I've seen both small and larger covered hoppers, with the larger ones being older and probably on their last assignments before being cut up. (Alter at Council Bluffs has recently started cutting up some old cars there. Some old CNW and MP covered hoppers, both large and small.) Right now because of where I'm working, I'm seeing the empty cars being returned. The loads going south go through Des Moines to Kansas City. The empties, because of UP's directional running, come north out of KC to Omaha and then east to the Spine at Nevada, IA. Sometimes, they take the long way and go all the way east to Proviso before heading north. Jeff
I haven't seen gondolas for frac sand, only covered hoppers. It could be something with the grade of sand and where it's going. I've seen both small and larger covered hoppers, with the larger ones being older and probably on their last assignments before being cut up. (Alter at Council Bluffs has recently started cutting up some old cars there. Some old CNW and MP covered hoppers, both large and small.)
Right now because of where I'm working, I'm seeing the empty cars being returned. The loads going south go through Des Moines to Kansas City. The empties, because of UP's directional running, come north out of KC to Omaha and then east to the Spine at Nevada, IA. Sometimes, they take the long way and go all the way east to Proviso before heading north.
Short 'n Heavy on Flickr
The next shot is what I usually see from CN. Train L576 usually shuttles frac sand south from Stevens Point, WI (after another local runs it there) so it's not a 'true' unit train but for sand it's about as close as I can get. This one is seen along Lake Winnebago with an ex-Oakway SD60 leading a CN C40-8M "barn".
CN Frac Sand on Flickr
Interesting operations either way.
Nice photo, zug - the one circumstance when those mainly black units might be more visible, rather than less as is more usual (IMHO) . . .
Hmmmm. I think my snow qualifications are out of date.
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