Carl, I'm not sure. I would expect that they would park one like they did in 2008. The last westbound thru was an autorack, that I took west to Fremont.
Jeff
I was out again today--still plenty of westbound intermodals (and a couple of auto trains), but nothing else. I did catch one very short eastbound intermodal; it probably came from Global III.
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)
I was out and about during the flood crest the other day, and tried to get down near the C St. SW crossing near the Cedar River bridge and power plant- got close enough to see the crossing was still above water (the C St. approaches weren't, though). Based on that, I would assume the bridge didn't get entirely submerged. Since then the river has dropped over two feet, so things should be returning to normal quickly.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
duplicated
Westbounds were running like crazy today--autos, manifest, hoppers, tanks. It's been a longtime since I've seen the staging areas used, and they were occupied by westbounds--practically unheard of! I'll probably miss the eastbound rush overnight...
Something I've noticed, half of the WB UP's are blowing thier horns, other half they come through without sounding.
working late with the cam up in the background. Got a WB on UP stopped out of sight of the cam. 10.53pm.
Been online since 5.30, just had an EB UP on #1 come through no horn. 06.24
MKT Dave Something I've noticed, half of the WB UP's are blowing thier horns, other half they come through without sounding. working late with the cam up in the background. Got a WB on UP stopped out of sight of the cam. 10.53pm.
Yeah, I brought up the cam about 2:30 AM CDT; All but one UP were blowing horns, but all BNSFs were silent; the last UP (so far) was silent. Yesterday all the trains I monitored (over several hours, not continuously) were blowing on both lines.
The quiet zone took effect at 9am today, 9/30. The subdivision general order placing it in effect was issued yesterday. If the MOW forces had already placed the "QZ" sign on the whistle posts, some may have throught it was already in effect.
Or maybe it was temporary local conditions that made it difficult to hear the horns being sounded on the webcam for some of the trains. Instead of a failure to sound the horn as required.
Do "quiet zone" orders prohibit sounding the horn to alert MoW forces or anyone else who might be on or near the track? I would hope not but ...
ChuckAllen, TX
cefinkjrDo "quiet zone" orders prohibit sounding the horn to alert MoW forces or anyone else who might be on or near the track? I would hope not but ...
No - only the routine soundings for road crossing. Emergency situations (car stopped on road crossing etc.) and other rule required sounding must still be made.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD cefinkjr Do "quiet zone" orders prohibit sounding the horn to alert MoW forces or anyone else who might be on or near the track? I would hope not but ... No - only the routine soundings for road crossing. Emergency situations (car stopped on road crossing etc.) and other rule required sounding must still be made.
cefinkjr Do "quiet zone" orders prohibit sounding the horn to alert MoW forces or anyone else who might be on or near the track? I would hope not but ...
This is confirmed - today welders are working on the diamonds and I've seen UP trains come through not whistling for the crossings but whistling for the welders.
This brings up a related point. Often for routine welding and/or grinding work no work zone is set up (Form B) - the welder works with a lookout. prior to the quiet zone the whistling for the crossings would give a bit of an advance warning, particularly for both UP & BNSF westbounds. This will no longer apply so I wonder if protection procedures will be changed for this kind of work under traffic situation. From monitoring the scanner feed it appears that the key releases for the interlocking are in use today and this has been done in the past for some work (perhaps work that cannot be cleared as quickly); perhaps this will become the norm. I also observed an unusual practice for the BNSF hi railing track inspector this morning. after doing a track inspection of the 199 switch (The electrically interlocked hand throw switch off of BNSF #2 track) before proceding west across the diamonds someone operated key release, then crossed the diamonds, stopping a bit past, the released the key releases before proceeding west. In the past lone hi railers seemed to just "tiptoe" across the diamonds on sight. The only time key releases seemed to be employed were when the hi railer was escorting other equipment such as track equipment inspection vehicles, etc. Will have to observe if key releases will be used for every movement now.
Well I just observed something odd on this foggy Saturday morning. After a westbound BNSF baretable cleared the 199 switch (incidentally whistling right through all the crossings) a person wearing a red safety vest waled out behind from the street that dead ends next to the switch. After futzing around between the track and the adjacent vegetation he crossed the BNSF tracks carrying a step ladder and walked about halfway between BNSF and UP and set up the step ladder. The person then ascended the step ladder and stood doing something (using a camera, perhaps). After about a minute the person descended, picked up and folded the step ladder and proceeded back to the road, hidden behind the vegetation. A clank! sounded; then about 30 seconds later a series of beep-beep-beeps sounded and a flash of white poked through the vegetation, fading away, then disappearing.
I wonder if this was official or just a trespassing photographer trying to pose as an authorized employee/contractor?
Eastbound UP Ethanol train currently crawling through on Track 2, blowing for all crossings. Being overly cautious, or did he not see the crossing changes?
Probably being cautious, Brian--if the changeover to no horns is official, the crews will have it in their bulletins. I may have to explore the area again soon.
The QZ went into effect, on the UP side anyway, on the 30th. The Geneva Subdivn general order came out on the 29th.
If the train was crawling through and sounding it's horn for the crossings, there may have been a problem with the crossing signals. When a crossing protection order is in effect, trains are to sound the horn even if there is no visible problem with the signals until the order is lifted.
I like to think he missed the memo
phkmn2000Tuesday AM - wow, just watched an EB UP over the diamond, MAJOR rocking action from all 3 locos.
Which track was that? I just (1125) watched a single unit (GP38?) tow a flat and what looked like a detection car of some sort EB on #2. Looked very stable but they were moving at a walk ... and not a very fast walk at that.
EDIT: BNSF stack train EB on #1 passing now (1129) at track speed. Not enough rock and roll to be noticeable.
cefinkjr phkmn2000 Tuesday AM - wow, just watched an EB UP over the diamond, MAJOR rocking action from all 3 locos. Which track was that? I just (1125) watched a single unit (GP38?) tow a flat and what looked like a detection car of some sort EB on #2. Looked very stable but they were moving at a walk ... and not a very fast walk at that. EDIT: BNSF stack train EB on #1 passing now (1129) at track speed. Not enough rock and roll to be noticeable.
phkmn2000 Tuesday AM - wow, just watched an EB UP over the diamond, MAJOR rocking action from all 3 locos.
The EC-4 test car has been out and about. When I saw it the other day, well heard it on the radio, it was being pulled by a SD70m. It got out of Council Bluffs, on it's way east, ahead of me. We were next after it, and as we were approaching the single track to Missouri Valley, the dispatcher called and asked if we could comply with him taking back the signal. We could and he did. We reported we were stopped and he said we should be getting a signal in a few minutes. About 3 1/2 hours (+/- a few minutes) later we got a radio speed restriction and then a signal to go. We figured the test car found something.
The test car is being pulled because it doesn't have ATC. This way it's operated as a train on signal indication as opposed to on-track equipment with track and time. One reason for the flat car, assigned to this service, is to provide extra wheels to insure proper shunting of the signal system. We have instructions that trains and engines with 12 axles or less must approach signalled crossings prepared to stop until it can be seen that the signals/gates have activated and are providing protection.
cefinkjr phkmn2000 Tuesday AM - wow, just watched an EB UP over the diamond, MAJOR rocking action from all 3 locos. EDIT: BNSF stack train EB on #1 passing now (1129) at track speed. Not enough rock and roll to be noticeable.
I see lots of trains that have just a few cars that severely rock and roll going through the diamonds. It all depends on the weight of the car, the center of gravity of the load, the length between the trucks, the speed of the train and the spacing of the dips in the track.
I saw one last week where I swear one tank car rocked so far that it appeared the wheels on one side lifted off the tracks, but only that one car rocked at all... the rest of the train didn't show any problems.
Granted, none of the cars should rock at all, but it seems that some do it a lot worse than others.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper VaporoI saw one last week where I swear one tank car rocked so far that it appeared the wheels on one side lifted off the tracks, but only that one car rocked at all... the rest of the train didn't show any problems. Granted, none of the cars should rock at all, but it seems that some do it a lot worse than others.
Some cars may have their own mechanical problems - weak or broken springs in the truck(s), missing or broken side bearings and a host of other potential problems.
It amazes me the difference in the US and Canada rules.
In Canada:
A crossing that requires manual protection (flagging) DOES NOT need to actually be protected if there is no traffic around.
If a crossing is being flagged the horn NEVER has to be sounded.
10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ...
jeffhergertThe EC-4 test car has been out and about. When I saw it the other day, well heard it on the radio, it was being pulled by a SD70m.
I believe this car was lettered "EC-4". What kind of test car is it? Ultra-sound?
And you may be --- probably are --- right about the SD70m. First, the camera angle may have made the single unit look too short to be a six axle unit. Second, and more importantly, I never was very good at identifying Diesels. I'm OK with most of the more common units built before 1980 but after that, my opinion is nothing but a WAG.
traisessive1 It amazes me the difference in the US and Canada rules. In Canada: A crossing that requires manual protection (flagging) DOES NOT need to actually be protected if there is no traffic around. If a crossing is being flagged the horn NEVER has to be sounded.
We (UP) have two forms of xing protection procedures. One is stop and protect with a crew member on the ground at the xing. The other is proceed prepared to stop, unless most of the warning devices are working as intended, not exceeding 15 mph until the xing is fully occupied. (If not working, stop and protect.) The first is used for a total malfunction, or when a device is first reported as defective. It being assumed that a defect hs caused a total malfunction. The second is used once a defect is determined or known to be minor, such as a light or lights being out. Signal maintainers on scene can directly tell trains (without going thru the dispatcher) of changes in the status of the crossing.
Crossing protection orders are favorite tests for managers. If you get a crossing order during the last few days of the month, it's likely a test. Violating a crossing protection order is considered the same as violating a main track authority. It is a decertifiable incident.
cefinkjr jeffhergert The EC-4 test car has been out and about. When I saw it the other day, well heard it on the radio, it was being pulled by a SD70m. I believe this car was lettered "EC-4". What kind of test car is it? Ultra-sound? And you may be --- probably are --- right about the SD70m. First, the camera angle may have made the single unit look too short to be a six axle unit. Second, and more importantly, I never was very good at identifying Diesels. I'm OK with most of the more common units built before 1980 but after that, my opinion is nothing but a WAG.
jeffhergert The EC-4 test car has been out and about. When I saw it the other day, well heard it on the radio, it was being pulled by a SD70m.
It's one of their track geometry cars. I know it checks for quite a few things, including hot box detectors. I've pulled it a couple times.
I'm not very good at identifying modern ones either. I miss the days when it was just enough to know a GP35 was a GP35. Now, especially on the modelling side, it's a GP35 phase 2b, etc.
jeffhergert If you get a crossing order during the last few days of the month, it's likely a test.
If I were in UP management, you could now expect crossing orders and other 'tests' before the 10th of the month.
jeffhergertI'm not very good at identifying modern ones either. I miss the days when it was just enough to know a GP35 was a GP35. Now, especially on the modelling side, it's a GP35 phase 2b, etc. Jeff
Tell me about it. I just learned last weekend the difference between an F3 and an F7 ... I think.
Spidey is back!!
rdamon Spidey is back!!
In spides ... er ... spades. And that is either one sick spider or one that flunked Web Building 101.
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