Trains.com

Mechanicville: New England Gateway (And the subsequent videos)

8139 views
71 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Mechanicville: New England Gateway (And the subsequent videos)
Posted by Harrison on Friday, January 7, 2022 3:54 PM

As the title says, this is my latest video, about NS/PAS intermodal operations in Mechanicville. Please critique, this is more "advanced" than my usual style and I would like to continue doing these types of videos once and a while, but I would also like to improve. 

https://youtu.be/6oxwZAmMMnc

Enjoy!

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • 6,449 posts
Posted by MidlandMike on Friday, January 7, 2022 9:08 PM

I thought it was informative, and of course I enjoy watching trains.  I appreciate the map. It might have helped if you could zoom in on the west part of the map when you talked about the connections from the west.  Also to show the map again and zoom in on the east part when you talked about those connections later on in the video.  Thanks for posting.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, January 8, 2022 8:20 AM

The narration was good Harrison, especially the "What-where-whens" of what we were seeing, and the mentioning of the local impact of the rail traffic.

Very good shots of the trains in the context of their surroundings too.  

The golf course?  You know, every time I see a golf course I think "There's a beautiful rifle range gone to waste!"

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Saturday, January 8, 2022 8:30 AM

Flintlock76
The golf course?  You know, every time I see a golf course I think "There's a beautiful rifle range gone to waste!"

Why not a warm-weather biathlon? Drive down the fairway and shoot at an expanded target from that location before approach shots.  Pistol range on the greens.  Adds zest when there's slow play ahead of you.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, January 8, 2022 10:21 AM

Overmod
Why not a warm-weather biathlon? Drive down the fairway and shoot at an expanded target from that location before approach shots.  Pistol range on the greens.  Adds zest when there's slow play ahead of you.

Brilliant!  

Honestly, I tried golf a few times, just couldn't get into it. Kinda dull really.

My late brother-in-law Brian referred to televised golf tournaments as "Watching paint dry!" 

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Saturday, January 8, 2022 10:42 AM

A lot of the old RRers that I worked with that are now retired/gone loved golf.  I don't even know of any currently under the age of 60 that play at all.  

Granted it's a small sample size so not worth any projections, but something I never thought about until now. 

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

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Saturday, January 8, 2022 12:02 PM

I always thought that the gameplay was secondary?  Main attraction being able to get away, out of touch, in a tranquil, highly tailored  quasi natural environment.

Cell phones becoming semi ubiquitous kinda ruined the escape value.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Saturday, January 8, 2022 4:47 PM

Flintlock76
Honestly, I tried golf a few times, just couldn't get into it.

I haven't played in a while. The main draw in many cases was family outings, and the picnic at the cottage that followed.

I suspect that even in league play, the social aspect is as big as the game.

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    July 2016
  • 2,631 posts
Posted by Backshop on Saturday, January 8, 2022 4:51 PM

Flintlock76

  You know, every time I see a golf course I think "There's a beautiful rifle range gone to waste!"

Yep!  Shooting doesn't get interesting until you're at least 300yds, with 500-600 even better.  

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, January 8, 2022 6:51 PM

zugmann
A lot of the old RRers that I worked with that are now retired/gone loved golf.  I don't even know of any currently under the age of 60 that play at all.  

Granted it's a small sample size so not worth any projections, but something I never thought about until now. 

My son is 41 and plays - more for the people he plays with, however, he will go out as a party of one and play.

I last played about 20 years ago with him.  Haven't played since.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 2,515 posts
Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Saturday, January 8, 2022 7:10 PM

Harrison. Nice video and NEW title section! You indicate XO is now a museum. Could you tell and show us more, Please. Is the interlocking machine still there?

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Harrison on Sunday, January 9, 2022 7:34 AM

Thank you all for the comments, and I agree re golf being rather bland. 

Electroliner 1935

Harrison. Nice video and NEW title section! You indicate XO is now a museum. Could you tell and show us more, Please. Is the interlocking machine still there?

 

Unfortunately I don't know a whole lot about the XO museum because I've never been able to visit. My friend Corey from R's Trains has been several times and will surely go into more detail in his (hopefully) upcoming Mechanicville documentary. I know a retired D&H dispatcher who has part of the old XO CTC board, so I'm fairly sure that isn't remaining.

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Sunday, January 9, 2022 8:09 AM

Backshop
Yep!  Shooting doesn't get interesting until you're at least 300yds, with 500-600 even better.  

Hey, you want interesting?  Try trap-shooting with a flintlock musket!

Talk about an attention getter!  Laugh

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Sunday, January 9, 2022 8:45 AM

Flintlock76
Talk about an attention getter!  

And that's the story of how you got banned from Walmart. 

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

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Sunday, January 9, 2022 8:47 AM

Harrison
Thank you all for the comments, and I agree re golf being rather bland. 

If it wasn't for the golf course that'd be all trees and brush.  No views of the RR. 

I never played golf (except for the windmill kind), so I can't critique it one way or the other. 

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

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Sunday, January 9, 2022 9:20 AM

Electroliner 1935
You indicate XO is now a museum.

 

LOL, I wondered why there was a shiny new, multi-stall bike rack at  an interlocking tower

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Sunday, January 9, 2022 2:27 PM

zugmann

 

 
Flintlock76
Talk about an attention getter!  

 

And that's the story of how you got banned from Walmart. 

 

Yeah, I know.  There's no smoking of any kind allowed in Walmarts!    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R47T-jk416A

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Monday, January 10, 2022 1:10 PM

Flintlock76
For those interested in things Mechanicville NY "Wanswheel" comes though again!

https://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/news-photo/railroad-despatcher-looking-over-the-railway-yards-at-news-photo/51271781

The caption is not correct.  The individual is either a 'Hump Master' or a 'Car Retarder Operator'.  Both are involved with switching cars in a hump yard.

Dispatchers are involved with directing the movement of trains on Main Lines outside of yards.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, January 10, 2022 3:53 PM

BaltACD
The caption is not correct. 

Hey, it's a Getty stock photo.  What do they know?  

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Monday, January 10, 2022 4:05 PM

Flintlock76
 
BaltACD
The caption is not correct.  

Hey, it's a Getty stock photo.  What do they know?  

With Getty money they should be omniscient.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Monday, January 10, 2022 6:12 PM

BaltACD
With Getty money they should be omniscient.

Especially with that asking price...

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    April 2021
  • 62 posts
Posted by SALfan1 on Monday, January 10, 2022 9:20 PM

Flintlock76

 

 
Overmod
Why not a warm-weather biathlon? Drive down the fairway and shoot at an expanded target from that location before approach shots.  Pistol range on the greens.  Adds zest when there's slow play ahead of you.

 

Brilliant!  

Honestly, I tried golf a few times, just couldn't get into it. Kinda dull really.

My late brother-in-law Brian referred to televised golf tournaments as "Watching paint dry!" 

 

There was a commercial on TV a year or so ago that had a giant dragon rear up out of a water hazard and start creating mayhem.  If televised golf had that kind of excitement I might watch it.  Of course, here in Florida playing golf can get quite exciting when a big alligator emerges from the water hazard and tries to make a meal out of the golfers. 

Someone (Mark Twain?) once described golf as "A good walk, spoiled".  I spent so much time chasing cows around a pasture while growing up that I have no desire to chase a little white ball around a (very well-maintained) cow pasture.  At least the cows are easy to see.

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Harrison on Friday, January 14, 2022 6:50 PM

https://youtu.be/I7ExxwFK_Y8

My latest video includes a VERY southern visitor as well as a CP heritage..

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Harrison on Saturday, January 22, 2022 7:36 AM

In this short video we catch a late 930 as well as CP navy unit 7022.

https://youtu.be/M3ZW5esPulE

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 2,515 posts
Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Saturday, January 22, 2022 4:53 PM

Two questions, Harrison, @ 027 in the video, there is a glimse of a marker [WARNING] alongside the near rail. What is it for? F.O. cable or ??.

Also I noticed between 058 and 103, multiple lumber cars with gaps of the load on the top layer. Looking like they are either being loaded short or they have lost loading. Any thoughts.

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Harrison on Monday, January 24, 2022 7:57 AM

The warning marker is for buried fiber optic cable. Not sure about the lumber.

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Harrison on Saturday, February 19, 2022 7:38 AM

It's been a while since I've done a railfanning video (with the Amherst Hobby Show videos) but I'm finally back for some northend action:

https://youtu.be/uYqni0qXtUU

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, February 19, 2022 9:50 AM

Harrison
It's been a while since I've done a railfanning video (with the Amherst Hobby Show videos) but I'm finally back for some northend action:

Watched it last night Harrison, but you already know that.  Good show!

By the way gents, if you haven't watched Harrison's Amherst train show videos give them a look, even if you're not into model railroading.  Interesting!

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Saturday, February 19, 2022 11:00 AM

Some fun context:

https://www.mechanicvilleny.gov/city-historian/pages/railroads-part-i-iii

(I am unaware of any historic context whatsoever for spelling Fitchburg, either in the civic or railroad sense, with an "h", but would be interested to read any evidence for it a la Pittsburgh...)

 

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy