I can't figure out how to make the photo tags work on here, so I'll keep it at prose I guess.
I rode the "Happy Holiday Railway" at the Illinois Railway Museum last December and had an amazing time. The interiors of their CNW bi level coaches all have flashing christmas light shows syncronized to music for the entire trip. the decorations throughout the museum campus were jaw-dropping impressive. Obviously my favorite was CNW 7009 decked out in yellow christmas lights. IRM put an all-zito MOW train consist behind the behemoth SD50 as well. To see 2 of my oldest and longest lasting interests combined together was beyond thrilling. They had a really neat animated light show on their recently-restored UP rotary snowplow too, and an entire steam freight train decorated with more christmas lights.
Unfortunately my schedule likely won't enable me to do that again this year, but I have a handful of IRM trips planned during other times this year. As well as to Chicago in general. It's looking like a very fun year!
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Lord AtmoI can't figure out how to make the photo tags work on here, so I'll keep it at prose I guess.
To post an image on the forum, it has to already be on the web, ie, on a photo site that allows links. This forum does not support direct uploads.
Right click on the image, select "copy image url" or something similar, then click on the picture icon in the toolbar. Paste the url into the window that comes up.
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...
Looking at traffic cameras 'back home' has verified my decision to play snowbird for January and February - Snowing in central Maryland. Just 'Florida Cold' in NE Florida.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Having spent many miserable winters in the north thast you posters are now suffering thru. Even Buffalo super 2+ foot snows. Do not ever want to repeat that at my age. Here south of Atlanta we are in for 5 days of sub freezing temps all way down to 10F. (maybe not). Thaw every afternoon. Homes here are not built for these types of temps. Too many are built post and pillar. Thaw every afternoon.
Am fortunate to have a basement but most around here do not. That means many frozen pipes. Too many broken pipes with too many thaws means we may loose water service.
Nothing happened anywhere in the world today. All of the news was about the cold weather. Road closures, almost all bridges and elevated roads closed, a few accidents, preparations taken by DOT. It was about 22° this morning and is supposed to be about 16° tomorrow morning. You northerners can chuckle now.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Morning
Winter stuff here in Nw Ohio.more snow coming for the weekend.Csx was running it's geometry train around the area.Csx mow was busy fixing a track pull apart in the SE wye at Deshler.Got a building model kit for the layout here at home.College boy is settled in at school.Time to get stuff around for work.
stay safe
Joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
We got about 6" of light stuff yesterday afternoon in the course of 6 or 7 hours. Nothing overnight, and nothing until mid-day today.
Made a trip "into town" for lunch with some fellow hams. Came over a hill coming into a village on the way and saw a wall of white. Roads weren't all that bad at that point, but it was definitely coming down - pretty typical lake effect.
Headed home a couple of hours later and had snow almost all the way home, although not much here at the house.
Hoping Saturday and Sunday are fairly mild, snow-wise. Working on the railroad on Saturday and staying over for a TTCS train show on Sunday. Hoping I don't find anything I can't resist. I want to save some coin to spend at the big Amherst show in Massachusetts next weekend.
It's winter.
The shipping season is pretty much over on the Great Lakes, with a very few boats still moving between ports on the lower lakes. Most of the boats are in their winter layup locations.
Come Monday, we should be getting an extended warm-up with temps in the upper 30's plus rain. A welcome relief from this past week.
morning
Had some more light snow come down.Can't wait for the thaw.Looked at Ns at east wayne yesterday.Big piece of crossover track was on a car in the yard.The NDW has a few cars to pick up in Woodburn Indiana as well.Going to town to get groceries in a bit.Michigan is pretty much frozen over including a special little town.Maybe the Lions will keep winning?
Had clear roads on the way to Utica to ride a train Saturday, then on the way back after attending the Toy Train Collectors show on Sunday. Saw a lot of snow on the way, though - came through some areas that clearly got feet of the stuff.
As usual, I came home with fire stuff (and a few hoppers). Also visited with a number of friends. One thing about doing a lot of shows is that you get to know the vendors, too.
Getting stuff ready for the big show in Massachusetts next weekend. And hoping for good weather. They get upwards of 20,000 people over the two days - we'll be busy.
afternoon
Snowmelt here in Nw Ohio.Reports of a delivery of a new pedestrian bridge in Deshler.Not sure if it's installed yet or not.Might go check it out this weekend.Need to check on my brother as well.
Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it's off to Mass we go (Massachusetts, that is...)
I've got over 800 brochures ready to go, and I hope we run out!
If anyone is going to the Amherst show in West Springfield, stop by the Adirondack Railroad booth and say Hi! I'll be the tall guy in the conductor's uniform... Ask me for a decal...
Larry hope you get to see Mr. Chuck and others at the show.Went out and checked the I&O in Delta.They are expanding the yard.More rain,Drizzle stuff for tomorrow.
Haven't seen Chuck & Company. If anyone is at the show Sunday, stop by the Adirondack RR booth in Section 22 and introduce yourself. I'll be the tall guy in the conductor's uniform.
There is another taller conductor on the property - I know him. He worked for the Adirondack a few years ago.
tree68Haven't seen Chuck & Company. If anyone is at the show Sunday, stop by the Adirondack RR booth in Section 22 and introduce yourself. I'll be the tall guy in the conductor's uniform.
Going to walk in front of the VRF camera and wave Hi at least?
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Well, I did stop and talk to the VRF folks, so the back of my head made an appearance on their in-house feed. Don't know if it went out anywhere.
Hugely busy Saturday - the door was over 15,000. Haven't heard anything on Sunday's numbers. We stayed pretty busy at our booth - lots of literature went out.
I picked up a couple of kits, and, of course, a fire truck... Also a couple of packages of people - something I do at every show, which has resulted in a population on my layout of over 700 people.
Weather lousy Sunday night, so my decision to wait for Monday to travel home sounds even better. And with that I'd better hit the sack - it's a long drive tomorrow.
Oh joy...
Amtrak #6 (EB California Zephyr) tangled with an oilfield saltwater tank truck last night near Keenesburg CO* in Weld County in the dark NE of Denver.
Newsworkers have gone into hysterics. People hurt, hazmat hysteria (salt water brine...really?), locomotive on its side , most of the train upright but derailed, .....what a mess...
Tank truck was a dual trailer semi rig with the train hitting the rear trailer unit.
(*) Appears to be a private crossing to what BNSF calls "Tampa" which is a unit train loop track for a Williams Energy gas plant on the Brush Sub / MP 501...Daylight will answer some questions (This area has a weird CB&Q past)
Watching the newsworkers make complete idiots of themselves.
UPDATE: Collision was at a public crossing at MP 602.5/ Brush Sub at an angled public crossing (WCR-63) protected by crossbucks and stop signs. The tank truck was hauling MILK. Agridummies instead of oilfield dummies this time?
Since it was a milk tanker, I assume that it wasn't required to make the statutory stop at a grade crossing. Doesn't excuse stupidity, though.
Again...There were stop signs mounted with the crossbucks. Report is that the truck driver did not even slow down, much less stop.
Fingers crossed for the Amtrak locomotive engineer to pull through.
Truck driver and dairy organisation are buying a derailment.
Afternoon
Not too much here.Just thawing out.Csx workers busy fixing track.Saw the CP 2816 schedule.Will have to see what we can do.Chores to do.
I just saw the 2816 schedule. I guess anything east of Chicago isn't worth her presence.
tree68Well, I did stop and talk to the VRF folks, so the back of my head made an appearance on their in-house feed. Don't know if it went out anywhere.
I saw you.
I waved. You didn't wave back, though.
evening
Happy Groundhog day.More melting of the ice pile down the street.Checked on brother.Ns had trains rolling by. The CNJ unit went west.The was a load of red tractors rolling eastbound.Ns also has ties and rail stacked up.They also have a string of gons ready for loading.People in yellow vests have been around our neighborhood marking where the utilities are.Going to have some sewer line work done soon.A recycling company Metal X has announced plans to build a facility just west of FC in Defiance.Will it be served by csx or ndw or both? Still waiting for autoracks to cross Fc on the shortline.Chores to do.Work tomorrow.
zugmannI saw you. I waved. You didn't wave back, though.
I was probably looking at the girl with the umbella...
Came home with a strep-variant infection. Been fighting that all week.
tree68Came home with a strep-variant infection. Been fighting that all week.
Con crud!
Its snow time boys and girlls. The real men get to play with their play toy!!
Rotary Snow Train - Plowing Donner Pass California - Drone and Ground video with audio - 4k (youtube.com)
Monday Morning going down: here in SCKansas is clear and cold. BNSF through here, on Sunday, was pretty busy. Both East and West, my guess, is they have been working hard on the double tracking between Rose Hill and Augusta; both traffic volume, and speed seem to be getting imporoved. Need to make a quick trip over in that direction soon.
tree68 Lord Atmo I can't figure out how to make the photo tags work on here, so I'll keep it at prose I guess. To post an image on the forum, it has to already be on the web, ie, on a photo site that allows links. This forum does not support direct uploads. Right click on the image, select "copy image url" or something similar, then click on the picture icon in the toolbar. Paste the url into the window that comes up.
Lord Atmo I can't figure out how to make the photo tags work on here, so I'll keep it at prose I guess.
thank you! Let's see if this works.... Oh I get it! Facebook links don't work on here, but RRPA does. I can work with that!
It was saturday of IRM diesel days 2023. CNW 7009 was done being used for "take the throttle" and was set aside on a track near barn 9 (which displays a big CNW logo over the doors too!). I sat there for 2 hours just staring at it. Overwhelmed with joy, appreciation, and still a little disbelief. then later that day I went up in the Sears Tower. It was a full day of fun for me. Looking forward to doing that again!
since 2006, I constantly said I just wanted something from my childhood preserved in a museum so I could relive the memories in person. As of last year, I now have THREE locomotives preserved. Not only that, but they're all in the same museum! I'm still beside myself with unimaginable joy and appreciation. This is FAR more than what I was expecting! Adding to that, CNW 7009 was my biggest want. The ultimate dream! I'm not even ashamed to admit that I cried a little when I took this photo. I visit the museum a lot more now. thank you so much, IRM!
The CNWHS convention is at IRM this May. My IRM calendar lists the date and also mentions that the museum is rolling out their CNW fleet for the event too. This is definitely a must-see! The CNW is not dead, they're just living out retirement in a museum located....Northwest of Chicago! I'm excited to stop by the CNWHS archives building and learn more about the CNW's history. Then head to the main museum and see those very trains in person!
Lord Atmosince 2006, I constantly said I just wanted something from my childhood preserved in a museum so I could relive the memories in person. As of last year, I now have THREE locomotives preserved
There's a locomotive I used as a RCO that's preserved in a museum/tourist road. Just makes me feel old.
I do like seeing stuff preserved that isn't in brand new, shiny, 4 coats of wax paint, though.
zugmann Lord Atmo since 2006, I constantly said I just wanted something from my childhood preserved in a museum so I could relive the memories in person. As of last year, I now have THREE locomotives preserved There's a locomotive I used as a RCO that's preserved in a museum/tourist road. Just makes me feel old. I do like seeing stuff preserved that isn't in brand new, shiny, 4 coats of wax paint, though.
Lord Atmo since 2006, I constantly said I just wanted something from my childhood preserved in a museum so I could relive the memories in person. As of last year, I now have THREE locomotives preserved
I agree! 7009's yellow looks really good for its age too! 6847, however....Well, I'll just keep donating to its restoration fund. It looks decent enough in the meantime though. Still looks CNW and that's what matters to me! And really? Even RC stuff is finding its way into preservation? Crazy how time just flies huh!
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