*Blue Moon*-Things I've only seen once on a railroad.

[Tharmeni]

When I was very small, my parents and I were vacationing in Quincy, Ill. (about 1955) and my dad took me down to the train station in West Quincy, Ill. and a northbound Burlington Zephyr pulled into the station with the original Zephyr equipment. My Dad told me the train was going "all the way to Chicago".

[grampaw pettibone]

Yesterday, Friday, I saw 2 UP SD60s, a white SOO line with an red nose and an NS diesel pulling a merchandiser, all on CSX in SC. Never saw anything like that go through here before

[Bob-Fryml]

1955: My folks, sister, and I were traveling westward along Roosevelt Road in Wheaton, Ill. enroute to cousin Marilynn's house. Our trip was delayed momentarily at a road crossing by the passage of a Chicago, Aurora and Elgin passenger train. It's the only time I ever saw C.A.& E. equipment on the "Roarin' Elgin" property.

Summer 1962, Highland Park, Ill.: I saw a steeple cab pup switching a local building materials yard located along the Shore Line Route. It's the only time I ever saw any freight action on The Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee.

Summer 1968, Chicago, Ill: While sitting in a double decker gallery car waiting for the Friday 6:30-pm departure of a Harvard Subdivision commuter train, I did notice something a little out-of-the-ordinary on the adjacent track. In the club car of the C.& N.W. "Commuter 400" passenger train were three railroad presidents enjoying cocktails together: host Ben Heineman (CNW), Curtis Crippen (MILW), and John Reed (ATSF). As I recall, this train was not scheduled to stop in Mr. Crippen's home town [Winnetka (?)], but I'm sure that Mr. Heineman saw that it did that evening!

Dec./ Jan. 1970 / 1971, La Junta, Colo.: ATSF trains nos. 17 and 18 running in two sections. One was the "El Capitan" and the other was "The Super Chief." On at least four occasions one Santa Fe business car carried the S.C.'s markers - either business car Topeka or business car Santa Fe. Later I learned that the trains were carrying swollen consists due to the Tournament of Roses Parade (and some d@mned football game) that was being held in Pasadena.

Feb. 1971, Coolidge, Kans.: I witnessed the Santa Fe station agent copy a Western Union Telegram as the dots-and-dashes came out of the sounder, one which was equipped with the obligatory empty Prince Albert tobacco can. The telegram was addressed to a local Episcopal vicar. It was an historical moment I'll never forget.

Fall 1975, San Francisco: I was returning to work from a late lunch with my wife and as I walked towards the elevators of The Western Pacific Railroad building, suddenly the doors opened. Out walked a distinguished, older-looking gentleman dressed in a white shirt and tie. He had a full head of white, closely-cropped hair and a killer tan. As the old boy exited the elevator car, he looked at me, smiled briefly, and suddenly disappeared behind an adjacent corridor. Stunned for a moment by what I'd just witnessed, I nevertheless entered the elevator quickly. As the doors closed, I flipped through my "card-file" of mental images and suddenly realized who that was that stepped out of the elevator: 20th century railroad legend Alfred E. Perlman!

July 1978, Cheyenne, Wyo.: Union Pacific had a steam-powered rotary snowplow fired-up for a "Rotary Snowplow Instructional Class" they were giving. It's the same plow that sits on display today in downtown Hanna, Wyoming.

Spring 1981: The restoration of U.P. 3985 was nearly completed and certain members of the Board of Directors were in the roundhouse to have a look. Along with them was the one man who was probably most responsible for having the locomotive built in the first place: retired Union Pacific Railroad chairman W. Averell Harriman. The sight of father (WAH) and daughter (3985) having a reunion together was most touching.

Eastern Switzerland, 1985: I spent the day riding mixed trains behind two Rhaetian Bahn "crocodiles," nos. 413 (the LGB model) and 419. These distinctive side-rod electrics were a wonder to watch while "chugging" (?) their way at speed through the Swiss Alps. I burned through three rolls of Kodachrome that day and made perhaps 110 exposures of these two locomotives, but do you think I got a decent Christmas card shot? Answer: no!

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Double-headed NKP Berkshires on an eastbound freight in Hegewisch IL.
The UA Turbotrain in Whiting IN on its national tour.
CDOT FL9 in NH colors at BN's Clyde engine facility.
Motive Power Industries MP2000C at Clearing.
UP U50/DD35B lash-up eastbound in Nebraska passing our family car which was doing 60 MPH on the parallel two-lane.

[chad thomas]

Where to begin?....In my railfanning I've come across a lot of oddities and I doubt I could remember them all. But here's a few.

I can't say I've only seen it once as I've seen it two times sience, but. My dad, uncle and I met the foreman of RG-8,one of lorams rail grinders, at Walong (we didn't know who he was till we were ready to leave and he invited us to meet him in Tehachappi for a tour).
That night we got a royal tour of the grinder and spent a couple hours BSing in the cab afterwards.

Oneother blue moon sighting was a nuke hazmat train slipping through town in the middle of the night. This was in Stevenson,Wa. in the george. It consisted of a GP38-2 two empty well cars and a well car with one 40' container painted yellow with big nuke symbols painted on the side and each corner of the car had an orange rotating beacon light. The train was going 25mph in a place where they usualy go track speed (50mph).


Another rare sighting was a BN rotary plow clearing the branch that goes to the Grand Coolie dam in Washington. I was interviewing for a job and was rideing in my potential future employers truck. That is the only time I've seen a rotary in service and I so wanted to tell him [censored] the job, let's chase that plow!!! but good judgement got the best of me.

This might not count either as I have seen her in action several times, but...I was up in Cajon just below Martinez spur one day watching trains. My jaw dropped as 3985 came chuffing up the mountain (from the east). I had no idea she was comming to town and was so suprised. But it gets even better! As the train was passing me and I was snapping away hopeing I wasn't running low on film, it came to a stop right as the last car had passed me. PHOTO RUN BY !!!! Too cool. it seemed like everyone got off. The train then backed up about a mile and did a fabulous run-by. Now that was a great catch. I have some beautifull shots of this I will share when I get my slide scanner running.

Another one was an operation lifesaver special, I don't remember exactly where but it was Oakland or Richmond. It was probably 20 years ago. What was so special was that there was a UP E unit leading. The rest of the consist included an Amtrak F40PH and a SP unit (I can't remember which one) and a couple passenger cars I think one was in Daylight colors and the other was a AT&SF stainless steel single level streamliner.

Then there was one time I saw a long train of nothing but pipe for a pipeline project on the inside Gateway at Tionesta. There is really nothing strange about seeing cars with pipe, but seeing a whole train of them was odd. Later my dad got pictures of them unloading the pipe at a stageing area at Stronghold.

Another would be seeing the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Baily red train on the Modoc line. It was about ten years ago and at the time was the first passenger train on the modoc in like 40 years, and was probably the last.

I was pleasantly suprised a couple years ago when a friend and I were drinking beer at the north portal of the tunnel in Dorris,Ca. (below K-Falls) when the American Orient Express came flying around the corner and vanished into the tunnel. It's these pleasant suprises that make railfanning so interesting.

[Murphy Siding]

A couple of years ago, at Sioux City, Iowa, I saw a GTW locomotive, switching on IC/CN tracks. I think the GTW/GT paint scheme-dark blue with a red nose, is one of my favorites. By now, I suppose CN has painted over most all of them.[V]

[Tharmeni]

Riding in the Turbo Train in the 1960s through Southern Indiana and, recently, a Conrail geep switching cars at the Port of Tampa.

[Modelcar]

techguy57...Enjoyed the pic's and info on "Moon Glow"...on the web site. And info of "union Station"....

[Modelcar]

techguy57.....Yes, it was a once in a lifetime chance for me to see that train...and being a train buff even at that age it was a real treat....and then to be let out of school to go witness it's passing was awesome...! All this on a coal branch and steel mill traffic only...!!
I believe one of those domes was a two level diner too.....
On the Aerotrain....Just a bit of info on that: I was out here in Indiana in '57 at the Co. main plant I worked for {before we moved to this area}, and on the way home to Pennsylvania when we got to Pittsburgh we were scheduled to take the Aerotrain to Johnstown....Wow, I was excited to get to do that, so when train time came we went to trackside and found a conventional passenger train waiting for us and as we boarded, we found a sheet of paper on each seat.....that related, the Aerotrain was not avail. today as it was off for one day each month for service...!!! The one time that I had a chance to ride it....that was the story. What a disapointment....But I believe you are correct, it didn't ride well....Probably because it was very light...actually made in part from bus bodies if I remember correctly. But I almost got to ride it....I did see it from a distance at another location at another time...

[tree68]

Wisconsin Central power on the point of a coal drag headed for a local co-gen plant. A Soo Line engine being used by the crew of the local. This is CSX territory and they were a long way from home.

[techguy57]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....This one I must go back a ways to recall: GM's "Train of Tomorrow"....I believe it was called with a consist of about 4 short dome cars and early diesel F unit and of course several "service or baggage cars" along making up the train...These were very early dome cars. Time frame, about: 1947...! Location: On the S&C branch of then B&O that was {is}, located between Johnstown and Rockwood, Pa.....This was a coal route at the time....and is still in place, now being CSX. We were let out of school for about an hour to go to trackside to witness this event....! Imagine that happening now.

Quentin- That would be awesome. I had read a lot obout the consist but it would've been great to see it. It had the only domed sleeper car Pullman ever built. Unfortunately, now all but the "Moon Glow" observation car have all been scrapped. You can view info on it's restoration here:http://www.theunionstation.org/projects/moonglow/projects_moonglow_1.html

The other one I always wanted to see run was the GM Aero-Train. I've not seen the one in St. Louis since it has been restored, although I do remember seeing it sitting on the museums grounds. I've read that they performed terribly but they have a certain air about them that has always intrigued me.

[techguy57]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rgroeling

This http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abg

and this http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abh

and this http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abi

and this http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abj

aannndd this http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abl

all in 2005!!! [^][:D][8D][:)][:P]

Chris- In case you want to see it again, UP 1361 ( the former Rio Grande) often works the locals on the Harvard Sub. When I was working in Crystal Lake I saw it quite often, even have a picture of it on the Main St. spur.

Nice pics! Where you at the Berkeley Metra station at Proviso for the first few?

Mike

[Modelcar]

....This one I must go back a ways to recall: GM's "Train of Tomorrow"....I believe it was called with a consist of about 4 short dome cars and early diesel F unit and of course several "service or baggage cars" along making up the train...These were very early dome cars. Time frame, about: 1947...! Location: On the S&C branch of then B&O that was {is}, located between Johnstown and Rockwood, Pa.....This was a coal route at the time....and is still in place, now being CSX. We were let out of school for about an hour to go to trackside to witness this event....! Imagine that happening now.

[Anonymous]

Earlier just before 10 PM last night, I stopped at a crossing for an intermodal unit. One of the conatiners on a bed all to itself about 3/4 back on the train had a tiny steady glowing green light. It looked like a night light and the diameter was roughly that of a nickel, as best I could perceive with my approximate 50' distance from the fly by object and train speed combined.

[Anonymous]

This http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abg

and this http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abh

and this http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abi

and this http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abj

aannndd this http://www.railimages.com/gallery/chrisgroeling/abl

all in 2005!!! [^][:D][8D][:)][:P]

[DrummingTrainfan]

A string of former Metra F40C's at MidAmericaCar in Kansas City; Spet. '05.

[Kurn]

In 1962 I saw the "General" steaming on the B&O here in Akron.I was 9 yrs old,and remember it like it was yesterday.

[espeefoamer]

An ALCo C630 in a consist with two WP GP35s in orange & silver,and a WP GP40 in green & orange,in UPs East L.A. yard. This was the only time I ever saw a UP ALCo diesel.

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSXrules4eva



There was also another time were I saw a unpatched, umarked AC44CW in SP's Black Widow paint heading up an NS coal drag.

Psssst..Sarah, I think you mean Bloody nose scheme.

[PBenham]

The Conrail OCS (business car/official) On the former Erie main between Elmira and Owego, with 4022 leading! (4022 being ex Erie/EL 833) The consist was shimmering in the (oh, well) heavy rain that day and they were moving along at track speed, with nothing but clear signals from the semaphores. I did get pix, but not of a quality that I would pay what I 'd have to pay to get 'em scanned for circulation on the net, sorry about that. I caught 'em in Elmira, and just missed getting them outside of Waverly NY and Owego, but I did get them a bit further along the line, but in a very tight spot. That's frustration, folks. I had a far superior chase of Ft. Wayne RRHS' Nickel Plate Berkshire 765 in 1989, on the Buffalo division of the old Nickel Plate, which also would qualify as a *Blue Moon *! I haven't experienced a moment like that,except for the Red Sox wiping out an 0-3 deficit against the evil empire and- [#offtopic][oops][:(] my bad.[:p] HA! at least the Sox got the monkey off their backs![(-D]

[coborn35]

A Montana Rail Link SD45 sitting in the Belknap Engine Facility in Superior, WI.

[tmcc man]

When I was going over to my grandparent's house, I went under the NS mainline near their house, and I thought there was no way I saw this: 3 Lehigh Valley hoppers. Another time, like CSXrules said, I saw the same SP unit, and could not believe my eyes. I also saw an engine on a NS coal drag that had a CSX gray unit, can anyone tell me if that unit is rare? I do not remember that unit's number.

[samfp1943]

I lved by the remains of the NC&StL mainline(then L&N) east out of Memphis,Tn[ line then terminated at Lenow, Tn]. was awakended one morning. was awakened by the air chime horns of a CN unit on the Brownsville local. What a beautiful sound in a town full of one noters! It was pretty obvious that the engineer was enjoying it also. Never heard it again, after that day, but still can memeber it. [^]

[dldance]

A true tunnel motor (the compressed air powered tunnel maintenance vehicle at the Moffat Tunnel).

dd

[CSXrules4eva]

I once saw the weirdest thing over here while out railfaning allong NS' Harrisburg Division in the great state of Pennsylvania. I saw a BNSF in H3 paint, ES44DC heading up a NS coal drag towards Philadelphia. Now, what is a brand new GEVO in BNSF's swoosh paint doing all the way over here in Pennsylvania?

There was also another time were I saw a unpatched, umarked AC44CW in SP's Black Widow paint heading up an NS coal drag.

Now given this situation I'm begining to wonder if NS' idea about distruibuted power involves, usuing other railroad's locomotives? lol

[Mookie]

That's the one or else a really good imitation!

See - I don't need a camera. I just need a little help!

Thanx Mike!

Mook

[JoeKoh]

the CP 2816 on csx rails in defiance
a B&O 200 ton crane at a derailment in defiance
the trains all american locomotive come through defiance(B&O's 3802 was restenciled for csx 2002)
just to name a few
stay safe
Joe

[techguy57]

Mookie-
IS this what you were talking about? Courtesy of Google search of "IC #6050 Sd-40"

http://www.tdf23.info/html/Roster_Pages/6050to6059.htm

and:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=205883

and:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=243597

If it is still IC then it would be CN probably being used by UP as borrowed power.

Mike

[Mookie]

I did this in the diner, but in case you missed it - over Xmas - #6050 SD 40 in original paint for Illinois Central with Operation Life Saver Logo on it.

Any one give me further information?

Mookie