Heartland Division CB&QHas anybody had trouble connecting to this site today? I tried earlier and it would not open for me. Other internet sites opened.
Just the same at this end of the Big Pond! I kept getting messages that the server is offline.
Ed - those are real beasts - I like them!
DC motors have a specific whine to them that AC engines don´t have. AC motors have a deep hum to them, like a big bumble bee zooming in for the kill.
Our electric trains operate on 15,000 Volts 16 2/3 Hertz AC, the same in Switzerland and Austria. Our neighbors mainly use 3,000 Volts DC. When Danmark decided to string overhead wires in 1984, they went with that system, which was a shortsighted decision, as Danmarks only neighbor which can be reached without crossing water, is Germany.
It has turned very hot here, in fact too hot for me! Daytime high was in the lower 90F yesterday and will go up in the next days. This may not sound much, but bear in mind that our apartment has no A/C. It doesn´t get much below 80F, which is too hot to get a good rest at night!
Well, that´s all for now!
Have a good one!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
gmpullman last mountain & eastern hogger Ulrich and Ed, Not to insult you guys in any way, but from my point of view only a mother of them could love those juice jacks. Tinplate Toddler Well, I wouldn´t say they are elegant, but outright ugly takes it a tad too far. I grew up in the shadow of the "Terminal Tower" in Cleveland, Ohio. From completion in 1930 until 1953 the trains in and out of the "Terminal" (which was not a terminal station) were hauled by GE P1a motors, another nickname for electric locomotives. CUT_GE_1930_01_crop by Edmund, on Flickr CUT ad merge by Edmund, on Flickr CUT_P1a_214 by Edmund, on Flickr After their service in Cleveland they were modified from 3,000 volt AC overhead catenary to 600 vold DC third rail and sent to New York City for service from Grand Central to Harmon, N.Y. on the New York Central. I rode into Harmon on one of the remaining Penn-Central, pre-Amtrak passenger trains and vividly remember my first encounters with the former C.U.T. motors. It was a snowy, wet, Thanksgiving in 1970 and the train pulled in to Harmon for the routine engine swap for the run into Grand Central. Three NYC E8s had been uncoupled from the head end. I was on the platform to watch. Out of the foggy mist the P2b, which the motors were now classed, backed toward our train, sparks eminating from the third rail shoes, and made the "tie". In a matter of minutes, the air, signal and steam lines were joined, the brake test was done and I jumped into the first open vestibule behind that 40-year-old locomotive. The conductor pulled the signal rope twice in slow succession and with barely a nudge we were gliding east (south) toward Manhattan. I soon became aware that there was an unseen hand pressing me against the back wall of the vestibule. That single 2-C+C-2 locomotive was effortlessly getting that sixteen-car train up to track speed within moments of leaving the station. The only other time I've felt this kind of acceleration I was during the takeoff roll in a 747. Keep in mind that three E8s brought the train in. It is truly one of those "Oh Wow!" moments. I'm fortunate to have witnessed similar experiences in Harrisburg on the Broadway, nearly always with TWO GG1s taking over for the diesel power and a few times in New Haven back when power was changed there. I have a similar awe and respect for the GG1s. Over the course of the next several years I visited and rode the Pennsy and New Haven electrified routes and the South Shore in the Chicago area as well. I'm glad to be able to recreate some of these sights and memories on my layout. IMG_6782_fix by Edmund, on Flickr Fun Stuff! I hope everyone is doing well these days... Regards, Ed
last mountain & eastern hogger Ulrich and Ed, Not to insult you guys in any way, but from my point of view only a mother of them could love those juice jacks.
Tinplate Toddler Well, I wouldn´t say they are elegant, but outright ugly takes it a tad too far.
I grew up in the shadow of the "Terminal Tower" in Cleveland, Ohio. From completion in 1930 until 1953 the trains in and out of the "Terminal" (which was not a terminal station) were hauled by GE P1a motors, another nickname for electric locomotives.
CUT_GE_1930_01_crop by Edmund, on Flickr
CUT ad merge by Edmund, on Flickr
CUT_P1a_214 by Edmund, on Flickr
After their service in Cleveland they were modified from 3,000 volt AC overhead catenary to 600 vold DC third rail and sent to New York City for service from Grand Central to Harmon, N.Y. on the New York Central.
I rode into Harmon on one of the remaining Penn-Central, pre-Amtrak passenger trains and vividly remember my first encounters with the former C.U.T. motors.
It was a snowy, wet, Thanksgiving in 1970 and the train pulled in to Harmon for the routine engine swap for the run into Grand Central. Three NYC E8s had been uncoupled from the head end. I was on the platform to watch.
Out of the foggy mist the P2b, which the motors were now classed, backed toward our train, sparks eminating from the third rail shoes, and made the "tie".
In a matter of minutes, the air, signal and steam lines were joined, the brake test was done and I jumped into the first open vestibule behind that 40-year-old locomotive.
The conductor pulled the signal rope twice in slow succession and with barely a nudge we were gliding east (south) toward Manhattan.
I soon became aware that there was an unseen hand pressing me against the back wall of the vestibule. That single 2-C+C-2 locomotive was effortlessly getting that sixteen-car train up to track speed within moments of leaving the station.
The only other time I've felt this kind of acceleration I was during the takeoff roll in a 747. Keep in mind that three E8s brought the train in.
It is truly one of those "Oh Wow!" moments. I'm fortunate to have witnessed similar experiences in Harrisburg on the Broadway, nearly always with TWO GG1s taking over for the diesel power and a few times in New Haven back when power was changed there. I have a similar awe and respect for the GG1s.
Over the course of the next several years I visited and rode the Pennsy and New Haven electrified routes and the South Shore in the Chicago area as well.
I'm glad to be able to recreate some of these sights and memories on my layout.
IMG_6782_fix by Edmund, on Flickr
Fun Stuff!
I hope everyone is doing well these days...
Regards, Ed
I absolutely love NYC P-Motors, I really hope that the Danbury transportation museum gets their T out of that field and onto some track!
Perhaps like the T-1 trust is building #5551 (I think that's the number) someone else will build a P-Motor, they might have to make a concession in the power source.
Anyways,
The Super gondola is a super flop, runs fine on a straightaway but hit the slightest curvature (I mean stuff that won't even bother streamlined passenger cars) it derails.
Ben is trying to rework the trucks a little and I'm planning the next car build, I think the car is going to be a shelf queen display piece now and I'll make the next car run better.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Howdy. ..
Has anybody had trouble connecting to this site today? I tried earlier and it would not open for me. Other internet sites opened.
Richard. .. a big congratulations to you regarding your daughter‘s accomplishments. ...
have a nice evening , everybody.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
last mountain & eastern hoggerUlrich and Ed, Not to insult you guys in any way, but from my point of view only a mother of them could love those juice jacks.
Tinplate ToddlerWell, I wouldn´t say they are elegant, but outright ugly takes it a tad too far.
After their service in Cleveland they were modified from 3,000 volt DC overhead catenary to 600 volt DC third rail and sent to New York City for service from Grand Central to Harmon, N.Y. on the New York Central.
Evening all! Don't need anything tonight. I have a muffin that I got from one of our local restaurants.
Hobby Front: Getting closer. Got the lake cut down, the new 1x4 end installed (cut down in spots to match the lake), and the aluminum window screen reused and replaced as needed. (A piece for the lake piling will also be reused.) I didn't get as far as I had hoped but the hard part is done.
The cutting got rather interesting, however. My jigsaw cutting wasn't exactly straight. Broke the jigsaw blade also in the process. (Grabbed a handsaw to finish the cut.) Also used the radial arm to cut the 1x4 to the right length and rip down the part to match the lake contour. Had to use the hand saw to finish it thought. The screen covers a lot of sins of the cutting. I will have to use a couple of angle brackets in one spot to secure the frame much better. (Have some small ones in a box that should fit the bill.)
Also brought a storage tote full of stuff into town. The shop plate was one of the items in there. It was heavy enough I had to grab my hard cart. (I don't even remember the last time I actually used said cart.)
last mountain & eastern hoggerNot to insult you guys in any way, but from my point of view only a mother of them could love those juice jacks. None for me , thanks. They are Butt ugly, I don't even like the Little Joes of the M.Road.
Well, I wouldn´t say they are elegant, but outright ugly takes it a tad too far. They have a certain utilitarian charme, which was typical of the 1920´s - before the Bauhaus people introduced design to just about everything, even engines.
The next step in design came in the late 1930s or early 1940s.
The first electric locomotive capable of 125mph, which it never ran, due to the outbreak of WW II.
In any case - beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!
Tinplate Toddler Ed - do I detect tiny pantographs on the roofs? I don´t see any 3rd rail pick-ups. There are two more "juice jacks" on my wish list: DRG class E 52: DRG class E 75: It´ll take a few years for me to save up the necessary funds, though.
Ed - do I detect tiny pantographs on the roofs? I don´t see any 3rd rail pick-ups.
There are two more "juice jacks" on my wish list:
DRG class E 52:
DRG class E 75:
It´ll take a few years for me to save up the necessary funds, though.
Oh Dear, what do I say,
Ulrich and Ed,
Not to insult you guys in any way, but from my point of view only a mother of them could love those juice jacks. None for me , thanks. They are Butt ugly, I don't even like the Little Joes of the M.Road.
But, thanks for the stories and links for those wrecks, they were very interesting.
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Afternoon diners!
Went to work put in a half day.
Went to Home Cheapot got 3 gallon tomato plants for 12 bucks!
I considered getting a "eyes of texas" air horn set for the truck, ya know UT longhorns?, but the song has a political connection for some people and I'd probably get the same reaction if I outfitted her with a "Dixie" horn, which I wouldn't not because I don't think the horn is cool, but the newer ones are a bit off in their timing so it just doesn't sound right.
Warning: Bragging dad post...
Tomorrow my adult daughter (31) graduates from AIT at Fort Gordon completing nearly six months of training between BCT & AIT. I am impressed with what she has accomplished. It has been a bit more difficult given her age. (She is closer in age to the parents of many of the other trainees than she is to the trainees themselves.) She has joined the National Guard but is seriously considering going active once she graduates from college. She is working on getting an age-waiver in order to join ROTC for the last two years of her education, allowing her to go out as an officier--an officier that has completed basic training, that is. Her degree will be in Micro-Biology and wants to get into disease research once she graduates. I am one pround Army dad.
Richard
Good morning ....
Ed and Ulrich .... Regarding the Little Joe's, I remember seeing the South Shore Line Little Joes operating. In Michigan City, IN, the South Shore operated on a city street, and seeing the big engines in a downtown setting was remarkable.
Ulrich ... I'm glad you could get the loco to purr like a kitten.
Angel .... I just looked up the SD90MAC information. I see Norfolk Southern acquired 100 from Union pacific and converted them to SD79ACU's.
Regarding electric locomotives, here is A MILW Bi-Polar . I took the photo many years ago at the St. Louis Museum of Transport.
Me? Offended? Hardly!
Actually, I had already begun to think that there must be something wrong with me since the Bear hadn´t yet re-worked one of my pictures.
For me, they display a kind of humor which I very much like and I look forward to seeing more!
My new electric loco had a not so apparent grinding noise in its drive right from the beginning. It did not go away after the loco had been run in - on the contrary, it became more and more apparent, the quieter the drive got. It took a while to find out that the connecting rods on one side were slightly bent. Unfastening 4 hexnuts, bending the connecting rods into their proper shape, putting them back, testing and repeating the procedure a couple of times occupied two hours of my time. Getting those tiny hexnuts back to where they belong took most of that time.
Now the loco purrs like a kitten when she runs around. And around. And around!
Sucess!
Tinplate ToddlerBear - I feel honored to have become a target of your unique sense of humor!
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Evening Diners,
Garry- I'm surprised that I saw UP SD90Macs in Colorado. Since UP hated those locomotives going up mountain grades, providing the excellent AC4400CWs.
Also didn't they sell all their SD90s to Norfolk Southern, Canadian Pacific,and another railroads and selling them back to EMD.
Top of a page. Paying everybody food tab. Enjoy some free smoothies or shakes during the hot summer days of July.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Agreed!
The key difference between the US versions and the Brazilian engines is the pilot, which was a little longer and had a kind of platform. With thatchange and the appropriate livery, you´d have a nice Little Joe on your layout.
Tinplate ToddlerFrateschi of Brazil makes a nice an affordable model of the Little Joes delivered to Brazil. I think it does not take much to convert them to a MILW model.
I have a friend in Brazil that sent one to me
IMG_0738 by Edmund, on Flickr
There's actually an ex South Shore Little Joe near me in an Erie, Pennsylvania railroad museum.
Very nice!
Ed
cudaken Ed Is the P5a known as the Little Joe?
The PRR P5a was built in two different version - as a boxcab electric (1931 - 1933) and as a steeplecab version (1934/1935), which followed Raymond Loewy´s design for the GG-1.
The name "Little Joe" was given to the electric locomotives built for the Soviet Railways in 1946, but never delivered due to the onset of the Cold War. They ended up seeing service on the Milwaukee Road, the Southshore Line and in Brazil.
Frateschi of Brazil makes a nice an affordable model of the Little Joes delivered to Brazil. I think it does not take much to convert them to a MILW model.
You will find them on Ebay at a price of under $100 + shipping.
cudakenHeard there where a lot of people hit my electric engines because they did not hear them coming
You´d be surprised how much noise electric engines make! Even today!
Thanks for that nice beverage, Ken!
cudakenEd Is the P5a known as the Little Joe?
Naw, it's kind of a boxy thing...
https://tinyurl.com/y9vlqhbw
MTH made some Little Joes some years ago. I guess they're hard to find, or brass!
Rapido is coming out with New Haven Jets. They're pretty cool!
https://rapidotrains.com/nh-ep-5-jet/
Every time I hear the New Haven Jets I get Elton John's Benny and the Jets song in my head.
cudakenHeard there where a lot of people hit my electric engines because they did not hear them coming.
Maybe? I see stories of people getting hit all the time People simply are clueless? Some lady was just hit by the UP 844! I hope that doesn't cause too much turmoil.
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2018/07/23-details-emerge-about-a-pedestrian-struck-and-killed-by-up-4-8-4-in-colorado
Happened near the Diner in Colorado, too
Tragic, indeed...
Eveing Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a Ed a Crown Royal on the rocks and Rick and Steven what they like.
Work Front I was some what PO'ed I had to work today. Monday is one of my normal off days! Well that turned in to a pretty darn quick! At 11:30 AM a old customer of mine from Sunrise Network Soloutions called and order over the phone 11 Queen Sets for $6,000.00! With a few other sales I was just a tad short today of $7,000.00 in sales and made a extra $118.00 in spiff money I will collect when I miss 6 weeks of work from my wife Knee Replacment.
Ed Is the P5a known as the Little Joe? While I know why the electric engines where need, they are to quite for my taste. Heard there where a lot of people hit my electric engines because they did not hear them coming. More than likely stupid people but what can you say?
Great, Train Wrecks. Some day in the future I was thinking about a train trip to Fld or maybe Ohio. Not so sure now?
Computer Front In the last 3 days I have had the Blue Screen Of Death on start up. Geat, time to spend more money but I have to have one. I pay 96% of my bills on line. Funny it use to be a toy, now it is a tool I need.
Trains are running great, so later.
Ken
I hate Rust
The Diner is still in Colorado.....
Here are two more photos of the Amtrak trip taken from the rear window. A big UP train with 7 units pulling and two units pushing.
NWP SWP Evening diners, Today I bought a new horn for the F150, 20 bucks later I now have a three note horn setup, OE Hi, OE Lo, and the new one. I'm eventually going to get old Cadillac set of horns and a GM Hi F alarm horn to get a five note sound, I was hoping to find something closer to a Nathan P5 but no luck so I'll be saving up for the caddy 4 and the Chevy alarm.
Evening diners,
Today I bought a new horn for the F150, 20 bucks later I now have a three note horn setup, OE Hi, OE Lo, and the new one.
I'm eventually going to get old Cadillac set of horns and a GM Hi F alarm horn to get a five note sound, I was hoping to find something closer to a Nathan P5 but no luck so I'll be saving up for the caddy 4 and the Chevy alarm.
That reminds me of one of my aunts and uncles. They had a horn that would play the Nebraska fight song. (They were rabid Husker fans.)
Hobby Front: Mom relented somewhat. I get to go out tomorrow. I do have to make sure I grab a pair of binoculars (Mom's request) and get some fans (Dad's request).
I also got the new yard basically planned and laid out. I ended up changing my plans around as I discovered that what I had mocked up didn't work. But I think what I came up with should work. I also need to grab my bins with the short track sections as I need them in a few places. One of these days I will get the railroad rebuilt, but it always seems like it takes longer than expected. And, yes, when I get closer to finished I will post pictures.
Hello everyone...
.
Hope that we are all safe, healthy, and happy.
My youngest daughter's cat had to be rushed to the pet hospital today. She was upset with me that I did not leave work and drive to Orlando to be with her.
Oh well.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good evening diners. The weekly ad from Ozark Mountain RR arrived.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Morning diners,
I wasn't expecting a forgotten passenger train to lead into railroad accidents.
The worst train accident I know is the 1993 Amtrak Sunset Limited Big Bayou Canot in Alabama.
Regarding tragic train accidents ...
The worst on the CB&Q was on April 26, 1946. On that day, the Exposition Flyer was operating in two sections. The first was called the Advance Flyer which made an unscheduled stop in Naperville, IL. The engineer in the second section failed to see the stopped train. The Exposition Flyer rammed the rear of the Advance Flyer at speed. There were 45 deaths and 125 injuries.
Notes: ... The Exposition Flyer was replaced by the California Zephyr a couple of years later. .... Soon after this disaster, all Burlington trains were equipped with red warning lights at both the front and rear.
maxman Heartland Division CB&Q Maxman. You are correct. You don’t want to know. LOL Okay, thought it was worms. If it is the normal assortment I guess there would not be anything fishy about that.
Heartland Division CB&Q Maxman. You are correct. You don’t want to know. LOL
Okay, thought it was worms. If it is the normal assortment I guess there would not be anything fishy about that.
Maxman .... LOL ..... Maybe, they would have made a special order of night crawler pizza. ...
Deutsche Bahn has seen a number of tragic accidents since its founding in 1949. The worst ones were Rheinweiler in 1971, when the "Schweiz Express" derailed and ploughed through a number of residential buildings, killing 25 persons and injuring 121.
In the same year, a TEE (Trans Europ Express) train from Zurich to Amsterdam derailed near Aitrang (Bavaria) and collided with an oncoming train on the double track mainline. 28 persons lost their lives and 42 were injured. The accident finally led to a ban of the Swiss Diesel railcar on German rails. Subsequently they were taken out of service and later on, after some major modifications, sold to Canada for service on the Ontario Northland line.
In 1998, an ICE train derailed and hit a bridge with a speed of 125mph, killing 101 persons and injuring 194 persons. This has been the worst ever accident on German rails.
angelob6660Ed- I forgot the Pennsylvania Railroad had a passenger train called the Red Arrow.
There's an excellent book out there about the February 18, 1947 wreck of the Red Arrow by Dennis P. McIlnay. Took Bennington Curve too fast and spilled down an embankment. Many of the 24 fatalities were RPO clerks at the head-end.
http://www.altoonamirror.com/news/local-news/2017/02/locals-tell-story-of-the-red-arrow-70-years-after-railroad-disaster/
Oddly similar to the Amtrak Frankfort Junction Curve (2015); New York Central Gulf Curve (1940); and Amtrak Cascades (2017) wrecks. Unexplained overspeed.
I love old menus, too. Actually the early days of Amtrak there was still plenty of the traditional dining car fare available — not so much anymore, sadly.
Cheers! Ed
angelob6660Ulrich- So which electric locomotive have to decided to choose first? I like the DRG class E 52. So sleek and stylish
That´s my first choice as well!
https://www.bimmelbahn24.de/produkt/lf290-maerklin-3366-e-lok-br-152-023-6-der-db-ovp/
Euro 80 is not much, but too much for me at the moment!
Ulrich- So which electric locomotive have to decided to choose first? I like the DRG class E 52. So sleek and stylish.
Ed- I forgot the Pennsylvania Railroad had a passenger train called the Red Arrow. I thought it was more Norfolk and Western. I love reading old dining car menus. So many choices than the current menu on Amtrak trains today.