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[Anonymous]

Noah- I definently will, we should be doing scenery as soon as we finish up a little bit of trackwork and wiring... My dad is modeling devils lake, baraboo yard- the northwestern's yard was quite big at the time, and my dad is also modeling norwalk, near sparta. If you have ever ridden the Elroy Sparta bike trail, this makes a bit more sense...

Ac6000cw, what is your camera's shutter speed like?

[Noah Hofrichter]

Chris, I've been to Norwalk yeah. That's about as far north on the bike train that I've gone though. It's cool going through the tunnels up in that area.

Edit, I totally forgot to add my photos from this weekend!! Here ya all go, with descriptions:

Yesterday, Saturday October 1st, the WSOR ran an Employee special train from Madison to Devils Lake WI. The Train was powered by 10C, the only WSOR E unit with a HEP to supply power to the cars, and was followed by the WSOR's three new Bi-levels, WSOR 11, 12, and 13. WSOR 11 is different from the other two though. This one is a cab car. This means that when the train got to Devils Lake, the crew simply switched cabs and drove seemly "backwards," although on the radio it was referred to as forward. I didn't follow the train on the way up, just on the way back, when the sun was right, so the cab car was in the lead. So when I say forward, I mean with the cab car leading. Okay, 'nuf yapping, let's get to the photos.

I suppose the best spot to start is where I started taking photos, Merrimac WI on the Wisconsin River Bridge. The WSOR was really, really nice. They drove the train across, stopped, backed it up, stopped in the middle of the bridge, backed up, stopped at the North end of the bridge, drove forward, and stopped at the South end of the bridge for about three minutes. Made for really nice video and still photos. Here's the best from the bridge:

http://www.railimages.com/albums/noahhofrichter/adv.jpg

Now we(my Dad and I) were off on the chase. All together there were about twelve different railfans in maybe six eight cars, and we all seemed to decide that Okee Wisconsin was the best place to stop next, and you can see why:

http://www.railimages.com/albums/noahhofrichter/adw.jpg

So then we chased again. We passed places where people has stopped, as we were trying to get a head of the train, but they were moving at a pretty good clip. But, we made it in time to set up at A place called Reppen Road. And Let me tell you, this is a great spot. Na, I won't tell you, take a look at the photo instead:

http://www.railimages.com/albums/noahhofrichter/adx.jpg

This is getting to be near the top of Dane hill(I don't know exactly where the top is, just that it's near Dane, and I know it was past this point).

Well, We were originally planning to chase the train to Waunakee, but I got to realizing that there really isn't any good spots to shoot the train in afternoon light. So, we decided to head home.

.......Or at least that had been the plan. We headed back by via of the Ferry at Merrimac, and we noticed a couple of railfans standing around by the bridge. I immediately thought of the GREX I had heard was running(A GREX is basically a conveyor train for spreading Ballast. I'll explain later). We asked, and sure enough, it was reported to have left Rock Springs at about 3:10. So, we changed our plans and decided to stop and chase the rock train a little ways. We pulled over to the South shore landing again, and began to wait. Based upon the time the train was given a warrant, we expected the train to arrive around 4:15. 4:15 turned into 4:30, 4:30 turned into 4:55, and no rock train. I was actually getting tired, when we finally heard a horn in the distance at 4:55:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=120820
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=120715

And Once again, we were off on the chase. We decided to skip Okee this time, as even last time the light wasn't fully on the front of the train, and it certainly wouldn't be this time. So we went straight back to Reppen Road,

Before I show the photo, let me say that I am going to officially classify this as the best photo location South of Merrimac. And I say that because of this photo:

http://www.railimages.com/albums/noahhofrichter/ady.jpg

And if you think the photo is good, you should see the video I got of the thing, rounding the curve working all out. Guess where I'm going to be shooting trains more often......

We decided to end the day on that good note, as again I couldn't think of a place in Waunakee worth my Dad's gas to go too.

Okay, I said I'd explain the GREX. This is basically a giant conveyor train, full of Ballast. It is used if they are only replacing particular ties or something and want a small amount of ballast in a particular spot(or so I'm told). There is a conveyor belt running between cars and to a larger car at the end of the train that spreads ballast. This one was called 2800, with the cars themselves labeled 2801-2815, although it is technically one large car. Here are a few close ups:

Conveyor car on end:
http://www.railimages.com/albums/noahhofrichter/adq.jpg

An example of the individual cars. You can see the belt running in between:
http://www.railimages.com/albums/noahhofrichter/adr.jpg

So there you all go, what do you think? I had great day really, probably the best I've had in a while.

Noah

[Anonymous]

Awesome shots dude! I gotta get mine online, as I have some good ones... [;)]

Just wondern' , what kinda car do you go railfanning in?

Homework time..[banghead]

[AC6000CW]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rgroeling
Ac6000cw, what is your camera's shutter speed like?

0.7 SECS IT SEAMS TO TAKE SO LONG.

[Noah Hofrichter]

Chris, Either my dad's Chevy lumina or My Moms Ford Focus. I never really care about the car, just it needs to work ;-).

Well, I got homework to attend to, I'll see you all later.

Noah

[wctransfer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AC6000CW

i have a question do yall think a kodak easyshare cx7300 would be good for taking pictures of trains in motion. this is the camera i've currently own.

Thats the camera i have. It works well yes. Want a few samples? Ok here ya go.

Alec

[AC6000CW]

QUOTE: just wondern' , what kinda car do you go railfanning in?

i go railfaning in two dodge intrepid
and a ford f-150 supercrew 4x4[:D]

[AC6000CW]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wctransfer

QUOTE: Originally posted by AC6000CW

i have a question do yall think a kodak easyshare cx7300 would be good for taking pictures of trains in motion. this is the camera i've currently own.

Thats the camera i have. It works well yes. Want a few samples? Ok here ya go.

Alec

what setting was the camera on like good, better, better 3:2 or best

[wctransfer]

? Dont know what you mean, i never modified it . Its just it. lol

Alec

[AC6000CW]

THERE ARE 4 TYPES OF PICTURE SETTING LIKE GOOD IS FOR E-MAIL
BEST IS FOR LARGE PICTURES.

[Anonymous]

Howdy guys. I'm from Stevens Point WI. Been a railfan all my life, inspired by my dad who works for the CN here at Point. I liked the WC more. I was able to ride with pops to Superior and Fon Du Lac before CN took over.....Dangit. Anyway, I just purchased a new camera but havent produced anything great yet. I'm a long time Amtrak fan and Im heading out west again on Oct. 10!! I cant wait!!

[tpatrick]

Do we have out there any teen fans of the Nickel Plate?

[wctransfer]

tillerthekiller , im glad you liked the WC more! I cant stand CN. What is your dad's name, i may happen to know him. Seeya, And ask him if he ever knew someone named "homer".

alec

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wctransfer

tillerthekiller , im glad you liked the WC more! I cant stand CN. What is your dad's name, i may happen to know him. Seeya, And ask him if he ever knew someone named "homer".

alec

I am not too fond of the CN either, read my post to find out why...

Hey guys, sorry I have been gone for so long. Yesterday, my school had the day off, so my dad and I went railfanning up in Wisconsin. We visited the UPs yards, in I believe Menomamie, and then tried to railfan the rugbee junction, where the WC and WS interchange, only to find a track gang[soapbox]DARN!!!!!!!!!! Later we went to Horicon, where the WS paints locomotives, where I saw an EMD SD38-2, and the car shops. After that we hit the CNs yard in Fondu lak... Where I got to see several CN locos, including a slug! and 2 WC SD45s !!!!!!!!!! NIICE!!!!! Of course, we were on a rr access road- trespassing, so instead of asking us to leave some CN guy called the COPS on us. [:(!][:(!][:(!] The cops (there were 2!) said that we could take pictures from public streets, so my dad and I proceded to do so....

Just as a raised my camera to shot another picture, a CN truck roars up to me and my dad, stepping out of it was the guy who called the cops on us, and yelled to me, "son, put the camera down, there is no photography here. " My dad informed the CN guy that it was entirely legal to take pictures from the sidewalks, but he said that I couldn't take pictures. My dad told me I could take pictures, so I did. My dad and I hopped into our Jeep and moved on to a different spot to shoot, only to be followed by that same CN truck! This continued fo about 45 minutes, and just as I finished taking my last shots, The rude CN guy yelled to me and my dad- "I hope you guys are enjoying your little game, I am going to have you detained!" My dad told me he couldn't, and then the CN guy thretaned to have us arrersted! And I think he tried, as he called the cops again! and lied to thwem that we were continuing to trespass. Fortunently, the kind officer believed my dad and I and not the CN jerk, and we didn't get arrested.

Now, I have been railfanning my whole life, and employees os the UP, CSX, Montana Rail Link and CP have been so kind, and even given my dad and I tours of facilities. Never in my life have I been treated so badly by a railroad employee.

What do you all make of this?

[Noah Hofrichter]

Chris, your not going to like my opinion, but you asked for it, so here goes. You were in the wrong tresspassing on CN property, and the CN guy had every right to call the cops the first time without giving you a warning! He owed you no warning what so ever, tresspassing on any railroad is wrong. You are lucky to come away without a ticket from the Police.

Now the second time I'm with you, the CN guy shouldn't have been following you on public property, that's just wrong. Although, that incident wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been tresspassing and he had to throw you off in the first place....

Okay, I'll get off the soap box now. Sorry if I offended you, It's just I feel strongly on this topic, I've seen to many people who thing there is nothing wrong with tresspassing, and they end up giving railfans a bad name.

Well, homework and supper call, I'll see you later, I've stirred up enough trouble for the night. [;)]

Noah