What was the worst weather day you went out railfanning?

[PBenham]

Tuesday (1/17) was the 30th anniversary of the (then) Buffalo Chapter, NRHS motorcade to the Lehigh Valley Shops in Sayre,PA. The day started out very cold for these parts with lake effect snow. After clearing that[censored]near Wayland, it was not bad, if you like being a human popsicle that is. Sayre was a balmy -5 at 10 AM, and boy was it cold on the foot bridge over the throat of the engine terminal. Now, there were RS2,3s,C420s,C628s (no two matched color schemes except for a pair of snowbird/white elephants) GP38-2s and a set of U23Bs there. An SW8 was at work, with that bridge shaking from the railfans stomping their feet to prevent frostbite. The locomotive shop was marginally warmer, but the employees we dealt with couldn't have been better hosts. There were EMD switchers(Pups) around in varying states of repair, the prize being SW1 112, the last repainted Valley unit of any kind period! Outside there were more C628s in storage, and more "pups" as well.SW900ms, SW8s and an SW9. After a few hours there, we left for home. Following the old Erie main we caught a bunch of freights almost all with pairs of SD45s/SDP45s and one with a pair of SD45-2s on them. It was almost dark at Hornell, where there were a number of F7s and F3s, both cabs and boosters in storage, and another eastbound with a pair of SD45s. Oh, did I mention it was a balmy 15 degrees? The rest of the trip was nasty once we got back into the lake effect bands and the roads were a mess. It was a long and very entertaining day for my companions and I. At the other end, there was a very hot and humid (100/100) day at Albany-Rensselaer, where it was all the Amtrak maintainers could handle to try to keep the aging FL9s from overheating, and frying the passengers in the amfleet cars! The FLs are gone and there is a very anti-railfan atmosphere there now. Back in 1994 it was really friendly. A victory for the terrorists, a loss for us! So, how about your bad weather story, Rain, Snow Heat,Cold, Combinations thereof, or just one that made the day memorable for you and anyone with you.

[nssr9169]

i LIVE IN NORTHER MINNESOTA, COLD....
There was one time were it was snowing so hard that visibillity was a issue, and it was -40 dagrees F. That is Cold even for me, but a railfan must try out his new SLR no matter the cost, eh?[C):-)]

[Kevin C. Smith]

Not cold but hot.

An afternoon spent at Deval (sp?) crossing in NW Chicago suburbs (3 crossings; C&NW Northwest line, freight line to Proviso and Soo Line). It had to be well into the 80's with humidity to match and not a breath of air moving. Oh, yeah, sunny as all get out-not a cloud in the sky. My cousin (always better acclimated to the brutality that is an Illinois summer) handled it OK but I spent the time between trains hiding under any shade I could find that didn't harbor even less air and more humidity.

Ugh!

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

In the Chicago area, I've been out in subzero weather a few times. Most of these times, I didn't stay out for too long to keep me and the film from freezing.

In the other direction, I've been out in Houston once in the summer when the temperature and humidity were both around 90. With all due respects to Ed and other Houstonians, this has to be the worst climate in the mainland United States.

[Anonymous]

Hottest I ever went out in 112 in Daggat, CA on 2002 Vacation on my local line 105 on 7/25/05.
Coldest 2 Above zero on 12/21/04.

[PBenham]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nssr9169

i LIVE IN NORTHER MINNESOTA, COLD....
There was one time were it was snowing so hard that visibillity was a issue, and it was -40 dagrees F. That is Cold even for me, but a railfan must try out his new SLR no matter the cost, eh?[C):-)]

[;)]You won't get an argument from me, that's for sure! -40? "That's industrial strength cold, there. Y'all can't be out in that too long, your Beer might freeze at them temperatures"-Larry the Cable Guy.

[TheS.P.caboose]

The hottest temperature I've gone railfanning was 110 in Bakersfield and on the other end was a snowy day in Techachapi.

[Anonymous]

Well, one time I went out in a Flash Flood warning near Sandusky Ohio at 9 p.m on NS's Sandusky Bay crossing, got my feet wet.
I was watching CSX trains in Deshler Ohio in 125 degree weather.
And I literally got myself stuck to a telephone pole in December '04 watching CSX traffic at Attica Ohio.
Off Topic- My best weather is when there's an ex Conrail unit leading, Sunny 75, and a slight chance of luck.[:o)]

[PBenham]

QUOTE: Originally posted by comfterbullEd

Well, one time I went out in a Flash Flood warning near Sandusky Ohio at 9 p.m on NS's Sandusky Bay crossing, got my feet wet.
I was watching CSX trains in Deshler Ohio in 125 degree weather.
And I literally got myself stuck to a telephone pole in December '04 watching CSX traffic at Attica Ohio.
Off Topic- My best weather is when there's an ex Conrail unit leading, Sunny 75, and a slight chance of luck.[:o)]

How did you manage to get yourself stuck to a utility pole? Not like Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, Tim Allen's disfunctional Home Improvement Show host, who would have gotten stuck--how can I ask this without drawing the ire of the moderators?[%-)]There has to be quite a story there. I've gotten splinters from Telephone poles,I haven't been frozen to one- yet, anyhow!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by PBenham

QUOTE: Originally posted by comfterbullEd

Well, one time I went out in a Flash Flood warning near Sandusky Ohio at 9 p.m on NS's Sandusky Bay crossing, got my feet wet.
I was watching CSX trains in Deshler Ohio in 125 degree weather.
And I literally got myself stuck to a telephone pole in December '04 watching CSX traffic at Attica Ohio.
Off Topic- My best weather is when there's an ex Conrail unit leading, Sunny 75, and a slight chance of luck.[:o)]

How did you manage to get yourself stuck to a utility pole? Not like Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, Tim Allen's disfunctional Home Improvement Show host, who would have gotten stuck--how can I ask this without drawing the ire of the moderators?[%-)]There has to be quite a story there. I've gotten splinters from Telephone poles,I haven't been frozen to one- yet, anyhow!

The story goes-
It is about -1 degrees outside and apparantly my Jacket was made out of the material that loves sticking to ice, and I guess I leaned against the pole too long. I lost about a square inch of fabric on it.[|)]

BTW: All these stories take place in Ohio, don't ya' love the weather?!

[Anonymous]

The worst weather was rain in Arizona. I was waiting on an SP freight between Tucson and Picacho Peak. Of course, that particular day there was NO train activity until the rain started to fall. The soil we were standing on (I had a girlfriend along) rapidly took on the consistency of boogers. Not bad until you try to walk in it, and it dries to the consistency of highway bridge abutment concrete. It was cold that day too- probably in the 50's, which is a heat wave to you guys in Minnesota. It's an Arctic ice blast to people whose blood has been thinned out by 110 degree heat.

On the flip side, if you should travel to Northern Arizona and the Grand Canyon area (the BNSF Transcon runs through Flagstaff) you can reasonably expect snow that will close down an Interstate. I've never railfanned in that kind of weather, but I have driven in it... it's not cold compared to Minnesota, but it is windy and the snow can get deep.

Erik

[Trainsorbust]

Not that bad, it was a little snow, going to a train show, not bad.

[PBenham]

You snowbirds...I DEclare![:p]

[Anonymous]

I love snow and cold weather....

[waltersrails]

going to the tracks after school one train + rain when it was sunny during school.