Good spring afternoon folks...today was just about perfect railfanning weather and there were plenty of guys (and a few gals) fanning at Eola yard today. We saw plenty of BNSF freight action and all four Amtrak California trains came through east and westbound within an hour (with three within twenty minutes or less)...one eastbound (we can no longer tell them apart by equipment as they look so much the same and the car reportin markers go past too fast to see from a safe distance) had on it's lead Genesis unit a quite large "Hiawatha" logo decal on each side similar to this but all in black outline...anybody know anything about the history of such decals on the Amtrak units?...
Yet another Amtrak eastbounder had two Genesis units and one Cascades unit like this as the trailing unit...
eolafan wrote: Good spring afternoon folks...today was just about perfect railfanning weather and there were plenty of guys (and a few gals) fanning at Eola yard today. We saw plenty of BNSF freight action and all four Amtrak California trains came through east and westbound within an hour (with three within twenty minutes or less)...one eastbound (we can no longer tell them apart by equipment as they look so much the same and the car reportin markers go past too fast to see from a safe distance) had on it's lead Genesis unit a quite large "Hiawatha" logo decal on each side similar to this but all in black outline...anybody know anything about the history of such decals on the Amtrak units?...Yet another Amtrak eastbounder had two Genesis units and one Cascades unit like this as the trailing unit...
Gee, it would seem to me that anyone should be able to focus on the first number or first two numbers of those variable car assignment numbers that appear immediately next to each Amtrak coach or sleeping car door.
If the numbers read "3," "03," "4," or "04" figure it's the Southwest Chief.
If the numbers read "5," "05," "6," or "06" figure it's the California Zephyr.
Of course I suppose that trying to capture that great three-quarters wedge shot with a hand held camera could easily preclude anyone from getting that information.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
CShaveRR wrote:Bob, have you watched those trains go through there? Good luck catching those numbers!
Runnin' like scared jack rabbits, are they?
Bob-Fryml wrote: CShaveRR wrote:Bob, have you watched those trains go through there? Good luck catching those numbers!Runnin' like scared jack rabbits, are they?
Jack Rabbits? Perhaps not that quick but the east-bounders can come through at speeds of 50 to 60 mph and considering we are typically at a distance of 100 feet plus or minus from the train in question it is extremely difficult to see those car numbers...especially for these 57 year old eyes which no longer see in 20/20 vision.
Cornboy wrote:Would binoculars help?
NO. Have you ever tried watching a bird fly by at a distance of about 100 feet while you are looking through binoculars???? It's all a blur under those circumstances.
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