Tim, I think I saw this bridge being built from Manchester Road (the street on which the school's located). I'll have to investigate--are there ramps to make it usable by bicycles?
I can think of a few other places along that line, with schools near the tracks, where such an overpass (or a tunnel, such as the one in your home town) would be desirable--coupled with other measures to ensure its use. Of course, UP had to grant permission for its construction.
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)
I tot I taw a puddy tat!
Last night, roaming at a time I'd never seen her roam before.
Congratulations, Jen, on bringing it home!
CShaveRR wrote: I tot I taw a puddy tat!Last night, roaming at a time I'd never seen her roam before.Congratulations, Jen, on bringing it home!
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
....This gets addictive at home in the evening Jen.
Edit: Maybe if I would have spelled the word correctly in the first place it might have had a clearer meaning......
Quentin
CShaveRR wrote: Tim, I think I saw this bridge being built from Manchester Road (the street on which the school's located). I'll have to investigate--are there ramps to make it usable by bicycles? I can think of a few other places along that line, with schools near the tracks, where such an overpass (or a tunnel, such as the one in your home town) would be desirable--coupled with other measures to ensure its use. Of course, UP had to grant permission for its construction.
Yeah, Carl, it's along Manchester road, and it is usable by bicycles. Speaking of tunnels/bridges for pedestrians, I hear that Western Springs and the BNSF are contemplating another pedestrian underpass on the west side of Wolf Rd, down near Spring Rock Park. There is already a nice one here by where I live. Having those only make sense... I know they can be expensive (I think the one by my house here cost almost 1 million...) but, from a safety standpoint, they are priceless.
I took a couple of photos from that bridge when I was there Sunday, I'll post them tomorrow. I will most likely be there on Saturday this week for another photo shoot... We'll see how the week goes.
Jen, I suspect that your computer at home is just different from the one you have at work, and I know you'll get used to it eventually. I go through the same thing (though I can't access the Internet at work), and even have to adjust when moving from one computer to the other here at home. When we replace them, I'll probably share more in your frustration. But I'll get used to it. And so will you!
On the other hand, we've had our current car for six years. And every so often, when I go to turn on the headlights, the wipers are activated--because that's where the lever was on our last car!
well i've been in and out of Altoona a good bit lately. finding and shooting whatever i could. It's been more fun and interesting lately. but i'll explain that at the end of this post. here's the shots:
A lone SD70M sits on the east end of Altoona offline. Possibly as part of a soon-to-be-assembled power transfer.
FINALLY some COOL dash 8s! UP 9247's visit to Altoona was most welcome. especially with that cool Z stripe he was sporting. brings the grey down more on the cab and looks nicer. The SD70M behind him was also nice to see.
The following day, i saw a train in the distance as i was heading home from work. so of course i gave chase. the power was nice, though i'd rather 3256 or the SD70M was leading. crash 8s are just boring, but still nice to see.
all in all, it's been fun these days. SD70Ms have become more common in these whereabouts and a few more AC44s have been showing up lately. plus with the ex CNW SD40-2s finally being purged from the area and the dash 8s soon to follow, i wont have to worry about seeing them any longer and can finally enjoy railfanning almost as much as i used to!
Now that the power around here won't make me sad anymore, i will be able to build my photo rosters and get the thrill of seeing a train both at the same time. add that to the continuation of NS power being used on the roadrailers and you get nothing but fun awesome trains in Altoona! finally the dark ages have come to an end with a bright future on the horizon!
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
A cheerful Lord Atmo? Mad Max is toast? Alright!
Lord Atmo wrote:finally the dark ages have come to an end with a bright future on the horizon!
Which brings up the question, do you prefer CSX Bright Future or the current Dark Future?
yessir. most of the other aspects of the hobby that bug me are small ones anyway. the ex-CNW power was the biggest beef i had. and now it's done with
not to mention UP is finally starting to recognize that they have track in the upper midwest. cuz i we got E9s last year, a DDA40X this year, and a challenger in St Paul in September. too much going right now to be happy about. not to mention my anual trip to Winona to catch 261!
bright or dark future. that's a tough one. being that one has a lot of variety to the colors and looks neato. but the dark future has a nice C&O homage to it. and i've always loved blue. i guess i cant pick a favorite
I'll bet that if you were to search the Forum around the time CSX's new paint scheme was introduced, you'd find a raging "bright future vs. dark future debate.
At the time, I thought the Dark Future was pretty dull and a step backwards, throwbacks to the good ol' C&O notwithstanding. Since then it has sort of grown on me. Probably out of necessity, since the Bright Future units that are left don't look very attractive any more.
Is it just me, or do you find more rust-covered CSX units than those of any other major railroad? Second-place would have to go to BNSF, with some of its unrepainted units. UP doesn't have much rust, but it has that awful plague with the peeling yellow paint. NS is the only railroad whose units seem to be in well-kept paint.
NS keeps its good looks because it's hard to notice faded black
or it could be because they're just that awesome
I've seen CNs examples of letting paint go. Red to pink, black to grey, white to yech...
That being said the paint won't make the loco run any better. It sure does look neater when kept up tho!
Dan
CNW 6000 wrote: I've seen CNs examples of letting paint go. Red to pink, black to grey, white to yech...That being said the paint won't make the loco run any better. It sure does look neater when kept up tho!
You mean like this??
The BNSF silver/red "warbonnet" seem to have a problem with the peeling paint. But, then the locomotive is supposed to pull the train, not look pretty.....
I made it back out to Wheaton this past weekend. Sunday afternoon was kind of quiet, but we saw three trains, including one with the UP's United Way locomotive. (Unfortunately, it was the trailing unit, not the lead unit). Fanning there is nice, because of the talking defect detector at MP 29.0, since there are no signal bridges visible in either direction. Anyway, on with the photos.
Here is the first one, showed up just after we got there.
About 30 minutes later, this eastbound TOFC (do they still call them that?) showed up.
And finally, this manifest appeared. I would have stayed for more, because scanner chatter was indicating at least 2 more westbound, and 2 more eastbound trains were due, but with dying batteries, and impatient children, I decided to call it a day.
Enjoy folks, it's fun sharing photos around here.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Thanks for posting those shots, Tim! I'll have to see what can be seen from there. I suspect that some eastbound trains will stop there from time to time, with their units at the staging area near the lumber yard.
Just got back from a trip to Michgan to visit with octegenarian mothers (shhh!--they don't want to hear that!). I also had a chance to attend a talk on railroad history in west Michigan, given by an author and researcher whom I hold in very high regard: Graydon F. Meints. He has books available for sale, but for that I'll let interested parties attempt to Google him. Suffice it to say, I wish every state had a Graydon Meints to document their railroad trackage and station locations the way he's done it for Michigan (I now have autographs in the two books of his in my collection). He remembered me from correspondence we had concerning his first book.
On the way home we drove past Dolton and Blue Island, just to check out the locations. Unfortunately, our movement across the grade crossings at both locations was unimpeded. Nobody was watching trains at Dolton, and we saw one fan with a camera on a monopod at Blue Island. Between the two, Barr Yard (CSX) looked like it was moving trains fairly well.
Well this morning certainly was full of good catches! Oh where to begin...
Upon my arrival, I saw the vipper sitting in front of the yard office with a lone SD70M and 2 stragglers. Hopefully those 2 ex-CNWs will soon join their brothers down south and finally leave me alone. I'm counting down the days!
LTB60 was still dropping its freight off when I headed east. In the middle of the train was some more SD70M goodness. Always a pleasure to see those around here! Welcome to Altoona, guys. Make yourselves at home!
Especially this unit! It's about time I got something awesome up here! Now instead of dreading the possibility of seeing ex-CNW tragedies, I can get excited about the possibility of seeing an olympic unit! (assuming they're part of the SD70M team assigned to Proviso now. i hope they are!)
Not to mention the DDA40X coming through here in 6 days and 3935's visit to St Paul in September! And I recently read that UP is sending 1995 up here all day for the CNWHS convention! I'm so happy I could dance!
The DD40x is coming up by you???
How is it getting there? (i.e. which route?) I would LOVE to see that thing.
Atmo...
Nice photos, thanks for sharing.
Lord Atmo wrote: I'm so happy I could dance!
I'm so happy I could dance!
In Wisconsin, would that be a polka?
Hope you get sunshine to greet the DDA40X.
TimChgo9 wrote: The DD40x is coming up by you??? How is it getting there? (i.e. which route?) I would LOVE to see that thing.
Tim, before it goes up by Max, it comes through here. It'll spend the night at Proviso after coming from the Peoria Sub and out west. The following day it goes to the Twin Cities by way of Milwaukee and Max-toona.
It seemed to be spending the day around Hinkle, Oregon, today.
....Boy, Carl....that's a piece of RR equipment I'd like to see....
And did someone say Polka music......Alright....!
Actually i rather fancy techno, rave, and electronica. i've even boogied down to disco before. i've been told i'm not too bad of a dancer really. it means a lot when the people who tell you that are on the varsity dance team too. ah high school....
*ahem*
why yes, 6936 is making a second visit (he first came here sometime in the late 90s. i think 1998 as part of UP's tour of the new territory they just got with CNW). Thursday, April 17. Believe me. I'm counting down the days. I already told my instructors i may not come to class that day because "i have a meeting"....a meeting with an 8-axle double-645 track titan!
Actually we've gotten cool stuff here before. I remember last summer. oh what a summer that was...
Passenger trains at Altoona depot. Almost a lost sight. Sadly, Columbine wasn't open for seating, so I sat in the Katy Flyer for the trip.
and while this wasn't exactly in Altoona, it still counts for something:
I look forward to catching 261 this summer again. as long as he runs through Winona on that track. or 2816 if they run her.
CShaveRR wrote: TimChgo9 wrote: The DD40x is coming up by you??? How is it getting there? (i.e. which route?) I would LOVE to see that thing. Tim, before it goes up by Max, it comes through here. It'll spend the night at Proviso after coming from the Peoria Sub and out west. The following day it goes to the Twin Cities by way of Milwaukee and Max-toona.It seemed to be spending the day around Hinkle, Oregon, today.
Carl, what day will it be up here? I would really love to get some photos of it....
Caught an unusual car Wednesday while out for a walk near the UP North/IANR yard- this has to be the smallest car on four axles I've ever seen. I think the label on the side said Scale Monitor.
Sorry about the quality- cell phone picture.
Interesting--how did they fit four axles under that thing? Usually four-axle scale test cars are a bit longer (the ones I've seen most recently on UP are converted tank cars and gondolas, full length).
Couldn't make out the markings on it, Brian--do you know whose it is?
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