Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Dan
Noah Hofrichter wrote: CNW 6000 wrote:True...I'm just a bit worried about using half a tank of gas and seeing nothing. That's the main problem with the Adams line. Part of the reason I like the area around Adams-New Lisbon or down around Rock/Columbus best, as there you can just railfan the CP main until something gets a warrent up on the UP line, and drive 10 or 15 miles up to catch it. But a lack of a scanner definately doesn't help things. Like I said though, that MBUVP sometime in the early afternoon is usually a good bet. Can't garuntee anything of course, but hopefully you'll catch at least one or two trains if you do go the Adams line route.Noah
CNW 6000 wrote:True...I'm just a bit worried about using half a tank of gas and seeing nothing.
That's the main problem with the Adams line. Part of the reason I like the area around Adams-New Lisbon or down around Rock/Columbus best, as there you can just railfan the CP main until something gets a warrent up on the UP line, and drive 10 or 15 miles up to catch it. But a lack of a scanner definately doesn't help things. Like I said though, that MBUVP sometime in the early afternoon is usually a good bet. Can't garuntee anything of course, but hopefully you'll catch at least one or two trains if you do go the Adams line route.
Noah
MBUVP at least will arrive in the early afternoon there. it usually arrives in Altoona at midnight. though i've seen it show up at 10:00 PM twice.
you COULD just come to altoona and i'll take you to see the WN. wimpy little motive power, but the trains are pretty long
Just a word to the wise.If you are going to buy a tripod, buy a good one. Bogen is is great brand by me,and others here may suggest others. Most important is to make sure the device used to set (lock) the legs at the desired length is top quality. Cheaper tripods skimp with that part of the design and after some use can loosen on their own and suddenly collapse your tripod with your camera on it. If you spent money to buy a top qulaity large case camera don't risk seeing it hit the ground because you went cheapo on the tripod.
Chico
Had a few minutes yesterday, and came up with this one.... Not much, but I liked the locomotive lashup
I hit Neenah this morning. Not a lot of CN action...until I left! I saw 4 trains pass in my rearview...
Heading out this afternoon. Shots later!
On days like this, if I want to fan...all I have to do is open the living room drapes. the viewing is better from the 2nd floor bedroom, but, in the living room, I can play "Harpoon" on my laptop while railfanning.. LOL
Eastbound in adams around the afternoon? sounds right. i usually catch them about to leave Altoona around 9:00 AM. then they leave a little after 10:00 AM.
if you're around Adams, you should get the MBUVP around 5:00 or 6:00 PM. they're usually out of Butler at noon or 1:00 AM. from what i've noticed anyway. (cuz it shows up in Altoona around 11:00 PM. 4 hours between adams and altoona)
the Adams sub is great to fan on when there's actually something there. because of how low-priority the sub has become, few trains see service on it these days. ZCHEM/ZEMCH and MBUVP/MVPPR are the only trains that use the entire sub. the line south of necedah gets the MBUIT/MITBU and the line west of altoona sees the LTB60/LTB61.
i'm not sure when ZCHEM usually comes through adams, as it never seems to come through Altoona at the same time every day. i've chased it in the late morning and even once in the afternoon.
Thanks Chris! I'd be interested in seeing your shot too whenever you get around to processing it, just to see how they compare.
CNW 6000 wrote:Saturday I'm planning to head near the UP/WSOR cross at Randolph. Hopefully UP scratched up some crews and will run something neat. If I'm lucky, so will the WSOR!
Hope you catch something! I like the Adams line, and I'd venture to call it one of my favorite lines around (probably third only to the stretch along the Mississippi River and the Mesabi range in MN). It's got some nice shots to be found along it if you look for them, though the lack of trains means that I don't shoot it as often as I'd like.
I have noticed a couple of trains that are fairly consistant on the Adams line though. It seems like in the afternoon there is almost always a eastbound train that gets in the area over near Lebanon and such about 1:00-2:00ish in the afternoon, and he usually meets a westbound (the MBUVP) at either Rock (a siding just to the west of Ashipun), Clyman Junction, or Dalton. Sometimes the eastbound hasn't been there, but for the last 6 months or so every time I've gone up on the Adams line that westbound has been out of Rock around 1:00. I belive it's call time out of Bulter must be noon.
Noah,
Nice shots! The shot from the Rochelle bridge looks a lot like one I took. I haven't had a chance to process my pix from the last trip. If I get a chance, I'll post it here.
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
Dan, like the EXIF data says, I use a Cannon Digital Rebel XTi (A.K.A. the 400D if you prefer). I upgraded just over a year ago from my semi-crappy Fuji Point and shoot. It cost me a few nice shiney pennies, but I've been really happy with it. The shots I've managed to get from the telephoto aspect alone have more than paid for the camera in my eyes. Also has given me a lot more flexibility compared to my old camera too, which I pretty much used on auto all the time. Being my first DSLR I did have a little bit of a learning curve (and somedays I still do), but I've been more than happy with the results.
I'm looking forward to the snow this weekend that they're prediciting for Southern Wisconsin; I want to get out and take some snow pictures already!
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Sorry...I've not used that service before and didn't know the bells and whistles.
I think I'll be in here more often.
CNW 6000 wrote:Those are some nice shots Noah. What camera are you shooting again?
CShaveRR wrote: Gee, I've created and destroyed friendships, learned a lot, taught a lot, bought a lot, sold a little, all with this secondhand archaic monstrosity. Can I do better with a newer one?
Gee, I've created and destroyed friendships, learned a lot, taught a lot, bought a lot, sold a little, all with this secondhand archaic monstrosity. Can I do better with a newer one?
I don't know if you can do all of that better, Carl. You might be able to do it quicker, though!
(Well, yes--I've got lots of stuff on floppies that apparently only I can read or translate.)
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)
CopCarSS wrote:I also want to try some shots out by Rochelle at the overpass west of Global 3. I didn't have time to shoot much, but I did drive over that new bridge on the last trip. I think I should be able to work a couple shots from there. Polo isn't too far from there, so that might be a nice attraction towards the evening. Now if I could just get the BNSF to run some trains!
I also want to try some shots out by Rochelle at the overpass west of Global 3. I didn't have time to shoot much, but I did drive over that new bridge on the last trip. I think I should be able to work a couple shots from there. Polo isn't too far from there, so that might be a nice attraction towards the evening. Now if I could just get the BNSF to run some trains!
I was down that way last Friday too, and the bridge at Rochelle does offer some nice possibilties. I'm especially interested in trying the morning eastbound shot with the grain place in the background. While we didn't get a main line train while we were there, my telephoto lens let me get a shot of the RCO yard switcher working with a cut of cars:
(If anybody cares, the rest of my shots from that trip are in an album here or in slideshow form here. It was a good trip for chasing ICE trains, plus a few shots at the railfan petting zoo...er, Railfan Park.)
....Yep, obsolete they are, but almost all of the info we are reading here on the forum is being sent by obsolete equipment. So lets say, obsolete in some ways but they are still performing the duties they were designed for.
Quentin
Brian - I do remember your son. He should have a blast with the camera and you can get the XTi. Although, PMA is just around the corner (Feb/March of 2008). Canon might have an announcement or two, so it might be worth waiting to see what they do. If an XTi replacement is announced you could either get the new camera or get a really good deal on a new XTi.
Spokyone - Alas! I could not get the BNSF to cooperate with me. I ran out of light before I got a train both times I tried. I've got a fairly long trip planned for Dec/Jan, so I may take a day and head west again.
blhanel wrote:Yeah, I know, just wait two years and whatever you buy is obsolete already...
Actually, the common wisdom in the computer world is that if it's on your desk it's obsolete.....
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
blhanel wrote:You knocking my camera? Yeah, I know, just wait two years and whatever you buy is obsolete already...
Yeah, I know, just wait two years and whatever you buy is obsolete already...
Oh no, quite the contrary. I thought the DigiRebel was a great, landmark camera when it came out. And I still think that they are quite capable of excellence. While it's been fun to see what the addition of electronics has done for photography, it's also kind of bummer when you see your investment depreciate as fast as everything else in the electronics industry.
It's kind of crazy to think that Nikon is already up to the "3" series in the Digital Realm. Going from the original "F" to the "F3" took a LOT longer than going from the "D1" to the "D3."
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