Bummer for a RailFan

[Anonymous]

Sorry WW for your bad trip.

That reminded me of a time when I was going to rid the 819 out of Pine Bluff.

I went to Pine Bluff and spend the night in a motel not wanting to be late should I have car trouble or sleep later or whatever. I checked into a motel and then went out to eat supper. After supper I went back to the motel and was going to go to sleep early. However, the air conditioning would not work. I think they moved me to another room and the a/c would not work in that room either. [:(!]
So I opened one of the windows trying to cool down. The mosquitos were fairly bad and I was bait most of the night. And if that wasn't bad enough, a lady and man were fighting in their room and it spread out into the parking lot. That went on and on and on. [:(!] I didn't get much sleep that night and it turned out just to be a waste of money staying in that motel.

The 819 trip was good though.

[wallyworld]

In 1999, I had saved for a ticket,roundtrip airfare,rental car, hotel rooms and expenses to take an excursion on July 5th out of Steamtown. The first half of the excursion was to be pulled by diesels and the second half by steam. About halfway to the point where we would stop for lunch and changeover to steam power, we ground to a halt. The cars were not air conditioned and we sat inexplicably for what seemed like forever. It became increasingly hot and stuffy as cars sat baking in the sun in the middle of nowhere. Most of us became pretty cranky at some point. Some Canadians across from me enquired when a crew member came past and we were told the magazine that promoted the trip was taking a photo. We finally got underway and stopped for lunch. After cooling off, we reboarded the train and sat waiting for the steam engine to show up. Suddenly - as if in a instant we were hit hard-the ceiling fixture fell out of the ceiling, dust flew and people were propelled against the front of their seats. Our steam engine had hit us from behind in a very "hard coupling"
We all walked to a local school and once again just sat around waiting to be bused back. We eventually were driven back. As I boarded the plane at the gate, I was completely bummed. What a waste of money.

[Anonymous]

Catching an SD70ACe using my digital camera and *CLICK BEEP!* The picture of the ACe comes out FUZZY! Dang It![:(!][banghead][sigh][censored]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Poppa_Zit

OK, I'll take a shot....

Two years ago I was making pictures of UP freights on a Sunday afternoon on the old CNW mainline in Chicago's western suburbs. After spending about five hours shooting the usual traffic with a big telephoto off the top deck of a public parking garage, an inbound unit train came up and stopped at the signal just west of where I was. The dispatcher told him to wait there until a slot opened up ahead, maybe 10 to 20 minutes. So I figured I'd scoot down to a big, sweeping curve a couple miles ahead and get a nice low-sun, backlit shot of a coal drag struggling upgrade around the curve.

As soon as I get into my truck and start driving up the road, the gates go down at the next grade crossing. Of course, my camera is in the bag and still attached to a big 500mm lens as the UP business train -- headed by the E9s -- comes flying through with its Armour yellow consist flashing in the "honey light."

At least I got a second chance 10 days ago, when it came through here twice; once inbound to Global I, and back out again on the old CNW toward Clinton, Iowa.

I think many of us have given up at a certain location and planned to move on when just as we left the first location here comes tons of traffic. [;)]

If you read my poison ivy story early on in this thread, I was heading home already itching from the poison ivy when I happened upon another train. I was not able to stop and take any photos of the new found train because of the itching and needing to get home and in the shower to try and stop it spreading. [:(!] [:(] [:(!]

[Poppa_Zit]

OK, I'll take a shot....

Two years ago I was making pictures of UP freights on a Sunday afternoon on the old CNW mainline in Chicago's western suburbs. After spending about five hours shooting the usual traffic with a big telephoto off the top deck of a public parking garage, an inbound unit train came up and stopped at the signal just west of where I was. The dispatcher told him to wait there until a slot opened up ahead, maybe 10 to 20 minutes. So I figured I'd scoot down to a big, sweeping curve a couple miles ahead and get a nice low-sun, backlit shot of a coal drag struggling upgrade around the curve.

As soon as I get into my truck and start driving up the road, the gates go down at the next grade crossing. Of course, my camera is in the bag and still attached to a big 500mm lens as the UP business train -- headed by the E9s -- comes flying through with its Armour yellow consist flashing in the "honey light."

At least I got a second chance 10 days ago, when it came through here twice; once inbound to Global I, and back out again on the old CNW toward Clinton, Iowa.

[Anonymous]

Keep those Bummer railfan stories coming. [:)]

[spbed]

Not me personally but another railfan that I met @ Daggett on my last trip in March who was from Southampton UK reported to me he ran into the BNSF thugs at Armadillo & that they were extremely rude to him. I do not know if he was on public or BNSF property at the time. [:(]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

An amount of time has passed since we have had any "Bummer" stories. Since it is warmer weather now I bet some of you guys and gals have a story or two you can share with it.

Soooooooo, let's hear your Bummer stories. [:p] [B)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FThunder11

My bummer is heading out to the tracks to hear TONS of chatter on the scanner, and not seeing one train after sitting for 4 hours!!

I would not wait that long. Actually I wouldn't have to around here. It is very busy. About 85 trains a day (I think that is the correct total I heard a while back) pass through, terminate, or originate here in North Little Rock.

But I feel for you Kevin. [:(]

[FThunder11]

My bummer is heading out to the tracks to hear TONS of chatter on the scanner, and not seeing one train after sitting for 4 hours!!

[edbenton]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

QUOTE: Originally posted by edbenton

Try having all the pics of 2 cabrides you got one in steam and one in a diesel. The diesel was even an ALCO. My ex wife delelted every pic of both of those cabrides I am so mad at her it is not even funny.

I think SHE should be sleeping in the doghouse for a long time for that.

Actually I left her behind in WI

[Anonymous]

i was watching a race yesterday and steamtrains got beaton by a tigermoth plane and i got hit by the plane yestaday my brother was making me mad by laughing at me i just hit him in the face and brused him.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by edbenton

Try having all the pics of 2 cabrides you got one in steam and one in a diesel. The diesel was even an ALCO. My ex wife delelted every pic of both of those cabrides I am so mad at her it is not even funny.

I think SHE should be sleeping in the doghouse for a long time for that.

[Lord Atmo]

one i was in Altoona waiting for a train that was sitting idle at the end of the yard to leave. i kept waiting and waiting and waiting. till i realized it was 10:00 PM and i lived 30 minutes away and had to bike home. when i was about to leave, so was the train.... i came home at midnight that night

[edbenton]

Try having all the pics of 2 cabrides you got one in steam and one in a diesel. The diesel was even an ALCO. My ex wife delelted every pic of both of those cabrides I am so mad at her it is not even funny.

[trainboyH16-44]

Last year, on my vacation, (Long after this topic had been started) I heard that 2816 was making a trip west. So I got my new telephoto from a few days before, tripod, and headed down to a new location that I wanted to try. I set up my tape recorder, my tripos and camera, snap a lot of pictures, and learn that someone kept talking in the background of my tape. (Swearing at the ditchlights and more) so I thought "Oh well, at least I still got the fillm".
We then started our vacation. Saw some SD40-2Fs, multimarks, BNSF 9647, some unpathced warbonnets, all the BNSF SD70MAC schemes, and a bunch of UP, and I started getting suspicious at picture 37... THE FILM WASN'T WOUND ON!!!!!!!
Everything from Calgary to North Platte, GONE!!!!
WAAAGH!
This eclipses any time that i've missed 2816!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

Hey guys, [:)][:D][8D]

Regarding Jhh's story. I'm curious! [;)]

Does anyone know what type of horn the UP typically uses. I know it's not the popular K5La. I've seen pictures of 3 chimers on a lot of the units. I wonder if Jhh heard a K5H or K5LA, both which according to many railfans (yes, me too) have very melodic sounds. CSX and NS use these horns on a lot of their road locomotives and of course, these units have been running on UP's tracks quite a bit in the past 2 years.

Good websites to hear and learn the differences between locomotive horns. On your search engine (I use MSN) type "Five Chime Horn Consultants" and also "Chris' Train Horns". Jhhtrainsplanes if you go to these sights, you might be able to hear what you heard recently.[tup][^]

Hope you enjoy it! Peace out!

Antonio, know you posted this a while ago, but.........

Today, typically all new units (wether they're UP or not) come with Nathan K5LLAR24s. These are different than regular K5LAR24s as they sound choked. UP's vast fleet of SD40-2s and older locomotives typically have Leslie S3Ls.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by silicon212

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Get this, I live close enough to the tracks to hear the train horn during all kinds of weather. Recently a local tree service (hired by the city) has been cutting down trees and limbs from around our power lines and poles.

Today I was walking the dog and heard a train horn. It was a nice sounding horn not the usual blan horn that UP buys. I think the nice sounding horn was on a Southern Pacific unit. The nice sounding horn was just as loud as the UP horns but sounds so much better.

When I heard the horn I looked in the direction of the tracks and noticed that many of the trees that used to block my view of the tracks were gone or trimmed back greately. I was hopeing to see enough of the engine to varify that it was a S P unit. No such luck. What I did see was the smoke plume and tippy top of the engine but not good enough to get a color of the engine. Reminds me of the ol saying, "Can't see the forrest for the trees". It was a real bummer to be able to see the smoke plume but not the train. I could tell exactly when the lead engine was but couldn't see it. [:(] [:(] [:(]

That is my railfan bummer. What is YOURS ?

I know this is more than two years old, but I didn't see a full answer to your questions here although one did touch on the horns that UP uses nowadays on most stuff - and that's the Nathan/Airchime K3LA - but UP also has a bunch of Leslie S3L Supertyphon horns as well. SP used mostly the Nathan P3 horn and this is perhaps what you referred to. I, too, feel the sound of the P3 was/is the best sounding diesel horn. Late last week I saw a local running a pair of SP GP units - one the unpatched GP40-2M 7135 and the other a patched GP60 # 1919. The 7135 has its original P3 while the 1919 (came with a P3) had its P3 switched for a K3LA. I just don't like those - they're too high pitched.

Actually I never did get an answer to my burning question. [:(] I was not able to see a color below the top of the engine and at the time I was not able to start a chase of it. However, I did learn that UP was buying some of the better sounding horns. The Heritage units have 5 chime horns and they sound much better than the normal 3 chime they most of the UP units have.

[Anonymous]

For me was Missing BNSF 7687 because I had school, that made me mad and I am still mad to this day.

[silicon212]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Get this, I live close enough to the tracks to hear the train horn during all kinds of weather. Recently a local tree service (hired by the city) has been cutting down trees and limbs from around our power lines and poles.

Today I was walking the dog and heard a train horn. It was a nice sounding horn not the usual blan horn that UP buys. I think the nice sounding horn was on a Southern Pacific unit. The nice sounding horn was just as loud as the UP horns but sounds so much better.

When I heard the horn I looked in the direction of the tracks and noticed that many of the trees that used to block my view of the tracks were gone or trimmed back greately. I was hopeing to see enough of the engine to varify that it was a S P unit. No such luck. What I did see was the smoke plume and tippy top of the engine but not good enough to get a color of the engine. Reminds me of the ol saying, "Can't see the forrest for the trees". It was a real bummer to be able to see the smoke plume but not the train. I could tell exactly when the lead engine was but couldn't see it. [:(] [:(] [:(]

That is my railfan bummer. What is YOURS ?

I know this is more than two years old, but I didn't see a full answer to your questions here although one did touch on the horns that UP uses nowadays on most stuff - and that's the Nathan/Airchime K3LA - but UP also has a bunch of Leslie S3L Supertyphon horns as well. SP used mostly the Nathan P3 horn and this is perhaps what you referred to. I, too, feel the sound of the P3 was/is the best sounding diesel horn. Late last week I saw a local running a pair of SP GP units - one the unpatched GP40-2M 7135 and the other a patched GP60 # 1919. The 7135 has its original P3 while the 1919 (came with a P3) had its P3 switched for a K3LA. I just don't like those - they're too high pitched.

[Anonymous]

An amount of time has passed since we have had any "Bummer" stories. Since it is warmer weather now I bet some of you guys and gals have a story or two you can share with it.

Soooooooo, let's hear your Bummer stories. [:p] [B)]

[stmtrolleyguy]

A few years ago I went to the local bridge to photograph a commuter run on the local commuter line, in the middle of winter, using a slightly outdated schedule. Well, I live on the middle of the line, where most trains terminate, although a few runs continue through to the very end around 20 miles further north. Well, in the part of the line to the north of where I live, there is a connector, and old siding connecting two lines together.

So here I am, on the bridge, waiting for a southbound train that should be coming through at 5 15. At 5 10, i check the schedule. The schedule goes blank a few stops north of where I am, but shows an arrival time at North Station in Boston, so I figure the train must run through with no stops.

At 5 20, i check the schedule again. Still no train. By 5 25, I was freezing, it was getting dark, and still no train.

Turns out that the train changes routes along the part of the line north of where I was, and changed to the other route to get back into the city faster on the lower volume route. I learned all this on the MBTA website, after standing on a bridge, with a camera, and a glove with a hole in it, in the dark, with a cold bike ride home, and no train.

[northwesterner]

How about violating the 5 minute rule? The 5 minute rule is: if you are waiting for a train to come through and have decided to pack it in, within 5 minutes something will come through. Two examples from this past weekend.

A.I cross the UP tracks at Elmhurst-Chicago Stone co. I see the headlight of an eastbound manifest. I chase it all the way through Elmhurst. After it enters Ptoviso yard, I see the headlight of a westbound freight. I wait and wait and decide that freight is not going anywhere soon. I go back west to the Elmhust Metra station., run in to White Hen for a cool drink. I come out two minutes later, and there's a TOFC westbound doing 45+. Turns out it was a priority train out of Global I. The westbound I saw earlier was stopped to let the prioity pass. Missed the head end power.

B. Later the same day at Western Springs. I see nothing in either direction, so go get a choclate malt. while getting served I miss Amtrack at 70 fly through.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

See ***. See Jane. See *** and Jane. [;)]

See the train. See the train go by (and me with no camera in hand). [:(!] [:(] [V]

I went home and got the camera only to not be able to get to a place where I could get some shots of the train. [V] [:(]

Oh well, it was a pair of NS engines. The lead loco did have a decent sounding horn though. [:o)]

Same thing here... only seeing CN power on the river line...no camera, no camcorder... come back to only see CSX power No offence but DANG[banghead][V][:(]

[Anonymous]

seeing this was kind of a bummer.....

[Anonymous]

Railfanning excuses not to go. [B)] [:0] [8]

Too HOT to railfan.

Too Humid to railfan.

Poison Ivy.

Mosquitoes.

Too Tired.

High Gas Prices.

Can anyone add to the list? [?]



Many times I see trains but can't get a number on the loco. That has been happening a lot lately.

[Anonymous]

Earlier this week I decided to chase a train. It had a head start but I tried to catch up and see the power. I chased it all the way to the next town but because of traffic and duckunders I never could catch it. [:(] So I headed back to verify the "numbers" on a train in the siding and when I got back it was gone. [:(]

Two bummers in the same trip. [:(!]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by joesap1



Man, your posts on this subject are a real bummer alright. Do you EVER get the shot?
I feel your pain.
Trains can be amazingly silent. During my last outing in San Timateo Canyon, a train snuck up on me while I was reading in my truck. It was a good one too: Three engines at the front and two helpers at the rear.

Hey Joe [8D]

For some of the good photos, and a few bad ones too just follow the link. [:)]

http://photobucket.com/albums/v222/JimHwood/

[joesap1]

Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Yesterday while on the way to work I had "another" bummer experience. Many times I can see a train on the way to work or on the way home from work. I heard the horn honking yesterday and tried to get close enough in time to get the engine numbers. But between traffic and the train going a little faster than usual I just couldn't get there in time to see the power. [:(] But I can tell you it was a mixed manifest freight.

Man, your posts on this subject are a real bummer alright. Do you EVER get the shot?
I feel your pain.
Trains can be amazingly silent. During my last outing in San Timateo Canyon, a train snuck up on me while I was reading in my truck. It was a good one too: Three engines at the front and two helpers at the rear.

Joe Sapwater

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