The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
CShaveRRChris, I don't have Bridges, either; I borrowed it from the local library more than once. Pardon my ignorance, but where were the bell and platform in those last two photos? The first three make me "homesick" for Highlands again! Yesterday, Pat and I rode Metra downtown to meet Johnny ("Deggesty") and his wife, Ricki. These veteran travelers are on the last leg of their train trip across the U.S. and Canada, headed home to Salt Lake City on today's California Zephyr. We didn't have nearly enough time to talk, but had an amazing dinner at Miller's Pub, an old-time Chicago establishment and celebrity hangout, just down the street from the Palmer house, where they were staying. This place has a great menu, and we'd recommend it for Loop dining (that's Chicago Loop, not Tehachapi). Ricki moves with the aid of a walker, and when the folks at the restaurant saw that, they seated us immediately, in spite of having told us to expect a 20-minute wait for a table. We'll go back sometime to try their ribs--they're supposed to be their number one claim to fame. Johnny, Pat says you remind her of a particular uncle of hers. I didn't catch that immediately, but can see where that came from, and you should feel complimented. Another rough day on the hump today. Our temporary conductor (and they've given him a trainee, amazingly!) is to the art of freight car classification what a spray can would be to the Art Institute.
Johnny, Pat says you remind her of a particular uncle of hers. I didn't catch that immediately, but can see where that came from, and you should feel complimented.
Another rough day on the hump today. Our temporary conductor (and they've given him a trainee, amazingly!) is to the art of freight car classification what a spray can would be to the Art Institute.
It gives me a good feeling to be favorably compared to someone else's close relative. I do wonder, in what way I remind Pat?
As to your temporary conductor, may you get another conductor who understands the use of all tints and brushes. Does the trainee assigner know anything but spray cans?
Johnny
Carl,
I don't know if I'll be able to join you for lunch on Monday...I was told today to expect a very full Monday! Also...if you get the Duo back by you on Sunday send 'em back up thru Adams on Sunday!
Dan
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)
Chris, I was hoping we'd get to see the shots with the bell and the shot of the carts. Very nice! Amazing what you can do during a rainy, dreary, gray day!!
Quentin - It was a lot of fun to be around the photographic luminaries like I was. There wasn't a rivet counter or roster shooter there (not that there's anything wrong with rivet counting or roster shooting...it just isn't my thing).
Carl - I think one of the things that sets David Plowden apart is his proficiency at such a wide variety of subjects. He is so amazingly versatile. Alas, I haven't read the Bridges book yet, but I think it's moving towards the top of the list of books I need to acquire. You aren't the only one I've heard make reference to it.
Meanwhile, I've been SWAMPED since getting back to work, but I did finally find a little time to process the shots from this trip. Ironically enough, even though the trip was inspired by the pursuit of photography, I didn't actually shoot an awful lot. Here are a few shots that I kind of liked, though:
-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
You must have been in your glory Chris meeting all the professonal photog's and then with many of them the high interest of the railroading part of photography.
Quentin
Hi Gang,
Sorry I haven't been around lately. As Zardoz and Carl mentioned I was back in that corner of the world. Jim it was great to meet you and your wife, and Carl, it's always a delight to see you and Pat! It was nice of Uncle Pete to put on a dinner show for us, too!
The impetus for the trip was the 2009 "Conversations About Photography" conference run by the Center for Railroad Photography and Art. This is the first time I've really had the opportunity to socialize with some of the biggest names in the industry, and it was a true joy to be there. These folks all really have an interest in railroad photography as an art.
Possibly the highlight of the conference was being introduced to David Plowden and talking with him for the better part of an hour and getting some amazing advice. He is a true gentleman and an extraordinary photographer.
I also had to the chance to meet some giants in the industry: Mark Hemphill, Steve Barry, John B. Corns, Steve Crise, M. Ross Valentine, etc. etc. etc. Additionally, a good slice of the Kalmbach staff was there and I had the opportunity to meet Jim Wrinn, Andy Cummings, Kathi Kube, Matt Van Hattem, Kevin Keefe, and Angela Pusztai-Pasternak. All fascinating folks that I really enjoyed talking with.
It was definately an amazing trip! I highly, HIGHLY recommend the conference to anyone who has a passion for railroad photography. I can guarantee that I'll be back next year!
Carl, thanks for the hospitality today. I had a good time; too bad those schmucks at the resturant were not willing to move those tables by the window together for us (what's up with that? It's not like they were busy....) Also please tell Pat that Kathy had a great time at the quilt show.
Chris, it was real nice to see you in person, so I could finally meet the person responsible for so many fine photographs.
I even got a few decent photos, despite (or perhaps because of) the rainy weather.
CShaveRRBrian, you would have caught the first perishable train if you'd lingered there a little longer--looks like he went through just before dark. He should be by me pretty quickly, if I didn't miss him.
DOH!!!
Oh well, if I had waited around longer, I'd probably be separated and headed for divorce, as I had to go pick up Joanie from work.
I'm surprised he wasn't half-way across Ohio at the time of your post, considering how NOT busy the line was...
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
zardoz CNW 6000 Saw a total of 11 trains todayYeah, right. You're just saying that to make me jealous.
CNW 6000 Saw a total of 11 trains today
Saw a total of 11 trains today
Not at all...I just got lucky in that regard for once! Usually it's someone else.
CNW 6000 Saw a total of 11 trains today (not including the Neenah Yard Job) and got a recording of a defect detector sounding for two dragging equipment defects (MP 194.6). I'll get that on Youtube later and link to it.
Saw a total of 11 trains today (not including the Neenah Yard Job) and got a recording of a defect detector sounding for two dragging equipment defects (MP 194.6). I'll get that on Youtube later and link to it.
Here's the link to the video of the detector via scanner.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7McOTSRWGM
I spent four hours this afternoon down by UP's Beverly Yard, and all I saw was nine trains- two east-bound loaded coal trains, one eastbound mixed manifest, two westbound empty coal trains, the local transfer from downtown to Beverly with a total of 13 cars, and a couple of similar transfers on the CRANDIC next door. I think I even got in a nap...
CNW 6000 ...they must know when you're coming Jim!
...they must know when you're coming Jim!
Anyway, how typical--the one Saturday I don't head up north.....
I already heard a couple this morning...they must know when you're coming Jim!
zardoz Dan, why is it that every time in the last few months that I've been in your neck of the woods the trains all seem to go into hiding. I've spent numerous blocks of time recently (while the wife goes shopping) trackside seeing nothing but birds. It sure doesn't seem as though traffic is anywhere near where it was not too many years ago. Heck, I remember not too long ago when the (then WC) was doing ROW improvements in anticipation of double-tracking the Waukesha sub all the way from Valley to Antioch. Nowadays it seems as though trains are rare, and meets even more rare.
Dan, why is it that every time in the last few months that I've been in your neck of the woods the trains all seem to go into hiding. I've spent numerous blocks of time recently (while the wife goes shopping) trackside seeing nothing but birds. It sure doesn't seem as though traffic is anywhere near where it was not too many years ago. Heck, I remember not too long ago when the (then WC) was doing ROW improvements in anticipation of double-tracking the Waukesha sub all the way from Valley to Antioch. Nowadays it seems as though trains are rare, and meets even more rare.
LOL! The trains (at times) are a tad more scarce but I usually keep my scanner handy and tuned to the CN road frequency. If I hear a detector going I'll head trackside. Give me a heads up next time you swing this way, if you want. I'll keep ya company.
Dan - more great train watching! I love CN's colors. I think NS, then CN and then CSX - my list of favorites. And the old BN.
I did notice, however, that I sneezed during the "weedy" pictures. Terrible allergy season already!
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Finally got out to get some railfanning in on Tuesday & Wednesday morning of this week...and finally got around to editing them! Here they are. Nothing I'd consider special...but I had fun and I think that was the point.
So I started out in Neenah on Tuesday morning. Not much was moving so I headed back to Oshkosh. Heading south on US41 my scanner caught the defect detector at MP181.1 say "...Southbound..." and the rest of the usual stuff on axles, no defects, etc. However I took a gamble knowing that the railtrain I had seen on Monday was not on Dixie siding and turned to paralell the tracks. That gambit paid off in catching CN 4715 leading a railtrain trying to get to work just south of Winnebago Siding.
Shortly after I took that shot the RTC in Homewood called and asked if the railtrain could sneak back onto Winnebago Siding. A manifest train (M346) was closer to Neenah and didn't have any planned work which he thought it did. So the railtrain backed up into the siding at the south end while a short local took the north end. Once both trains cleared the main I didn't have to wait long for the reason for the delay to appear.M346 at Winnebago
Closer to Butler Ave. Crossing
After 346 passed I had to get to work so that ended my Tuesday activities.
Wednesday morning I went to the south end of Oshkosh to chase an errand. Like usual I had my scanner and camera in the truck and heard a MoW crew calling RTC from the "Oshkosh Siding" asking for time on track to get back north (presumably where rail was/would be laid). RTC came back with they had to wait for 2 southbounds first but after that there was a decent block of time. I scooted trackside off of 14th Ave. (near old Coca-Cola plant) and didn't have long to wait. First up was an empty coal train lead by BNSF 9988 (SD70MAC) and followed by a pair of ACes (9143, 9373) that looked almost new! A nice change of scenery from CN's locos.BNSF 9988 at Oshkosh SidingBNSF 9988 South
Almost as soon as the coal train cleared the defect detector at MP169.1 I heard the detector at MP181.1 go off. The second train was a manifest lead by a trio of C44-9Ws. That included IC 2700 which looked fairly clean for a change. The last time I saw it she was pretty dirty.CN 2670 at Oshkosh SidingCN 2670 South
IC 2700
After 2670 south was clear the MoW folks got going and I had to get to work again...but at least I had some scenery on the way, and fun which made the day go faster. Comments and thoughts are welcome.
Thanks for the comments guys, they are much appreciated. With the beautiful scenery up in that area good photographs are fun and pretty easy to come across. One just needs a sense of composition and good timing and the rest of the ingredients are already right there in front of you.
I'm still in high school, but I already plan (or maybe it's more a hope) to live in the La Crosse area when I retire someday (in, oh... 50-60 years. Unless I win the lottery). Who knows what will actually happen, but in an ideal world...
While most of the UP unit's I've seen are fairly nice looking, I'd say they have their fair share of paint problems too. There are a couple of SD40 types that used to frequent the Adams line that didn't look too good. I caught one a few years back that had some nicely peeled paint:
http://badgerrails.webng.com/photos/up/adamsline9.html
Noah
Speaking of clean cars, we saw a large number of FUSX gondolas at one point between Rouses Point and Saratoga Springs today (I do not remember just where). They were all black and shiny, except for the markings. Larry, do you know anything about them?
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