Trackside Lounge, Milepost 0906.01--no defects

[blhanel]

I've gone completely around Superior- in fact, Joanie and I did that for our honeymoon.  Have a safe trip, Carl.  We'll be heading out soon for the great northwest, but I'm not going to advertise our departure date here.

[tree68]

There - Knocked down all of the cobwebs!

Place is kinda quiet without Carl around.

[CNW 6000]

I've been gone too, but am back now.  Spent the last 3 days in Door County with limited outside interruptions...kinda nice.  This week I have vacation all week and am staying home with Aedan so Misty can adjust to going back to FT at work w/o worrying about midnight feedings, etc.  I plan on introducing JR to some railfanning...but I suspect he'll be asleep in the carseat!

Anyone see anything interesting lately?

[tree68]

CNW 6000

Anyone see anything interesting lately?

I've got to work on getting the video from Deshler with the DIT switchers on-line.

On another angle, in keeping with the contest theme, here are two of my pictures of first generation Diesels.

The RS-3 shot was post-processed into a "water color."  I don't have the original loaded up on-line, and this does look nice.

The second is one of our F's during our annual Polar Express trips.  That's not me with the lantern.

[CShaveRR]

Thanks, folks, glad to see the Lounge on Page 1 when I could look for it. Suppertime now, but will post more later.

[CShaveRR]

Back, after a fine Yooper supper of beef pasties and apple pie baked in the same manner as the pasties.

This is the third time we've been around Lake Michigan--the fourth for me, as my family did it back in the days before the bridge. We've also made it around Lake Erie in one trip, though points well distant from the lake were our objective.

(Speaking of that, we encountered a "troll trap" in Trout Lake--a place were touristy items could be acquired. In the Yooper world, the residents of Lower Michigan are trolls, because they live "under" the Bridge.)

Not much railroad-y seen on our trip so far, but that's pretty much what we expected. Saw some of Mookie's orange BNSF units sitting in the power plant at Port Sheldon (they take the coal trains all the way there). In Muskegon, Ludington, and Manistee, the yards were full of stored small-cube covered hoppers. The big surprise was a string of a dozen or more former Metra (nee-CB&Q, in some cases) coaches and cab cars sitting at the end of the track on the Great Lakes Central north of Traverse City. Today we saw something moving for the first time on the trip--a pair of Lake Superior & Ishpeming GEs, still in BN green, shoving a bunch of ore cars onto the dock north of Marquette. We were also lucky enough to observe the ore going into a boat at the dock. Pat's observation: "I know how big those engines really are--that dock is high!"

By the way, the first four letters are the key to the correct pronunciation of a Yooper "Past-y".

Tomorrow, it's back home, via Escanaba, Green Bay, Oshkosh, and suburban Milwaukee. I'm hoping to meet a couple of familiar Forum names on this stretch.

[CNW 6000]

Getting humid today...glad for A/C and an excuse to stay inside (Aedan).  Caught some BNSF SD70MACs this morning SB w/coal empties and some WSOR GPs at Olson's Mill while taking Aedan to his Dr appt.  He got some shots and was quite fussy...then fell asleep.  Waiting on laundry/dishes and a 'detector' to sound near GB.  We'll see how the afternoon goes.

[CNW 6000]

Aedan is now sleeping and we had a nice meet with Mr. & Mrs. Shaver this aft.  CN didn't cooperate while we waited, but they may have gotten luckier closer to and south of Shops.  We'll see what he says later. 

[CShaveRR]

We did catch a freight headed toward you out of NFDL, Dan. Lots of clay-slurry tank cars in it.

It was a pleasure to meet you and Aedan, Dan! Sorry we couldn't stay a little longer to see the train that the scanner picked up on the detector.

Pat and I had a fantastic time at supper with Lorie West, Andy Cummings, and Andy's fiancee. (After they get married, we'll look forward to hearing about their little short-Cummings.) The place Lorie chose, Biggs' Roadhouse (on Mayfair in Wauwatosa), has a view of the UP main line, about a block away--we caught the westbound Roadrailer train there just before Lorie arrived.

The train at NFDL was the second one provided by CN for our entertainment yesterday--we'd also caught one westbound at Rapid River, Michigan, and we allowed him to catch us as he entered the yard at Gladstone. That one had lots of pulpwood and wood-pulp (possibly the only commodities that get loaded in the eastern U.P.), as well as some coil steel loads and empty hoppers, probably from the Canadian Sault Sainte Marie (we saw some similar hoppers in the yard, loaded with taconite pellets; presumably they go to the same place that the coil cars come from).

We got back home late last night, and went to bed with the sound of the UP main line coming in through the windows. I'll have to get moving on at-home projects so I can pay the bill that brings me trackside in Elmhurst.

[CNW 6000]

I'm glad you got to see something on the way Carl.  Maybe next time CN will cooperate and be busier for you.  Going fishing this morning but I'll be near the swing bridge...maybe something will make an appearance.

[CShaveRR]

This is my last day of vacation; I'm kind of ready to go back to work (we'll see how long that feeling lasts).

Today Pat and I biked to Glen Ellyn and ate lunch at the 2Toots restaurant there. Menu was identical to the one in Downers Grove, but this place is larger--and busier. And when the trains go by, they're surprisingly close (not visible from all locations in the restaurant). Since we're on the inside of the curve there, it almost seemed like that stack train on the nearest track was going to topple in on top of us (one place where the art of superelevation lives on!). The food looks very similar to the stuff at the other place--same thick bacon, burger patties that thin out and overflow the bun, and so on. Its popularity shows that downtown Glen Ellyn needed something other than trendy, upscale dining establishments.

[CShaveRR]

Larry, I forgot to mention that your "watercolor" of the RS3 and train looks nice--very realistic! My guess is that there must be degrees to which you can alter a shot, and you didn't do very much.

[CShaveRR]

Just read over on Trainorders.com about a derailment by our train-watching spot in Eola. Coal cars involved. This might be something to see--or an explanation of why one can't get close to the spot, or why the trains might not be running (don't know whether any tracks are open yet).

[tree68]

CShaveRR

Larry, I forgot to mention that your "watercolor" of the RS3 and train looks nice--very realistic! My guess is that there must be degrees to which you can alter a shot, and you didn't do very much.

I didn't change that one much.  The "oil paint" option introduced some funny stuff into the picture while "watercolor" didn't.   There's nothing wrong with the original photo, but I kind of prefer the "watercolor" shot for some reason.

If that were actually a water color, I'd characterize it as "photo-real" - not an official class of art, but it's how I refer to the works of artists who paint with great detail.

[CShaveRR]

CShaveRR

Just read over on Trainorders.com about a derailment by our train-watching spot in Eola. Coal cars involved. This might be something to see--or an explanation of why one can't get close to the spot, or why the trains might not be running (don't know whether any tracks are open yet).

Pat and I made a quick trip out to Eola this morning. No coal on the ground anywhere that we could see, and the last of the Hulcher folks were getting ready to go. No trains while we were there, but we were in a hurry (lunchtime). Caught sight of an outbound dinky at Route 59.

[tree68]

Dusty in here again!

Kindly stop over to the Diner and check out my post about a survey concerning a portion of the historic Adirondack Scenic RR ROW near Lake Placid, NY.

[CShaveRR]

Thanks for getting rid of the dust, Larry!

I put in my vote for continued volunteer employment for Larry. Save a Tree!

Not much has been happening in my little railroading world here. We did have a monstrous gathering of fans in Elmhurst last Saturday, including Colin, Michael, and perhaps a dozen other young men (see, Mookie, it isn't just you!). We stuck around for a couple of freights and the pair of scoots, then the group broke up at a report of a BC Rail unit headed for West Chicago on the former EJ&E.

New reporting marks (not yet seen on equipment, but maybe not too far off):

GRW--Gary Railway (the part of the EJ&E that CN didn't want).

GDLK--Grand Elk Railroad (the part of Conrail that NS decided it no longer wanted, from Grand Rapids down to Elkhart, using PRR and NYC trackage--changeover point in Kalamazoo).

I wish CopCar Chris had been able to stop by here on his way back west from New York (he did stop and see Willy's family and Mookie), but he had a lot on his plate. Good luck with everything, Chris!

UP 1983 eastbound through Lombard this morning, en route to Global 1.

[CNW 6000]

Only a couple days left for the Summer Edition of the Trackside Lounge...Sep 01 is coming soon...wow.  Where did summer go?

[CShaveRR]

It's gone, though--I could have sworn those looked like snow clouds yesterday!

Neighborhood kids are in school, nearly two weeks before Labor Day (which is admittedly late this year).

Off to north/west suburban Detroit in about an hour, to attend wedding. Don't expect to see much on the eastbound trip, but hope to squeeze a little train-watching in somewhere on the way home tomorrow.

[tree68]

CShaveRR

Off to north/west suburban Detroit...

???

[Modelcar]

CShaveRR

It's gone, though--I could have sworn those looked like snow clouds yesterday!

 

Fellows....Don't rush it....I agree it sure is flying by fast, but the calendar tells us Summer will be with us until Sept. 22.  A/C are running here and that should be some indication we're not quite thru it {Summer}, yet....

[tree68]

Modelcar

A/C are running here

Heard my furnace running early this morning.  Got up and closed up the screen on the back door...

[Modelcar]

tree68

Heard my furnace running early this morning.  Got up and closed up the screen on the back door...

 

.....Now that is quite a contrast...

[CNW 6000]

Modelcar

tree68

Heard my furnace running early this morning.  Got up and closed up the screen on the back door...

 

.....Now that is quite a contrast...

Weatherguessers say we'll have a hard time hitting/staying in the 60s tomorrow...that makes me smile.  My left index finger is starting to get the itch...

[bubbajustin]

I'm at school all. I'm grounded till Satuday. Tell everyone at the Diner That that is the problem. I'm in Mr. Halladay's Class. His Son Work's For UP. I'm Serching for Locomotive enginer on another tab. This stupid PC,... The space bar won'twork.

See you all Saturday!  

Justin

[spokyone]

Barbara & I coming to Chicago next week. Need a tip about sightseeing boats on the Chicago river. Is the "First Lady" a good one? How about the ChooChoo restaurant in Des Plaines for lunch one day?

[CShaveRR]

Can't help you with the boats, Bob--I can't remember the name of the company whose boat we rode on when Willy and family were here. I don't think it will matter much--you'll see plenty of good sights, probably learn something, and definitely have a good time!

Good luck getting into the Choo Choo around lunch hour--the place is crowded. As an alternative, I'll suggest 2Toots in Glen Ellyn or Downers Grove--they both deliver your meals on O-scale trains, and--unlike the place in Des Plaines--have a view of prototype railroads out their windows.

When are you coming? Might be available sometime...

[CShaveRR]

tree68

CShaveRR

Off to north/west suburban Detroit...

???

My sister lives in Northville, not far from Livonia (that's west of Detroit). The wedding was performed in Warren (north of the city) and the reception held even further north. It took us about an hour to drive to my sister's place from the reception Friday night, with rainy conditions but no major traffic concerns.

Saturday we returned home by way of Deshler, where we met up with Joe and Matt. Had lunch in a small, friendly diner in Hamler, a few miles to the west (the rest of the patrons were amused when a train came through and three of us went shooting out the back door to watch it!). Hate to shatter a popular illusion, but Matt left some fries on his plate!

[jeffhergert]

bubbajustin

I'm at school all. I'm grounded till Satuday. Tell everyone at the Diner That that is the problem. I'm in Mr. Halladay's Class. His Son Work's For UP. I'm Serching for Locomotive enginer on another tab. This stupid PC,... The space bar won'twork.

See you all Saturday!  

Justin

Does his son work in the track department?  I've seen that name before listed as the Foreman in charge on Form B (protection of men/equipment) track bulletins.

Jeff 

[spokyone]

Thanks Carl. Barbara & I will have the entire day in Chicago on Wednesday, Sept 2. Lunch with you that day will be great at either of those locations or another as well.