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ROANOKE RAIL CAM

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  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
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Posted by Modelcar on Monday, February 7, 2011 5:06 PM

Just took a peek at the Hotel rail cam....Comparing how light it is there now in Roanoke to our location in Muncie, In.....The lightness at this hour is very similar.

Guess I need to take a look at a map and see our locations compared to ea. other.  Thought Roanoke would be somewhat more eastern than we are.

I like to see the bare streets / ground now compared to our ice / snow, etc., we've been seeing here too long this season.  Results:  Too many broken bones in this area...{including wifes wrist bones}...and some roofs caving in from the load of ice / snow.

Just a sidenote to Semper's comments on automatic camera focus / lens...exposure.  What is the feature that's used on professonal Television cameras such as we might see at the floor of a basketball game...They seem to be always in focus no matter if pointed down the court or right up close....And it doesn't seem that they are automatically adjusting to be able to do so...

Perhaps, as Semper noted on his units, up close...{very close}, they probably do go out of focus, but it has to very close.

The tracks and streets were almost bare now as I turned to the site.  Parking lot evactuated.....People don't tarry too long after five. 

Edit:  Ok....now I do see the difference....It's just past sunset here and it's pretty dark on the streets of Roanoke....And just checked, they are somewhat east of us....Guessing 20...25 min. sun time.

Quentin

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Monday, February 7, 2011 8:16 PM

Modelcar

Just took a peek at the Hotel rail cam....Comparing how light it is there now in Roanoke to our location in Muncie, In.....The lightness at this hour is very similar.

Guess I need to take a look at a map and see our locations compared to ea. other.  Thought Roanoke would be somewhat more eastern than we are.

I like to see the bare streets / ground now compared to our ice / snow, etc., we've been seeing here too long this season.  Results:  Too many broken bones in this area...{including wifes wrist bones}...and some roofs caving in from the load of ice / snow.

Just a sidenote to Semper's comments on automatic camera focus / lens...exposure.  What is the feature that's used on professonal Television cameras such as we might see at the floor of a basketball game...They seem to be always in focus no matter if pointed down the court or right up close....And it doesn't seem that they are automatically adjusting to be able to do so...

Perhaps, as Semper noted on his units, up close...{very close}, they probably do go out of focus, but it has to very close.

The tracks and streets were almost bare now as I turned to the site.  Parking lot evactuated.....People don't tarry too long after five. 

Edit:  Ok....now I do see the difference....It's just past sunset here and it's pretty dark on the streets of Roanoke....And just checked, they are somewhat east of us....Guessing 20...25 min. sun time.

I just wrote and deleted a really long winded reply as to why the Network Sports cameras work better than a lowly web cam, but it was just way too long and off topic to actually post here... suffice it to say the TV broadcasters have lots more money to invest in better cameras.  Also, there are many cameras in use and the director is constantly switching from one to another but he has had them aimed and focused before he switches to them.  There is someone there handling the camera the whole time, too; unlike the webcam that is a set, forget and let (hope) some automatic feature control it, system.

I have great sympathy for your wife... get her some flowers, or a box of chocolates, or a big bowl of ice cream... she will appreciate it, I am sure.  (OH! Get her all three!... And don't do it just once, either!)  Falling down is bad enough, but to get hurt in the process needs some expression of care.

It is nice to see snowless streets in Roanoke... even better to see some trains, too.

 

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by j610 on Monday, February 7, 2011 10:09 PM

My timing is way off today . I haven`t seen a single train lately .   RON

J610
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Monday, February 7, 2011 10:33 PM

I have had the exact opposite... every time I have checked I turned it on just as the headend power entered the view.  Timed one of them at about 16 MPH... fastest I have seen in quite a while.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by j610 on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 8:23 AM

Finally got my timing right and am seeing some trains . Seems like the museum cam gets jerkier every time i try it .  RON

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Posted by Modelcar on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 1:50 PM

Semper Vaporo

 Modelcar:

Just took a peek at the Hotel rail cam....Comparing how light it is there now in Roanoke to our location in Muncie, In.....The lightness at this hour is very similar.

Guess I need to take a look at a map and see our locations compared to ea. other.  Thought Roanoke would be somewhat more eastern than we are.

I like to see the bare streets / ground now compared to our ice / snow, etc., we've been seeing here too long this season.  Results:  Too many broken bones in this area...{including wifes wrist bones}...and some roofs caving in from the load of ice / snow.

Just a sidenote to Semper's comments on automatic camera focus / lens...exposure.  What is the feature that's used on professonal Television cameras such as we might see at the floor of a basketball game...They seem to be always in focus no matter if pointed down the court or right up close....And it doesn't seem that they are automatically adjusting to be able to do so...

Perhaps, as Semper noted on his units, up close...{very close}, they probably do go out of focus, but it has to very close.

The tracks and streets were almost bare now as I turned to the site.  Parking lot evactuated.....People don't tarry too long after five. 

Edit:  Ok....now I do see the difference....It's just past sunset here and it's pretty dark on the streets of Roanoke....And just checked, they are somewhat east of us....Guessing 20...25 min. sun time.

 

I just wrote and deleted a really long winded reply as to why the Network Sports cameras work better than a lowly web cam, but it was just way too long and off topic to actually post here... suffice it to say the TV broadcasters have lots more money to invest in better cameras.  Also, there are many cameras in use and the director is constantly switching from one to another but he has had them aimed and focused before he switches to them.  There is someone there handling the camera the whole time, too; unlike the webcam that is a set, forget and let (hope) some automatic feature control it, system.

I have great sympathy for your wife... get her some flowers, or a box of chocolates, or a big bowl of ice cream... she will appreciate it, I am sure.  (OH! Get her all three!... And don't do it just once, either!)  Falling down is bad enough, but to get hurt in the process needs some expression of care.

It is nice to see snowless streets in Roanoke... even better to see some trains, too.

 

.....Thanks for the comments on the broadcast camera's, Semper.....and on treating the wife with the goodies....We both fell, but she's the one that received the injury out of the situation....So we're trying to help each other....So far, we're doing pretty good.  It sure does take much more energy to accomplish everyday routines, with these conditions.  We were out again this morning tending to some business and another stop at Meijer's for some needed supplies.  So we're hanging in there and trying to be oh so careful.

Do appreciate your nice thoughts.

Quentin

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Posted by j610 on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 8:14 PM

Haven`t seen much foreign power lately . I guess it is only used when needed . Going to try to go to roanoke saturday .   RON

J610
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Posted by j610 on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 12:12 PM

Is the hotel cam down again or is it my server ?     RON

J610
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 12:40 PM

Has been working for me all morning and I just checked it again and it is still working for me.

Also, I checked the VMT cam and saw a couple of fellows holding a sign up for the webcam and a woman taking their picture, but, even though the sign had pretty large letters it was still unreadable.  I tried to get a screen video capture of it, but it is pretty poor.  I will attempt to get a still image from it and post it here later..

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 1:03 PM

From the VMT Rail Cam... Some visitors in a photo op.!

I thought the sign had letters on it, but they were too small to read (or maybe they were Hebrew or something...) hee hee hee... a bit closer examination of the sign shows that it is not text but the silhouettes of 3 steam locomotives.  Shall we have a contest to see who can identify them?

Here are some stills from the video capture I did.

 

 

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by tcwright973 on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 2:03 PM

The cam has been down all day for me too. I just get a "web page not found" message.

Tom

Tom

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 2:09 PM

I have had it on all afternoon.  Since I opened it for my reply above the one with the photos above.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by j610 on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 7:48 PM

Still nothing for me . I haven`t been able to get it all day .  RON

J610
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 7:58 PM

j610

Still nothing for me . I haven`t been able to get it all day .  RON

Well, that's frustrating...  I just checked it again and accessed it both via the direct link and via the link through the Trains dot Com link.

Have you rebooted your PC?  Have you cleared the cache?  Maybe there is something mis-set such that your PC is cornfuzed.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by tcwright973 on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 8:03 PM

Still out for me as well.

Tom

Tom

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Posted by switch7frg on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 8:24 PM

  Whistling  Quentin; have you and her got those strap on Ice and snow  grippers for the shoes or boots ?  They are really good safe way to get about on foot. Course the biz. owner and wood floors  frown on them. They are good on wet vinl . tile also ha ha.   Hope you and Jean have a good recovery.

                                                 Cannonball

 

Y6bs evergreen in my mind

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Posted by j610 on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 9:55 PM

I haven`t been able to access the cam since tuesday afternoon . I am going to take a break for a while and see if it comes back . I can`t handle that garbage museum cam .   RON

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Posted by conductor14 on Thursday, February 10, 2011 6:35 AM

I have been getting the same "not available" message since Tuesday as well. I searched a bit and found this alternate site. The motion is smooth but I cannot get a full screen. It's better than nothing.

http://www.vidiwave.com/popup/feed.html

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Posted by Modelcar on Thursday, February 10, 2011 9:51 AM

switch7frg

  Whistling  Quentin; have you and her got those strap on Ice and snow  grippers for the shoes or boots ?  They are really good safe way to get about on foot. Course the biz. owner and wood floors  frown on them. They are good on wet vinl . tile also ha ha.   Hope you and Jean have a good recovery.

                                                 Cannonball

 

Cannonball.....just a few days ago I checked out here on the internet, the "grippers" of which you speak. And found suitable ones for 20 dollar range.  No, we have not had any, but I'm seriously considering getting some.  This area seems to get more than our share of ice.

Upon reading about just what these items are, I'm interested.

So, we'll probably get some for use here....perhaps have them for next season.  I had never seen them before, and just was made aware of them recently.  But, it sure sounds like a  good idea to me.

 

Quentin

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Posted by Norm48327 on Thursday, February 10, 2011 11:07 AM

Try typing this "http://128.173.197.94:443/RRCmov" (do not include the quotation marks). It will take you directly to the web cam's address without going through the link from Trains. Then, bookmark the page.

The quality is much better. I used the link in Trains this morning and it was almost as jerky as the VMT cam.

Norm


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Posted by j610 on Thursday, February 10, 2011 12:23 PM

Thanks , conductor & norm . I am back in business . You don`t know how much you appreciate something until you lose it .   RON

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Posted by j610 on Friday, February 11, 2011 9:07 PM

Big day at the museum tomorrow . Offically starts the display of 614 . Model railroad club also has an open house .     RON

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Posted by RichardLHight on Sunday, February 13, 2011 9:02 AM
9:30 Sunday morning.....
 
While checking the museum cam, a EB pair of engines, one a NS and the other an old junker were dragging a string of rag tag cars consisting of old ConRail high cube boxes, terribly banged up old gondolas, filthy grain hoppers, and a hand full of black tankers that are often used to transport chlorine and other dangerous payloads. 

Rich

 

Those that desire, find a way..... Those that don't, find an excuse.

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Posted by j610 on Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:10 PM

I am sorry i missed that consist , Richard . I  haven`t seen anything today so far .   RON

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Posted by j610 on Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:18 PM

Just saw three units running light . Two NS led by a SOO unut .  RON

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Posted by tcwright973 on Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:19 PM

I have a question for those who are familar with the area seen on the webcam. Today for the first time, I noticed the shed like roof across the tracks near the parking lot. Is this an observation deck for railfans? If it is, is it part of the Museum's walkway? This area just might end up as a little side trip this summer. Thanks.

Tom

Tom

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:40 PM

I have never been there, so I have no 1st hand knowledge of what all is there, but using Google Earth's "Street View" feature you can see the shed and it appears to be a display of a passenger boarding area, (maybe?).  There is  a ramp on both ends so you could walk up and stand in the shade to watch trains, but I see no benches or seats to sit on while you wait.

On the street side of the shed a really nice looking flat car is displayed.

 

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by j610 on Sunday, February 13, 2011 12:50 PM

It is a pedestrian crosswalk to cross over from the link museum to the transportation museum. The building it is attached to is the link museum . The other side leads to the street and there is a railwalk from there to the museum . You can see the white tracks of the railwalk from the museum cam .  RON

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Posted by Great Western on Sunday, February 13, 2011 2:11 PM

I just saw a train (15.00 ET approx) travelling west to east at a speed I never saw before.  It was fast compared to all the movements I have previously seen over some period of time.  Two locos on the point and a helper pushing at the rear - and it was pushing as exhaust smoke was visible.  Wink

Alan, Oliver & North Fork Railroad

https://www.buckfast.org.uk/

If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Lewis Carroll English author & recreational mathematician (1832 - 1898)

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Posted by j610 on Sunday, February 13, 2011 11:50 PM

I haven`t had much luck today . Everytime i log on , nothing . Can`t complain though , i usually catch a lot of traffic .    RON

J610

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