I saw, and posted about it on another Forum, that unusual train that j610 saw. The earth moving equipment suggested an MOW train and thank you to Zugmann for confirming that.
A pity I missed the circus train but it was past bedtime here when the train went through.
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)
Just saw the Ringling Bros. Circus train go thru town. That is one long train. Had to be close to 100 cars.
j610Today I saw an unusual train heading west at about 2:00 pm. A lot of what looked like mobile homes on flatcars , several gray ns boxcars , white trucks and a white bus on flatcars , and quite a few flatcars with all kinds of equipment. I assume it was a maintainance or construction train . RON .
Today I saw an unusual train heading west at about 2:00 pm. A lot of what looked like mobile homes on flatcars , several gray ns boxcars , white trucks and a white bus on flatcars , and quite a few flatcars with all kinds of equipment. I assume it was a maintainance or construction train . RON .
Camp train. Used for traveling MOW gangs.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
cudaken Never saw a train
Never saw a train
Switch back to it occasionally, and you will......
Quentin
I hate Rust
......I have noticed it just several times. Yesterday as I watched a coal train move west, it stopped several times, and when streaming, was a bit jerky, but has happened to me just several times.
Guess I really don't know what media player mine is coming in on......
A couple of posters have mentioned that the web cam streaming hangs/freezes when viewing. I noticed this was a frequent occurence when using a browser which automatically choose Windows Media Player. I would add that the speed required was quite sufficient.
I installed the VLC Media Player (which often handles things that Windows MP won't). This is far superior and whilst there are some very minor issues and the pic will hang for just a second or two it is far superior and more pleasurable to watch than WMPlayer.
That picture is late 40's or early 50's. The pedestrian walkway that the camera is mounted atop isn't even a thought at that time.
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BigJim A view from the other side of the tracks. This view would be looking at the RailCam. The overhead concourse is now gone. It was shortened in order to allow double stack trains to pass through town.
That photograph certainly confirms my thoughts of that area once serving passenger traffic. Certainly another era....
That's really a great B&W photo of a period of time....I'm guessing it's in the late 1930's.
Thanks for sharing that photo. From that early photo, I believe the overpass the rail cam is mounted on is not reality yet....
Great Western A great pic Big Jim, thanks. That pic supports what I thought from research in that an erstwhile passenger station in that location is now the O. Winston Link Museum. It seems that the Virginia Museum of Transportation, a little further west from the web cam was also a station. Great to have someone on the spot, so as to speak, Jim. After all I am an ocean away.
A great pic Big Jim, thanks.
That pic supports what I thought from research in that an erstwhile passenger station in that location is now the O. Winston Link Museum.
It seems that the Virginia Museum of Transportation, a little further west from the web cam was also a station. Great to have someone on the spot, so as to speak, Jim. After all I am an ocean away.
Yes the station now houses the O.Winston Link Museum. A don't miss place to go while in town. The VMT was the old N&W Freight Station and Shenandoah Div. offices
Modelcar BigJim Yes there were. The two tracks that you now see closest to Shen. Ave. are tracks 3 & 4. Tracks 1 & 2 would have been where the parking lot is now and were taken out over 38 yrs. ago. .....Next to tracks "1 & 2", was there a passenger station on this side {camera side}, in the past......?
BigJim Yes there were. The two tracks that you now see closest to Shen. Ave. are tracks 3 & 4. Tracks 1 & 2 would have been where the parking lot is now and were taken out over 38 yrs. ago.
Yes there were. The two tracks that you now see closest to Shen. Ave. are tracks 3 & 4. Tracks 1 & 2 would have been where the parking lot is now and were taken out over 38 yrs. ago.
.....Next to tracks "1 & 2", was there a passenger station on this side {camera side}, in the past......?
Let's see if this works. A view from the other side of the tracks. This view would be looking at the RailCam. The overhead concourse is now gone. It was shortened in order to allow double stack trains to pass through town.
The Roanoke Rail Walk is located on this side of the tracks. It goes from the downtown Market area to the Va. Mus. of Trans. Along with a number of RR artifacts, there is a set of crossing gates and a crossbuck that will operate, however, I have never been down to see how to make them work (I'm always on the working side of the fence). I have also heard a set of diesel horns close by too.
The cabs that you see are on several yard jobs, affording the crew members a safe place to ride during shove moves.
kolechovskiAre you also seeign a couple light turning on and off on the far buildings? I think there are 2 of them
I believe I've seen blinking lights over in that direction. I'll take a closer look during the next evening viewing....
The street next to the camera sure seems to be a busy commercial path with so many semi's and different kinds of delivery trucks, including UPS.
I have not taken a good look at this area yet via satellite to see just what is nearby, etc....
Right now I notice a cut of covered hoppers to the right in the distance. And two engines just passed by....{east}.
Is there an ATCS monitor site that shows this area? That could give us an advanced notice of trains approaching the camera.
Well it is 05.40 EDT (10.40 BST here) and I just watched a very long coal train heading west. The morning (I rarely see evenings) pics are very good, colored and fairly distinct.
There must be a Coke depot nearby as I have seen many trucks turn off Shenandoah Ave into North Jefferson Street.
It seems that MOW and maintenance guys use white pick ups - anyway that's my belief.
Yesterday I did see a red caboose at the end of a consist. But the train was being propelled westwards. As far as I recall it was a covered hopper consist. I did see, as part of my Google wandering cars marked with the name Roanoke Cement so maybe that is what many of these cars are used for.
Many thanks for the input guys.
Are you also seeign a couple light turning on and off on the far buildings? I think there are 2 of them. I don't know if it's a problem with a light sensor, or if maybe some camera movement is making me imagine it. Thanks for the info about the tracks. I also notice from reading other posts here, that I'm not the only one who has seen flocks of cabeese on the trains on this cam. I'm wondering if there are semi-regular appearances made by them? Especially since this seems to be a very active area, that maybe work trains might be somewhat abundant, which could be one of the demands for cabeese?
Edit-I have verified that 2 lights are switching on and off after a little while. I also notice even more now how nice the place looks with the row on streetlights on the far side. I also liked the sight of the CocaCola truck that passed through at the bottom a while ago. Now I'm thirsty...the cam owners oughtta get a royalty from CocaCola for that...
kolechovskiNow I can't load maps on this thing, but it would seem like those isolated tracks would be more used by MOW, or as storage tracks, or something like that. In fact, I haven't seen anything use them yet.
Yes, i've seen a few trains running east {I believe}, that is, right to left on the track nearest to the camera. And I too believe the night view with the color available is really neat, and you can see a train passing in the dim light....
Now I can't load maps on this thing, but it would seem like those isolated tracks would be more used by MOW, or as storage tracks, or something like that. In fact, I haven't seen anything use them yet. Are they critical for something, as in accesssing something the other tracks can't?
Also, it's a quarter till 11 PM here, and the white issue still hasn't taken effect this time, so maybe they fixed that. Although the area where the trains run is dark, you can see their silhouttes against the background, and the signal mast to the right, along with the signal bridge in the distance, light up well, so I even continue running it after dark.
WOW! Big Jim. Thanks for the info: 38 years ago - that's interesting. I guess it was due to mergers.
I wonder if the car park adjacent to Shenandoah Avenue NW was once part of the railroad infrastructure.? Were tracks there for instance?
I am grateful for the originator of this thread reminding me of this web cam. Reading the numerous posts here raises a few questions and answers. I am reminded of the original web cam position which, as someone pointed out was not the best.
Needing some railroad relaxation, when not out in my back yard running large scale trains, I have found this web cam to be fascinating and informative. Not only are there some spectacularly long trains to see there are some interesting road vehicles as well. One noticeable thing is the former heralds, before mergers, to be seen on many freight cars.
My next project will be to ascertain - if possible - where some of these trains originate and where they go to. Coal hoppers and containers are self explanatory but I am curious about the contents of the many covered hoppers that are in the consists.
Looking at Google Maps I see some very large yards to the west and more yards and loco facilities to the east. Am I correct in thinking that the smaller "bowl" shaped yard west of the web cam was original to the Virginia Railway? The whole place is truly a remarkably train centered.
I note from the Google street view some of the interesting railroad places nearby: The Virginia Museum of Transportation, The O.Winston Link Museum and the wonderful display of wheels, switch stands and other railwayana to be found on the sidewalk of Norfolk Avenue SE. There is also a monument showing places radiating from Roanoke which, presumably, are some of the places served by the trains we see passing by. Unfortunately I can't read them.
If I ever get across the pond to the States this place will most certainly be on my itinerary.
It is rare for me to post here as my modeling period is centered on the late steam/early diesel era. Garden Railways and Classic Trains are my usual reads.
It's after 9 PM, and the webcam finally turned white. This is likely a feature that takes place from a certain moment in the evening to a certain moment in the morning. Maybe it's meant to help display stuff better, but it just looks worse to me. I think it should just stay with the normal color all around. Maybe some of you guys can compare the 2 types of night shots (especially with trains in the picture, so you see how they show up) and give your opinions on this feature.
(BTW, the earlier buffering issue went away-maybe there was just a slow connection or something.)
kolechovski That's likely just due to the lighting.
That's likely just due to the lighting.
Not so.....Several days ago one could see the red signal lights and the orange Sodium city lights along the streets....{at night}.
kolechovskiHas anyone had issues with the video repeatedly stopping after every few seconds and rebuffering for a whole bunch of seconds?
If any, it must have been very brief.....Wonder if your computer Memory capacity might not be able to keep the action fluid.....It has worked quite well for me most of the time I've been watching it....and that's several times a day.
One thing I've noticed lately....It seems to be a black / white pic. at night....
Has anyone had issues with the video repeatedly stopping after every few seconds and rebuffering for a whole bunch of seconds? I'm not sure what's going on now, but I really can't watch it like that.
DennisHeldI am very impressed!! I can put it into full screen mode and it's like watching a video. Very impressive. Can we do that with Rochelle?
The rochelle needs it trying to see trains on it is hard through all the pixelization and also so small why cant they put it in the media player like Roanoke's I'd watch more often they need to do something with it.
....This continues to be interesting....Just witnessed a freight train with tanks and covered hoppers for the most part, and with 2 units on the point for power.....but, with a caboose....!! 8:12 EDT.
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