Trackside Lounge: 1Q 2010 Edition

[The Butler]

I never thought of cutting them up. Any idea on how long that would take?  I did notice the cars spilled some kind of white powdery stuff.  This is a UP line from Ste. Genevieve to Derby Junction (according to SPV's atlas) in Southeast Missouri.

[CopCarSS]

Morning All,

Carl, the bit of Latin was from a book I attempted to read awhile ago, Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Literally, it means "They can kill you, but they can't eat you. It is a sin." However, Wallace used it a bit more poetically when translating it as the motto of the private academy in the book: "They can kill you, but the legalities of eating you are quite a bit dicier." Couldn't resist after I saw your gladiator entry.

As for me, it was a bit of a dull weekend. I had some photographic plans -- including kicking off my CCC project -- this weekend, but schedule and weather conspired against me. Oh well, I guess there's always next weekend. I might actually take a picture of a train one of these days, again, too!

Hope you all have a great week!

[tree68]

If they sat around that long, it's entirely possible there were insurance issues ("you pay!", "No, you pay!") or the cargo wasn't all that important and the owner took its time getting it out of there...

[The Butler]

tree68

If they sat around that long, it's entirely possible there were insurance issues ("you pay!", "No, you pay!") or the cargo wasn't all that important and the owner took its time getting it out of there...

I can see the pay issue.  These rails look in very rough shape and in the two years prior (since moving here) I had never seen a train that far West of Ste. Genevieve on this line.

[CShaveRR]

James, you gave yourself a dunce cap for not thinking of cutting them up. Now I have to give myself one for not thinking that they could have been loaded! The load would have to be salvaged somehow--possibly loaded into trucks if the railroad was "out of service"--and then the cars could have been moved or cut up.

I'm not really sure on the duration of a car-scrapping session. Can't see the actual cutting taking much more than a day; loading the pieces could take longer.

_________________

Something that bodes well for me: we went out to brunch today with my daughter's entire family. Somebody mentioned "train", and my 19-month-old grandson started quickly looking around. He didn't say, "Where? Where?", but you could tell that was what he was thinking. I understand he was totally engrossed with the monorail at Disney World when they were there last week. Grandpa's just got to get those kids out for some serious train-watching...maybe when the weather improves. Trains run in any weather, but (according to my daughter) grandchildren don't.

[The Butler]

I hope your weather improves soon so you can get those kids out to see trains!  One of my earliest childhood memories was of my dad taking me up to the C&NW platform at Irving Park Road in Chicago.  He knelt down and held me as an express "Scoot" came through on the near track.  I still remember the thrill as the bulldog EMD got closer and close, the fear of the size, noise and speed as it passed, and the excitement when it was all over.  Today, I wonder if the metal "weather shelter" we were in helped amplify the experience.

[mudchicken]

If those rascals are empty, a competant railcar scrapper can scrap a car and load it out in a day and a half. If it's the local bubbas, figure longer with lessened resources.

[The Butler]

mudchicken

If those rascals are empty, a competant railcar scrapper can scrap a car and load it out in a day and a half. If it's the local bubbas, figure longer with lessened resources.

  Since moving here, I have discovered we have a lot of "local Bubbas!"

[CShaveRR]

Good morning, everyone! Pat and I will be taking a train ride today, just for the sake of riding (and lineside research, to see where the new signal bridges will be).

This one's dedicated to Ms. Mookie:

http://www.viddler.com/explore/cheezburger/videos/283/90.242/

[Mookie]

What a nice story with a happy ending.  Kudos to the lady - in more ways than one.

Now about that train ride.....

[CShaveRR]

I wish you could come along, SJ. And we're stopping short of the diamond in West Chicago this time.

[Mookie]

Bruise long gone - memory remains!

[CopCarSS]

I think one of these times I find myself back in Chicagoland I need to take more train rides. Thus far, the only Metra route I've ridden on is the one the BNSF line.

[CShaveRR]

It's worth every penny you put into it!

Pat and I are back, after only about 45 minutes on the road. Metra performed flawlessly--when we got off the westbound train in West Chicago, they were announcing the arrival of our eastbound, and it came into view before the westbound fully disappeared.

Westbound, we met two manifests staging, one at Finley Road and one at Wheaton. After leaving West Chicago, we found that our outbound scoot had been leading a parade of sorts--we encountered a pair of westbound freights before we got to Wheaton. The eastbound freight at Wheaton (QNPSKP, I think) was still there when we went through, but the one that had been at Finley Road (MDMPR, probably) had moved on in to Proviso. (The second one came past us as we were driving off.)

The reason for our trip was to look for new footings for the signal bridges that are going to be installed on the line, allegedly in connection with the crossovers that are also scheduled to be put in. We found seven sites between Lombard and West Chicago. Surprisingly to me, they all seemed to be some distance apart--I would have expected a couple of pairs to be close together, between which all of the crossover switches will be installed. One signal bridge--at Wheaton--is already up. It has signals mounted on it, suggesting that the crossover might be east of it. There's a pole-mounted signal at the same site, for the spur into the Wheaton Lumber Company (just about the only industry left along the line between Proviso and West Chicago).

____________________

I got a call from the railroad at 3:45 this morning (which I ignored--seniority rank has its privileges!), saying that they were putting a day shift on for the hump today (there normally isn't a first shift on Tuesday). So either the business is returning, or they had a disaster sometime. I trust that it's the former, of course, but the last two Wednesdays I returned to work to find Cat tracks around my tower. That's never good.

[The Butler]

CShaveRR

snip... but the last two Wednesdays I returned to work to find Cat tracks around my tower. ...snip

SO, that's where Mookie was hiding!

[CShaveRR]

Now, James...

I followed up that sentence with "That's never good." Had Mookie been hiding or wandering around my tower, I would have made sure she became warm and well-fed. And I would consider that very good!

[The Butler]

Um...I thought you meant...um...it wasn't good...um...because you only saw her tracks, not her!  Yeah, that's what I thought! 

[CShaveRR]

Next payday, my charity money will be going to the American Red Cross for Haiti earthquake relief, via the Union Pacific, who will match it.. I hope other UP employees will check out the possibilities--several other charities besides the Red Cross are also eligible for the match.

[CShaveRR]

Just a test: sauerkraut.

Shouldn't be a censorship problem when it's spelled correctly.

I thought about going to the Diner with this little tidbit, but I'm not hungry, cyber-hungry, or even pseudo-hungry.

And this is as close to the forbidden subjects as I wish to come.

[CNW 6000]

Finally made it trackside today...wasn't there long but it was (for me) productive!

BCOL 4625 made an appearance heading to Green Bay.  It arrived in Neenah around noon and finally was heading north after about 3 hours of work in the yard.

It was creeping forward and finally the hogger (thanks for the sweet horn show!) must've gotten the signal he was waiting for and throttled up.  The pair of GEs (and the WC GP) on the head end were all online and sounded great.

The train was all loads and fairly long which was nice to see.

We headed back to the yard and were surprised by a very quiet SD70M-2 leading a mixed sulphur/manifest train south.  CN 8868 sure looked new!

We jumped back in the truck and flew ahead of the train.  Finally catching it at Kampo Rd.

Noticing that the sulphur tanks were loaded and seeing manifest cars coming we were about to head home (getting late and poor light for shooting) when we heard a rumble.  Could it be?  Yep!  Mid-train helpers!  An SD75I and another SD70M-2 working awfully hard as I'm guessing the hogger on the head end was throttling up as he cleared the south end of the Neenah Yard.

In the end, nothing spectacular (being a fan of GEVOs myself) or particularly rare but it was nice to have an hour or so to kill and watch some trains roll with my son (safely warm and sleeping in the SUV).

[CShaveRR]

Nice story and pictures, Dan! I've always admired that stretch of tracks (both main lines) along U.S. 45 near you. Some of those shots were somehow taken around there, right?

I'm more of a freight-car freak, as you know, but the mid-train power would have grabbed me, too.

Has Aedan shown any signs of excitement when you get close to the tracks yet? I was surprised how much my younger daughter knew about our route on our then-weekly trips to LaGrange, learned while she was still strapped in her infant seat. She'd get more animated when I'd make the turn toward the tracks in Western Springs.

[AgentKid]

Dan, nice pictures. I thought it was interesting that in the picture at Kampo Rd., you can still discern the difference between the flat black under the windshield and the glossy black on the sides. That should last only a few more days before they are both flat grayish black!

I see by the reporting mark on the tank car ahead of the mid-train DPU that it is owned by Cargill. I didn't realize that they were into petrochemicals as well as agricultural products.

Well, today is the first day my hand has started feeling better and it is working better as well.

And Carl, you know the rule, once someone in the room eats sauerkraut, everyone has to eat sauerkraut!

Bruce

 

[The Butler]

Great pictures, I like how the red front pops in the picture at Kampo Rd.  Is that a red, white and blue loco. on the head end of the first two pics.?

[tree68]

The Butler

Is that a red, white and blue loco. on the head end of the first two pics.?

Yes.  Former BC (British Columbia) Rail.

For paint reference purposes only - this one's an ALCO, currently running on the MA&N.  It is a movie star, however.   It was in the forgettable movie "Atomic Train."

[CNW 6000]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Carl-
Actually those shots were taken in the city of Neenah, WI.  The first one was just south of the Winchester Rd. crossing.  The subsequent shots came from along Harrison St. near the Breezewood Exit from US41.  No US45 shots this time...but I plan on going out on Sunday so we'll see what I can find.

Bruce-
Glad your hand is feeling better.  Aren't injuries fun?  When I first saw 8868 I was actually excited because I misread the numbers and thought it was 8888 or one of the newest SD70M-2s in CN's fleet.  I'll have to check my notes but I think this is my 50th such loco I've stolen the soul from...hehe.

James/Larry-
Yes tree68 is correct the unit is a BCRail C40-8M (I believe).  I have seen this one before (last August) but here is more of a roster shot of that engine.  One thing I always think is neat regarding BCR locos is the double ditch lights.

[CShaveRR]

Bruce, CRGX 7345 is a vegetable-oil tank car. Cargill does have some cars capable of being used for ethanol (originally intended for methanol), but their fleets are basically for corn sweeteners, vegetable oil, and tallow.

Glad your hand is healing. It's probably been happening all along, and this is the first time you realize that progress has been made. I get that a bit in my own healing processes.

I leave for work shortly, first time in nearly a week. I hope that place has healed a little!

[The Butler]

CNW 6000

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Carl-
Actually those shots were taken in the city of Neenah, WI.  The first one was just south of the Winchester Rd. crossing.  The subsequent shots came from along Harrison St. near the Breezewood Exit from US41.  No US45 shots this time...but I plan on going out on Sunday so we'll see what I can find.

Bruce-
Glad your hand is feeling better.  Aren't injuries fun?  When I first saw 8868 I was actually excited because I misread the numbers and thought it was 8888 or one of the newest SD70M-2s in CN's fleet.  I'll have to check my notes but I think this is my 50th such loco I've stolen the soul from...hehe.

James/Larry-
Yes tree68 is correct the unit is a BCRail C40-8M (I believe).  I have seen this one before (last August) but here is more of a roster shot of that engine.  One thing I always think is neat regarding BCR locos is the double ditch lights.

Thanks, guys.  CNW 6000, do you know if they are running the BCR locos. to Chicago?  I used to railfan the WC at Willow Rd. in Prospect Heights, IL.  It was a good place with a bicycle trail under the power lines paralleling the tracks.

[CopCarSS]

Nice shots, Dan. It's really cool that you're getting Aedan trackside, too. You can never start too early! I don't have many early childhood memories, but I do remember getting excited about seeing "Tiger Striped" units on the BN when we'd go to Eola. And driving over the "old rickety" bridge that used to span the middle of the yard. Both of which were gone fairly early in my lifetime.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Larry, that BCR 642 in your photo above looks like it's out picking grapes in the vineyards up that way !

EDIT:  On a second, closer look, after noticing that strut leading towards the photographer, with the toothed 'rack' in the near end - Was the BCR unit pushing a flanger of some kind, or a Jordan spreader or similar equipment ?  The deck of the car is much too high above the trucks to be regular equipment, and there seems to be a tank of some kind above the substantial-looking frame and below that deck.

- Paul North.

[Modelcar]

CNW 6000

One thing I always think is neat regarding BCR locos is the double ditch lights.

 

Double ditch lights, and it appears to me, the bottom two are aimed across each other....{Directed to opposite side of the track}.