Trackside Lounge: 3Q 2010

[CShaveRR]

Jim, that's a tall order! Each of the four major railroads has its own system for identifying its freights. Your Q500-series train is CSX. The letters have a special significance as to the type of train. Somebody might be able to point you to a website to explain all of those.

Norfolk Southern uses a bizarre system of numbers followed by letters...I think.

UP uses a system in which symbols have five (or possibly six) letters. The first letter tells the type of train, the next two the origin, the next two the destination. So one of my old favorite trains to get tangled with, MPRCB, is a manifest train running from PRoviso to Council Bluffs. If you see some numbers following this, it's the date of origin--today's train was MPRCB-29.

BNSF has a system that uses letters in a similar fashion to UP, but they use three letters for the origins and destinations, and a hyphen to separate them from the train type. So you could have an M-BRCGAL, which would be a manifest from the Belt Railway of Chicago (BRC) to GALesburg, Illinois.

CN uses a system that has just numbers. I don't know anything about whether 400s are hotter than 500s, or whatever. As for CP or KCS, someone else is going to have to give you the answers there. In fact, I hope others will elaborate on BNSF, CSXT, or NS. I can give you further help with the UP stuff, if you need it.

[CNW 6000]

CShaveRR

CN uses a system that has just numbers. I don't know anything about whether 400s are hotter than 500s, or whatever.(snip)

From what I understand CN's 5xx series trains are lower "class" than 4xx trains, so on and so forth.  Given that, the only trains I've seen & heard get told to clear for another are the 5xx locals and almost anything else for a 1xx intermodal.  I know that on CN Q means a "Quality" or priority train and L means a "Local" but I'm not sure what the "A" and "M" trains are.  I do not believe it's autorack and manifest as I've seen both types of freight car on both "A" and "M" trains.  Even numbered trains are southound (RR East?) trains while odd numbered trains are northbound (RR West?).  I have heard trains with numbers as follows:
-5xx series: Locals,
-4xx, and 3xx series: Road/Through Trains-Manifest,
-2xx series: Haven't heard in this area...doesn't mean they don't exist.
-1xx series: Usually "Quality"/priority container or intermodal trains.

I have also heard:
-6xx series: unit potash extras,
-7xx series: unit coal loads and empties

Hope that helps some.

[tree68]

CShaveRR

Somebody might be able to point you to a website to explain all of those.

Ask and you shall receive.  I should note that CSX also appends the date on the end of the symbol, ie, Q621-29. 

I've actually heard two days worth of the same symbol within the same day (ie, Q621-28 and Q621-29).  Probably due to crew or other issues tying up 'yesterday's' train somewhere along the line.

[CShaveRR]

This afternoon, we took a bike trip west on the Prairie Path to Glen Ellyn. On the way there, we encountered a westbound manifest before we got very far, an eastbound coal train in the staging area, an eastbound manifest (obscured by the staged coal train), and, when we got to Glen Ellyn, some NORX empty gons from Michigan City.

The destination was 2Toots in Glen Ellyn, the objective today was ice cream, and the guests were our daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren (none of them were biking--they were on trailers or other carriers for the long haul). The temperature was 93 when we arrived at Glen Ellyn, 91 when we left (still 88 here and now). But the shade and the breeze made it bearable, and we'll do it again sometime, for sure! My schedule has opened up wide for such things, but it doesn't help much in this case--Katelyn began kindergarten this past week (she loves it, naturally!).

[switch7frg]

   Gentlemen; and I use the term with all due respect. Thank you for taking the time to reply . These replys took up slack in knowledge. When Shirl & I were trucking  there was  numbered placards for different types of freight.  ~~~ SoQ3 20 10  got high green before  2400hrs. shut down.  LOL   Respectfully,  Jim

  PS  this will helpget thru withdrawal  syndrome

[zugmann]

So I guess we're back...

sure is bright in here, though.

Now I have to edit my signature so it isn't bigger than my post.

[CShaveRR]

We're back; I'm back.  It looks like this new Forum works a lot like the previous version.  Fortunately for me, the "latest post" portion now works!

Edit:  Now that I've seen how one of my posts looks, I noticed that the signature isn't displaying the way it should--the three lines are now all mashed together, and I can't find any place to fix that.  Also, I keep getting notified about a script on this Forum causing my Safari program to run slowly. Suggestions?

____________________

File updating is going slowly but surely, now that I've figured out what works (and a lot of things that don't!).  By the end of today I should have one old floppy-disc full of old files transferred; it contained just over 100 files.  There are about three dozen more discs to go!  Many will contain fewer files than this (some might have more), but I still haven't encountered some of the half-megabyte files that are in some of those floppies!  I may have to break them up.

Larry, I might take you up on your idea of using the old hard drives.  The old computer up here has quit running, and that may be my only recourse for a few good files of information therein.

 

[CShaveRR]

Editing has also seemingly become more difficult.  Since that's a function I use often (I hate grammatical and spelling errors!), I'll have to figure out some new techniques.

I did get my signature fixed, though... 

[CNW 6000]

Testing...1, 2, 3...guess it works!

EDIT: So does the edit feature.

[AgentKid]

CNW 6000

Testing...1, 2, 3...

I can hear you now! With apologies to the US phone company.

As mentioned above it really is bright in here. I seem to have no loading speed issue at my location. As to functionality, I think there is still a bit of a learning curve on both sides yet.

Anyway HI GUYS!

I'll have to figure out how Carl fixed his signature, as mine now needs attention as well.

Bruce

 

[zugmann]

I don't know, the more times I come back, the less I'm liking it.  Just WAY too much white, and the dividers between posts, signatures, and button menus (quote, etc) are way too blended together. It's like a snowman in a snowstorm wearing a white jacket.   Maybe the powers in charge can (and will?) tweak the colors.  Cause this ain't doing it for me.  But if I have to, I can live with it.

 

And when I make a reply, do I really need a page telling me I made a reply?  I kind of knew that already...and I don't like that my often used-edit button is now in a drop down menu.   Not liek I use that, I'm alwyas perfikt.

[switch7frg]

 Awlritgh Zug,that issa good one  .. We all can't be rohds scollers LOL

                                     Cannonball 

[Murphy Siding]

     I don't like change.  I liked *old* Coke.  I liked Johhny Carson.

     Right now, there seems to be no moderator function.  As a moderator, I can still moderate, I guess.  But, there is no Report Abuse function. (?)  I guess the moral of the story is,  you can go poke some yay-who in the ribs, and get away with it for a while.

    And now we have more icons? 

[mudchicken]

Murphy Siding

  Right now, there seems to be no moderator function.  As a moderator, I can still moderate, I guess.  But, there is no Report Abuse function. (?)  I guess the moral of the story is,  you can go poke some yay-who in the ribs, and get away with it for a while.

Now that you are de-Horned, feeling a little vulnerable? Where's Bergie's ghost?

[Murphy Siding]

mudchicken

Murphy Siding:

  Right now, there seems to be no moderator function.  As a moderator, I can still moderate, I guess.  But, there is no Report Abuse function. (?)  I guess the moral of the story is,  you can go poke some yay-who in the ribs, and get away with it for a while.

 

Now that you are de-Horned, feeling a little vulnerable? Where's Bergie's ghost?

  Maybe, someone's trying to tell me something?

[AgentKid]

CShaveRR

As for CP or KCS, someone else is going to have to give you the answers there.

I was hoping a current CP employee would have an answer for this. Wasn't it LA Rams Guy who worked for CP?

So I will step in the the fray. I have a Canadian Trackside Guide for 2007 with information it says is current as of December 2006.

100's                        Priority Intermodal and Automotive Traffic

200's                        Intermodal and Merchandise Traffic

300's                        Unit Grain Trains

400's                        Regional Freight Trains

500's                        Local Freight Trains

600's                        Bulk Unit Trains (other than grain and coal)

700's                        Overflow Traffic and Detours

800's                         Unit Coal Trains

900's                         Foreign railroad haulage and non-revenue trains

Unfortunately, I can't recall where I saw it, but there may be either adjustments to this list, or it may only be that certain trains changed their classification code. I suspect it may only be the latter, as this was/is not an uncommon occurrence depending on who has the upper hand at any give time; the sales/marketing side or the operational side.

I think this information should give you a good start.

Bruce

 

[CNW 6000]

mudchicken

Murphy Siding:

  Right now, there seems to be no moderator function.  As a moderator, I can still moderate, I guess.  But, there is no Report Abuse function. (?)  I guess the moral of the story is,  you can go poke some yay-who in the ribs, and get away with it for a while.

 

Now that you are de-Horned, feeling a little vulnerable? Where's Bergie's ghost?

Actually Murph the Report Abuse button comes under the "More" drop carrot menu.  My only "beef" is that the pages seem to load a tad slower than before.  Otherwise, I'm not having any issues.

[CopCarSS]

Hey Gang,

 

Sorry I've been absent lately...my boss was out of town so I was working a lot of hours. As soon as he returned, I was off to Western New York to see the girlfriend. I didn't get a lot of railfanning in, and nothing really spectacular, so I'll just share the shots in here as I get them processed and posted.

 

Here's one from Rochester, NY. I think I overcooked this a bit trying to account for the high sun...my apologies that it looks a little cartoonish. I had just wandered out onto the bridge to check out the High Falls when CSX was kind enough to send a COFC train my way:

 

This is definitely a spot I'll need to check out a little more with better lighting (late afternoon light should be very nice, I would imagine) sometime in the future.

 

Meanwhile, how have you all been?

[Murphy Siding]

CNW 6000

 

 

 

Actually Murph the Report Abuse button comes under the "More" drop carrot menu.  My only "beef" is that the pages seem to load a tad slower than before.  Otherwise, I'm not having any issues.

   And there it is.  In addition to not liking change, I'm not that smart.

Most all of my issues are user inflicted.

[Mookie]

Chris:  I like online jigsaw puzzles.  They must have lots of color, tho.  This one would be ideal!

Mookie

[zugmann]

CopCarSS

 

This is definitely a spot I'll need to check out a little more with better lighting (late afternoon light should be very nice, I would imagine) sometime in the future.

 

Meanwhile, how have you all been?

 

Nice shot (even without the train). 

 

NS sent the OCS (office clow....err, car special) through my town today.   Unfortunately the thing ran opposite from the sun, so I doubt the shots I took are going to be worth showing.   Oh well, neat to see how the other half travels.

[Lord Atmo]

 Pictures speak better than words...

I took that! I was there! After 5 years of horrible trolling, ranting, whining, complaining, and being as immature as possible. my decade-long wish was granted. Here before me sat CNW 6847, the sole surviving CNW spartan cab revived from the dead by Eric Zabelny and the IRM diesel department.

With the shiny paint on the cab, it looks like CNW patched one of their own locomotives 



Head-on view!



From behind!



I was sitting on the nose when I took this. Shot a CNW....FROM a CNW. Am I dead? Is this heaven?! I don't wanna leave!!!



Hey the cab was unlocked! Where's the bell control? This must not be the control stand it had when EMD built it.



GONGGGG



Now for some high hood happiness in the form of another CNW!  



And a classy F7



And finish things off with the heritage unit sneaking past a true CNW!




Until we meet again...6847 :D

[CShaveRR]

Hi, Chris and Max!  Glad to see both of your pictures here.

 

Chris, that's a spot in Rochester I've always wanted to see for myself.  I wouldn't say it looks cartoonish, but it definitely looks like a model!  A scene like that is perfect for a table-top!  Was Sue with you when you got it?

 

Nice collection of pictures from IRM, Max!  I just got an issue of that other magazine (R&R) in the mail today, and it had coverage of the event, too.  It showed a side-by-side shot of all five "CNW" locomotives there.  (Where's the 1518?)  I was going to ask how you missed the Dash 9, but never mind...

 

Little news here...just lost one of my co-workers; the funeral will be Sunday. He'd retired toward the end of 2006--he was frustrated, because he could have retired years earlier.  Back when I worked afternoons, he was the regular guy in Tower A nights, so he relieved me often.  I'll miss that laugh of his...

 

Li

[CopCarSS]

Thank you for all the kind words.

Max - That seems almost like CNW overload! 6847 sure looks nice. I'll have to see if I can catch her sometime when I'm in town. That'll be a nice little journey into my past as well. Although I grew up along the "Racetrack," I spent a lot of weekends in Elburn, IL and the CNW was a big part of my youth.

Carl - My trip to Rochester was one I executed by myself. Sue had to work a lot of hours that day, so I spent the day amusing myself by following the Erie Canal out to Rochester and then returning to NF along the shores of Lake Ontario.

I'm so sorry to hear about your co-worker. We just lost a worker here as well. It's never easy.

[rvos1979]

Chris:  If I remember correctly, that shot is very close to North American Brewing in downtown Rochester, nice brewery, but a pain to get in and out of with a rig (as most places in the northeast are, just not designed for a road tractor and 53' trailer).

Sitting up in Hampshire, IL, after dropping off cereal bowls for General Mills, UP did not oblige me with the Belvidere Job, maybe next time...... 

[CopCarSS]

rvos1979

Chris:  If I remember correctly, that shot is very close to North American Brewing in downtown Rochester, nice brewery, but a pain to get in and out of with a rig (as most places in the northeast are, just not designed for a road tractor and 53' trailer).

Excellent memory, Randy. The brewey is at the Northeast end of the bridge I was on to get the picture. I thought about going there, but I hadn't been to the Eastman house yet, and that was a bit more appealing to me (it was only later that I found out that they were closed on Mondays).

[rvos1979]

Well, after one has been in a place about 5-6 times, one remembers the scenery......

That brewery is also why I will never understand logistics, as the last time I was there, I brought in glass bottles from the twin cities, when Anchor Glass has a plant about three hours away in Elmira, NY......

Was a small fire on I-294 near Proviso this morning, container hauler blew an air line and his brakes caught fire, he caught it before everything went up, unlike the reefer trailer I saw a while back near the Hinsdale oasis......

[tree68]

So Chris - since you were so close to the old LV station, did you stop in and enjoy some "Dinosaur Barbeque"?

[CShaveRR]

Randy, had I been at work when that fire occurred, I probably could have seen it--we had a panorama that covered quite a good distance (a truck could pass through in about 20 seconds at normal speeds, but I'd often time them at several minutes when traffic was backed up--a lot of the time!).

__________________

 

I'm sitting in the station at Elmhurst, waiting for trains.  Pat is beside me--we rode our bikes here to get lunch and take care of an errand or two.  Thanks to the nearby Red Dragon Restaurant, we have wi-fi on the platform, so we can do almost anything with a laptop.  I wish Pat had brought her knitting or a book!  So far, we've had a scoot, a stack train, a coal train, and a manifest, and here comes something else!  It's a westbound train with empty and loaded auto racks.  Maybe I would have time to update a few records while we're here, but we'll go when the trains stop coming.

 

Retirement isn't looking so bad, after all!

[CopCarSS]

Good Evening!

Tree - Alas! I didn't know about the Dinosaur BBQ in the LV station until you mentioned it. Sue bought me a bottle of Dino BBQ sauce as part of a welcome basket on my first trip to WNY a year ago. It was really good! Had I known that I could have gotten some Dino BBQ at a former LV station, I would have been there for sure! Next trip!

Carl - That retired life sounds mighty fine to me! I wish we had someplace out here that I could do the same (well...at least on the weekends).

Meanwhile, I finished processing the WNY shots. Here are the rest of the train related items:

A grain elevator I was really drawn to in Albion, NY.

An old station not too far from where the grain elevator was.

A CSX Switch job at the Globe Mettalurgical Plant in Niagara Falls, NY.

The CSX yard as seen from the Hyde Park Road overpass in Niagara Falls. Anyone know what the name of this yard is?

I believe this is the Maple Leaf that will be continuing on to Niagara Falls, ON and Toronto.

And finally, my favorite rail shot of the trip. These tracks aren't too far from my girlfriend's apartment.

The rest of the WNY gallery can be found here if anyone is interested in the rest of my shots. I didn't pursue photography too passionately while I was out there, but there are a few shots in there that I'm proud of!

C&C always welcome!