Nothing like being responsible for the thrilling variety of noises (and the smoke!) coming from an Alco opening up. Been there (not legally, and with extensive coaching).
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Today is "Bubba"Justin Sandlin's 15th birthday. Hope it's a great one for you, Justin, and a great year!
It's also John Degges' birthday (he has a few years on Justin, I suspect). Have a great one, Johnny! Hope the coming year brings more great adventures for you and Ricki!
15? I remember when I was the young punk. Now I feel old....
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
tree68 zugmann: Just wait until he has to parallel park that F.... Our "new" RS-18's will probably be in service by the time I get my hand on the throttle, but the F's will still be a force to be reckoned with... Or maybe the RS-3 with the 6 brake... Wheeeee!
zugmann: Just wait until he has to parallel park that F....
Our "new" RS-18's will probably be in service by the time I get my hand on the throttle, but the F's will still be a force to be reckoned with...
Or maybe the RS-3 with the 6 brake...
Wheeeee!
.....This sunshiny day {most of our day}, is also a wedding anniversary day for J and I.
Quentin
zardoz Is that "6" as in "6BL"?
Is that "6" as in "6BL"?
Not sure specifically, beyond the "6" part. I'll find out soon enough if I run it.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Congratulations to you and Jean on your anniversary, Quentin! I hope you were able to do something special.
Dare we ask how many years?
CShaveRR Congratulations to you and Jean on your anniversary, Quentin! I hope you were able to do something special. Dare we ask how many years?
Thanks Carl, for the anniversary wishes....Jean and I kind of started a bit late....but it now adds up to 52.....Shisss....
More heartfelt good wishes to Johnny, whose wife has had another health setback. Hope things improve quickly!
Today was a day to either go stir-crazy or get out in the weather. Pat needed the computer, so I chose the latter. Ran (I mean walked...I mean, gingerly moved over icy spots) a few local errands, then got on a scoot for Elmhurst, where I ran a couple more errands downtown, then picked up sandwiches to bring home for lunch (Fontano's!). The hour I had there was made more exciting by three freights, all eastbound (a coal train, a stacker, and another freight with stacks on both ends and a bunch of loaded auto racks in the middle). No work seems to have taken place on the Lombard crossovers (will this control point be named Grace?) this past week--three of the eight switches are installed. Looks like one switch could be built fairly quickly (ties all laid out), but lots of piled-up materials here and there along the tracks. Got a better view from the scoots than from walking over. The temperature was still in the teens, but calmer winds made it feel not too bad out there.
tree68 zardoz: Is that "6" as in "6BL"? Not sure specifically, beyond the "6" part. I'll find out soon enough if I run it.
zardoz: Is that "6" as in "6BL"?
Man, this La Nina weather sucks. Temps way below normal, but no snow.
I'm debating putting my fiberglass tonneau cover back on my truck for winter. It came with my truck when I bought it. I took it off a year and a half ago, and it's been sitting in the yard ever since. It's a decent cap - A.R.E, painted to match and looks great on it, but it's a pain if you have to carry big loads. I doubt I'll be hauling anything until the weather breaks and if I need to, I can always take it off again. But it would keep the snow out of the bed.
Hmm. Decisions, decisions.
I was looking for a photo and stumbled upon this I took awhile ago. I'm sure some of our infrastructure guys would enjoy it.
Needless to say, not class-1 territory. Actually on the Stewartstown RR in southern York County, PA.
Light rail - guess at 75 - 80 lb.; spike-down braces; only 1 'headblock' (switch timber for the switch's operating stand); 3 connecting rods between the points (2 is more normal for short switches); the no.1 rod and that headblock are too close together; close clearance to bldg. foundation in upper left background; antique switch stand with cam-lock type throw, and not a lot of leverage, nor ergonomic as today's better ones are; no way to adjust the throwing distance is visible; missing the other latch - should be where the holes are about midway between the stand and the near rail; missing both posts for a 'keeper' or switch lock - would go up through the 'loop' near the end of the handle.
Thanks for sharing.
- Paul North.
60lb rail. This switch is near the engine house and is the switch for a leg of a wye. A leg that wasn't used much (at all?) the last time anything larger than a speeder ran on the rails Here's the switch from a broader view.
Quaint farm-country railroad. I like the photo, too - the clouds match the enginehouse door and the road, and the building matches the sky - and the rails draw you into the photo. Thanks for sharing that one, too.
No problem, Paul. Thanks for the kind words and check your inbox...
So where is this little corner of Paradise, Zug? (Not being facetious here--I'd enjoy it, particularly if it had trains coming. In the shot of the engine house, it looks lie there was another track over the grade crossing once.
Caught a coal train on BNSF today at Downers Grove (had to go down there to see something other than the stack trains UP's been blessing me with). That prompted a new file in my freight-car-sightings folder, for a reporting mark that I hadn't previously documented (my "paper trail" reveals that I'd seen some of these cars on at least two prior occasions). I'm getting up toward 1500 files now (if I started to count all of the files within folders, it would probably be twice that many).
Tonight, when we get close to our normal bedtime, we'll be going out instead, greeting the arrival of our younger daughter and her husband at O'Hare. It sounds like they've gotten out of California just in time, given the weather forecast there--I hope we can give them a little less excitement here.
Stewartstown RR in York county, PA.
http://www.stewartstownrailroad.com/
No trains since 2006 2004, and it was only tourist service). In the midst of a legal battle now. Tons of info in the above link.
No one cares about my truck it seems.. all too busy worrying about trains... something wrong with you people
zugmannNo one cares about my truck it seems.. all too busy worrying about trains... something wrong with you people
Dan
CNW 6000 I say put it back on. A dry cargo area is a happy cargo area.
I say put it back on. A dry cargo area is a happy cargo area.
I think it may go on for winter, then off again for warm weather. It does add around 50-60 lbs to the bed, which is always a good thing in winter. It just is a pain because you can't carry big loads, and I do have my other truck (xploder) which can haul a bunch. Plus I cant clean out the bed as easily, nor stand in the bed to wash the roof. But washing activities will be on hiatus until spring...I should have sold the stupid thing, but I just didn't want to deal with the hassle.
When I had my 1/2 ton Chev and my Ranger I used to do seasonal toppers...until I had to mount the lighting rigs (StreetHawk) on the Chev. They sat higher than when on the cab and were seen easier.
Extra weight is usually a good thing, especially when things get slick, but that's one reason I like a working transfer case...
An interesting shot I took today:You shoulda heard the hogger giving the conductor the "what for" regarding the placement of the FRED...or rather the lack thereof.
So, Dan, I take it the locomotive and the box car will eventually be (or were) on the opposite ends of the same train?
Interesting museum pieces you have there--both the ex-BCR locomotive and that gray box car. According to my records, that car began life as SLGG 6038, becoming NKCR 6038 before getting its current CN number, 409166. The two painted-out areas cover a pair of logos--a yellow-on-blue Bangor & Aroostook logo and purple Canadian Atlantic shield.
CShaveRR So, Dan, I take it the locomotive and the box car will eventually be (or were) on the opposite ends of the same train? Interesting museum pieces you have there--both the ex-BCR locomotive and that gray box car. According to my records, that car began life as SLGG 6038, becoming NKCR 6038 before getting its current CN number, 409166. The two painted-out areas cover a pair of logos--a yellow-on-blue Bangor & Aroostook logo and purple Canadian Atlantic shield.
That loco (BCOL 4620) was the lead unit of L522 and stalled on the main near Medina Junction. GTW 5847 was sent to 'rescue' the train.
After the train got into the yard and made a setout the power was turned so the GTW unit was leading (short hood forward) and run to the north end of the train. So in a long winded answer, yes. They eventually ended up on opposite ends of the train.
If you want to see a guy with lots of time spend trackside archiving many freight cars check out this guy's photostream: Loadstone. Be warned though: he has 710,000+ pictures up...
zugmannNo one cares about my truck it seems..
Buy a brand new Tundra....made here in good 'ol San Antonio....
The best of greetings to you and your bride May you have many more .
Cannonball
Y6bs evergreen in my mind
Murray Buy a brand new Tundra....made here in good 'ol San Antonio....
My old one isn't broken in yet.. I'm hoping for at least 200K more miles on her...
PS. and the transfer case is working fine.
zugmann Murray: Buy a brand new Tundra....made here in good 'ol San Antonio.... My old one isn't broken in yet.. I'm hoping for at least 200K more miles on her... PS. and the transfer case is working fine.
Murray: Buy a brand new Tundra....made here in good 'ol San Antonio....
http://www.toyota.com/tundra/
Don't need a new one, mine still looks good!
So Dan, what were they arguing abut the marker (EOT)?
zugmann Don't need a new one, mine still looks good! So Dan, what were they arguing abut the marker (EOT)?
CNW 6000 Carl, That loco (BCOL 4620) was the lead unit of L522 and stalled on the main near Medina Junction. GTW 5847 was sent to 'rescue' the train.
Carl,
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