Carl, we on the Wasatch Front are expecting varying degrees of less heat tonight, depending upon how high we may be. In the Valley, we expect no snow even though the temperature is expected to be close to, if not below, freezing for a couple of nights. This afternoon, I took Ricki out, and we wished there had not been the gentle, cold breeze from the north as we went between the house and the car. I left her sitting in the sun, in the lee of the house, while I put the ramps back inside the house and locked the door, and did not get her out of the car until I had all ready to take her inside when we got back home.
Johnny
Johnny, how's your weather? I know that Chris was expecting to get dumped on today, and it looks like it's happening with a vengeance. I know that an entire mountain range separates the two of you, but am hoping that you're surviving, warm and comfortable, out there.
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)
Each of us every day makes seemingly unimportant decisions that could drastically change our lives, for either good or bad. Granted, probably not many of them are significant, but each has the potential to be a game changer. The time you leave the house, the direction you choose to travel, the speed you travel--each of those might either put you in the path of a drastic accident, or it might put you seconds or miles from an incident. And there is no way of knowing if the decisions you make were the right ones. The thing is, is that since we have no way of knowing what the results of making a different decision might have been, all we can do is just carry on with our lives and expect the worst, but hope for the best.
Of course, it's the big decisions, like whether to take a new job in a different city, are the ones which we put most of our focus on, since they are the ones for which we have conscious control.
Best of "luck" to you.
[/quote] Yet, little decisions can have far greater consequences that you could imagine.
I have no idea as to where I would be now if I had not fallen into conversation with a stranger on the City of Portland back in April of 1971. This conversation led to marriage, and when it became evident, about three years after the conversation, that I would be making a move, the fact that I was married to her led to our move to where I am now.
Carl, thanks for 'poles' reply. (Sorry, I wrote that in the middle of a sleepless night, re: 'poles put further in ground!' )
Nance-CCABW/LEI
“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” --Will Rogers
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right! --unknown
Gotta tell you something, Tom: My nephew-in-law wrote on Facebook something about "occupying" his job. I told him how boring that sounded, and that he has to own the job! I hope that any prospective job would give you an opportunity to own it...put in your time, take out your money, and have an enjoyable time doing it. Doesn't happen to everyone (and it doesn't happen all the time), but if this job offers you an opportunity like that, grab it--your current job isn't doing that for you. And then, perhaps, you can become a knowledgeable, and willing, railfan!
(Is your prospect in the Midwest?)
zugmann So I get invited to a hiring session with another company, for another type of position, halfway across the country, Now if only I can convince myself this is the right move...
So I get invited to a hiring session with another company, for another type of position, halfway across the country, Now if only I can convince myself this is the right move...
Nance, the really modern railroads no longer have any pole lines along them; things are either carried through the air or underground (or both).
If I were seeing two sets of poles along the same side of the tracks, I'd be thinking about the possibility that they were owned by two different companies: the railroad and some other power or communications company. Quite often railroads would allow use of their right-of-way (for a fee, of course) to other utility companies.
I'm pretty sure the first, shorter set of poles closer to the tracks are railroad-owned. It's not that they were driven further into the ground; more likely they were shorter to begin with (tall poles cost money, and if they had to be climbed fairly regularly the height was unnecessary). Often the pole lines were strung low enough to necessitate taller poles at grade crossings for clearance purposes.
If there's a high-voltage power line along a railroad, it might (emphasis on might) suggest the presence of an interurban line. Quite often these interurbans paralleled the "steam" railroads. The power lines often provided the power needed for the trains, in exchange for the right-of-way to run their poles.
I recall reading an article somewhere (either Trains or Model Railroader) that told how to "read" railroad pole lines (this was back when they were common along all railroads): the top crossarm was for communication lines, the second for signal lines, etc.
I also have a (?): I noticed a set of telephone poles (I think they are, they are 'T' shaped) parallel (and set quite close) to the tracks and driven further into the ground than normal. A bit further away, there is another set of 'electric'/straight poles, parallel to the first set.
Can someone pls explain this? What are these 2 sets and why not string all the wires on one set of poles? Why is the first set driven so far down into the ground? (At first, I thought of way back to early telephone and telegraph, but those days are long gone, of course.) Oh, and this is along an active (Class 1 vs shortline) RR, not a museum/tourist line. Thanks!
It always helps me to actually make a list of the pros and cons. There is something about seeing it on paper that really helps to spell it out, one way or the other. All the best with whatever you decide!!
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
Modelcar .....Nice views of your RR Larry. Some of those shots appear to be somewhat of a grade....Guessing almost 2%.
.....Nice views of your RR Larry. Some of those shots appear to be somewhat of a grade....Guessing almost 2%.
Good guess! And almost for the entire five miles, too. They did use helpers there from time to time.
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...
Yes Larry, been trying to get back on here long enough to type more than a few words. Very nice pics! I have been up there (not the extension part, of course) --what beautiful country!!! I can't wait for them to do the extension!!
We should plan to do a 'mutual swap visit' next year. I did try to get out there this year, but I guess it was just not in the cards for now. We'll try again! Good luck with all that work.
Quentin
Johnny, our temperatures here today were in the low 70s! I was out on my bike in shorts and Crocs. A cold front is due tonight; tomorrow will be about 20 degrees cooler.
(I don't know whether my calendar comes because my 401K has UP stock or because I'm a retiree...don't mind it either way!)
I spent a lot of the lovely afternoon lounging trackside in Elmhurst. There was absolutely no time when a train was not in sight or lined up, during the hour or more that I was there. I think the hour held five trains for me: a scoot in each direction, a stack train in each direction, and a westbound manifest.
Best show of the day, though, was while I was headed home, when an outbound scoot, an inbound coal train, and a westbound grain (?) train (Bunge Corporation soybean-meal cars) all came through with only short breaks of raised gates at my "home" crossing.
Just caught this story, which I'm sure will make somebody go awwwww, and someone else get upset with the perpetrator:
http://news.yahoo.com/puppy-rescued-top-train-gets-home-173446351.html
And, if you own even a little stock, you do not have to pay fot the UP calendar--and Ricki's came about two weeks ago!
It's getting cold in northern Utah now; we expect below freezing temperature Thursday morning (our lows hve beenin the upper forties), since a cold front started in last nihgt; right now, there is a cold breeze out of the north. Our linden tree is dropping leaves, and the maple has let a few go. When the maple really gets tired of holding on, most of the backyard is blanketed--and I get the lawnmower out to grind them up.
WMNB4THRTL Me, me, that'd be me! What a happy surprise that was to greet me at the mailbox!! WOOT WOOT!!!
Me, me, that'd be me! What a happy surprise that was to greet me at the mailbox!! WOOT WOOT!!!
James
Nine bags of leaves up from our back yard this morning; that's after refilling the compost bin. Three of the four maple trees so far are not cooperating (two of those are still green!).
UP's 2012 calendar came out recently; I got my copy today. It's a good historical document, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the UP. They're available for $11.95 from www.UnionPacificStore.com (You lucky people who got free BNSF calendars will probably find them just as capable of showing the dates.)
The shots look great! And I'm pretty sure we'll be doing a reprise of this recent trip sometime--perhaps during the dry season.
Looks like there's a siding at Big Moose, or at least a second track from which a runaround could be made. That ought to make things a little easier.
I timed a few mileposts at about 30 on the Utica leg of the trip. I would assume that the NYC maintained this line well when it still gave a rip about passenger service, but I have to wonder how much faster things really went. I can't picture "40-50", though that might attract some thrill-seekers (and the engineer would have to be one of them!).
I had noticed all of the fresh-looking ties on the ride up to the pumpkin patch. Nice to see this work being done.
Looking forward someday to lunch at Thendara, dinner at Big Moose!
CShaveRROne thought...if foliage is blocking great vistas during the travel season, how much of this can legally be removed from your right-of-way?
Probably not enough - the ROW is about 100' wide in most areas, and there's lot's more trees than that. Besides, the powers that be for the Adirondack Park don't appreciate such cutting. We can keep the ROW clear, but that's about it.
Edit: Here's pictures of the rock cuts. If some looks slightly familiar, it's because my partner took pictures in both directions.
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose1.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose2.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose3.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose4.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose5.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose6.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose7.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose8.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose9.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose10.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose11.JPG As you can see from those pictures, the line isn't nice and straight. Consider coming down the hill at 40-50 through these curves:
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Moose11.JPG
As you can see from those pictures, the line isn't nice and straight. Consider coming down the hill at 40-50 through these curves:
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Mooses1.JPG
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Mooses2.JPG At the north end of our excursion was a sign:
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Mooses2.JPG
At the north end of our excursion was a sign:
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Summit.JPG What it's supposed to say (and will again in the future) is that that point is the highest on the New York Central at 2040 feet above sea level. Big Moose did some passenger service in the day. The building is now a restaurant (and not a bad one at that!)
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/Summit.JPG
What it's supposed to say (and will again in the future) is that that point is the highest on the New York Central at 2040 feet above sea level.
Big Moose did some passenger service in the day. The building is now a restaurant (and not a bad one at that!)
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/BigMooseStation.JPG Carl - all of this scenery (my partner took a couple hundred shots, but that's another story) occurs in the five miles beyond the "Pumpkin Patch." If you come up again some time, we'll see about getting you up there. Still to come is the "dashcam" video of the trip.
http://www.tree68.net/BigMoose/BigMooseStation.JPG
Carl - all of this scenery (my partner took a couple hundred shots, but that's another story) occurs in the five miles beyond the "Pumpkin Patch." If you come up again some time, we'll see about getting you up there.
Still to come is the "dashcam" video of the trip.
Dan, we have to make it up your way sometime and let you show us some of these places. (Don't think we can do it before Thanksgiving, and after that the snow will be too deep. )
Larry, I'm glad you got at least one good weekend, weather-wise, for the pumpkin patch. And that new stretch sounds like it will be spectacular! (That's the problem with these post-retirement vacations...we're accumulating more and more places that we want to go back to. Eventually staying at home is going to be our vacation!) One thought...if foliage is blocking great vistas during the travel season, how much of this can legally be removed from your right-of-way?
___________________
Yesterday afternoon, while I was "minding the store", with cannon-fire in the background, I decided to make a note about the trains that went by. Being there as long as I was gave a chance for busy times and slow times, and the variety was pretty good, too.
1151: The West Chicago local, westbound, with four units, including CNW 8701 (wonder what happened to CNW 8646--those two, the only units still in full C&NW paint, are usually together).
1214: Westbound CWEX empty coal gons.
1252: Eastbound manifest, possibly from Des Moines.
1310: Eastbound Metra scoot (slightly late).
1320: Westbound Metra scoot.
1353: Westbound stack train, mostly Hub Group containers.
1442: Westbound Amtrak 5 (California Zephyr), detour move. An SD70 was leading the two Amtrak units, for ATC/Cab signal purposes.
1457: Westbound auto racks.
1511: Eastbound Metra scoot (slightly late).
1518: Westbound Metra scoot.
1525: Eastbound stack train, mostly EMP and UMAX containers.
1529: Another eastbound stacker (five units), mostly Hub Group containers.
1534: Westbound empty hoppers (the "system mix" of D&RGW, UP, MP, CNW, and CTRN hoppers).
1547: Eastbound manifest from North Platte, with UP, CSXT, and SP-painted power on the point).
1550: Westbound manifest.
1605: Westbound auto racks.
1627: Westbound WPSX hoppers and gons.
1720: Westbound Metra scoot, followed immediately by the eastbound scoot, this time about 15 minutes late.
Only the CWEX and WPSX empty coal trains had distributed power this time.
So, never did I have to wait more than an hour for things to go by (on a weekday the scoots would have run every hour instead of every other hour), and the 3:00 hour yielded seven trains. Total, 19 trains in 4 1/2 hours, or an average of one every 15 minutes.
Second weekend (and the event as a whole) of the Pumpkin Trains is "in the can." At least it didn't rain today, although the "suggested" sunshine decided to wait until right after the last train left the Pumpkin Patch...
The treat today was a trip up five miles of our out of service track via hi-rail. We hope to have this particular stretch open next spring, and what a treat our riders will be in for. I've got a bunch of pictures, but I haven't really had a chance to look through them for suitable candidates. I was driving, so my "partner in crime" managed to fill up one of my memory cards, and most of another - lots of images to review.
I also secured my video camera to the outside of the hi-rail and let it record the whole trip. That'll take a little longer to process, but I'll get it up on YouTube soon, I hope.
The most prominent feature of the trip is a number of large rock cuts and sweeping curves. With the leaves down, there were some interesting panoramas of the surrounding area, but many won't be visible with leaves on the trees.
This section is almost entirely a grade - about 2%, and it shows...
We also hit the highest point on the entire New York Central just west (railroad north) of Big Moose. Which leads one to the obvious observation that our trip back to Carter was "all downhill from here..."
Here's a few of my recent shots from Flickr. As always, C&C welcome.
Most of these are taken in or around Oshkosh, WI on CN's Neenah Sub.
Oct 19, 2011
Q116 heads south through the Oshkosh "Yard":
http://flic.kr/p/axnvGo
Changes In Oshkosh
May 26, 2011
L526 works Blended Waxes in the daylight, which is uncommon for this train. This is just before the work at Blended started. A caboose (seen here) used to be required to work this job.
http://flic.kr/p/9MyXzd
October 22, 2011
All the work is done, save for a chain-link fence on the rail side of the spots for the tank cars:
http://flic.kr/p/ay8MfZ
To see all the pictures I took of the project see here:http://flic.kr/s/aHsjvrX4Fi
L576 comes off of the Neenah Sub mainline and enters the Neenah Controlled Siding where it meets L595:http://flic.kr/p/aybCZJ
Locos are shuffled at Shops Yard, featuring three generation of GE power:http://flic.kr/p/aybDfo
October 23, 2011
Q199 heads north and brings a GTW Geep (GTW 5856, OLS) with it:http://flic.kr/p/ayksJ6
Lake Winnebago is pretty still, unlike the southbound potash train a few feet away:http://flic.kr/p/ayo9ZL
Thanks for looking. More can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/danbraun/
Dan
Thanks everyone.
Here's to you
No luck with the Zephyr(s) yesterday; the battle took longer than expected . Today, however, I'll be in a good spot from noon on. Perhaps I'll make a list of what I see for posting later.
Congratulations, Jeff! And have a quick, smooth trip!
I'll actually be in a position to (hopefully) see the trains. Our local Historical Society is hosting a Civil War re-enactment today and tomorrow at or near the museum directly across from the tracks. I plan to get a box seat for rail action during the post-skirmish pig roast this evening!
Amtrak is detouring over the UP between Chicago and Council Bluffs again this weekend. Guess who gets the first leg (CB-Boone) on #6.
Jeff
Okay, I looked it up. Jim's is on the 15th. So happy birthday, Jim, less than a week late! I think that the 16th concluded the big barrage, until someone tells us differently.
Nothing dramatic to report...I was just waiting for my equipment information files to get backed up (I have nearly 3000 files and folders now!). Just happened, so I'll toddle off to bed.
CShaveRR So belated greetings, Jim (and remind us again about the date!). Tom, when's yours? And Paul? A true diplomat remembers one's birthday and forgets one's age...I'm halfway there.
So belated greetings, Jim (and remind us again about the date!). Tom, when's yours? And Paul?
A true diplomat remembers one's birthday and forgets one's age...I'm halfway there.
If I tell you, then it won't come true!
Jim, my deepest apologies! I seem to remember going through this last year, and even that didn't jog me to remember.
Larry's is easy...
Willy, Mudchicken (Boss Hen's spouse), and Aimee were all in the Camp Mookie Summit of 2006, which was held right around that time (even BNSF cooperated by sending lots of trains for the celebration). Chris May's birthday falls on the same day as Pat's parents' anniversary.
__________________
Brutal weather out there today; wet and windy. Closer to the lake they're worried about wave action along Lake Shore Drive. If I can catch a decent break in the precipitation, I'll get out and run some errands. Meanwhile, I've spent the entire morning morning with a block of fascinating royal-blue gons that were rebuilt for garbage service by adding 27 inches to their height (and I'm not done with the back-history work yet!).
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