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The Trackside Lounge 1Q 2012

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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 4:50 PM

We had warm temperatures and breezy conditions today.  Not a great day to be out on a bike, but there I was, waitin' for a train.  (Not much exciting for me on the train--a routine-looking stacker.)

We near Chicago are lucky...we didn't get the severe weather that went through Kansas, Nebraska (according to Willy), Missouri, and Illinois.  Branson, Missouri, was hard hit, but any damage sustained by the Branson Scenic Railroad in town appears to be superficial. 

Harrisburg, Illinois, 'way downstate, suffered six fatalities in an EF-4 tornado.

We had a series of delays on Metra's UP West line this afternoon when wires blew down across the tracks in Chicago.  One inbound and one outbound scoot were each held up for at least 35 minutes until the tracks were cleared.

Carl

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Posted by WMNB4THRTL on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 7:39 PM

Oh no, first I have heard of those fatalities. T&p out to the families. Everyone, pls be careful, whatever your weather! 

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

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 10:50 PM

This is a real two headed monster - severe storms in the mid-south and blizzards in the northern realms.  It's snowing here now.

Some of those storms hit during the night - always a hard time to get warnings out.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Modelcar on Thursday, March 1, 2012 8:49 AM

This unusual Winter seems it might be changing into a possible extreme Spring, meaning unusual / strong storms.  The lower mid west has just seen some of the posibilities over the last two overnights.

Bad loss of life and of course extreme property loss.

I have taken note we're in some of the red zone for Friday....Not sure just when Fri. they are referring to yet.  This is something we have no control over, but we can prepare for whatever is coming at us...if we know it IS coming.

Quentin

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Posted by CShaveRR on Friday, March 2, 2012 4:11 PM

I guess there was more damage in Branson than met the eye from the news-photos I'd seen earlier...check out today's (March 2) Newswire.  I hope they can run.

After spending a good part of today (about 90 minutes) doing my taxes, all I can say is, Railroad Retirement is great!  The refund should cover a couple of trips we have in mind...

We're under a winter weather advisory for the rest of today.  I'm hoping things will be fine for when our friends drive in from Iowa tomorrow.  Nothing really frightful is expected, but I think the people of Harrisburg may have felt that way when they went to bed earlier this week.  Right now it's raining, but the snow isn't too far off.

Sorry to see that my old boss is being sidelined by pancreatic cancer.  I never heard anybody say anything bad about Mr. Young (the railroad's performance speaks for itself).  I wish I could say the same about the cancer.


Carl

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CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by CShaveRR on Sunday, March 4, 2012 5:46 PM

Greetings from western Michigan, where we found some of our missing snow for this winter.

The trip up had a few interesting train sightings, but nothing of any use.  As we went under the UP (ex-C&EI) main line on 80/294, a manifest was headed south.  Later, on I-94 we passed over the old B&O main line as a manifest and stack train (in opposite directions) went beneath us.  Nothing showed up while we were in Porter or Chesterton, but when we left, we saw a train headed toward us in the distance on Amtrak's line.  We continued on our route, and saw the same train clear the crossing a mile or so ahead of us.  Easy enough, when their speed limit was twice ours!

We discovered a nice eatery in Michigan City, in the old Michigan Central passenger station.  Good food, fast service, a reasonable bill, and a view (beyond Amtrak's main line) of Lake Michigan and the channel leading to it.  The name of the place is Swingbelly's--the food's a lot more appealing than the name.

Carl

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Posted by Modelcar on Sunday, March 4, 2012 6:30 PM

.....Carl...at least it's not "swellingbelly"....!

Quentin

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, March 4, 2012 9:11 PM

Woo Hoo!

I decided to upgrade my train simulator to Trainz 2010 (in part because my 2006 version seems to have issues with the CD).

Imagine my surprise, when I fired it up, to find the CSX Saginaw Sub as one of the included track profiles!  Why is this significant?  Because I grew up near the line (former Pere Marquette/C&O) and saw many trains on it.

They even did a half-decent job of representing my old home town (Milford).  Would have been even cooler if they had included the "arch" over the Huron River (instead of a trestle), but I'll take what I can get.

I'll have to take a few more rides over it to see how they did on the rest of it, as best as my memory can recall.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by WMNB4THRTL on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 8:26 AM

OK, so here's a very, very scary one for ya--

I was on a bus recently and as we approached the RR tracks, the driver began to tell me all about this shortline's schedule and how they usually only run at this certain time, and he's never seen a train here at that time....and saying that you really don't have to worry about them because they only run at this time or that time....

Uh, REALLY??!!  How many folks want to take a wild guess that he just might have picked the right ('wrong?') person to say THAT to??!!  (In case you don't know, let's just say I doubt very highly he will ever THINK those things again, let alone SAY them!!!! I was polite but emphatic!!)  Scary thing is, this man--who is supposed to hold a CDL--crosses RR tracks every day he works, probably multiple times a day!!!!!  AAAHHHHHH!!!! Bang Head

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

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Posted by Modelcar on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 8:38 AM

If this {required} CDL driver is driving a school bus, I assume he must be stopping at each one of those tracks everytime he approaches them.

If a commercial bus driver.....Then he better be alert everytime he crosses those "hardly used" tracks.

Quentin

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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 8:39 AM

Nance, I'd just consider a person like that a blowhard, and ignore it...

Unless he was using this as a rationale for failing to stop his bus at the crossing.  Then I'd be doing whatever I could to get him out of that seat. They don't have a "smiley" for one to angrily bang someone else's head against the wall, do they?

No news here today.  Fantastic weather, and I wish I could be out in it.  But errands keep us occupied, precluding any stays trackside for very long.  Also busy on one of my bigger carchaeology projects...one car seen, 150 cars involved, three or more prior operators apiece.  Lots to document and organize!

"Carchaeology"...I wish I could take credit for coining that one.  It fits perfectly!

Carl

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Posted by WMNB4THRTL on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 8:49 AM

CShaveRR

Unless he was using this as a rationale for failing to stop his bus at the crossing.  

 


 

Carl, That's exactly what I mean---this guy was saying that bc he had never seen a train here in the middle of the day, he basically ignores the tracks!!! He was guessing when they would be at a crossing based on his past experience!

He is far from the brightest bulb in the box to start with, trust me on that one. You can tell that as soon as you meet him. He was not cracking off, he was serious!!! I think/hope he now knows better!!!!

PS I have called his company (once for a driver who blew through a crossing at traffic speed) in the past but no one there returns phone calls. So very sad it will take a tragedy before anything will change.

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

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Posted by zugmann on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 7:15 PM

For the resident carcheologist:

 

We had a railbox in town (with either RBOX or ABOX marks) that had a weird hybrid door.  Had the normal sliding boxcar door, but also had a little (about half size, length-wise) mini plug door right next to it.

Any reason for this?

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 7:44 PM

Those plug doors serve as auxiliary openings, adding six more feet to the opening when the normal ten-foot sliding door just isn't enough.  When closed, the interior of the plug door is flush with the interior of the car, so it normally serves as part of the wall.  It would have been an ABOX car; that was the reason for the distinction in reporting marks.

Carl

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Posted by zugmann on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 7:58 PM

I figured they had a reason.  Just one of those things that made me look twice.

 

 

I always liked the ABOX marks.

"That's ABOX!"

 

"Why, yes it is.  And that is AHOPPER!"  Ok, so it's more funny at 4am after switching cars all night.

 

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by CShaveRR on Friday, March 9, 2012 3:41 PM


I had plenty of good train-watching at Elmhurst--the signals at Park were almost always showing something coming for the hour I stayed during and after lunch (I had a dental appointment there, and followed that up with lunch trackside from one of my favorite hamburger joints). But the most interesting experience for me today was the ride in and the immediate aftermath. I got on the scoot in Lombard, on time, from the Track 1 platform...perfectly normal. There was an eastbound train at the Tollway, sitting on Track 2, and a westbound on Track 3, which had stopped for some unknown reason beyond the signals at Finley Road. He cleared up shortly before my scoot arrived.

Our scoot went through the crossovers from Track 1 to Track 3--the first time I've ridden through the crossovers from one track to another. When we got to Elmhurst, a westbound train of coal empties was headed out on Track 1 (which is obviously why we couldn't stay there!). After leaving Elmhurst, the scoot moved from track 3 to track 1 at Park (this is just one track over at this point) so the westbound scoot could use track 3. Before the westbound scoot got in (and before the empty coal train had cleared), I could see that the signal for Track 2 had a lunar aspect, so the eastbound train that had been sitting west of Lombard could follow the scoot in on Track 1 (sounds strange, but it isn't really--there are three tracks west of Elmhurst and two east of there [for now!], so moving from track 2 to track 1 is a straight move).

The crossovers, by the way, ride very smoothly--the forward inertia is just slightly disrupted, or I wouldn't have noticed anything.

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)

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Posted by zugmann on Friday, March 9, 2012 5:29 PM

Railfanning made the national spotlight!

 

....unfortunately.

http://youtu.be/1IWtPwOCCHc

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by zardoz on Friday, March 9, 2012 6:57 PM

zugmann

Railfanning made the national spotlight!

 

....unfortunately.

http://youtu.be/1IWtPwOCCHc

 

Sheesh!  I wonder if he wet his pants.

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Trackside Lounge 1Q 2012
Posted by blue streak 1 on Friday, March 9, 2012 9:51 PM

So why did the gate not work?

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Posted by CShaveRR on Saturday, March 10, 2012 9:55 AM

To paraphrase another thread currently on page 1:  He's not a railfan, he's a terrorist!

The crossing gate is for the track that these units are crossing, CN's former EJ&E line.  This was taken at West Chicago, Illinois, where UP crosses the J. 
(I thought I heard some sort of commotion that day...he was only ten miles from our house.)

This must have been fairly early in the careers of these units.  I do remember staying out until very late one night (having to work at 6:30 the following morning) to see a train powered by three of the six units.  I was not alone that night, and there were videos taken, but we let the power speak for itself, as it were.

Carl

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CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)

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Posted by CNW 6000 on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 12:45 PM

zardoz

 zugmann:

Railfanning made the national spotlight!

 

....unfortunately.

http://youtu.be/1IWtPwOCCHc

 

 

Sheesh!  I wonder if he wet his pants.

Some of my friends and I have a term for that: foam-gasm.  You do the math.  At least he's happy.

I've been away for a while...be coming back a bit more.  TTFN.

Dan

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 6:55 PM

CNW 6000

 

 

 

Some of my friends and I have a term for that: foam-gasm.  You do the math.  At least he's happy.

 

I've been away for a while...be coming back a bit more.  TTFN.

 

Welcome back, Dan. Hope all's well.

 

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by CShaveRR on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 8:22 PM

Me, too, Dan!

Today, Pat and I took advantage of this great weather to walk our errands...would have been nice and easy to use our bikes, but they aren't back from the shop yet. While Pat went to the library and the Historical Society, I went trackside. Had an amazing half-hour there, starting with a westbound scoot. When he left, a westbound freight (the West Chicago local?) crossed over from Track 2 to follow him out of town on Track 3. An eastbound manifest came in on 2, crossed over to track 1, after which a westbound showed up on track 3. The signal on Track 1 was immediately lined up again, and went through the full cycle (flashing red, yellow, flashing yellow, green). Pat came up, and we went to lunch before the train came, but an eastbound stack train came through before we got to the restaurant. Another westbound manifest came through at the same time. So that was six trains, from about 11:20 to 11:50 this morning.

Then...nothing. Even the next westbound scoot, due in Lombard around 12:20, didn't come yet by the time we were finished, about 12:35. I thought I must have missed it, until I came home to a bunch of e-mails from Metra. Apparently there was some sort of accident west of us that had things blocked. The scoot had been held at Villa Park--for over an hour, as it turns out. The accident apparently directly impacted Track 3, as Tracks 1 and 2 were eventually reopened (another good use for the crossover--had it not been there, the scoot would have had to back to Elmhurst or would probably still be sitting there!). They had held some eastbounds at West Chicago for a time.

A check of news sources soon led me to what had happened...the last westbound freight I saw hit a guy at College Avenue/Hill Street in Wheaton. It's a tricky crossing, but there is no excuse for the man driving around the lowered gates. His Jeep was pushed aside and onto its side. The driver (52) was able to get out on his own, but was taken to the hospital.

This incident led to two westbound scoots being delayed, one eastbound being annulled completely, and a second one delayed about a half-hour waiting on equipment from one of the delayed westbounds.

Carl

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Posted by CNW 6000 on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 6:35 AM

Thanks guys.  Gotta change things up once in a while, ya know?

Carl-
At least the guy wasn't killed.  Hopefully he learned that gates are there for a reason.

Dan

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Posted by zugmann on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 6:51 AM

Hey, I got a new green bar under my name.  I'm now a top 150 contributor - I was a top 200. 

 

Moving on up...

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by CNW 6000 on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 8:05 PM

Now is the part where they tell you about the increase in dues...

 

Dan

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Posted by CShaveRR on Thursday, March 15, 2012 10:29 PM

Beware the Ides of March!

Today seems to have brought nothing but bad news.

First, a report that Norfolk Southern has put a 30-m.p.h. speed limit on all of its trackage on Amtrak's Wolverine route, between Kalamazoo and Dearborn, due to "deteriorating tie conditions."  Even the 110-m.p.h. running west of Kalamazoo won't offset the negative impacts this will have on running time or timekeeping.

And, on a more personal note, I need to have my head examined--literally--due to some equilibrium problems I've been suffering.  For now, that means no driving, and taking things easy (honestly, I thought I was!).  MRI and MRA are scheduled for next week, and heart monitoring for early next month.

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)

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Posted by zugmann on Friday, March 16, 2012 4:57 AM

CShaveRR
 

And, on a more personal note, I need to have my head examined--literally--due to some equilibrium problems I've been suffering.  For now, that means no driving, and taking things easy (honestly, I thought I was!).  MRI and MRA are scheduled for next week, and heart monitoring for early next month.

 

Well heck, you better get better.  You're retired now - you don't have time to take it easy!

 

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by cherokee woman on Friday, March 16, 2012 6:43 AM

Carl, hope everything turns out o.k. for you.

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
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Posted by CShaveRR on Friday, March 16, 2012 11:18 AM

Thanks!  I'm feeling better today.  We'll just have to see what causes the problem from time to time (a relative of mine has suggested that I take better care of the squirrels up there).

I just saw where Union Pacific has named its first "Train Town U.S.A.", in connection with the sesquicentennial of the railroad.  Not a bad choice:  Rochelle, Illinois.  I'm not sure how many towns are being named, or how many are in the running (I provided some information to the Village of Lombard for their application, but know nothing about what may have happened along those lines).

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)

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