CShaveRR And this evening was hit hard by the weather. We had a strong front with high winds, so naturally UP said to stop running.
Of course back then there were lots maintenance personnel that would do most of the work keeping those trains running.
Oh, I almost forgot: Yes, C&O had 1000 six-axle "battleship gons" that predated VGN's, anyway. They were built in 1921 and all gone by 1946.
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)
Randy, in a way that surprises me (but in another way that doesn't): my Metra updates were showing it as "police activity" instead of as a "pedestrian incident".
So that disrupted the morning rush a bit. And this evening was hit hard by the weather. We had a strong front with high winds, so naturally UP said to stop running. And, as of an hour or so ago, we were still suffering repercussions:
Trains traveling to Elburn and Chicago are delayed up to 150-160 minutes behind schedule due to weather related delays. The following trains are on the move or have not yet departed: #62 to arrive Chicago at 7:46pm (on the move); #64 departs Elburn 7:25pm arrives Chicago at 8:46pm (on the move); #65 departs Chicago 7:40pm arrives Elburn at 9:06pm NOT YET DEPARTED; #67 departs Chicago at 8:40pm arrives Elburn at 10:06pm NOT YET DEPARTED. #69 departs Chicago at 9:40 arrives Elburn 11:06pm NOT YET DEPARTED #66 departs Elburn 8:25pm arrives Chicago 9:46pm NOT YET DEPARTED #68 departs Elburn 9:25pm arrives Chicago 10:46pm NOT YET DEPARTED
"Agent Kid" / Bruce and some others here may be interested in a few websites I just stumbled across, which either feature or mention Canadian railroads, and/ or are linked to other websites or blogs that do:
http://caboosecoffee.blogspot.com/ - "Caboose Coffee - A purely social and personal perspective of railroad life in Canada."
http://www.oil-electric.com/2008/05/twilight-of-gods-1.html (mainly railroad-oriented posts & old photos)
- Paul North.
Steamtown in Scranton, PA is getting equipment positioned for their Railfest* this weekend. Pretty interesting watching the webcam (has sound, too).
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/pennsylvania/scranton/
Looks like they just moved North Shore's endcab and cabin car into position.
*- if all works out, I'll be going.
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
Carl, I know Norfolk and Western and Virginian had "Battleships", but never knew C&O had some as well.....
Coming through Chicago this morning, heard on AM 780 that there was a train vs. person accident in Wheaton (I think). Any other particulars about that one?
Randy Vos
"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings
"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV
Carl & Jim,
I would think that CN would spend a little $$ and take out ads for TV and newspaper telling folks that trains are going faster...but that's me. One conversation I heard yesterday was a train crew confirming the GBO that was quoted to them from the Foreman and Trainmaster ordering the speed change. Everything was spelled out from who said what to exactly which line and number the GBO covered. I could tell when the hogger throttled up...you could hear the increased thunder coming from his 7FDL-16s.
The tracks in question are just north of the Oshkosh Bridge. They bisect Broad Street and have lots of pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Jim - many trains have crossed the bridge and it's been (and still is) thoroughly inspected by contractors and B&B staff.
Dan
CNW 6000 Traffic seems to be up on the CN in my neck of the woods, at least lately. IM trains seem to be averaging 6/day (total) with a recent peak of 9. Manifest traffic is averaging 12/day with a peak of 15. Unit traffic is appearing again. In addition to the unit coal (three to Green Bay and one to Manitowoc plus their empties), we're seeing potash and grain loads southbound, sulphur loads (sb) and empties (nb), loaded autorack trains (extra trains nb) and ballast loads/empties.
Traffic seems to be up on the CN in my neck of the woods, at least lately. IM trains seem to be averaging 6/day (total) with a recent peak of 9. Manifest traffic is averaging 12/day with a peak of 15. Unit traffic is appearing again. In addition to the unit coal (three to Green Bay and one to Manitowoc plus their empties), we're seeing potash and grain loads southbound, sulphur loads (sb) and empties (nb), loaded autorack trains (extra trains nb) and ballast loads/empties.
CNW 6000 That new bridge is sure getting thoroughly tested, and at a higher speed. Timetable had the limit on the bridge at 25 prior to the replacement. Trains today were ordered thru at 40! I hope the motoring public keeps their eyes open.
That new bridge is sure getting thoroughly tested, and at a higher speed. Timetable had the limit on the bridge at 25 prior to the replacement. Trains today were ordered thru at 40! I hope the motoring public keeps their eyes open.
Plus I'd sure like to see the trains going through the area Carl talked about. IIRC, those crossings have fairly decent protection, but still.....
Dan, wasn't some of the trackage leading up to the bridge pretty much akin to street running (or at least very close to a parallel street)? That increase in speed would seem to warrant a little public education. When UP increases speed limits through towns, it does it in 5- or 10-mph increments, over a period of weeks.________________
Update on the line to our west. Crossovers at Wheaton are all in, and the components of the two signal bridges for the control point there have arrived. Signals are already on the cross-members.The bridge that will take Illinois Highway 38 over the UP at the Kane/DuPage County Line is still having fill embankments created. Abutments by the tracks are in place (with room for a future third track to the south). It appears that Kautz Road (the county line, basically) will intersect with the highway directly above the tracks (it currently intersects the highway a short distance west of the crossing). They won't be able to complete this connection until the highway is completed, though, as it will require a fill blocking the current highway route.For lunch today, Pat and I ate at Cabooses Bar and Grill. The sandwiches we ordered were fine; we paid only a little more than we would have at our favorite sandwich place in Lombard. But forget the food--this place is in the east end of the depot building in Geneva! It has windows looking eastward, so the grade crossing (Third Street) can be easily seen. While we were there, two scoots stopped and moved on, and we had two eastbound freights, a manifest and a Northern Indiana Public Service Company coal train. One has to be on his toes to obtain data from freight cars at that speed, which is similar to the rate that they travel through Lombard (basically 50; some equipment restrictions apply). As we were leaving (after about 45 minutes there) a long westbound auto-rack train came through. There are outdoor tables available, but not today--the one guy that was out there was refilling the ice bucket more quickly than he was draining the bottle! At this spot the tracks are fairly straight, but views to the west are obscured by grades (the block signals visible to the west are advance-approach signals for the control point at Peck; if nothing's lined up they'll be flashing-yellow). There are still only two tracks through here; at Peck the third track resumes for westbound trains. To the east you can see trains coming before they hit the bridge over the Fox River, but the next block signals are not visible. The third track resumes at Kress, the control point at the west end of the yard at West Chicago. Lots of work will be needed before the gap between Kress and Peck can be three-tracked.
Traffic seems to be up on the CN in my neck of the woods, at least lately. IM trains seem to be averaging 6/day (total) with a recent peak of 9. Manifest traffic is averaging 12/day with a peak of 15. Unit traffic is appearing again. In addition to the unit coal (three to Green Bay and one to Manitowoc plus their empties), we're seeing potash and grain loads southbound, sulphur loads (sb) and empties (nb), loaded autorack trains (extra trains nb) and ballast loads/empties. That new bridge is sure getting thoroughly tested, and at a higher speed. Timetable had the limit on the bridge at 25 prior to the replacement. Trains today were ordered thru at 40! I hope the motoring public keeps their eyes open.
Wow...a whole week has gone by. Dan had a drawbridge replaced in his neck of the woods, but that has a thread of its own. I've had some research projects and other issues that have kept me close to home (the new office space is very pleasant, thanks!). I found a couple of relettered tank cars on Friday that pointed me toward a group of nearly 2000 cars to document! Now I'm working on a batch of nearly 700 covered hoppers from two sources to one company.One other thing I've been doing is proofreading/editing a couple of rail-related books. Earlier this week I returned the manuscript for Volume 1 of an encyclopedia of B&O cabooses to its author. This one will cover the modern time frame...cabooses delivered during the C&O/B&O and Chessie eras.Now, I'm told, some of the manuscript for a book on C&O freight cars is headed my way. I have to check the text, and approve photo selection and layout. The text is...mine! This is the book I first did in 1979, laying it out with typewriter and dry-transfer lettering, as well as pages from a 1937 C&O freight car guide. It will be expanded to include cars covered in another freight car guide (1946 is the best date we can come up with). Some of the cars included in the coverage are side-dump hoppers, hopper-bottom gons, and C&O's own six-axle "Battleship" gondolas. Box cars include some single-sheathed cars, double-sheathed wooden cars, ventilator cars, and automobile cars. The era covered is before the C&O took over the Pere Marquette, but a few ex-PM cars made it into the book. And the Hocking Valley Railway, which C&O took over in 1930, is very well represented in box, gondola, flat, and hopper cars.
How Chicago moves...
The Metra collector who lifted my ticket this afternoon had a name-tag that read "C. Essex". Boy, was he working for the wrong railroad!
Re: Hobby Shop - I usually try to pick up a car from where I visit, so a CNW car would have been on the list. Next time!
Had a good time - next time we'll have to order up more traffic!
CSX is providing some entertainment here. I beat a hopper train (E-something or other) to Deshler from Defiance, and there have been plenty of others since I arrived. I could have done without that train that turned south, though, the squealing was nasty.
ATCS shows one headed through eastbound pretty soon. But it's time for bed...
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...
Brian, it might have been nice for Larry to have someone who could see eye-to-eye with him!It was great to see Larry again, though I couldn't share nearly enough trains with him. I don't think UP demonstrated the need for two tracks, let alone three in our area.I drove out to Rochelle with Pat--she went home via the grocery store. Meanwhile, Larry took me along the old UP (mostly) from Rochelle back to Lombard (where Pat joined us for lunch) and then on to Elmhurst before he headed east. Deshler, watch out!Very few trains were seen. An eastbound manifest was all that UP ran while we were at Rochelle, and BN ran only a couple of stack trains and a local shoving its cars across the diamond.Hint for people arriving at Rochelle from DeKalb and points east. Just for a change of pace, take Interstate 88 west to Illinois 251 to go into Rochelle. You will pass the business side of the new Nippon Sharyo plant, currently producing passenger cars for Metra Electric. A couple of complete-looking cars were observed under wire at the plant, as were about a half-dozen tarp-wrapped carbodies.Our thanks to Al's Hobby Shop in Elmhurst...I would gladly have spent a little more time with Larry in there, but thankfully, we first went to look at the ATCS board there, and it showed a westbound moving through the Park control point. We barely made it back to the platform before the stacker came through.
Another note: finally some progress to report at the new control point in Wheaton: the third and fourth crossovers have finally been placed (this takes care of routings in either direction between Tracks 2 and 3), and the footing for the westward signal bridge has been set, some distance west of President Street.
I wish I were retired- I'd make the three-hour jaunt to say hi!
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
CShaveRRRumor has it there will be a Tree in the train-watching shed in Rochelle...
I'll be the tall guy with the NYC herald on his back (and the ALCo Historical Society logo on the front).
Rumor has it there will be a Tree in the train-watching shed in Rochelle...we're going to have to check that out in the morning tomorrow. Come out if you can--he plans on being in Deshler tomorrow night.
Speaking of things B&O (as Deshler certainly is!), I've been proofreading the manuscript of Volume 1 of the Encyclopedia of B&O Cabooses. What a work this is going to be!
CShaveRR I didn't note the precise numbers. One was in the 400s, and had CW44AH stenciled over the CW44AC, the other was a 200-series CW44AC. Would the relieving UP crew be permitted/required to arrive in a locomotive, tie it on, and perform the required tests and adjustments, then take their train west from Oak Park?
I didn't note the precise numbers. One was in the 400s, and had CW44AH stenciled over the CW44AC, the other was a 200-series CW44AC. Would the relieving UP crew be permitted/required to arrive in a locomotive, tie it on, and perform the required tests and adjustments, then take their train west from Oak Park?
The CSX numbers I had were 974 and 973, so I guess it wasn't the one you saw. They are both listed (Uncle Pete's designation) as ES44AH models.
I imagine the outbound crew would bring out the UP leader and put it on the train, do the tests and rearm the EOT.
Jeff
Checking some notes Carl...could have been CSX K648. Wonder where it's going on Uncle Pete...
Hey Carl, I think I'm getting the ethanol train you saw. Two CSXT engines, I can't tell the type until I can get on a company computer, with the required UP leader.
Hey, expounding fans...
Tuesday is supposed to be a slower day on the railroad around here, as the freight corresponds to the shippers' weekends. But thankfully, it wasn't quite true for us today. Pat and I had to do some shopping, bill paying, and barbary (oh, sorry...we got haircuts) today, and that brought us to downtown Elmhurst. The first thing that we encountered was an eastbound manifest blocking our usual route into town. I turned to get ahead of as much of it as I could (it was moving slightly slower than we were). We stopped at one of the crossings to wait for what was left of it, and after a few car-lengths it stopped. I took advantage of this pause to see whether I could get any detailed research done on freight cars before the brakes released. Brakes released, I hightailed it back to the car, and the train started rolling...then stopped again, in a carlength or so. This time, we drove as far east as we could, and I got much more information off some cars that I'd only glanced at the first time.Before the manifest cleared Poplar Avenue (he was on Track 2, headed into the yard), an eastbound stacker came up on Track 3. He was short enough that we weren't delayed much longer. We parked, and decided to dine Chinese, on one of the outside tables at the Red Dragon. As soon as we'd ordered, I had to bolt...a westbound manifest was coming. Lots of good stuff, including a Kansas City Southern de Mexico locomotive for the third unit (GE, with radial trucks). It had just cleared when an eastbound ComEd coal train came in. That was about the time our food arrived. Pat was commenting on the pink rotary-coupler ends on the 9000-series gons (they were red when the cars were new!).After lunch, I saw Pat off to the car, and she went off to do the grocery shopping and get her glasses fixed. I made the loan payment, then headed back trackside, where a train of small-cube covered hoppers was headed east (that kept me out of the hobby shop for a little while!). Might have been empty frac sand cars. After it cleared, I went to the hobby shop, then back to the station. This time an inbound auto-rack train was going by.I decided to catch the next scoot in, so I could check the progress on the new-track construction around Proviso. The train was announced, but its signal at the control point remained red-over-red. Another announcement informed people that the westbound scoot was going to be late due to "switch problems". The train was "now arriving", but no train...it had to come in very slowly, due to the Automatic Train Control holding it down in advance of the red signal. We boarded, started moving, then stopped for the signal.The late westbound scoot came past us, and "Ding!"--the ATC cleared up, and we moved ahead, crossing from Track 1 to Track 2. Why? The answer was evident when we arrived at Berkeley--the headlight of a westbound auto-rack train on Track 1 between Wolf Road and the Bellwood depot. He must have just come down off the flyover, and there's no way for him except to go to any track except Track 1 (or into the yard). Track 3, by the way, was out of service yet, with a tamper and other equipment east of Bellwood. The entire track is in place, and looks properly ballasted. The connection at Provo Junction is also fully laid at our end, with ballast underneath and around the concrete ties. A split-point derail is near the switch to our main line...don't know if it would keep errant cars off our track after they rolled down that grade (I hope we never get to find out).I expected our scoot to cross over from Track 2 to Track 1 at 25th (or is it 19th?) Avenue...we did not. At Maywood Track 1 was occupied by an eastbound train from the Norfolk Southern headed into Proviso. I expected our scoot to cross over from Track 2 to Track 1 at Vale...we did not. Nor did we stay on 2...instead we were routed down Track 3. I got off at Oak Park, where two CSX AC4400s were sitting at the head end of a westbound train of empty ethanol tank cars on Track 2. An eastbound stacker came by us on Track 1.It didn't take long for me to figure out that the train on Track 2 was unoccupied. One of the two units was shut down, and the other was idling very fitfully (it's a GE...they often sound sick like that). Just for the heck of it, I checked...yes, hand brakes were applied on the locomotives and the first several cars of the train (this has been a touchy subject due to that runaway in New Brunswick a month ago today).When the eastbound stacker cleared, so did the westbound signal on Track 3. I didn't have to leave the platform to catch my scoot back out. But then we got the announcement that it was being delayed due to signal problems "east of Kedzie". As my scoot headed west, we met the eastbound scoot between Maywood and Melrose Park. At the west end of the yard, we stopped at Berkeley, and I noticed the tail end of a westbound stack train getting out of the yard. We paralleled him as we headed toward Elmhurst--we crossed over from 2 to 3; he came from the outbound to 1 to 2. We had gained on him before stopping at Elmhurst, and gained even more on him before the Villa Park stop. I was hoping we'd pass him before we got to Lombard. But there is no way to cross tracks other than at the platform crossing at Lombard, and they don't want anything else going through when a scoot is at the platform (c'mon, underground passage!). So the stop at Villa Park was a little more leisurely than usual, and the stack train was long gone when we got to Lombard.The signal at Grace was lined up for an eastbound on Track 1, but I figured that it was probably the next eastbound scoot (due in 20 minutes), so I didn't wait around.I came home to a lot of e-mails from Metra, telling me what I knew from experience--the westbound trains were being delayed with signal problems at Western Avenue--and so were eastbounds, it turns out. This is the second major malfunction of Western Avenue in recent months...makes us look forward to the day when this plant will be replaced by a new one further east, around Noble Street (one can hope this will be done, as it will solve a lot of problems).
Paul_D_North_Jr I'll leave it to him to expound on the merits (or lack thereof) of the new location and new configuration, etc. - Paul North.
I won't expound on anything. That stuff if way above my pay grade. I just throw switches and try to get cars in the right tracks.
MC - That's clever !
"abandoned" ? Fear not - NS isn't getting out of zug's market, but instead is just relocating to a new yard and terminal nearby, as a result of a complicated deal between the town, RR, and a local college (university ?). I won't say the new facility is or will be "improved" because as I understand it from zug, that's open to debate. I'll leave it to him to expound on the merits (or lack thereof) of the new location and new configuration, etc.
CShaveRR I would be happy to shanghai you whenever (I take it that you'd be coming this way after the 11th?). Or to tag along on the trip west to Rochelle. Just keep us informed. Not sure the guest room is in shape yet, though--we're still slowly moving things in and around.Another possibility would be for me to set up my nets in Indiana somewhere and point out a few good spots to my east.
I would be happy to shanghai you whenever (I take it that you'd be coming this way after the 11th?). Or to tag along on the trip west to Rochelle. Just keep us informed. Not sure the guest room is in shape yet, though--we're still slowly moving things in and around.Another possibility would be for me to set up my nets in Indiana somewhere and point out a few good spots to my east.
Carl -
Most likely headed that way after the weekend (or maybe Sunday - depends on what goes on at Milford, friends-wise). May touch base in Deshler first - depends on when I leave. Have an as-yet unscheduled meeting this week.
Figure I should make the pilgrimmage to Rochelle - and maybe some of your local hot-spots as well.
On crew on that following Friday, so have to be home in time to get a little rest and repack.
mudchicken At least somebody knew how to place the wheel stops correctly. BUT, if the end of track is within a carlength of a building, why wasn't a track bumper (Hayes WD, et al) placed to protect the structure? (for that matter, the current rage is the end of track berm (dirt and ballast pile - accountants love 'em as do trainmasters trying not to exceed the unit of property test after an operating "oops") Berm = cheap wheel stops = $350 (didn't stop anything in Denver on BNSF) Track Bumper = $1600 Keeping an errant car/ locomotive out of an occupied building = priceless
At least somebody knew how to place the wheel stops correctly. BUT, if the end of track is within a carlength of a building, why wasn't a track bumper (Hayes WD, et al) placed to protect the structure? (for that matter, the current rage is the end of track berm (dirt and ballast pile - accountants love 'em as do trainmasters trying not to exceed the unit of property test after an operating "oops")
Berm = cheap
wheel stops = $350 (didn't stop anything in Denver on BNSF)
Track Bumper = $1600
Keeping an errant car/ locomotive out of an occupied building = priceless
Everything survived this long, and this trackage is all getting abandoned within a couple months, so it's all good.
Low flying Tree alert - Current plans include travelling to Michigan centering on the big festival in the old hometown (Milford). Also in the mix are a visit to Deshler (love that place) and a foray in to Illinois - ostensibly all the way to Rochelle, unless Carl shanghai's me sooner.
Aside from being in Milford on Saturday (esp in the evening), nothing else is cast in stone, including my departure from here. Gotta be back in time to recover for duty on the railroad the next weekend, though.
Wheee!
zugmann Almost like this was staged (it wasn't, BTW). And yeah, anchor management. Took me a day or two to get that one. I'm a little slow this week.
Almost like this was staged (it wasn't, BTW).
And yeah, anchor management. Took me a day or two to get that one. I'm a little slow this week.
Johnny
No Touchee! (even if it is hydraulic)
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