I be headed east a week from today. Couldn't get the people and proper equipment issue to line up until then. Ben busy doing research instead.
MC! How goes it in the wilds of northwestern Indiana? I'd have dropped by, but the quilt shows this weekend are in the opposite direction.Actually, today, Pat permitted me to drop her off at the show in Bensenville and fend for myself. I was able to see a few interesting cars in various places. First off, I saw a crude-oil train waiting to get into Bensenville at Irving Park Road, I then went along the yard into Franklin Park and Schiller Park. There was a frac-sand train in the yard at Bensenville that had two new series of NAHX cars (one built by Greenbrier and one by Trinity). After seeing what I could on CN at Schiller Park (that place is pretty inaccessible!), I got stopped by a CSX grain or potash train headed into Bensenville from the east--some interesting secondhand cars that would have been even more interesting if I hadn't been so far back from the crossing. Finally I went back to where I saw the crude-oil train a couple of hours before...it had been replaced by a unit ethanol train, which actually had some cars I needed. Pat had about two hours' worth of time at the quilt show--which, I was informed, was about a half-hour too long. Still, we both had a great time, Tomorrow I'll go with her to the talk on Civil-War-era women, fabrics, and quilting (ties in well with our local historical society).
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)
Yeah, but that other guy had a BIG stick.(and influenced how the railroad scene evolved in Colorado, especially in the Gore Canyon War)......
"Mount Rushmore: A monument to 3 surveyors (and some other guy)."
(see, for example: http://www.wbwells.com/2011/surveying/three-famous-surveyors/
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1998-03-05/news/1998064083_1_surveyors-surveying-and-mapping-tape-measures
http://www.idahospls.org/about-surveying/overview )
- Paul North.
Don't you touch my T-Rail!
That, coming from a kid from a burg named for Roman General Cincinnatus, a favorite of GW who admired his creed.
Take THAT, dreaded yellow machine.
Wanted to make sure mudchicken saw this one from the new "Termunus" (sic - should be "Terminus") thread:
" "Terminus" is the Roman God who protected boundary markings." Who knew ? I can see having some fun with that one !
So - Who's the "Terminator" ?!?
blhanel Speaking of the Chatterbox, something seems to be wrong with it right now from my vantage point- when I click on the thread, all I get is a banner with its name. No page options, no posts...
Speaking of the Chatterbox, something seems to be wrong with it right now from my vantage point- when I click on the thread, all I get is a banner with its name. No page options, no posts...
I get that sometimes after I post.
We'll be in new "digs" on April first. Maybe that'll fix 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...
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Virtual food notwithstanding, I believe the Lounge was originally intended to be more rail-oriented, but open to various and sundry topics. Photos were specifically mentioned, as I recall.
The Diner was intended to be a wholly off-topic thread - a place to chat about things essentially non-railroad.
And that's kinda where we are right now. If you want to mention/question something about railroads that doesn't rate its own topic, it goes in the Lounge. If you want to discuss the weather, or how you day has gone (water cooler chat), it goes in the Chatterbox.
I asked about this at the beginning of the year. I see no problem with consolidating the Lounge and the Chatterbox; I don't think we'll be troubled with virtual food any more. We at the lounge are a little more railroady, I think; the Chatterbox certainly shouldn't mind too much. It seems that there are very few crossover patrons, so it would be nice to get everyone on the same page. Anyone else have ideas?
Could'a called it a talkback, but didn't want to be put in timeout by da cat.
Lord Atmochatterbox? could someone be so kind as to enlighten me?
Formerly known as the Diner, etc.
Thanks Dan. It was definitely a fun trip! That CSX unit really caught me off guard. I was driving east down college Ave when i noticed a parked train at the crossing downtown....Catching it was a very frantic journey. I'm glad they crept into neenah for that reason
chatterbox? could someone be so kind as to enlighten me?
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
Looks like you had some nice catches there Max. Glad you found a few things to photograph.
I've been less active trackside than I want for several reasons: 1) Broken camera means I'm using the dinky backup. I'm grateful that I have a backup...but still. 2) Work. Funny how that gets in the way!3) Weather: I'm just plain sick of cold.
Who knows...I may actually post something on Flickr today...we'll see. I'm home today with a sick little guy and trying to clean the house up as we're going to be in Florida in just over a week. I hope it's warm there! (Willy - did you get that? LOL)
We're coming up on the end of 1Q 2014 so I thought I'd pose this question - do we still want to keep this thread going each quarter or should we jump in the "Chatterbox"?
Dan
What's up, Stevens Point! On my way home from Appleton, I stumbled upon this "candy store" power assortment at Point yard!
Catching as many NS SD60s as I can...Never know where they will end up....Since after they get rebuilt, I will be avoiding them....
Speaking of NS, they're all over the CN! Nice flared SD70M there!
CSX too! (Ok fine this was in Neenah, but still. Legit SD50 cmon!)
Working with what I could, I took the shots I was able to. I'm not as picky as some of he other photographers and will gladly shoot any locomotive or train that I can get a good look at! It's all about the trains for me!
If only you loved snoots like I love snoots....Well unless you actually do. Then you're awesome. Awesome like snoots are! Especially when I discovered CN had some!
404 Maroon not found. Please repaint and try again.....You are a long way from home, my friend!
Anyone can tell you I'm always after SD60s. I just simply find that the hood and body are the PERFECT complement to the spartan cab (hey guess why I don't care one bit for SD60Ms, SD60Fs, despise SD60Es, etc...now you know! ;) )
Let's finish things off with a stunning sunset photo of ANOTHER SD60 sitting with a somewhat rare GP38-2 by the roundhouse. I'd say this was well worth the visit! I thoroughly photographed everything there (save for an SD60F because I don't like or photograph those)
Oops, thanks Tree. I was describing what was in Arlington only. I missed those forestry customers. Thanks for pointing them out! I think there is also a feed mill, and a spur into a former lumber mill. The former north-south Sumas-Renton NP line appears to be a trail both north and south of Arlington. When the weather improves, I might have to check it out if I am ever nearby.
NorthWestBesides a trailing point spur to a food warehouse, it appears that there is no longer any industries on the branch.
Unless they've closed recently, it looks like a power pole business and some sort of a lumber concern there. Both have cars in their sidings.
Thanks MC. I suspect what I was thinking of was the ex Everett and Monte Cristo RR branch that was leased to the Everett Railway, Light & Water Co interurban from Snohomish to Everett. I had thought the Arlington branch was ex-GN. Thanks for setting me straight.
6 miles east of Oso? That's almost halfway to Darrington. The branch to there is now a trail. But you probably know that.
For all those that don't want to check satellite images, there is essentially three tracks in Arlington, with the tracks largely removed through the town core. Besides a trailing point spur to a food warehouse, it appears that there is no longer any industries on the branch.
mudchickenThis mudflowis about 6+ miles east of Oso.
N 48.27889 W 121.84375
Based on a little looking around on satellite images, and before/after photos from the scene, it looks like that hillside may have moved before, albeit not so drastically.
Still a bad thing. Gonna take a lot of digging to clear the road, much less everything else that needs to be done.
If you want to dewater and move massive amounts of scrap materials, slot trains, air dumps and high sided gons are the way to go. In LA after Katrina, FEMA moved a bunch of stuff off to pits, dumps and cut-off meander elbows in the bayous that way.
(Get it far enough away that it won't restart the problem)
NorthWest: All part of the ex-NP Spokane & International/ Seattle Lake Shore & Eastern which NP took over in 1896 (The branch takes off at Kruse Junction)...This mudflowis about 6+ miles east of Oso.
mudchickenWondering if the BNSF ex-NP Arlington Branch is suddenly going to get busy because of the sad mess at Oso.? The feds are gonna need a staging area somewhere close by.
Is the track from Marysville to Arlington ex-NP? My memory is deserting me, you are probably correct.
The line north of Arlington originally went north to Sumas, but after the BN merger, the steep grades, sharp curves, and redundancy made it a prime target for elimination. Above the ex-GN Concrete branch, it survives.
I think the line south to Renton hung on much longer, although I can't remember when it was abandoned/short lined.
Don't know about the feds using the yard in Arlington, but as seen on Google Earth it ain't very big. Why do you think they may need it?
I've been watching the situation in Oso closely. I have a friend in Stanwood, and I remember a chunk of Whidbey Island sliding into Puget Sound a year or so ago.
Norm
Wondering if the BNSF ex-NP Arlington Branch is suddenly going to get busy because of the sad mess at Oso.? The feds are gonna need a staging area somewhere close by.
(and the city slickers are still gonna complain about line closures affecting Amthrax commuter trains closer to Seattle. -Fortunately, the railroad at Oso vanished about 1994-96. The other line north out of Arlington to Clear Lake went away in 1971-72)
....Carl....I've seen the white strobe with the red light in Florida....That in my opinion, does get your attention....Appears to be an effective design to me.
Quentin
Oh, we have plenty of arrows, but no more with that mechanism.I saw those "enhanced red" lights, but so far only in New York. We have a couple near Rochelle where there's a white strobe above the light when it's red.
CShaveRRI also recall seeing a traffic light somewhere that had the searchlight-signal mechanism or something similar on a directional arrow. I can't remember where that was, but I've not seen it again, so I assume it was eliminated for the same reason that railroads are getting rid of them.
With LEDs, I suspect you'll be seeing more, not less of the arrows. I've seen a lot of them.
Something else they're doing with LEDs in putting white flashing LEDs in the red head at dangerous intersections. The whites flash when the light is red. Strobes had been used for this, but LEDs are replacing them.
I've seen a dwarf signal at Chicago Union Station that has LEDs of all four colors behind a single lens. Probably only a quarter as bright as it would otherwise be, but apparently usable.I also recall seeing a traffic light somewhere that had the searchlight-signal mechanism or something similar on a directional arrow. I can't remember where that was, but I've not seen it again, so I assume it was eliminated for the same reason that railroads are getting rid of them.
It's curious that the traffic people never embraced a "searchlight" style of light. Early traffic controls had plenty of moving parts (some had semaphore-style flags), and even the timing device involved a motor driven switch system (nowadays they're all solid state, never mind interlocked with neighboring intersections in some systems). It would be very easy to build a single bulb system with a circular filter that rotated around the bulb, showing the appropriate colors.
This would even be possible with LEDs today.
Thankfully, traffic lights are pretty much standardized but there are still a few oddballs in small town down south, More fun in Canada.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.