Trains.com

Chatterbox 2.0

45393 views
585 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,023 posts
Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 11:55 PM

Still raining here.  Rain guage shows 1.2" in the past 24 hours, but that doesn't include the over half inch we got in the previous 24 hours (the weather station only shows the past 24 hours, unless I want to dig through the menus...)

No problems with changing fonts, or access, here.  I'm using Chrome most of the time these days.  My shortcut takes me directly to this forum (but not this thread).

Done with four nights at the PBS auction.  That's a long time on my feet!  We work in half hour shifts, but standing pretty much still on that concrete floor takes a toll.  I've got other commitments through Saturday night, but I'll be back in time for the last night of the event on Sunday.

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Thursday, May 1, 2014 12:29 PM

Cold no rain.

Joe, why don't you put some pix on Ed's photo stop?  I know you have some great shots!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Thursday, May 1, 2014 5:13 PM

Wow - watching the news from way back east, looks like employment will rise dramatically!  What a mess.  Makes me glad I live on flat land.  Very flat land. 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
  • 13,681 posts
Posted by CShaveRR on Thursday, May 1, 2014 7:35 PM

In the news from the Green Valley tonight:

By early next week, we should know how Pat's new allergy medication works out. The three days she spent without medication were not as miserable as we'd been dreading, and getting them out of her system has alleviated some other problems, such as sensitive skin. She came out of the allergist's office with at least a half-dozen welts of varying colors and sizes from things she's allergic to, but there were even more spots that didn't react, surprising both Pat and the doctor. The good news is that she's not allergic to the area trees (including lilac!).

The railroad placed the control point at College in service sometime this week.  It was not in service yet last Friday, but the approach signals near Glen Ellyn told a different story as we headed toward it today, and the home signals were lit. These universal crossovers break up--almost evenly--the 10-mile stretch between Turner (West Chicago) and Grace (Lombard). The long-range plans for the line include express trains on Metra during rush hours, using the center track to get around trains making local stops. Even now, it can be used to increase the fluidity of trains on our line. The new crossovers can be used to put a train on any of the three tracks from any of the three tracks.

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)

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • 3,231 posts
Posted by NorthWest on Thursday, May 1, 2014 7:59 PM
blue streak 1
Nothing running on CSX since about 1800 last night.  Wonder where the problem is ?
Which one? (No emoticons, but I would post the laughing one if I could get the options bar back.) Apparently 5 inches of rain fell in an hour in Pensacola FL yesterday. Wow!
  • Member since
    December 2007
  • From: Georgia USA SW of Atlanta
  • 11,919 posts
Posted by blue streak 1 on Friday, May 2, 2014 4:50 AM

any info on mudslide in Yonkers NY ?

Moderator
  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: London ON
  • 10,392 posts
Posted by blownout cylinder on Friday, May 2, 2014 7:07 AM

Good Morning...

Kind of dull and dribbly here this morning...posta get some sun later on....high in the low 60's....Smile, Wink & Grin

Off to get blood work done then get some more scrips ....sheeesh....Bang Head

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,023 posts
Posted by tree68 on Friday, May 2, 2014 10:00 AM

Started out damp and gray this morning, now the sun is out.  Still cool outside, though.

Up a little earlier than usual for an EMS call.  The ladies need to know that women's heart attack symptoms are not necessarily the same as men's.  Don't know for sure that this particular patient had a heart attack (I'm sure I'll hear later), but it's a real possibility.

Heard this morning that another of my generation has passed on.  That's two cousins (different famililies, but both on Mom's side) in just a couple of months.  Mortality strikes again.

Gonna be a railroad weekend - working a wine/beer train tonight, and then two days of rules classes.  

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Friday, May 2, 2014 10:08 AM

tree68
working a wine/beer train tonight, and then two days of rules classes.  

That made me chuckle for some reason.

2 days?  Wow... we only get one.

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

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Friday, May 2, 2014 10:54 AM

Two days? Another day necessary for the details of handling tourist trains?

I did get back home yesterday morning, and spent the day catching up on this and that and taking care of necessary details--life insurance payment that was due 4/28 (I noted on the payment slip that I received it 1 May) and other matters.

It's chilly here, with the lows in the forties, but it is to warm up in the afternoons--and back down next week, with rain (hopefully not like that in Pensacola and the Northeast).

Johnny

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Central Iowa
  • 6,901 posts
Posted by jeffhergert on Friday, May 2, 2014 1:41 PM

zugmann

tree68
working a wine/beer train tonight, and then two days of rules classes.  

That made me chuckle for some reason.

2 days?  Wow... we only get one.

Zug, we get two days for rules classes.  Maybe you don't have enough rules?Laugh

I'm sure though that your company, like ours, gives you plenty of Special High Intensity Training.Wink 

Jeff

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Friday, May 2, 2014 1:50 PM

jeffhergert

Zug, we get two days for rules classes.  Maybe you don't have enough rules?Laugh

I'm sure though that your company, like ours, gives you plenty of Special High Intensity Training.Wink 

Jeff

Heh.  I'll hold my tongue.  Never know who is reading.

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

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Friday, May 2, 2014 1:54 PM

     Maybe that second day is training for serving the wine and beer correctly. Drinks

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Denver / La Junta
  • 10,820 posts
Posted by mudchicken on Friday, May 2, 2014 2:27 PM

zugmann

tree68
working a wine/beer train tonight, and then two days of rules classes.  

That made me chuckle for some reason.

2 days?  Wow... we only get one.

Make sure the shades are drawn for that one.....Wink

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
  • 13,323 posts
Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, May 2, 2014 5:17 PM

evening

matt is setting up his new arrangements for his room.had to wait for the local before we could go home today.Tomorrow it's the train show in toledo.Sunday we are going to see the 765 in Bryan.Mookie will check out Ed's site.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
  • 13,681 posts
Posted by CShaveRR on Friday, May 2, 2014 8:07 PM

I took a quick trip into Elmhurst today to do some banking and to check the hobby shop.  Their ATCS screen was off, so I couldn't see whether it had been updated to include the newly-opened crossovers at College (the old screen had plenty of room on the diagram for inserting the new plant).  Trains seen included a couple of coal/hopper trains, a pair stackers, a pair of manifests, and a westbound auto train.  Unfortunately for me, one of the manifests was seen while I was on a scoot in the opposite direction.  If you count the four scoots (two of which I was riding) that I also saw, that's 11 trains in less than an hour and a half, roughly eight trains per hour.  I can live with that.

Only one good sighting, though...an HCPX 21000-series tank car that I didn't have a clue about.  A look at one of the photo sites showed that the series had been relettered without being renumbered.  Still no help.  But an e-mail to my fellow carchaeologists gave me the answer I needed:  ex-OPIX.  Crazy...the cars went from one chemical company to another (OPIX reporting marks were transferred from Occidental to Equistar), then came back to Occidental! 

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)

Moderator
  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: London ON
  • 10,392 posts
Posted by blownout cylinder on Friday, May 2, 2014 9:36 PM

Murphy Siding

     Maybe that second day is training for serving the wine and beer correctly. Drinks

LaughLaugh

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Saturday, May 3, 2014 1:45 PM
I just dropped off 168 books at a little used bookstore that is the fund raising component for a small town history museum. It's a really fine line between having a lot of books and hording. I'm starting to wonder just when I crossed that line.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Saturday, May 3, 2014 2:58 PM

Murphy Siding
I just dropped off 168 books at a little used bookstore that is the fund raising component for a small town history museum. It's a really fine line between having a lot of books and hording. I'm starting to wonder just when I crossed that line.

When the fire and safety depts started driving up and down your street daily. 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
  • 13,681 posts
Posted by CShaveRR on Saturday, May 3, 2014 8:50 PM

Today Pat had a meeting to go to in Naperville, so I had the car. I filled the car with gas, and headed all the way north to Bensenville, just hoping a CP train would be sitting there. Well, I hit the jackpot: a train of WPSX empty coal cars on the UP line, an inbound CP stack train (one-unit wonder), and a manifest ready to head out as soon as the UP gave them the signal at Bryn Mawr. It was a long train with two units (one CP, one DM&E). I drove slowly, taking notes on what I could, then turned around and headed back south again. As I was a few carlengths past the engine headed back, I noticed that the manifest was moving!

Yes, folks, that was I who made that U-turn across four lanes of York Road to catch the head end again at Bryn Mawr. I pulled in there, and took copious notes as the train picked up speed. Lots of new tank cars of various types, crude-oil tanks that I hadn't seen before, and freight cars from two railroads that I'd heard of, but hadn't seen anything from before: the Saratoga & North Creek Railroad in New York and the Utah Central Railway in...oh, yeah, Utah. So two more files to build here.

The reason I went to Bensenville in the first place was because it was too early to grab lunch. It wasn't any more, so I got a burger at Wendy's and went to Elmhurst where I came across two trains leaving town westbound: a stack train and the same WPSX train I'd seen in Bensenville (which had changed crews at Proviso). The stack train won the race. I parked trackside while these guys were going by, picked up the Sunday Trib and a Diet Dew (I may die but I'll be happy), and ate lunch and did the Sudoku while a Com Ed coal train came in.

No headlights, and the signals at Park were all red, so I sneaked over to Jewel and picked up the stuff Pat was hoping I'd get (plus a few things for me), then came back to the tracks. The gates had just gone down for a westbound auto train. I couldn't get any build dates due to the train's speed, but made other notes about some new-looking cars.

When the train cleared, I crossed the tracks and headed west--and wouldn't you know it, an eastbound knocked down the gates at Myrtle (that's not a bad thing)! It was one of the longest manifests I'd seen in hours! More neat stuff, including cars with self-steering trucks under them, and another series of brand-new covered hoppers.

So I may have seen only a few more trains in three hours than I saw in just half that time yesterday, but today they were all freight trains (until the scoot that gave me the green light at the Grace/St. Charles intersection near home) and, because I wasn't seeing the same old same old, I now have nine pages of notes to agonize over, and one heck of a report to put together!

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)

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Saturday, May 3, 2014 9:42 PM

BC - are self-steering trucks something I would know if I just glanced at the trucks? 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: S.E. South Dakota
  • 13,569 posts
Posted by Murphy Siding on Saturday, May 3, 2014 10:27 PM
Mookie

Murphy Siding
I just dropped off 168 books at a little used bookstore that is the fund raising component for a small town history museum. It's a really fine line between having a lot of books and hording. I'm starting to wonder just when I crossed that line.

When the fire and safety depts started driving up and down your street daily. 
Well..... I do see a lot of garbage trucks moving up and down my street nearly daily. Coincidence?

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
  • 13,681 posts
Posted by CShaveRR on Sunday, May 4, 2014 8:40 AM

SJ, I think you would notice them, but I can't describe them to you.  Here is a picture of a car that's equipped with them:

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2017956

Note all of the extra stuff at the bottom of the sideframes (compare to the truck on the next car, also visible in the shot).  Those are the ends of bars that run diagonally below the bolsters and out of the way of the brake-rigging.  This keeps the axles more perpendicular to the rails.

Norris, I'm still in the hoarding phase, unfortunately, though not as strongly as I once was.  I keep having too much other stuff to do to reorganize my dungeon so it will accommodate the books.  Trust me, I use these books, and use them hard..it's not just hoarding for hoarding's sake!

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)

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Sunday, May 4, 2014 6:42 PM

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood and I have my south window open. 

The neighbor dog is giving me barking lessons. 

If this continues, I will have to pay him.  So I will introduce him to the "We Cite Barking Dogs" people. 

Fair trade, I think!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,023 posts
Posted by tree68 on Monday, May 5, 2014 12:08 AM

zugmann

tree68
working a wine/beer train tonight, and then two days of rules classes.  

That made me chuckle for some reason.

2 days?  Wow... we only get one.

First day NORAC, territory, and On-Track.  Second day (half day) air brakes.

I passed everything.

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Monday, May 5, 2014 10:54 AM

Larry, we all expected you to pass them. Well done!

Johnny

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
  • 13,323 posts
Posted by JoeKoh on Monday, May 5, 2014 2:27 PM

afternoon

busy weekend.toledo train shyow was nice.we went out in east toledo and saw Ns bring a combine train eastbound.Ns has some cars ready to go uptown.Need to get chores done.Ma nature is going to warm us up.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,023 posts
Posted by tree68 on Monday, May 5, 2014 4:09 PM

So, one of the images shown during the slide show Saturday night was a real stumper, and only some after-show research has provided a little information.  

Apparently, this locomotive (or its twin) ran on the NYC Adirondack Division (the line we run), possibly during some cold weather testing:


UP had two built.  They were condensing oil-fired turbines.  They didn't last long.

More info:  http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/upturb/upturb.htm


LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Monday, May 5, 2014 4:37 PM

Tree:  was this one of the "shark-nose"?

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,023 posts
Posted by tree68 on Monday, May 5, 2014 4:41 PM

Mookie

Tree:  was this one of the "shark-nose"?

No, this was a "one-off" (one of a kind, although two were built....).  It was built by GE.

Baldwin built the "shark nose":

While E's, F's, and ALCO PA's ran on the Adirondack Division, I know of no evidence that the sharknoses did.

LarryWhistling
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...

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy