NorthWest UP coal train with an ratty ex-SP DPU just passed. I hadn't considered this before, but judging by the appearance of the tunnel motors at about this age these ex-SP units may not have looked much different if SP had survived, minus the UP patches.
UP coal train with an ratty ex-SP DPU just passed. I hadn't considered this before, but judging by the appearance of the tunnel motors at about this age these ex-SP units may not have looked much different if SP had survived, minus the UP patches.
Was it patched or still all original SP? We met a coal train last night in western Iowa with an unpatched SP. One of the few still wandering around. Might have been the same train.
Jeff
Appeared to be patched. Lead two units were AC4400CWs in their as-delivered paint. (No flag.)
i dont know if this has been disscussed but have there though of bring the dispatcher feeds into the audio?
Just watched the imbecile on the riding mower blow grass clippings onto the concrete patio. If he rode west he could have gotten much closer and put the clippings back onto the grass where it would do the most good. Of course maybe he is going to blow them off.
denveroutlaws06I dont know if this has been disscussed but have there though of bring the dispatcher feeds into the audio?
I think it's been mentioned before. Occasionally, an MOW crew will have their radio piped to an outside speaker and turned up, so the mic on the cam picks up the audio.
I would opine that while an individual could probably "pirate" the feeds and place them on-line (as is done for public safety all over the place), it would probably behoove Trains (and the city of Rochelle) to get written permission to add the audio feeds. This leads to a couple of possibilities - Trains may not wish to go through the hassle, and the railroads may not wish to officially allow said rebroadcast.
If we could find a local fan who was willing (and able) to set up such a feed, you'd simply need to have two windows open instead of one on your browser...
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...
I had heard that BNSF had a power shortage but this is ridiculous! Two hi-rail trucks double headed on a rail train!
Ah. Here comes the real power - 2 road units. Interesting move.
ChuckAllen, TX
tree68 denveroutlaws06 If we could find a local fan who was willing (and able) to set up such a feed, you'd simply need to have two windows open instead of one on your browser...
denveroutlaws06 If we could find a local fan who was willing (and able) to set up such a feed, you'd simply need to have two windows open instead of one on your browser...
Here is a link to listen to Northern IL Railroad chatter:
tree68 denveroutlaws06 I dont know if this has been disscussed but have there though of bring the dispatcher feeds into the audio? I think it's been mentioned before. Occasionally, an MOW crew will have their radio piped to an outside speaker and turned up, so the mic on the cam picks up the audio. I would opine that while an individual could probably "pirate" the feeds and place them on-line (as is done for public safety all over the place), it would probably behoove Trains (and the city of Rochelle) to get written permission to add the audio feeds. This leads to a couple of possibilities - Trains may not wish to go through the hassle, and the railroads may not wish to officially allow said rebroadcast. If we could find a local fan who was willing (and able) to set up such a feed, you'd simply need to have two windows open instead of one on your browser...
denveroutlaws06 I dont know if this has been disscussed but have there though of bring the dispatcher feeds into the audio?
I'd be surprised if UP, BNSF, and TSA didn't have some serious objections to the dispatcher's communications being broadcast on the web.
I notice that occasionally an engine will be smoking a lot as it goes by. I assume that's time for some maintenance?
phkmn2000 I notice that occasionally an engine will be smoking a lot as it goes by. I assume that's time for some maintenance?
Not really. May have idling or lightly loaded for some time - then asked to come up to full power and excess fuel can be ignited in the exhaust path generating the smoke. Other indications are used for maintenance cycles.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Anybody at UP or BNSF monitor this forum? Might not be a bad idea. For example:
Somewhere in the last few (<5) cars of the WB UP oil empties that cleared Rochelle a few minutes ago, there was a partially stuck brake. It sounded to me like the brake shoe was pressed against the wheel just hard enough to make the noise of two pieces of metal sliding against each other with the wheel "singing" but still turning. It didn't sound real serious yet but could cause trouble after another brake application when it might stick completely.
If you REALLY feel that it was a stuck brake or something that should be reported to the RR, call their 800 "U.P. Hotline" and report it.
1 (800) 848-8715
I think there is a similar number for BNSF, but I don't have it in my phone. You should find the number to call stenciled on any signal shack or other signage at a grade crossing.
When I have called U.P., either to report a malfunctioning signal or "passengers" on a train (sitting on the end sill of a covered hopper), or tresspassers, they have been most appreciative and cordial and were quick to address the situation.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Had to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera. If I get stuck going out there, I wonder if there is a penalty for waving at the camera?
Semper VaporoIf you REALLY feel that it was a stuck brake or something that should be reported to the RR, call their 800 "U.P. Hotline" and report it. 1 (800) 848-8715
Thanks for that. It's a bit late to be calling now but I have added that number to my Contacts for the next time I see something.
mudchicken Had to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera. If I get stuck going out there, I wonder if there is a penalty for waving at the camera?
Johnny
mudchicken If I get stuck going out there, I wonder if there is a penalty for waving at the camera?
I don't know. Does the Screen Actors' Guild have a time-card procedure like many rail unions do? Who would get nicked for a day's pay? Trains, the railroads, or the operators of the web cam?
mudchickenHad to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera.
3 railroads? I think there might be more to that than I know.
The third railroad was the Milwaukee Road, south from Rockford, using the Q to get over the CNW, and then on further south toward Mendota and the Illinois River jumble of coal-mining spurs and high-wide clearance routes.
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)
Has the salad shooter's exclusivity/priority been diluted lately? I just watched what I initially thought was the salad shooter cross the diamonds eastbound based on three engines followed by two or three dozen white reefers, but tacked onto the end was a bunch of assorted general freight and empty flats/container wells.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Semper Vaporo If you REALLY feel that it was a stuck brake or something that should be reported to the RR, call their 800 "U.P. Hotline" and report it. 1 (800) 848-8715 I think there is a similar number for BNSF, but I don't have it in my phone. You should find the number to call stenciled on any signal shack or other signage at a grade crossing. When I have called U.P., either to report a malfunctioning signal or "passengers" on a train (sitting on the end sill of a covered hopper), or tresspassers, they have been most appreciative and cordial and were quick to address the situation.
Here's another UPRR phone number: 1-888-877-7267 (888UPRRCOP). It's the number for the Risk Management Hotline. The other number is the crossing hotline.
cefinkjr mudchicken Had to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera. 3 railroads? I think there might be more to that than I know.
mudchicken Had to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera.
Is the new signal bridge operational? Hard to tell from the camera.
mudchickenIf I get stuck going out there, I wonder if there is a penalty for waving at the camera?
Heck no! Of course, in the world of firefighting, appearing on the news is grounds for buying pizza. Not quite the same, but...
The minute I show up, my bad travelling electronic computer ju-ju will also arrive, crashing the system unfortunately.
blhanel Has the salad shooter's exclusivity/priority been diluted lately? I just watched what I initially thought was the salad shooter cross the diamonds eastbound based on three engines followed by two or three dozen white reefers, but tacked onto the end was a bunch of assorted general freight and empty flats/container wells.
That was most likely MCLPR. They take the empty Rochelle reefers to Proviso sometimes up to 30 reefers on the front.
They have started carrying a Selkirk block of freight on the Salad Shooters, at least some of them. I noticed this about a week ago. I always thought the trains were an exclusive Railex operation. Either they aren't or Railex might be getting the shaft, depending on their contract. (The CNW tried moving blocks of manifest freight on empty coal hoppers returning west. The utilities found out and raised heck. Something about a fuel charge in the contracts I was told. In effect the CNW was using fuel paid for by the utilities to move other freight. The practice stopped.)
I'm guessing the Selkirk blocks might be overflow from the other CSX run through, the QNPCXP. That train normally goes across Missouri via St. Louis. It used to go across Iowa and Illinois. Former symbol was QNPSKP.
The additional freight probably doesn't slow them down. Tons per Operative Brake and fuel conservation restrictions usually keep the speed in the 50 to 55 mph range anyway.
As a newb here, I'd like to understand how traffic control (dispatch?) works for this diamond. Suppose you have 3 trains approaching from different directions, 5 miles out, different speeds. How is it decided who gets to go and who waits?
Young (14? 15?) boy explaining to his parents what they are seeing. Could have been me 60 years ago at another location. Good to see another generation of rail fans stepping up.
phkmn2000As a newb here, I'd like to understand how traffic control (dispatch?) works for this diamond. Suppose you have 3 trains approaching from different directions, 5 miles out, different speeds. How is it decided who gets to go and who waits?
First come, first served. Everything I've heard here is that it is totally automatic.
Since the likelihood of all three trains hitting their circuits at exactly the same time is virtually nil, someone will be first. They'll get the diamond.
You mention three trains. That implies that one line will have two trains, while the other will have one. This being two tracks on each line, if the first train to hit the circuit is one of the two on the line (we'll assume running in opposite directions) the second will also get green, all other things being equal.
If the first train on the circuits is on the line with one train, the other two will have to wait.
It's not unusual to see a meet on the diamond. Some folks are of the opinion that if, say, a UP train has the diamond occupied, it might slow down so another UP train can get on the diamond before the first train clears, thus blocking BNSF for the duration. Don't know if that's fact, but it's certainly conceivable. I suppose one would have to be listening on the railroad channels to know for sure.
Maybe it's because of the location of the interlocking control points, but it seems like BNSF gets "preference" when it comes to who's likely to get the green lights. I seldom see or hear any BNSF traffic waiting for UP, but many times I've seen or heard UP waiting on BNSF, sometimes for several minutes before BNSF finally arrives.
blhanelMaybe it's because of the location of the interlocking control points, but it seems like BNSF gets "preference" when it comes to who's likely to get the green lights.
Someone wrote here at some point who was first at the location, but I forget who it was. One might presume that they might claim preference in that regard.
Another factor might be that BNSF is only double track through Rochelle - the rest of the line is single track. Thus they don't have the ability to "stack" trains like UP does on their two tracks.
BNSF's double track only goes from Steward to Flagg Center - maybe 10-12 miles tops.
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