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Semi-official Rochelle webcam discussion thread

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Posted by MrLynn on Monday, August 24, 2015 7:19 PM

rdettmer

wow i just saw a cool up passenger train go by ,about a dozen cars.

one had a real cool red white and blue paint job. very cool

I saw it back on August 4th.  My post then:

Posted by MrLynn on Tuesday, August 04, 2015 2:13 AM

Hey!  I just saw a PASSENGER TRAIN!! It was an all-yellow UP eastbound, headed by a couple of modern EMD locomotives (no E units), maybe 10 cars, with a dome car (!) and an observation car (!).

Is this a new development?  Private-livery passenger trains making a comeback?

I know, probably an executive train.  But doggone it, I can wish, can't I?  I'd like to ride that one, for sure.

Definitely is the UP executive train; search on YouTube and you'll find videos of it.

Is this a regular route for that train, or is it constantly on the move around the railroad?

/Mr Lynn

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Posted by jeffhergert on Monday, August 24, 2015 9:25 PM

They send business trains, of all sizes and for different reasons, all over the system.  The Heritage fleet is based in Council Bluffs.  I recall seeing one on the line up going to Global 4.  Might have been that one.

Jeff

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Posted by MrLynn on Thursday, August 27, 2015 6:18 AM

jeffhergert

They send business trains, of all sizes and for different reasons, all over the system.  The Heritage fleet is based in Council Bluffs.  I recall seeing one on the line up going to Global 4.  Might have been that one.

Jeff

Saw what looked like the same train as before (one dome car, one red-white-and-blue decorated car, observation car, and several coaches) heading west last night, c. 8:30 EDT, just as an eastbound coal train was clearing the diamonds.

/Mr Lynn

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Posted by MKT Dave on Friday, August 28, 2015 10:50 AM

1045am think it was a rail grinder long and loud, couldn't see sparks. got pictures off the cam using a snipping tool. will post link when i upload them. for some reason, i can't get pictures to up load here.

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Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, August 28, 2015 12:37 PM

MT UP coal train passing now.  I know colored panels on the ends of hoppers or bath tub gons indicates "rotary coupler on this end".  Anybody know the difference, other than color, between yellow and pink (faded red?) panels?

Chuck
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Posted by MKT Dave on Friday, August 28, 2015 3:12 PM

here is the link to posted photo's on facebook, if you don't do facebook, let me know, i'll put them up somewhere else.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153539386123194&set=pcb.10153539405493194&type=1&theater

I've tried uploading photos to my 'Trains' photo section, for some reason, it doesn't work for me.

...
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Posted by rdamon on Friday, August 28, 2015 3:54 PM

If you right click on the photo and get the url you can insert it.

 

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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, August 28, 2015 4:27 PM

cefinkjr

MT UP coal train passing now.  I know colored panels on the ends of hoppers or bath tub gons indicates "rotary coupler on this end".  Anybody know the difference, other than color, between yellow and pink (faded red?) panels?

 

The colors themselves have no signifigance.  They where what was available when the order of cars was built.  The critical thing is that the colored ends must all be in the same direction to facilitate dumping at the consignee's facility.  The purpose of rotary couplers is to permit the car to be rotated and dumped without uncoupling from adjacent cars.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, August 28, 2015 5:01 PM

BaltACD
 
cefinkjr

MT UP coal train passing now.  I know colored panels on the ends of hoppers or bath tub gons indicates "rotary coupler on this end".  Anybody know the difference, other than color, between yellow and pink (faded red?) panels?

 

 

 

The colors themselves have no signifigance.  They where what was available when the order of cars was built.

Thought that might be the case.

Chuck
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Posted by SushiLover on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 9:43 AM
Is the radio feed at Broadcastify not always live? There's been a couple times now where I've either heard the same transmission repeated (like the same comment and laughing from a dispatcher) or the time has been mentioned and it's a couple hours in the past.
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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 10:47 AM

BaltACD
The colors themselves have no signifigance.  They where what was available when the order of cars was built. 

Or, that's what the customer wanted - maybe some corporate tie or an attempt to be a little different so's to tell cars apart.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by xjqcf on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 3:22 PM

SushiLover
Is the radio feed at Broadcastify not always live? There's been a couple times now where I've either heard the same transmission repeated (like the same comment and laughing from a dispatcher) or the time has been mentioned and it's a couple hours in the past.
 

 

I've not heard this this particular problem, and I monitor this feed as well as the webcam frequently. I don't use the web-based player; I route the feed to an external program so that I can capture the right channel only (which is USUALLY the UP/BNSF traffic) to both left and right so that I can listen in stereo without the feed's left channel (CN/CP/ICE) cluttering everything up.

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Posted by CatFoodFlambe on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 5:51 PM

That can backfire.  Back in the early 1970's, the Detroit Toledo and Ironton painted their 86' hi-cube boxcars in different colors to make it easy to "check" that cars were headed to the right plants (the ones painted purple with yellow lettering would grab the attention of even the general public).  This worked just fine - until adjustments in production required re-assignment of cars.  

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Posted by SushiLover on Wednesday, September 2, 2015 7:02 AM

xjqcf

 

 
SushiLover
Is the radio feed at Broadcastify not always live? There's been a couple times now where I've either heard the same transmission repeated (like the same comment and laughing from a dispatcher) or the time has been mentioned and it's a couple hours in the past.
 

 

 

 

I've not heard this this particular problem, and I monitor this feed as well as the webcam frequently. I don't use the web-based player; I route the feed to an external program so that I can capture the right channel only (which is USUALLY the UP/BNSF traffic) to both left and right so that I can listen in stereo without the feed's left channel (CN/CP/ICE) cluttering everything up.

 

 

Thanks, maybe I'll try using VLC instead of the web player and see what happens.

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Posted by xjqcf on Wednesday, September 2, 2015 9:55 AM

Yesterday UP track forces dropped off some ties to the north side of their tracks and from the look of the length of some of them it appeared that some of the ties among the diamonds were slated to be replaced. Sure enough today they're working on the diamonds replacing ties with the assistance of two excavators adapted with claws to manipulate the ties

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Posted by schmaltz on Wednesday, September 2, 2015 1:15 PM

Serious backhoe work underway right now.

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Posted by eolafan on Friday, September 4, 2015 8:14 AM

Just logged onto the Rochelle webcam and wow, they have tons of excavator machines buzzing all over the diamonds right now...doesn't look like there will be any train activity there for a while today as nothing could get through that maze of Cat machines, etc., etc.. Does anybody know what's going on...tie replacement or are they changing out the diamonds again due to severe wear?

Eolafan (a.k.a. Jim)
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Posted by MKT Dave on Friday, September 4, 2015 11:38 AM

If you watch it for a bit, a siren will go off, and they will clear the dimonds, a train will go through slow, after it's gone, they will return. They are replacing ties under the diamonds. They have been replacing ties through the Rochelle UP tracks for the past month. They really do have a routine set up, and they start early and work late.

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Friday, September 4, 2015 12:08 PM

MKT Dave
If you watch it for a bit, a siren will go off, and they will clear the dimonds, a train will go through slow, after it's gone, they will return

As is happening as I write, a WB stacker coming through slow on 2, slower than usual even when yarding at Global 3.

Watching the three tie handler machines all moving around with booms extended at the same time, I am reminded of the Paul Newman segment in "What a Way to Go" from the sixties.  A movie that, while a bit dated, still is very funny.

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Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, September 4, 2015 12:30 PM

MKT Dave
... they start early and work late.

This may be what we would have called a "system gang" on the NYC in the '60s.  These were larger groups of MoW people who handled major jobs like tie replacement over more distance than a local gang would be able to handle in addition to regular maintenance.  The guys in a system gang worked all over the NYC and were typically far from home.  By mutual agreement with the company, they worked four 10-hour days every week and had 4-day "weekends" every other week.  Another benefit to the company was that part of the railroad was tied up one less day every week.

Chuck
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Posted by DS4-4-1000 on Friday, September 4, 2015 1:31 PM

CatFoodFlambe

That can backfire.  Back in the early 1970's, the Detroit Toledo and Ironton painted their 86' hi-cube boxcars in different colors to make it easy to "check" that cars were headed to the right plants (the ones painted purple with yellow lettering would grab the attention of even the general public).  This worked just fine - until adjustments in production required re-assignment of cars.  

 
The Reading had a variation on that idea with open hopper cars.  A car with a white panel signified sand service, an orange panel signified iron ore service, a blue panel signified sugar service (yes, sugar).  There was a similar system using the color of the lines above and below the reporting marks for the covered hoppers, the only one I remember is blue lines meant sugar service.
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Posted by blhanel on Monday, September 7, 2015 8:30 PM

Rail Grinder currently working BNSF Track 1 eastbound... he stopped halfway across the diamond and is now backing up.

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Posted by MKT Dave on Monday, September 7, 2015 8:33 PM

20:25 Rail Grinder from the west, on BNSF. Came down the line #2, crossing the diamond, then backed down. Now out of sight around the bend, sounds like it's coming back now.

20:34 the Grinder is back, totally gone by 20:39

 

 photo Capture 30.png

 

 photo Capture 31.png

backing down

 

 photo Capture 36 20 36.png

See the Sparks Fly!

The Sound was appauling.

 

 

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Posted by cefinkjr on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 11:11 AM

EarthCam says 70 degrees and overcast in Rochelle.  The random appearance of blurred spots on the video feed says rain.  Kind of an interesting visual effect though.  It almost looks like lots of tiny little foggy spots.

Chuck
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Posted by cefinkjr on Thursday, September 17, 2015 4:58 PM

Just saw an EB UP stacker rockin' and rollin' through the diamonds on #2.  Looked like the offender was the diamond with BNSF #1 but can't be sure; I only saw the last 10 or 15 cars and the train was moving at or near track speed.

Chuck
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Posted by cefinkjr on Saturday, September 19, 2015 1:35 PM

Did I miss an email telling me that this thread had been abandoned?  Anyway:

Just saw a WB UP Salad Shooter (?); about 70 or 80 white reefers behind 4 units.  Most of the cars had been tagged; that's understandable as their white sides are great canvases for taggers.  But two things occurred to me as I watched that train pass:

1. About 20% of the cars had a bright orange stripe at the top and bottom of the sides.  Few of these had been tagged.  Newer cars or cars that are normally spotted where taggers can't get at them?

2. Much as I hate to admit it, some of the tags really look nice.  Such a waste of money, time, and talent!  

Chuck
Allen, TX

CBT
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Posted by CBT on Sunday, September 20, 2015 10:34 AM

Just caught a NS powerd train.

CBT
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Posted by CBT on Sunday, September 20, 2015 6:18 PM

Oh, and a question. If the diamond is shared bu UP and BNSF who is responsible for the maintence of the diamond. Thanks to any answers.

Chris

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Posted by Deggesty on Sunday, September 20, 2015 6:46 PM

CBT

Oh, and a question. If the diamond is shared bu UP and BNSF who is responsible for the maintence of the diamond. Thanks to any answers.

Chris

 

Johnny-come-lately--in this case the Burlington (now the BNSF) is the one responsible. The first road through would have no worries about maintaining anything that is made necessary by a later arrival on the scene.

Johnny

CBT
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Posted by CBT on Sunday, September 20, 2015 7:06 PM

Deggesty

 

 
CBT

Oh, and a question. If the diamond is shared bu UP and BNSF who is responsible for the maintence of the diamond. Thanks to any answers.

Chris

 

 

 

Johnny-come-lately--in this case the Burlington (now the BNSF) is the one responsible. The first road through would have no worries about maintaining anything that is made necessary by a later arrival on the scene.

 

 

Thanks

chris

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