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Semi-official Rochelle webcam discussion thread

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Posted by cefinkjr on Sunday, November 22, 2015 5:50 PM

The Butler
cefinkjr

Nice picture, James.  How'd you do that?

My computer came with a program called "Snipping Tool."  I first found the program on Vista.  It has been on Windows7, 8.1, and 10 (which is what I am now using).

Thanks for the prompt reply, James.  I thought maybe you had some nifty tool that I had not yet discovered.

I love the Snipping Tool but I don't think I discovered it until Windows 7 (even though I used Vista for some time).  Microsoft doesn't do a real good job of identifying new features or where they moved old ones.  By the time you find most of them, it's time to get a new release and start the "where did they hide my favorite feature this time?" game again.

One thing I've always wished for with the Snipping Tool is the ability to send the snipped material directly to a printer.  The only way I know to do that is to paste it into some other app and print that.  Still, I think the Snipping Tool is one of the nicest features to come along in some time.

Chuck
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Posted by Jim611 on Sunday, November 22, 2015 7:09 PM

MKT Dave

 I use the snipping tool a lot. today about 1300 to 1400 there was a machine on UP track #1, it was blowing air onto the diamonds and I suspect it had rotarty brushes also going back and forth blowing white to black dust or snow.

 

I saw that machine blowing too and was wondering why as there are no moving parts at the diamond.  The only reason I can think of as to why they were blowing snow out of the diamond is that they have some welding to do.

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Posted by MrLynn on Sunday, November 22, 2015 7:11 PM

cefinkjr

 

 
The Butler
cefinkjr

Nice picture, James.  How'd you do that?

My computer came with a program called "Snipping Tool."  I first found the program on Vista.  It has been on Windows7, 8.1, and 10 (which is what I am now using).

 

Thanks for the prompt reply, James.  I thought maybe you had some nifty tool that I had not yet discovered.

I love the Snipping Tool but I don't think I discovered it until Windows 7 (even though I used Vista for some time).  Microsoft doesn't do a real good job of identifying new features or where they moved old ones.  By the time you find most of them, it's time to get a new release and start the "where did they hide my favorite feature this time?" game again.

One thing I've always wished for with the Snipping Tool is the ability to send the snipped material directly to a printer.  The only way I know to do that is to paste it into some other app and print that.  Still, I think the Snipping Tool is one of the nicest features to come along in some time.

 
I have to laugh.  Command-shift-3 on Macintosh computers has taken a screen shot (command-shift-4 lets you select the area) since at least System 7 back in the 1990s.  In OS X it saves the shot as a PNG file; just open in Preview and print, or paste into any other application.
 
/Mr Lynn
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, November 22, 2015 7:30 PM

 

Since way back in Microsoft Windows 3, pressing “Prt Sc” (Print Screen) captured the entire screen to the “Clipboard”.  Pressing the “Alt” key in combination with “Prt Sc” captures the currently selected program window.  The “Clipboard” can then be pasted into a graphics/photo editing program (such as MS Paint) or even a word processor.  Pressing “Prt Sc” with both the Left “Alt” key and Left “Shift” pressed turns on a high contrast mode.  In Windows 8, pressing the “Win” key in combination with “Prt Sc” will save the captured image to disk.  This is all almost the same as what DOS used to do when “Prt Sc” would automatically send the screen content to the printer.

The "Snipping Tool" is just a refinement that allows one to select any area of the screen instead of limiting the selection to the whole screen or just the active window (i.e.: you can select just a portion of a window or span multiple windows, but less than the whole screen).

 

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by The Butler on Sunday, November 22, 2015 9:39 PM

Semper, thanks for that.  I have very basic knowledge concerning computers and Windows.  I did not know about the "PRTSC" function.  I just tried it.  Opened "Paint" pasted (CTRL V) and poof there was the screen shot.

James


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Posted by The Butler on Sunday, November 22, 2015 9:45 PM

Chuck, after I "snip" I save it to my desktop, open "Paint," and edit the snip.  As far as I know, once the "snip" is saved to the desktop, if you click the image, what ever program that opens could print the image.

 

James


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Posted by Oldtrainwatcher on Sunday, November 22, 2015 9:58 PM

There is a free snipping tool that will do just about anything you'd want: send to the printer, save as a .jpeg, copy to clipboard, open in image editor, etc.  It's called Greenshot and you can find it at http://getgreenshot.org/.  When installed it works when you press prt sc and you can easily define the area you want to snip.  Since I found it I never use anything else.  

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Posted by cefinkjr on Sunday, November 22, 2015 11:50 PM

The Butler

Semper, thanks for that.

Wink

The Butler

Chuck, after I "snip" I save it to my desktop, open "Paint," and edit the snip.  As far as I know, once the "snip" is saved to the desktop, if you click the image, what ever program that opens could print the image.

I do essentially the same thing but I paste directly into Paint, Word, Outlook, or whatever is most appropriate.  Probably a matter of steps 1-2-3 vs 2-1-3 or something like that.  The biggest difference is that I have to go back to the Snipping Tool if I goof bad enough and you have your desktop version to go back to.

Much of my snipping is of lists in File Manager or Windows Update.  I want these printed for comparison to other lists or a similar list from another app or another machine.  Seeing these lists as character data rather than the .jpg, .png, or whatever image they really are, I usually paste into Word and print that.

Is anyone's hand steady enough to use free-form snipping successfully?  If you can do that, you probably draw straight lines without a ruler and draw perfect circles without a compass or template.

Chuck
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Monday, November 23, 2015 8:08 AM

cefinkjr
The Butler

Semper, thanks for that. 

Wink

The Butler

Chuck, after I "snip" I save it to my desktop, open "Paint," and edit the snip.  As far as I know, once the "snip" is saved to the desktop, if you click the image, what ever program that opens could print the image.

 

I do essentially the same thing but I paste directly into Paint, Word, Outlook, or whatever is most appropriate.  Probably a matter of steps 1-2-3 vs 2-1-3 or something like that.  The biggest difference is that I have to go back to the Snipping Tool if I goof bad enough and you have your desktop version to go back to.

Much of my snipping is of lists in File Manager or Windows Update.  I want these printed for comparison to other lists or a similar list from another app or another machine.  Seeing these lists as character data rather than the .jpg, .png, or whatever image they really are, I usually paste into Word and print that.

Is anyone's hand steady enough to use free-form snipping successfully?  If you can do that, you probably draw straight lines without a ruler and draw perfect circles without a compass or template.

 

Unfortunately, it does not paste "TEXT" into Word (or any other word processing program that I know of), it pastes an "IMAGE" of the text, the same as pasting into a photo/drawing program.  You cannot edit the text with the keyboard, you would have to draw the text to be different, which would be tedious at best or, well... Nigh on to impossible to do nicely.

I used to have another snipping tool that worked in previous versions of Winders that would copy text.  It would also scroll a text box (such as the list of files in File Manager) to capture all the text in the box, instead of just what was visible on the screen.  It worked well in Winders 95, 98 and 98 SE, but was somewhat crippled (only scrolled "some" text boxes, but not others) in Winders XP and doesn't work at all in anything later than that.  (Thanks a lot MicroSoft! Grumpy )

As for the "free-form" snipping tool... my being a programmer, I just bet that that feature is only there because the library of drawing tools (Pick an area, drag out a rectangle, etc,) contained a "free form" enclose an area function (a somewhat useful photo editing feature), so the program just makes that available as one of the options.  The programer(s) didn't have to do anything special to add that feature nor did he/she/they really intend for anybody to find it useful.  If you have used any of MicroSoft's 'utility'/'tools' much you will know that they don't put much effort into making them useful, they just barely do the intended function and it is up to others to SELL to us users other apps that take the place of the supplied tools that are well planned, "fully fleshed out" and useful.

 

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by rdamon on Monday, November 23, 2015 11:20 AM

I have been using a freeware program for 10+ years called Irfanview.

http://www.irfanview.com/

It is a very small program that is quick to load. It is very fast for viewing photos and editing. Very simple crop and resize.

Much easier to load and use than MS, Adobe or anything that starts with an I when you want to paste in a screen shot or a photo and make some quick changes and move on.

 

Looking at the cam .. Looks like no body has ventured down to the fire pit.

CBT
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Posted by CBT on Monday, November 23, 2015 1:58 PM

Has BNSF not ran as many trains because it looks like the snow on the UP tracks has melted alot more?

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Posted by Deggesty on Monday, November 23, 2015 2:02 PM

Well, the UP does have quite a bit more traffic through Rochelle every day. 

Johnny

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Posted by Deggesty on Monday, November 23, 2015 3:55 PM

It looks as though the camera is stuck (frozen?), or is that train of autoracks just sitting there?

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, November 23, 2015 4:09 PM

Deggesty

It looks as though the camera is stuck (frozen?), or is that train of autoracks just sitting there?

Train must be stopped - I can see movement in the trees, and someone sounded 3 shorts and now it is moving East.

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, November 23, 2015 4:14 PM

Two men in Yellow Hi-Viz waking East along the train.  Horn sounded 2 shorts - expect train to pull West.

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, November 23, 2015 4:19 PM

Pulling West at 1619.

Crossing cleared at 1625.

I suspect there was a UDE and some form of train separation was discovered.  Either a broken knuckle or the train was uncoupled between 2 cars; hi-lo coupling or faulty locking mechanism allowed a knuckle to open.

EB BNSF intermodal over the crossing at 1628.

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Posted by Deggesty on Monday, November 23, 2015 6:05 PM

I just got back from supper and saw that the sun had set in Rochelle. Then I read Balt's play by play posts. Truly a bad place to be stopped when only one person is available to find the problem. I wonder how many trains were held up on the BNSF.

Johnny

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Posted by MrLynn on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 7:16 AM

Deggesty

I just got back from supper and saw that the sun had set in Rochelle. Then I read Balt's play by play posts. Truly a bad place to be stopped when only one person is available to find the problem. I wonder how many trains were held up on the BNSF.

Here's the sun setting over that stalled autorack:

What does 'UDE' mean?

/Mr Lynn

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Posted by Old Limey on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 7:26 AM

When I came on the Rochelle site (My time 13-00 hrs GMT A BNSF westbound was syuck across the junction and as another overtook it wrong track it must have been for some time.I went back after posting this and saw the stuck freight moving at last and then another wrong track repeated the first.Only then did  up & down Union Pacifics  start rolling again and I expect more as soon as I get back after this update. Track problem West on the BNSF?

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Rochelle Holdup
Posted by Old Limey on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 7:26 AM

What is going on at Rochelle at this time as there seems to be some major holdup blocking the junction?

 

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 11:52 AM

Quoting Mr Lynn: "What does 'UDE' mean?" Essentially, "undesired emergency application (of brakes)"--the engineer did not apply the brakes, and it is necessary to walk the train until the problem is found.

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Posted by AgentKid on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 2:27 PM

Just watched an empty unit train of bathtub gons, presumably for the coal trade, heading west on the BNSF at 1419. It seems to me that since I have been watching the camera, coal trains have been a UP exclusive. I guess this is due to a problem on the regular BNSF route to the PRB.

In regards to Deggesty's comment above, I am surprised one of our regular humourists hasn't already jumped in with the comment, "when is an emergency ever desired?"

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 3:04 PM

AgentKid

Just watched an empty unit train of bathtub gons, presumably for the coal trade, heading west on the BNSF at 1419. It seems to me that since I have been watching the camera, coal trains have been a UP exclusive. I guess this is due to a problem on the regular BNSF route to the PRB.

In regards to Deggesty's comment above, I am surprised one of our regular humourists hasn't already jumped in with the comment, "when is an emergency ever desired?"

Bruce

When the engineer percieves the need for a emergency application and initiates it from the control stand, however, on my carrier the inspection requirements are the same.

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 3:10 PM

AgentKid

Just watched an empty unit train of bathtub gons, presumably for the coal trade, heading west on the BNSF at 1419. It seems to me that since I have been watching the camera, coal trains have been a UP exclusive. I guess this is due to a problem on the regular BNSF route to the PRB.

In regards to Deggesty's comment above, I am surprised one of our regular humourists hasn't already jumped in with the comment, "when is an emergency ever desired?"

Bruce

 

 

Yes, Bruce, an emergency brake application is never desired, whether it is the engineer who bigholes it or it is something back in the train that sets the brakes hard.

However, since "UDE" seems to be accepted as the shorthand for the situation, who are we who are not employed in the industry to say that the brief description should be changed?Smile

Over the sixty-four years that I have been intrigued by the industry, I have come to accept--and even be somewhat amused--by the many terms used to describe or name this or that, thinking especially at this moment of "glad hands" (did you ever join two together or assist in breaking two apart?)

Johnny

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Posted by AgentKid on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 4:19 PM

Deggesty
did you ever join two together or assist in breaking two apart?

No, but I vividly remember the day the conductor on a Bassano-Calgary Mixed showed my Dad and me in detail how couplers worked. While the brakemen where lifting some cars at the elevators the combine and caboose were spotted in front of the station. He explained how couplers worked and let us move the knucle in and out and work the cut lever. Because his caboose was built before automatic couplers became law, it's coupler had the slot in the knuckle that could be used for link and pin couplers. He pointed out where the spare link was kept and was very disappointed when he discovered that his spare link had fallen off, as he had taken pride in the fact that he still had one over 50 years after it was needed. Branchline conductors still had assigned cabooses then.

I remember him showing us the anglecocks but that was as far as we got before it was time for him to leave. To this day I am still not 100% sure how gladhands work.

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere"  CP Rail Public Timetable

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 6:01 PM

 

AgentKid
Deggesty

No, but I vividly remember the day the conductor on a Bassano-Calgary Mixed showed my Dad and me in detail how couplers worked. While the brakemen where lifting some cars at the elevator the combine and caboose were spotted in front of the station. He explained how couplers worked and let us move the knucle in and out and work the cut lever. Because his caboose was built before automatic couplers became law, it's coupler had the slot in the knuckle that could be used for link and pin couplers. He pointed out where the spare link was kept and was very disappointed when he discovered that his spare link had fallen off, as he had taken pride in the fact that he still had one over 50 years after it was needed. Branchline conductors still had assigned cabooses then.

I remember him showing us the anglecocks but that was as far as we got before it was time for him to leave. To this day I am still not 100% sure how gladhands work.

Bruce

Not able to find a video of railroad glad hand being coupled.  Only thing is a trucker's video.  While the specifica hardware is different, the principles of coupling and operation are the same.  First 3.5 minutes are most illustrative.

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 6:20 PM

The video covered coupling gladhands pretty well.  As long as they aren't under pressure, they'll come apart with a simple twist as well.

They are made to simply pull apart when uncoupling.  It's always a good idea to be well clear when doing so - those metal fittings at the end of rubber hoses whip around pretty good when they part.

More fun is changing the gasket - especially when it's cold.  Most folks carry a gasket or two with them, just in case.

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 7:18 PM

A. Balt, I agree that there are times when an emergency application is necessary-the engineer may wish it were not necessary, but he knows it is desirable, especially since he did not expect such necessity.

B. Balt, I agree that the principle is the same, whether it is in OTR trucking or railroad cars--but I do not remember having that much trouble in getting the two gladhands to join up. I agree with Larry that you stand way back when uncoupling two glad hands--and be prepared for the sound of escaping air (the first time I remember being near two cars that were being uncoupled, I was on the platform in the Atlanta Terminal Station, and was a little frightened by the sound as one car was being set out.

Johnny

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Posted by AgentKid on Wednesday, November 25, 2015 7:30 PM

tree68

those metal fittings at the end of rubber hoses whip around pretty good when they part.

Balt, thanks for the video. I always did wonder about some of the things he was talking about.

Larry, I remember those hoses whipping around when they came apart. Nobody ever warned us about staying back, perhaps they should have.

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere"  CP Rail Public Timetable

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

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Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, November 26, 2015 12:41 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58X6Xstpg1E

  Coupling up the glad hands begins about 7min 30 seconds in.

UDEs don't always require a walking inspection for us.  If the air comes back and there was no harsh slack action felt when stopping, there are a few items that if any one is met, don't require the inspection for most trains.  Of course, if the air doesn't come back, you have a problem.  Hopefully just an air hose.

Jeff 

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