Semi-official Rochelle webcam discussion thread

[jeffhergert]

Met an eastbound with one this afternoon.  I think it was the UP 8381 East.  

Jeff

[blhanel]

A relatively short westbound IM just crossed the diamonds with an Arrowedge up front- another one coming your way, Jeff!

[xjqcf]

blhanel

Hmmm... eastbound BNSF sand (?) train just stopped with its manifest about halfway through the diamond.

EDIT: He's cleared now, wonder why he had to stop.  Lot's of AOKX 49XXXX covered hoppers.

 

 

I suspect this was a "rock train"  going to the south Rochelle industrial tracks operated by the Burlington Junction Railway. The switch connecting BNSF to the trackage is located just east of the crossing. Although I was listening to the Northern Illinois scanner feed on the Broadcastify site lots of interfering chatter blocked the Aurora Sub traffic, so I could not pick out switching moves, but this seems to fit the movement pattern, along with the solid low volume covered hopper consist.

[blhanel]

Hmmm... eastbound BNSF sand (?) train just stopped with its manifest about halfway through the diamond.

EDIT: He's cleared now, wonder why he had to stop.  Lot's of AOKX 49XXXX covered hoppers.

[writesong]

jeffhergert

Which way was the stack train going?  I met a westbound stack train the other night with the arrowedge.  First time I've seen it in person.

Jeff  

 

_____________________________

@ JEFF HERGERT:

It was coming from Clinton, Iowa, so I reckon it was headed towards Chicago.

[jeffhergert]

Which way was the stack train going?  I met a westbound stack train the other night with the arrowedge.  First time I've seen it in person.

Jeff  

[writesong]

@ PAUL OF COVINGTON:

Yes, that was it.

Thanks!

[Paul of Covington]

writesong

A little earlier, I saw a Union Pacific Intermodal Freight Train pulled by three locomotives, with the lead freight car's top container having a silver colored arrow shape at the front.

Did anyone else notice that?

I wish I'd snapped a picture.

Is that a new device that Union Pacific is adding on to the top container of the leading freight car to act as a windbreak, to streamline the freight load?

I've never seen that before.

Also, I notice that if you look through those trees, you can see the headlamp of a locomotive long before it gets to the diamond.

   Is this what it looked like?

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/intermodal/up-arrowedge-technology-to-debut-this-month.html

   There was a discussion about it a couple of years ago at

http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/220454.aspx

[writesong]

A little earlier, I saw a Union Pacific Intermodal Freight Train pulled by three locomotives, with the lead freight car's top container having a silver colored arrow shape at the front.

Did anyone else notice that?

I wish I'd snapped a picture.

Is that a new device that Union Pacific is adding on to the top container of the leading freight car to act as a windbreak, to streamline the freight load?

I've never seen that before.

Also, I notice that if you look through those trees, you can see the headlamp of a locomotive long before it gets to the diamond.

[rdamon]

It was here in this 2007 street view.

 

 

But not in the overhead view.

 

 

[MKT Dave]

For a time Milwaukee Road had rights across the diamonds in Rochelle, this picture shows the BN Station in Rochelle, Is it still there?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/15158681@N00/33613053621/in/dateposted-public/

[writesong]

When watching the live streaming video from Rochelle, Illinois, I noticed a hobo named Fred, while obviously running as fast as he can, just barely manages to hop aboard the passing freight train, just managing to hang on to the back of the very last car.

You can see that Fred is in trouble because he keeps signaling for help with his flashing red light.

Poor ol' Fred!

But, still, Fred keeps on hanging on to that freight car, and since the bulls haven't been able to keep him from hopping that freight, then that must mean that Fred is now the new emperor of the North Pole.

[MKT Dave]

Herzog WB across the diamonds at 12.01

https://www.flickr.com/photos/15158681@N00/33585341162/in/dateposted-public/

Herzog EB across the diamonds at 12.28, being passed by EB BNSF  

https://www.flickr.com/photos/15158681@N00/33585342712/in/dateposted-public/

 

[tree68]

cefinkjr

We're in agreement.

I kinda thought that...

[cefinkjr]

tree68

 

cefinkjr

Picking up signal system hardware made obsolete by implementation of ATC?

 

 

Probably more like picking up equipment replaced by that required by PTC...

My bad.  That's what I meant.  I just had the wrong acronym.  Knew it didn't sound right when I typed it.  We're in agreement.

[tree68]

cefinkjr

Picking up signal system hardware made obsolete by implementation of ATC?

Probably more like picking up equipment replaced by that required by PTC...

[cefinkjr]

xjqcf

Well, today it's BNSF's turn. A Special Herzog work "train" consisting of a custom power unit, 6 well cars, and a rear cab moved east across the diamond. Over the past week I observed this work unit passing west, emply except for an excavator located on the end well car. From time to time on the scanner I had heard BNSF work crews talking about removing material, some of which sounded like signal related structures. Today's observation seems to confirm this - the work unit was loaded with what appeared to be weathered signal cases and bungalows. Seems like both UP and BNSF are currently engaged in a lot of "spring cleaning."

Picking up signal system hardware made obsolete by implementation of ATC?

[xjqcf]

Well, today it's BNSF's turn. A Special Herzog work "train" consisting of a custom power unit, 6 well cars, and a rear cab moved east across the diamond. Over the past week I observed this work unit passing west, emply except for an excavator located on the end well car. From time to time on the scanner I had heard BNSF work crews talking about removing material, some of which sounded like signal related structures. Today's observation seems to confirm this - the work unit was loaded with what appeared to be weathered signal cases and bungalows. Seems like both UP and BNSF are currently engaged in a lot of "spring cleaning."

[Semper Vaporo]

It looked like a headlight is mounted right on the tip of the crane boom.

[xjqcf]

xjqcf

The American Crane, having apparently been stowed away on a side track in Rochelle, came out and just passed the diamonds westbound.

 

... and now crossed back east. From the chatter on the scanner sounds like they're picking up scrap iron.

 

[AgentKid]

I was wondering if that was the machine everyone is talking about. I saw it arrive a couple of weeks ago under tow by a regular locomotive. I don't remember what type or exactly when.

Bruce

[Semper Vaporo]

Dis one!

 

 

 

 

[xjqcf]

The American Crane, having apparently been stowed away on a side track in Rochelle, came out and just passed the diamonds westbound.

[xjqcf]

I saw the "train" the other day, working west on track one. More specifically it's an "American" crane, with the cab on the west end. They were apparently picking up scrap metal and had an electromagnet attached. This lead ironically to another "stand-off" at the diamond, this time between two sets of work equipment crossing the diamonds. A BNSF team consisting of a tamper and a ballast regulator were trying to cross eastbound. The BNSF foreman was trying to operate the key release to protect the crossing but was unable; the American crane was working just east and only cleared when the crane crossed just barely west of the home signals, stopping to pick up some material on the north side by the partially demolished Del Monte facility. The foreman reported his success to the BNSF dispatcher, commenting that he had tried to call the UP dispatcher on the phone 5 times, never getting the phone answered The pithy reply of the BNSF dispatcher "They never do"

[BaltACD]

Heated the above link

 

All anyone every wanted to know about Burro Cranes and their uses

Save

[Electroliner 1935]

Self propelled crane. NOT on flat car. See

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGX7tE8PQmg

[Semper Vaporo]

Looked more like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNBfA6x-foU

 

Crane on a flat car.

[Electroliner 1935]

Was the crane on a flat car or was it pushing (pulling) a flat car? Railroad Mof W use (d?) Burro cranes that are sef propelled. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftDUUkI_q48

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2419431

[xjqcf]

Eastbound BNSF Office Car Special just passed with two cars

[tree68]

Semper Vaporo

Is the engine on the crane running a generator to power some wheel set on one of the flat cars?

The crane could be self powered, either via hydraulics (most likely) or direct drive.