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Semi-official Rochelle webcam discussion thread

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 6:01 PM

I see it as a sticky too.  It's okay by me... I suppose someone asked that it be made a sticky so they can find it faster.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by rdamon on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 11:25 AM

Is there a reason for making this thread sticky, or it it just showing up that way for me?

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, August 28, 2016 1:04 PM

AgentKid
Did you notice on the one blue car the bright graffiti,

Reminds me of a comment elsewhere about the reporting marks being higher on a car and that said practice might help prevent taggers from obscuring the reporting marks.

Saw an auto carrier once that had been tagged completely blue on one side - top to bottom...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by AgentKid on Sunday, August 28, 2016 10:18 AM

Semper Vaporo
Baby Blue, . . . Dusty Rose

Did you notice on the one blue car the bright graffiti, it looked like colours you would see in animated cartoons. And that pink car was really PINK. The Breast Cancer survivor groups could use that car without any touch up work necessary.

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, August 28, 2016 9:46 AM

Woe and Whoa... "Twilight Zone" moment!  I was working on my novel and have the Rochelle camera feed showing in the corner of my computer screen.  A general freight is EB on track 2.  I glanced at it and I swear I thought it was a Lionel train for "Little Girls"... Baby Blue, Sunflower Yellow and Dusty Rose boxcars!  Weird!  I always thought those were fantasy colors designed by Lionel to try to sell model trains to girls!  I guess I have seen faded paint on train cars before, but never in that many in close proximity to each other.

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Posted by blhanel on Saturday, August 27, 2016 4:50 PM

gebass6

I notice that the camera has been adjusted so that we can see the UP westbound interlocking signal gantry now!

At least we can see the red signal.

The camera view has not been adjusted since it went on-line.  The only reason you can see the red indication for #2 now is because the old signal bridge has been taken down and is no longer in the way.

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Posted by cefinkjr on Saturday, August 27, 2016 12:40 PM

EB UP coal on #2 just (1236CDT) cleared with 3 units on the point (UP-BNSF-BNSF ?) and one on the rear.  Good thing that coal was loaded in MT or WY; had it been loaded in western IL, it would have spilled as the cars rocked and rolled crossing BNSF #1.  Almost scary.

Chuck
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Posted by DennisHeld on Saturday, August 27, 2016 11:28 AM
There is a public restroom in the Railroad Park Gift Shop building. About 50 feet behind the camera location.
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Posted by gebass6 on Saturday, August 27, 2016 11:13 AM

CatFoodFlambe

Who pays for the camera and the links to TRAINS?    I, for one, would be more than willing to make a contribution to adjust the camera and aff a couple of views to the east.   

I greatly enjoy the feed, and very much appreciate the effort all parties have made to make it available.

 I notice that the camera has been adjusted so that we can see the UP westbound interlocking signal gantry now!

At least we can see the red signal.

KUDOS!

 

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Posted by MKT Dave on Saturday, August 27, 2016 10:58 AM

the porta potty was removed yesterday morning, and not replaced.

How far to the nearest restrooms?

just wondering

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Wednesday, August 24, 2016 5:09 PM

Noticing that the UP trains are operating at a reduced speed (about 10 MPH) this afternoon going through the diamonds. Any ideas as to why?

BNSF went west at their normal (approx 40 mph) speed. 

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Posted by cefinkjr on Wednesday, August 24, 2016 1:30 PM

Just noticed some new (or new looking, at least) autorack cars WB on UP with the reporting marks about 8' higher on the side than what used to be standard.  Neat way to foil most taggers. Smile, Wink & Grin

Chuck
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Posted by cefinkjr on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 12:03 PM

BaltACD

Notice that demolition has stopped on the building opposite of the camera.  Are they going to leave the lone wall and it's corners standing?  If so, it would be nice to place a camera on the corner opposite the diamonds and have it turned on in the late afternoon when the current camera gets blinded by the sun.

Good idea.  I had really been thinking of using the other end of the same roof as the current camera but a camera on the other side of the diamonds would be great.

Chuck
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Posted by cefinkjr on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 11:59 AM

CatFoodFlambe
I, for one, would be more than willing to make a contribution to adjust the camera and aff a couple of views to the east.

I'll second that.

Chuck
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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 10:28 AM

Notice that demolition has stopped on the building opposite of the camera.  Are they going to leave the lone wall and it's corners standing?  If so, it would be nice to place a camera on the corner opposite the diamonds and have it turned on in the late afternoon when the current camera gets blinded by the sun.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by CatFoodFlambe on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 10:12 AM

Who pays for the camera and the links to TRAINS?    I, for one, would be more than willing to make a contribution to adjust the camera and aff a couple of views to the east.   

I greatly enjoy the feed, and very much appreciate the effort all parties have made to make it available.

 

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Posted by kenotrainnut on Monday, August 22, 2016 9:30 PM

I'm not sure if this has been noted in older posts, but after visiting the park on Saturday, I thought I would share that change is coming to the viewing experience at Rochelle.

Soon (I wouldn't be surprise if it happens within the next couple weeks based on what I saw), it will be very difficult to anticipate the arrival of westbound trains as the grade crossings east of the diamond are being reconstructed to allow for quiet zone running. The construction at the 9th street crossing (the one immediately of the diamond) is done and the "No Train Horn" signs are mounted, however they are currently covered by plastic and duct tape. 

I have to imagine that similar work has also taken place at the other crossings nearby; pretty soon it's going to be very difficult to run the webcam in a background window and be able to get to it quickly enough to catch the head end of a passing train!

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Posted by CShaveRR on Monday, August 22, 2016 8:13 PM

That would be nice, and interesting to see where the next train is coming from.  But I'm not sure it would be useful beyond that, unless one was very geographically close to the crossing.  

Carl

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, August 22, 2016 12:27 PM

blhanel

If someone could tweak the current camera aim up and to the right just a little, we'd at least be able to see all the WB UP signal indications.  We can now see the Red light for Track #2 when it's dark enough and it's lit...

I've long thought that four cameras, with insets to the main screen, would be nice, showing all four signals.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by rdettmer on Monday, August 22, 2016 8:43 AM

blhanel, i second that jdea. would be cool

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Posted by blhanel on Sunday, August 21, 2016 7:35 PM

If someone could tweak the current camera aim up and to the right just a little, we'd at least be able to see all the WB UP signal indications.  We can now see the Red light for Track #2 when it's dark enough and it's lit...

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Posted by cefinkjr on Sunday, August 21, 2016 6:30 PM

cefinkjr

This may be a crazy idea but wouldn't it be great if there were three web cams at Rochelle with the two additional cameras pointed east and roughly parallel to the UP and the BNSF?  Their views would be shown on a split screen with the current westward view in the middle.  Any of the three could be selected to fill the screen or to be temporarily hidden leaving the other two filling the screen.  With this arrangement you could watch trains coming toward you and going away at the same time.

I have no idea of the costs involved.  Like I said, it might be a crazy idea but it's fun to imagineer.  Whistling

One reason for my "crazy idea" just presented itself: I almost caught a meet right on the diamonds.  I say "almost" because, thanks to the position of the sun (and a smoky fire left in the fire pit by a citizen), I couldn't even tell whether the units were UP's own or some leased power.

Chuck
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Posted by MKT Dave on Sunday, August 21, 2016 5:14 PM

just watched someone crawl under a stopped stack on track 2 UP (17.00cst), and just as he dissapeared down the street on the left, the stack started moving.

twice now I've seen this.

...
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Posted by cefinkjr on Sunday, August 21, 2016 4:53 PM

This may be a crazy idea but wouldn't it be great if there were three web cams at Rochelle with the two additional cameras pointed east and roughly parallel to the UP and the BNSF?  Their views would be shown on a split screen with the current westward view in the middle.  Any of the three could be selected to fill the screen or to be temporarily hidden leaving the other two filling the screen.  With this arrangement you could watch trains coming toward you and going away at the same time.

I have no idea of the costs involved.  Like I said, it might be a crazy idea but it's fun to imagineer.  Whistling

Chuck
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Posted by The Butler on Saturday, August 20, 2016 3:20 PM

I watched an eastbound mixed frieght roll through.  There was a single, empty autorack with open doors on both ends of the car.  I can't say I have ever seen an autorack in transit with any doors open.  Surprise

James


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Posted by CatFoodFlambe on Friday, August 19, 2016 10:09 PM

The vertical center of gravity of well cars are much lower that on a normal freight car.  Straight-deck wheeled trailers on a piggyback flat are even worse - the wheelset just jacks everything up a good four feet above the rail surface, and magnifies the sway signficantly.

Not sure, but are there restrictions on loading heavier containers over lighter ones? 

 

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Posted by Paul of Covington on Thursday, August 18, 2016 5:45 PM

   I noticed a similar thing.   It seemed like boxcars, reefers and covered hoppers rocked the most, while lower cars like gondolas and flatcars didn't, and neither did taller ones like double-stacks and center-beam flats with high loads.   Resonance?

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Posted by cefinkjr on Thursday, August 18, 2016 4:17 PM

Lots of rockin' and rollin' as a WB UP stack train on #1 crossed BNSF #2 at ~1610 at or near track speed.  Strangely enough, it was most noticeable with single container loads and less so with double stacked or trailers.   

Chuck
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Posted by cefinkjr on Tuesday, August 16, 2016 10:06 PM

AgentKid
 
schmaltz
In both cases, UP and BNSF, is one of the two tracks in better condition than the other?

 

Seriously though, I am pretty sure both lines on both RR's are maintained to the same level. I would point out though that both RR's have done major track repairs; ballast, ties, and rail, on each line during different years. So, technically the trackwork on one line might be a few years older than the other.

Bruce

That said (and I agree with every word), both UP tracks are considered mains but BNSF #2 (the southern track, furthest from the camera) is actually a very long passing siding.

Still, it's very difficult if not impossible to keep two parallel tracks at exactly the same maintenance level.

Chuck
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Posted by schmaltz on Tuesday, August 16, 2016 2:58 PM

Thanks for your response.

Schmaltz

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