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.
ChuckAllen, TX
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.
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.
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.
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...
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
blhanel, i second that jdea. would be cool
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.
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...
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
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)
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!
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.
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!
CatFoodFlambeI, 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.
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.
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.
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.
the porta potty was removed yesterday morning, and not replaced.
How far to the nearest restrooms?
just wondering
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper VaporoBaby 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.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
AgentKidDid 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...
Is there a reason for making this thread sticky, or it it just showing up that way for me?
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 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.
I think this is new. I distinctly recall not long ago having to scroll through several pages of General Discussion to find it so I think this is an improvement. Thanks.
The current stats, 1913 replies and 117,714 views indicate the popularity of the thread so I'm probably not alone in thinking it's good to have it sticky.
Caught a yellow signal
Just caught a westbound dropping the signal shortly after sunset. Could see the yellow and red, but not the green...
The grinders are working today, and seem to be a bit more aggressive. Usually when any trains go through they clear up totally off the tracks until the movement is clear, sometimes during busy patches they can't resume for an hour or more. Today the grinder was working even while a train passed on an adjacent track. In one case he didn't even flinch as a BNSF eastbound rounded the curve and the lookout shouted while stepping toward him.
The last couple of days I have been getting a blank white screen on the Rochelle web cam. The other cams seem to be OK. Is anyone else having this problem, or does anyone have any information about it?
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
I am watching it right now (2:42PM CDT)... no problems that I have seen in the last week of random viewing.
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