Trains.com

Semi-official Rochelle webcam discussion thread

373237 views
3712 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 174 posts
Posted by xjqcf on Thursday, May 25, 2017 12:36 PM

xjqcf

 

 
BaltACD

Today's activities seem to be on replacing a panel on the BNSF West & East of the Diamond.

First time I have heard of replacing panels approaching the diamonds in preparation for replacing the diamonds.  I wonder what they will do with the other BNSF track where the switch is involved?

 

 

 

 

I wondered about this when they did work on Monday on BNSF #2 track. Although they did not replace  panel on the east side they did some work on up to about the frog on the 199 switch. The work included a number of welds but not sure if it was rail related or just signal bonds.

 

 

Well, interesting development. After replacing east and west panels on UP #1 they just cut and removed a small panel from the track curving away from BNSF #2 going parallel to the UP. Not sure what this means; perhaps they are preparing to replace the switch in addition to the diamonds.

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • 59 posts
Posted by alpinemike on Thursday, May 25, 2017 6:08 PM

xjqcf

 

 
xjqcf

 

 
BaltACD

Today's activities seem to be on replacing a panel on the BNSF West & East of the Diamond.

First time I have heard of replacing panels approaching the diamonds in preparation for replacing the diamonds.  I wonder what they will do with the other BNSF track where the switch is involved?

 

 

 

 

I wondered about this when they did work on Monday on BNSF #2 track. Although they did not replace  panel on the east side they did some work on up to about the frog on the 199 switch. The work included a number of welds but not sure if it was rail related or just signal bonds.

 

 

 

 

Well, interesting development. After replacing east and west panels on UP #1 they just cut and removed a small panel from the track curving away from BNSF #2 going parallel to the UP. Not sure what this means; perhaps they are preparing to replace the switch in addition to the diamonds.

 

been noticing lately web cam times out after leavin on for awhile  guess usin up too much bandwith lol

  • Member since
    May 2017
  • 54 posts
Posted by BrassBootleg on Thursday, May 25, 2017 6:19 PM

Alpine: That's actually in their FAQ as the reason:

Q. Why do I have to restart the camera after watching it for a while?
A. Because the new camera offers full-motion video and sound, it takes up a lot of internet bandwidth. To make sure we do not waste bandwidth, the video feed times out after a few minutes.

Quiet evening.  I can see the spider web in the evening light, though.  

An artist sees the world in colors and patterns.  An engineer sees the world in mathematical equations.  Both help shape the World and are just as important as the other.

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Iowa
  • 3,293 posts
Posted by Semper Vaporo on Thursday, May 25, 2017 6:19 PM

It has always timed out on me after about 30 minutes or so... does not seem to be consistant in how long or whether i have been adjusting the zoom level.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 2,325 posts
Posted by rdamon on Friday, May 26, 2017 6:17 AM
Doing a little research on the insulated joints it looks like maybe they are using a smaller weight rail for the diamonds. According to this:

https://www.up.com/cs/groups/public/@uprr/@customers/@industrialdevelopment/@operationsspecs/@specifications/documents/up_pdf_nativedocs/pdf_up_std_0960.pdf

White is used to indicate 141lb rail size and Light Blue is used for 136lb rail.
 

 

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, May 26, 2017 7:36 AM

rdamon
Doing a little research on the insulated joints it looks like maybe they are using a smaller weight rail for the diamonds. According to this:

https://www.up.com/cs/groups/public/@uprr/@customers/@industrialdevelopment/@operationsspecs/@specifications/documents/up_pdf_nativedocs/pdf_up_std_0960.pdf

White is used to indicate 141lb rail size and Light Blue is used for 136lb rail.

Which leads to the question - Why?

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 2,325 posts
Posted by rdamon on Friday, May 26, 2017 11:27 AM
Is the lighter rail more flexible?
 
Looking at the work on the BNSF siding ..  I wonder if they are having drainage issues on the diamonds. The siding looks to be on the downhill side. That may explain all the fresh ballast on the approaches.   
 
  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 3 posts
Posted by Dwight911 on Friday, May 26, 2017 11:45 AM
I've been noticing a new time-out behavior the last few days. At times the audio goes away while the video continues. I won't notice until a train comes through and makes no noise. Thanks to Trains for this wonderful webcam!
  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: Muskogee Oklahoma
  • 185 posts
Posted by MKT Dave on Friday, May 26, 2017 11:51 AM

The other day, wendnesday, caught a rail train headed eastbound on UP. Just caught a rail train westbound with the top three tiers of rail gone.

...
  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 3 posts
Posted by Dwight911 on Friday, May 26, 2017 11:57 AM

Dwight911
I've been noticing a new time-out behavior the last few days. At times the audio goes away while the video continues. I won't notice until a train comes through and makes no noise. Thanks to Trains for this wonderful webcam!
 

After I saw my previous post, I got worried that my last sentence might look like irony.  I don't mean it that way at all.  This webcam is a wonderful thing, no matter how much we may talk about the spider, etc.  Brian, thank you and thanks to Trains!

  • Member since
    May 2017
  • 1 posts
Posted by krhpaper on Friday, May 26, 2017 12:55 PM

I went to Rochelle yesterday.  Saw them rip out the siding track.  The siding did go down, then back up to almost the same elevation as the UP mains at the crossing just west of the diamonds.  I would not be suprised if they take out the dip.  Also, they are using the old Del Monte plant (straight ahead) for staging.  So far there is no dimaond being staged.

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Allen, TX
  • 1,320 posts
Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, May 26, 2017 12:57 PM

MKT Dave

The other day, wendnesday, caught a rail train headed eastbound on UP. Just caught a rail train westbound with the top three tiers of rail gone.

 
According to my (bad) memory, both trains, empty and loaded, were westbound.  Thanks for straightening that out.

Chuck
Allen, TX

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Allen, TX
  • 1,320 posts
Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, May 26, 2017 1:02 PM

Dwight911
 
Dwight911
I've been noticing a new time-out behavior the last few days. At times the audio goes away while the video continues. I won't notice until a train comes through and makes no noise. Thanks to Trains for this wonderful webcam!
 

 

 

After I saw my previous post, I got worried that my last sentence might look like irony.  I don't mean it that way at all.  This webcam is a wonderful thing, no matter how much we may talk about the spider, etc.  Brian, thank you and thanks to Trains!

Hey, don't pick on Spidey.  Everybody's gotta make a living.  Besides, she provides a little entertainment (if gory and out of focus) when there's nothing happening on UP or BNSF.  And her web lets you know that the web cam feed hasn't timed out (or there is not enough breeze to move her web).

Chuck
Allen, TX

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 174 posts
Posted by xjqcf on Friday, May 26, 2017 1:36 PM

cefinkjr

 

 
Dwight911
 
Dwight911
I've been noticing a new time-out behavior the last few days. At times the audio goes away while the video continues. I won't notice until a train comes through and makes no noise. Thanks to Trains for this wonderful webcam!
 

 

 

After I saw my previous post, I got worried that my last sentence might look like irony.  I don't mean it that way at all.  This webcam is a wonderful thing, no matter how much we may talk about the spider, etc.  Brian, thank you and thanks to Trains!

 

Hey, don't pick on Spidey.  Everybody's gotta make a living.  Besides, she provides a little entertainment (if gory and out of focus) when there's nothing happening on UP or BNSF.  And her web lets you know that the web cam feed hasn't timed out (or there is not enough breeze to move her web).

 

 

Spidey gotta rebuild his/her web. Just cleaned off with a mop

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • 9 posts
Posted by STEVE HINCH on Friday, May 26, 2017 1:40 PM
Lots of work going on today--let me rephrase that. Lots of workers on site, wandering around aimlessly like a bunch of ants. Every once in awhile they huddle up in two groups like two football teams ready to go at it. Then they break their huddles and go back to wandering around aimlessly. Wonder what is going on? At least there is some progress as I saw a giant squeegee attack the camera and send spidey into oblivion. R.I.P.
  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 174 posts
Posted by xjqcf on Friday, May 26, 2017 1:40 PM

MKT Dave

The other day, wendnesday, caught a rail train headed eastbound on UP. Just caught a rail train westbound with the top three tiers of rail gone.

 

Heard on the scanner he was to unload some (all?) rail a couple of miles west (Somewhere around the MP95.1 detector;The diamonds are MP75.3)

  • Member since
    May 2017
  • 1 posts
Posted by trainspy on Friday, May 26, 2017 2:33 PM
The new diamond is built and is laying at the old Del Monte Warehouse just west of the diamond waiting to be installed, maybe tomorrow.
  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: northern il.
  • 142 posts
Posted by rdettmer on Friday, May 26, 2017 4:16 PM

steve

being an old mw forman i seriously don't think they were wandering around aimlessly. lots of prep work being done for the new diamonds. measuring and marking the cuts and signal men doing there work too.

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • 9 posts
Posted by STEVE HINCH on Friday, May 26, 2017 6:23 PM

rdettmer

steve

being an old mw forman i seriously don't think they were wandering around aimlessly. lots of prep work being done for the new diamonds. measuring and marking the cuts and signal men doing there work too.

 

l am sure you are right, forgive the exaggeration, but I couldn't help but think of marbles bouncing around in a pinball machine as I watched the complex paths of all the workers moving simultaneously.  :)

 

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 174 posts
Posted by xjqcf on Saturday, May 27, 2017 12:23 PM

UP 1983, the Western Pacific heritage engine, was the sole power on  IG2G3, just crossing the diamonds

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Iowa
  • 3,293 posts
Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, May 27, 2017 1:12 PM

STEVE HINCH
 
rdettmer

steve

being an old mw forman i seriously don't think they were wandering around aimlessly. lots of prep work being done for the new diamonds. measuring and marking the cuts and signal men doing there work too.

 
l am sure you are right, forgive the exaggeration, but I couldn't help but think of marbles bouncing around in a pinball machine as I watched the complex paths of all the workers moving simultaneously.  :)

 

WHAT?!?!?!  They were actually "Moving"???  Everytime I look, they are all emulating garden statuary!

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Iowa
  • 3,293 posts
Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, May 27, 2017 1:12 PM

STEVE HINCH
 
rdettmer

steve

being an old mw forman i seriously don't think they were wandering around aimlessly. lots of prep work being done for the new diamonds. measuring and marking the cuts and signal men doing there work too.

 
l am sure you are right, forgive the exaggeration, but I couldn't help but think of marbles bouncing around in a pinball machine as I watched the complex paths of all the workers moving simultaneously.  :)

 

WHAT?!?!?!  They were actually "Moving"???  Everytime I look, they are all emulating garden statuary!  I sometimes wonder if the video has frozen.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: Muskogee Oklahoma
  • 185 posts
Posted by MKT Dave on Saturday, May 27, 2017 3:09 PM

at 14.55, had a meet with a EB UP Coal train, then a WB UP empty coal train, with a difference, (for me that is), had three DPU's then another empty row of hoppers estimate the same number as the front half. Made for a very long empty coal train, finished up at 15.07.

...
  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Calgary AB. Canada
  • 2,298 posts
Posted by AgentKid on Saturday, May 27, 2017 3:51 PM

MKT Dave
Made for a very long . . . train

Based on the number and size of the trains I've seen on both lines this afternoon, I think both RR's are trying to move every piece of rolling stock they own in the US midwest across those diamonds before they are shut down for the replacement!

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

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

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Calgary AB. Canada
  • 2,298 posts
Posted by AgentKid on Saturday, May 27, 2017 7:45 PM

UP pulled a string of units only east across the diamonds at 1839 CDT. There was one more EB UP train after that.

Looks to me like they are ready to go at sunrise Sunday.

I would have posted sooner, but I was following Canadian politics on another tab.

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

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

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 174 posts
Posted by xjqcf on Sunday, May 28, 2017 3:21 AM

AgentKid

UP pulled a string of units only east across the diamonds at 1839 CDT. There was one more EB UP train after that.

Looks to me like they are ready to go at sunrise Sunday.

I would have posted sooner, but I was following Canadian politics on another tab.

Bruce

 

 

 

About 20 minutes ago a short UP went west and an eastbound BNSF just passed (cant tell what the consists were in the darkness. No signs of activity on the site (supervisors) or any scanner chatter.

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Calgary AB. Canada
  • 2,298 posts
Posted by AgentKid on Sunday, May 28, 2017 5:19 AM

Well, this is disappointing. I put the camera on while I was waiting for my Sunday paper and the there is not a darn thing going on with the exception of one BNSF and two UP WB's in the last 25 minutes or so. The way things were jumping yesterday afternoon I really thought something was going to happen

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

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

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Central Iowa
  • 6,901 posts
Posted by jeffhergert on Sunday, May 28, 2017 7:39 AM

AgentKid

Well, this is disappointing. I put the camera on while I was waiting for my Sunday paper and the there is not a darn thing going on with the exception of one BNSF and two UP WB's in the last 25 minutes or so. The way things were jumping yesterday afternoon I really thought something was going to happen

Bruce

 

 

Worse than that, my Sunday paper didn't have the comics section.  It seems like that's getting to be the only section worth reading anymore.

Jeff

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Calgary AB. Canada
  • 2,298 posts
Posted by AgentKid on Sunday, May 28, 2017 9:36 AM

jeffhergert
my Sunday paper didn't have the comics section

It's not something I normally notice but I did look at them a month or so ago. I swear, the whole section was less than half the size you used to see in the weekday editions of the paper, let alone the weekend version.

The times are a changing.

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

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

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 174 posts
Posted by xjqcf on Sunday, May 28, 2017 10:21 AM

Double header heritage today. WB IG2G3 had Mopac leading, WP trailing.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy