CatFoodFlambeOne background question - it's pretty standard that railroad are replacing signal bridges/stands when they install new signal system. On the surface, it seems like a lot of trouble if you have a perfectly good structure in place - is this done for clearance reasons (for MOW machinery, in particular), or in order to have a new system completely in place when it's time to switch over? It's also possible that it's easier to build a stand to accomodate the new equipment that to adapt it to the existing structure.
CSX is doing the same thing on it's Chicago Line in NY - all new structures vs hanging signals on the old.
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...
Is that the new signal bridge sitting on the north side of the UP ROW east of the crossing?One background question - it's pretty standard that railroad are replacing signal bridges/stands when they install new signal system. On the surface, it seems like a lot of trouble if you have a perfectly good structure in place - is this done for clearance reasons (for MOW machinery, in particular), or in order to have a new system completely in place when it's time to switch over? It's also possible that it's easier to build a stand to accomodate the new equipment that to adapt it to the existing structure.
That was a sudden thunderstorm between 1:15 and 1:30!
Almost 10:30 on Sunday morning and crew out with something that looks like part of a new signal bridge structure at the right edge of the frame. That may be tied in with some MOW warning horn activity to the east of the pavilion a few days ago.
8:30 PM CDT, long day for a MOW crew at the diamonds, as they are still there with welding going on at this point. A little arcus interuptus with an EB UP coal train moving through at speed, but I don't think the MOW folks are done yet.
[quote user="cefinkjr"]
petitnj As of Noon on Monday July 27, 2015 there is a red flag on the UP near track. A MOW is parked near the diamonds and a worker on the diamonds.
As of Noon on Monday July 27, 2015 there is a red flag on the UP near track. A MOW is parked near the diamonds and a worker on the diamonds.
As of 1415, the red flag is gone, the MoW truck was still there, but no work in progress.
EB UP mixed freight OS @ 1420 crawled through behind 3 big units. Oddly enough, there were lots of box cars of various descriptions and several reefers but I don't think I saw a single car of any other type.
The MoW truck disappeared while that EB was going through.
[/quote]
Seems like the UP work orders (as identified by the display of the red sign) seem to be of rather short duration. I have seen the sign hung as late as 9 AM and it is generally down by 2 PM - only a 5 hour window on a nominal 8 hour day.
Do the forces have to travel a hour or more each direction that would dictate such a short work window and still have the forces not put in over 8 hours for their normal work day?
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
ChuckAllen, TX
CIT GP20D just went through last loco on the front of a UP bound for Proviso.
http://goo.gl/dUJRJ0
OS BNSF EB Oil @ 1122.
Either heavy rain north and west of Rochelle or those were brand new cars. They were all shiny black.
At about 10:10 EST on 7/24, a west bound UP train rolled through with a green caboose in the middle of the trian. Anyone know where the caboose was heading?
mudchickenmudchicken wrote the following post yesterday: Not me or my guys. Some of the guys were having fun w/ IAIS closer to Peoria. http://wqad.com/2015/07/20/train-hits-pan-scraper-crossing-tracks-in-geneseo/ Box on top of Tripod could be a TAWS device or an older CYRAX scanner. (can't capture images or go back in time anymore here, so...)
Bit of drama today around Noon - As I usually do I was listening on "Northern Illinois Railroads" feed on broadcastify.com; a westbound BNSF stack train rolled by on number 1 track (closest to the camera). After a few seconds came a very agitated voice on the UP channel - the surveying crew stated they had wires across track one apparently placed on information from the BNSF dispatcher that the stacker would operate on track 2; the wires were cut. Fortunately no one was fouling the track (The UP welding gang was also there; not sure if it was coordinated or just a coincidence) They were trying to get the ID of the stack train, apprently for a claim against BNSF. I didn't hear a peep about the ID or anything from the BNSF feed (Might have missed it due to the feed being on another channel). After a half hour the surveying crew quit for the day, stating they would return tomorrow.
blhanel I caught that one, too- and a bunch of reefers on the end.
I caught that one, too- and a bunch of reefers on the end.
Yup.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Wow - like, eight units on the head end of an eastbound manifest just now... I'm sure most were dead-in-tow. Couldn't get much detail with the sun behind them, though.
CRAIG MILLIGAN I am watching a family of five , including pre-teens, playing on the tracks and diamond, putting pennies on the tracks. [2c] 11:25am 21 July
I am watching a family of five , including pre-teens, playing on the tracks and diamond, putting pennies on the tracks. [2c]
11:25am 21 July
Not me or my guys. Some of the guys were having fun w/ IAIS closer to Peoria.
http://wqad.com/2015/07/20/train-hits-pan-scraper-crossing-tracks-in-geneseo/
Box on top of Tripod could be a TAWS device or an older CYRAX scanner. (can't capture images or go back in time anymore here, so...)
mudchicken Had to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera. If I get stuck going out there, I wonder if there is a penalty for waving at the camera?
Had to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera. If I get stuck going out there, I wonder if there is a penalty for waving at the camera?
At 11:20 CDT white pickup with two or three orange vest wearing folks and what appears to be a tripod assembly near the diamonds. Can't tell for sure but maybe a rectangular something on top of the tripod, maybe a surveying station.
Nobody waving, though.
cefinkjr Gosh, that BNSF RoW looks great. Not that UP's looks bad but BNSF's looks like they just took it out of a box of Bachmann's E-Z Track. The Track Supervisor and his gang can be proud.
Gosh, that BNSF RoW looks great. Not that UP's looks bad but BNSF's looks like they just took it out of a box of Bachmann's E-Z Track. The Track Supervisor and his gang can be proud.
Looks like the siding (far track) either got the ballast laundered or got some fresh ballast. I think it was last summer that the UP freshened the ties on at least one of the tracks this side of the diamonds. I remember a Plasser tamper coming through and found it very interesting, which led me to the Plasser site and video of the machine in operation. Interesting machinery.
MrLynn Every time I've seen the switcher, it's a BNSF engine. /Mr Lynn
Every time I've seen the switcher, it's a BNSF engine.
/Mr Lynn
MrLynn If you go to the City of Rochelle RR yard, you will see only a BNSF loco or two. I 'assume' they are leased.
If you go to the City of Rochelle RR yard, you will see only a BNSF loco or two. I 'assume' they are leased.
gp18Are visitors allowed to trespass on railroad property? I just saw someone wearing a red jacket walking up to the diamonds evidently to take a smoke and some pics of the switcher that just made a shove move west.
gp18Are visitors allowed to trespass on railroad property?
Officially? Absolutely not! Are visitors allowed to trespass on a steel mill's property? A mine? A ship? For your own safety (and to avoid RR liability), trespassing on RR property is strictly fordbidden.
Do we railfans trespass occasionally? Wellllll ... , yes.
Doing a little "driving around" with Google Streetview. I see that the code line is mainly just in the Rochelle city limits.
SE side
https://goo.gl/maps/7kTR9
NE Side
https://goo.gl/maps/HkzeT
It appears that the lines are only using two bare wires that are assumed to be 220V for power and the large bundles of signal cables. With the PTC upgrades and that conduit that we saw buried near the diamonds I would imagine that they will no longer need the bundled signal wire leaving just the power lines.
Getting commercial power directly at the bungalows would eliminate the need to the lines and alow for recycling of all the copper.
Personally I hope this isn't the case, because there is not too much code line left and I use the swinging wire to let me know when my feed had stopped working on the camera!
DennisHeld I don't think that it is a BNSF local. But it is a switch job from the City of Rochelle Railroad. Owned by Burlington Junction. There is a smallish yard SE of Rochelle from which they operate. They handle all the local switching of BNSF and UP, not including Global III. But, I usually see the switch job mid to late mornings on weekdays. Dunno if they operate the weekends.
I don't think that it is a BNSF local. But it is a switch job from the City of Rochelle Railroad. Owned by Burlington Junction. There is a smallish yard SE of Rochelle from which they operate. They handle all the local switching of BNSF and UP, not including Global III.
But, I usually see the switch job mid to late mornings on weekdays. Dunno if they operate the weekends.
Their website.
about what days and times does BNSF work the spur?
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