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Semi-official Rochelle webcam discussion thread

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Posted by joegreen on Monday, July 6, 2015 8:16 PM

blhanel

Has the salad shooter's exclusivity/priority been diluted lately?  I just watched what I initially thought was the salad shooter cross the diamonds eastbound based on three engines followed by two or three dozen white reefers, but tacked onto the end was a bunch of assorted general freight and empty flats/container wells.

 

That was most likely MCLPR. They take the empty Rochelle reefers to Proviso sometimes up to 30 reefers on the front.

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Posted by mudchicken on Monday, July 6, 2015 12:36 PM

The minute I show up, my bad travelling electronic computer ju-ju will also arrive, crashing the system unfortunately.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by tree68 on Monday, July 6, 2015 11:51 AM

mudchicken
If I get stuck going out there, I wonder if there is a penalty for waving at the camera?

Heck no!  Of course, in the world of firefighting, appearing on the news is grounds for buying pizza.  Not quite the same, but...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by rdamon on Monday, July 6, 2015 10:03 AM

Is the new signal bridge operational? Hard to tell from the camera.

 

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Posted by mudchicken on Saturday, July 4, 2015 12:47 PM

cefinkjr
 
 
mudchicken
Had to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera.

 

3 railroads?  I think there might be more to that than I know.

 

Carl has it...It's the Rockford Branch (out between Flag Center & Kings) ...now the domain of IR/OmniTrax...

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by jeffhergert on Friday, July 3, 2015 10:00 PM

Semper Vaporo

If you REALLY feel that it was a stuck brake or something that should be reported to the RR, call their 800 "U.P. Hotline" and report it.

1 (800) 848-8715

 

I think there is a similar number for BNSF, but I don't have it in my phone.  You should find the number to call stenciled on any signal shack or other signage at a grade crossing.

  

When I have called U.P., either to report a malfunctioning signal or "passengers" on a train (sitting on the end sill of a covered hopper), or tresspassers, they have been most appreciative and cordial and were quick to address the situation.

 

 

 

Here's another UPRR phone number:  1-888-877-7267 (888UPRRCOP).  It's the number for the Risk Management Hotline.  The other number is the crossing hotline. 

Jeff

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Posted by blhanel on Friday, July 3, 2015 7:17 PM

Has the salad shooter's exclusivity/priority been diluted lately?  I just watched what I initially thought was the salad shooter cross the diamonds eastbound based on three engines followed by two or three dozen white reefers, but tacked onto the end was a bunch of assorted general freight and empty flats/container wells.

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Posted by CShaveRR on Friday, July 3, 2015 3:53 PM

The third railroad was the Milwaukee Road, south from Rockford, using the Q to get over the CNW, and then on further south toward Mendota and the Illinois River jumble of coal-mining spurs and high-wide clearance routes.

Carl

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Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, July 3, 2015 3:40 PM

mudchicken
If I get stuck going out there, I wonder if there is a penalty for waving at the camera?

I don't know.  Does the Screen Actors' Guild have a time-card procedure like many rail unions do?  Who would get nicked for a day's pay?  Trains, the railroads, or the operators of the web cam?

mudchicken
Had to recover railroad mapping for all 3 railroads for a pipeline crossing just out of range of the camera.

3 railroads?  I think there might be more to that than I know.

Chuck
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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, July 3, 2015 3:37 PM

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?

 

If you have no enemies who would later recognize you when they saw you  because you waved, I doubt you will be penalized.

Johnny

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Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, July 3, 2015 3:35 PM

Semper Vaporo
If you REALLY feel that it was a stuck brake or something that should be reported to the RR, call their 800 "U.P. Hotline" and report it.

1 (800) 848-8715

Thanks for that.  It's a bit late to be calling now but I have added that number to my Contacts for the next time I see something.

Chuck
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Posted by mudchicken on Friday, July 3, 2015 2:35 PM

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?

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Friday, July 3, 2015 1:12 PM

If you REALLY feel that it was a stuck brake or something that should be reported to the RR, call their 800 "U.P. Hotline" and report it.

1 (800) 848-8715

 

I think there is a similar number for BNSF, but I don't have it in my phone.  You should find the number to call stenciled on any signal shack or other signage at a grade crossing.

  

When I have called U.P., either to report a malfunctioning signal or "passengers" on a train (sitting on the end sill of a covered hopper), or tresspassers, they have been most appreciative and cordial and were quick to address the situation.

 

 

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by cefinkjr on Friday, July 3, 2015 12:57 PM

Anybody at UP or BNSF monitor this forum?  Might not be a bad idea.  For example:

Somewhere in the last few (<5) cars of the WB UP oil empties that cleared Rochelle a few minutes ago, there was a partially stuck brake.  It sounded to me like the brake shoe was pressed against the wheel just hard enough to make the noise of two pieces of metal sliding against each other with the wheel "singing" but still turning. It didn't sound real serious yet but could cause trouble after another brake application when it might stick completely.

Chuck
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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, July 2, 2015 8:44 PM

phkmn2000

I notice that occasionally an engine will be smoking a lot as it goes by.  I assume that's time for some maintenance?

Not really.  May have idling or lightly loaded for some time - then asked to come up to full power and excess fuel can be ignited in the exhaust path generating the smoke.  Other indications are used for maintenance cycles.

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Posted by phkmn2000 on Thursday, July 2, 2015 4:35 PM

I notice that occasionally an engine will be smoking a lot as it goes by.  I assume that's time for some maintenance?

Tags: smoke engine
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Posted by cefinkjr on Monday, June 29, 2015 6:52 PM

tree68
 
denveroutlaws06
I dont know if this has been disscussed but have there though of bring the dispatcher feeds into the audio?

 

I think it's been mentioned before.  Occasionally, an MOW crew will have their radio piped to an outside speaker and turned up, so the mic on the cam picks up the audio.

I would opine that while an individual could probably "pirate" the feeds and place them on-line (as is done for public safety all over the place), it would probably behoove Trains (and the city of Rochelle) to get written permission to add the audio feeds.  This leads to a couple of possibilities - Trains may not wish to go through the hassle, and the railroads may not wish to officially allow said rebroadcast.

If we could find a local fan who was willing (and able) to set up such a feed, you'd simply need to have two windows open instead of one on your browser...

I'd be surprised if UP, BNSF, and TSA didn't have some serious objections to the dispatcher's communications being broadcast on the web.

Chuck
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Posted by DennisHeld on Monday, June 29, 2015 6:40 PM

tree68

 

 
denveroutlaws06
If we could find a local fan who was willing (and able) to set up such a feed, you'd simply need to have two windows open instead of one on your browser...
 

 

Here is a link to listen to Northern IL Railroad chatter:

www.broadcastify.com/listen/ctid/609/web
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Posted by cefinkjr on Monday, June 29, 2015 6:23 PM

I had heard that BNSF had a power shortage but this is ridiculous!  Two hi-rail trucks double headed on a rail train!

Ah.  Here comes the real power - 2 road units.  Interesting move. 

Chuck
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Posted by tree68 on Monday, June 29, 2015 4:24 PM

denveroutlaws06
I dont know if this has been disscussed but have there though of bring the dispatcher feeds into the audio?

I think it's been mentioned before.  Occasionally, an MOW crew will have their radio piped to an outside speaker and turned up, so the mic on the cam picks up the audio.

I would opine that while an individual could probably "pirate" the feeds and place them on-line (as is done for public safety all over the place), it would probably behoove Trains (and the city of Rochelle) to get written permission to add the audio feeds.  This leads to a couple of possibilities - Trains may not wish to go through the hassle, and the railroads may not wish to officially allow said rebroadcast.

If we could find a local fan who was willing (and able) to set up such a feed, you'd simply need to have two windows open instead of one on your browser...

LarryWhistling
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Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by gp18 on Friday, June 26, 2015 9:45 AM

Just watched the imbecile on the riding mower blow grass clippings onto the concrete patio. If he rode west he could have gotten much closer and put the clippings back onto the grass where it would do the most good. Of course maybe he is going to blow them off.

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Posted by denveroutlaws06 on Thursday, June 25, 2015 5:27 PM

i dont know if this has been disscussed but have there though of bring the dispatcher feeds into the audio?

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Posted by NorthWest on Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:47 PM

Appeared to be patched. Lead two units were AC4400CWs in their as-delivered paint. (No flag.)

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Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:44 PM

NorthWest

UP coal train with an ratty ex-SP DPU just passed. I hadn't considered this before, but judging by the appearance of the tunnel motors at about this age these ex-SP units may not have looked much different if SP had survived, minus the UP patches.

 

Was it patched or still all original SP?  We met a coal train last night in western Iowa with an unpatched SP.  One of the few still wandering around.  Might have been the same train.

Jeff

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Posted by NorthWest on Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:34 PM

The oil train was powered by BNSF locomotives, but I have seen foriegn road DPUs in my observations here. Most of the foreign road locomotives that make it to the PNW are modern widecabs.

Thanks for the heads up, Jeff.

Now why do all the trains show up at all the webcams simultaneously???

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Posted by NorthWest on Thursday, June 25, 2015 3:27 PM

UP coal train with an ratty ex-SP DPU just passed. I hadn't considered this before, but judging by the appearance of the tunnel motors at about this age these ex-SP units may not have looked much different if SP had survived, minus the UP patches.

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Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, June 25, 2015 2:07 PM

It will be dark by the time it gets there, but Amtrak #6 is detouring over the UP from Omaha to Chicago today.  High water over the BNSF in southern Iowa is the reason.

Out of the Council Bluffs complex about 1:55pm.

Jeff

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Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:40 PM

Yes, the DPU software now allows one railroad to DP foriegn line engines.  It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, the foriegn engines need to be DP equipped.

It should also be noted, when there's multiple engines in a DP remote consist, only one needs to be DP equipped.  It would be considered the Remote consist "controlling" unit, all the others (Our instructions are to normally only have two units in a remote consist.) are M-Ued to the controlling unit just like a regular engine consist.

Jeff 

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Posted by AgentKid on Thursday, June 25, 2015 7:20 AM

This question gives both of us a great excuse to keep on watching.

Bruce

 

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, June 25, 2015 7:11 AM

AgentKid
BaltACD

The question I have though is this, can they work with other roads leaders and end of train units. That is, can a CSX unit control another roads end of train unit, or can a BNSF leader control a CSX end of train unit. Based on what I see on camera I am not so sure.

Bruce

To my knowledge, it is the same DPU equipment that is being installed on BNSF & UP engines that are moving down the same assembly lines of the manufacturer.

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