Promise of potentially heavy rainfall after midnight, and into the morning rush.
I kind of blew it today...I have my new i-Phone, and missed the perfect opportunity to shoot video of the view from the tracks between Geneva and Lombard (or a good portion thereof).
First of all, how I got to Geneva (the second time). My ultrasound was in Winfield, and I'd taken the scoot there because Pat was intending to do some Lombard Historical Society work. That didn't happen, through no fault of hers. So she came out to Winfield to pick me up; we went to lunch there, at a new (to us) restaurant in Winfield. John's is an expanded tavern, but they have a good menu and a view of the tracks. We saw three or four trains while we were there. From there we went through West Chicago, then out beyond Geneva to shop. We shopped 'til our balance dropped.
To get to and from Geneva, we had to cross the newly-half-opened bridge that carries Illinois 38 over the UP tracks. I'm sure that 99.995 percent of the drivers on 38 love that bridge because it eliminates the delays that a busy two-track main line (probably near 100 trains/day) can bring. But I'm in the 0.005% minority--both times we crossed the bridge, there were interesting freight trains passing beneath us (since only two lanes are open, no way could I even slow down to catch them).
So, when we crossed the bridge on our way home, the train below was an eastbound Com Ed coal train, and it had some relettered equipment that I was sure I hadn't known about. Something like that, for me to document and report, makes my day! So instead of going straight home, we went into West Chicago, and found a nice place for watching this train as it moved into the yard. A westbound auto train came between me and the coal train, but that was not too much of a problem. Then the auto train stopped. I moved a little so I could still see the coal train between the auto racks. Then the coal train stopped. I had not seen the relettered cars yet. So we went into West Chicago...
...at which point Pat came up with an idea. She'd go home and unload the groceries, and leave me in West Chicago to wait for the train...I could get home on a scoot after I'd seen it. This sounded good to me, so away she went. I went down to the station and waited. While there, I saw a couple of passenger employees who still remembered me (when in heck is J.J. ever going to retire?). The eastbound scoot's impending arrival was announced, and I thought about taking it and waiting in Lombard for the coal train to come through. But then the westbound scoot was announced, and I was blown away by a stroke of genius: since I ride for free anyway, why not go west, past the last location of the train, see the cars if I could, and then go home?
So I got on the westbound. Right away, I knew it was a good move: the train was right where we left it. And, it was on the connector to the CN...had I gone to Lombard, or even stayed at the West Chicago station, I would never have seen it (I could have gone to JB tower and watched it cross our line, but...more on that later)! Both the coal train and the auto train were still sitting where we had left them. So I saw my mystery cars (three of them, on a train of over 130 cars), and yes, I needed to document them...seems Com Ed is getting rid of its oldest coal gons.
I'd thought about riding the train to the end of the line and taking the same consist back home. But then I decided to get off at Geneva, go into Cabooses for a drink (Diet Coke), and watch trains from there. While I was there, we had two westbound stack trains, and the train of autos, also westbound, came through (I snickered when one of the Cabooses patrons waved at the DP locomotive on the hind end.). When the eastbound scoot came (right after the second westbound stacker), I was ready to go home.
I should have broken out the video cam right away...gotten the spectacular crossing of the Fox River, the climb up the grade, and the new Route 38 overpass from below. At West Chicago, the coal train was still there, on my left, and a westbound stacker was on my right as we went past the yard. Across the diamond (I could see the coal train's head end on the connecting track). At the station, we met the westbound scoot. Another westbound stack train met us at Sunset on Track 2, and a westbound empty NORX coal train was sitting at Winfield on Track 3. At College, a westbound manifest went past us on Track 2. All of this action would have made for a neat video that would show how busy the line was, but hindsight's 20-20. I was surprised that there were no trains sitting at Finley this time, but when I got off the train in Lombard, I could see an eastbound stacker at CP Plow. After helping a little old lady down the stairs and across the street, I headed home.
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)
Love how it zooms through here and blows up out in the flatlands. Haven't heard from DiningCar lately to see how life on the beach in AZ is treating him. It's the second major cloudburst we've seen in less than a month in those parts. (We may see the S word down at 5200-6000 feet above MSL on Friday night mixed with rain - Got Thomas duty on Saturday and Sunday (plus housepainting), so hopefully it clears up.)
One of my co-field dogs reported a near miss with a train and a dump truck yesterday. Thank the big railroader in the sky for restricted speed in yard limits. Could have been quantum ugly
Looks like Madam LaMook may be in for a rough night. Tornado watch there right now. No warnings posted that I can see, though.
Hoping we don't see that kind of stuff Thursday evening. Our firefighter memorial is scheduled then. We can do it indoors, but it's much better out at the memorial itself.
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...
evening
had some sprinkles tonight.Thunderboomers and cooler tomorrow. Ns had a westbound waiting when I left work. time for some more chores.
stay safe
Joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
He's got the PB & J (JIF & Smuckers) - Last seen in hot pursuit of a bakery truck on US-30.
Gotta learn to really watch more closely....
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Randy Stahl I think anyone who worked around the old dash 7 engines were undressed to some degree. The running boards along the long hood were tight and if the engine was in notch 8 the suction was pretty intense.
I think anyone who worked around the old dash 7 engines were undressed to some degree. The running boards along the long hood were tight and if the engine was in notch 8 the suction was pretty intense.
That's why you won't see me putting water in our RS3 while it's running. Gotta cross the fan to get to the water fill. It'd be a Marilyn Monroe moment, even without wearing a skirt... That's one BIG fan.
Randy Stahl I fixed a radiator fan on a GE dash 7 this week. I got my pants sucked off....next time I'll wear a belt
I fixed a radiator fan on a GE dash 7 this week. I got my pants sucked off....next time I'll wear a belt
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Well, with a name like Smuckers, it's gotta be confusing.
rvos197943,000 lbs of Orrville, Ohio's finest on board tonight, headed to Atlanta......... Have a good one.......
Well, I'll be jammed.
Norm
Joe - Google - my best friend kind of pointed me in that direction.
He probably picked up some smucker's.Hope he doesn't get in a jam.
Gotta haul 'em in a truck, though...100 cops and their donuts wouldn't fit in a bus.
Johnny
Nebraska just barely knows where Ohio is - so what is Orrville?
Randy Vos
"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings
"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV
Murray Mookie Murray After I retire, I want to become a professional Zamboni driver ... Will you be wearing a "Woodstock" yellow birdy suit like in Peanuts? LOL... Now that would be a sight!!!
Mookie Murray After I retire, I want to become a professional Zamboni driver ... Will you be wearing a "Woodstock" yellow birdy suit like in Peanuts?
Murray After I retire, I want to become a professional Zamboni driver ...
After I retire, I want to become a professional Zamboni driver ...
LOL... Now that would be a sight!!!
Go slow, turn right (well, maybe left from time to time).
If I wanted to, I could probably go to work part-time for the town at their arena, driving the Zamboni. The ice goes in next week!
Know exactly what you mean. Our son was abaseball pitcher until he blew out his shoulder an elbow in high school. At games, especially as he got older, the families of the opposing pitchers usually sat together. And became a very close-knit group.
train waiting to go west when I left work.Local came and got empties from this weekend.Was able to finish up early today so I can work here at home.
mudchicken Do they like being targets?
Do they like being targets?
It's not as bad as it sounds. Consider that they are well-armored and the only thing that they have to worry about is stopping the puck. They don't have to contend with being checked or boarded. As an aside, after many years of watching them play, my wife and I found out that we have more in common with the parents of the opposing goalie than with the other parents of our own team.
Norm48327 Mook, We went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.
Mook,
We went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.
Be nice. Two of my sons and my grandson are all hockey goalies.
Mookie ^~^ (Brrr)
^~^ (Brrr)
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