Trains for me at 5:30a on Sunday - home by 8 a
Fishing for the Driver 5:30a on Monday - home by 9a
Really must sleep in tomorrow!
New fishing chair arriving tomorrow for the Driver. If it gets here early enough - mght have to do lunch out - fishing or trains....such a problem to have.
95 tomorrow - frost at night is a not that distant a memory, either.
Tree - Adirondacks and a jail break. Lock your door!
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
MookieTree - Adirondacks and a jail break. Lock your door!
Local sentiment is that they're miles from here. Looks like there may have been an element of an inside job involved.
Inch of rain overnight. The lake and river are slowly recovering...
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
swamp wasn't bad from last nights rain so we mowed today.Enjoyed brother's visit last night.Matt and cousins had fun too.Ns looked like it wanted to shuffle some cars when I left work.CSX ws backed up due to track work in Deshler. time for 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").
Mookie, I'm sorry, but I slept through Lincoln this morning, and did not wake upp until we were in Omaha.
When I started to take a shower this morning, there was no water--because the car was being watered. After that job was finished, there was water pressure in the line.
We came across Wyoming yesterday, because the UP was doing something to the track on the usual route. At least, the train headed into the sation in Salt Lake City, so I did not have to walk almost the length of the train to get to my car. When we left, we had to back out so we could go up towards Ogden--perhaps the UP would have charged for another pilot engineer and conductor if the train had backed in (Amtrak normally does not use the track necessary for backing moves there). I am of the opinion that when the UP shuts the normal line down, it should not charge for the pilots necessary to take the train across Wyoming--Salt Lake City to Green River and Green River to Denver.
We met #5 at Speer (about 100 miles from Denver) yesterday--and west of Naperville today. #5 left Denver less than two hours late yesterday--and arrived in Salt Lake City 5:39 late--maybe the pilots got lost when getting away from Denver? the train starts out the line to the Moffat Tunnel as far as Prospect Junction and then takes a former Belt over to the line going up to Speer; we came into Denver that way. I wonder if the UP line that ran straight into the station was cut when the line to the airport was constructed--when Amtrak began operated in the area, there was no dodging around to get up to or to come from Cheyenne (we did not go into Cheyenne now, but used the Borie cutoff, nor did we go into Ogden, but used the same cutoff that the City of Los Angeles originally used.
It's a pleasant trip, so far, and I plan to leave for the Pacific Northwest tomorrow afternoon.
I thought I had proofed this--until I read it after posting.
Johnny
Johnny - it's ok - I sleep thru a lot in Lincoln, too. It really has some quiet places left to do so.
I had to stay home today because I ordered a new fishing chair for the Driver and it came this morning, so we had to try it out! Very comfy and it is heavy enough that it won't blow into the drink like the lighter weight ones.
You do have some better weather than the mo of May to travel, albeit a little hot. It will be about 95 tomorrow again - and heavy humidity. Ah summer in Lincoln!
Johnny - You are now witness to Uncle Pete' s partially reconfigured Denver terminal, courtesy of wishy-washy RTD planner brain failure (and probably a plugged Pullman Yard). More with DEBL-Sandown to follow. (UP Denver Pacific line is intact, but the trackage around Union Station is evolving)
Wondering if you went via the Jersey Cutoff (BNSF) or BeltLine to Utah Jcn.(UP)...gets you lined up to head east without a wye maneuver regardless.
And you just missed this by less tha 24 hours: http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2015/06/09/train-derailment-closes-commerce-city-road/28757273/
MC, I made the mistake of assuming that we would be in Denver much sooner than we were, and made a dinner reservation that kept me in the diner most of the time that we were in Denver. When I return home, I hope to be able to get off and look around, even going inside to see what it looks like now. Yes, we took the Beltline--and some of the track needs surfacing badly; I do not know when I had been on track that caused the train to rock so; I did not recall such rocking last year when #5 detoured because of the washout on the Moffatt line. Of course, we backed in--and I explained to fellow passengers why. The first time that I stood at the rear while entering the station, I marveled at the lack of remotely controlled switches, and thought of the remotely controlled switches in Bristol, back in the fifties--when there were only six passenger trains (three east and three west) every day and the engines were changed with each arrival. I am not sure, but I think that the switches in Salt Lake City that are necessary for the backing for the detour are remotely controlled. On that trip last year, I commented (knowing the layout in Salt Lake) to my car attendant that we would back into the station in Salt Lake; she said we would not--and apologized later--she had been told that we would back in. I wonder: do you have to be qualified to use certain tracks in a yard?
Incidentally, the Amtrak crew that took us from Salt Lake to Green River on Monday was flown to Grand Junction so they could take #5 to Salt Lake on Tuesday.
Off to Seattle this afternoon. I will not mind if we are late, since I may have to wait before checking in at the hotel there.
afternoon
muggies have arrived here in Nw Ohio.Ns had a westbound go by when I left work.This morning I saw 3 Boston and Maine sand hoppers on an Ns train in the siding.Couldn't read the re-stenciled reporting marks though.Chores to do here at home.
Ns had a local uptown when I left work.Chores to do.Errands tomorrow.Mother nature is sending on and off rain this weekend.
More rain here today - up to just over a half inch so far. We're under a severe thunderboom watch until 10 PM, but I think the line has pretty much passed us.
There is one little system drawing a bead on Albany - it especially stands out on the lightning monitor http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en&page_0=33. Handy page, by the way.
Debating whether I want to chance the Amateur Radio "general" test tomorrow. I've been doing well on the practice exams, so there's a chance I might just pass. That and they're going to a new set of questions at the end of the month....
Off to other endeavors!
tree68 Debating whether I want to chance the Amateur Radio "general" test tomorrow. I've been doing well on the practice exams, so there's a chance I might just pass. That and they're going to a new set of questions at the end of the month....
"C"
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
zugmann"C"
_ . _ .
Or .._.
(Railroad/American Morse)
It was a pleasant trip from Chicago to Seattle. Yesterday, I saw much container. covererd hopper. and tank car traffic, and several loading facilities for lines of tank cars. We were down by a little more than an hour most of yesterday (and left Spokane more than an hour late after arriving early), but were only a few minues late into Seattle.
Tomorrow, I leave for Sacramneto and then home from there, for I fear that a medical situation is worse, and I should not risk its causing me embarrassment; the worst part of the change is arriving in Sacramento before breakfast and there is not much to eat in the Sacramento station.
NorthWest Or .._. (Railroad/American Morse)
Is that a space or a dash between the dots? Hopefully a space, as in ".. ."
Jeff
It's a space. I've always seen that convention used to eliminate confusion about possible beginnings of new letters or words. I use a _ for a space and a - for a dash.
NorthWest(Railroad/American Morse)
I've also seen it referred to as American Landline Morse. I always liked that term becasuse my Dad always referred to the International Morse that Tree will use as "radio morse", because that is how both of his older brothers who served in WWII used morse code.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
-..-. .- --.
Translation - I passed the test to upgrade to the Amateur Radio General Class...
Now I can play with the "big boy" radios, as soon as I can afford to acquire some. And get the appropriate antennae up.
Code is no longer a requirement at any level - but I'll probably learn it eventually.
Next step is "Extra." But that will require a fair amount of study.
good morning
muggy here in Nw Ohio.Larry the lake levels should be going up.Mother nature sending us rain through Friday.Matt has chocolate cake with his name on it.He is 14 already.Time to get ready for church.
Happy birthday to the Onionhead! (Or has he outgrown that?)The "mugs" are filling up today! We had 1.6 inches overnight, and over a half inch in a sprinkle yesterday afternoon that cut short my yard work. Time to enjoy the green, green grass--even in the places where it comes up to my ankles.The file I've been working on was more than 50 percent destroyed when the old latop was waterboarded. However, "destroyed" in this case doesn't mean completely lost. I can just replace the words and we'll be okay. Time-cosuming, yes, but I can keep track of progress, and the "replace all" function has been very useful for words and some phrases. I'm back up over 70,000 words; it was around 57,000 when I noticed that I had a problem.Learning International Morse Code was one of the requirements for First Class in my days as a Boy Scout. It was the requirement that most Scouts saved for last; it was the first one I finished. I guess that's the way I'm "wired". I think I've retained most of it.
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)
Carl: Just make sure to turn the water off on Tuesday. As is it was, mid-saturday was a goood Old fashioned frog strangler in St. Louis on I-70 with 4" of standing water and no place for the water to go. 90 degrees and 70% humidity in Cincy today - I don't miss the wet blanket summer lifestyle.
Tuesday (tomorrow) isn't supposed to be a bad day here. Today, however, we've had over an inch since 0800, most of that in the first half-hour. No railroad stuff to share yet today. Grandson Nico was able to get to the All Aboard Diner yesterday as part of his seventh-birthday celebration. He's a train nut without the influence (but definitely with the support) of his Grandpa.
If you want water, the Finger Lakes is the place to be - they've got way more than they want...
The rivers in my area are running a bit high, but most of the feeder creeks have settled down.
Today is just kinda gloomy. No rain, just grey skies and a tad humid.
swamp was trimmed but mother nature has sent us some thunder boomers.Maybe will finish tomorrow.When I got to work there was an eastbound freight waiting on a crew.It had a flat car with some green tractors.When I left we had a westbound stacker and the local was shuffling cars.More muggies for tomorrow.
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
I did arrive home this morning--more than an hour late because of a bad meet somewhere west of here early in the morning--I woke, and realized that we were standing still, and we stood for quite some time more until a westbound at last arrived. Almost as soon as the DPU passed my car (I was the Tail-end Charlie on the train, occupying room A at the rear of the last car) the DS gave us a Proceed signal, and we left for Salt Lake City; the DS was alert. #6 was held in Emeryville almost an hour yesterday morning because of brake problems, but the train brakes performed well all the time I was aboard.
I had an interesting experience with turning the part of my ticket that I could not use in because I had to change my travel plans--Friday morning, after realizing early, early, that I should cut my trip short, I called Amtrak, canceled the rest of the existing ticket and obtained reservations for bedroom accomodations for getting back here, I went back to the station in Seattle to turn what I had back and get the new ticket; the man in the station was able to get a refund on part of what I had canceled (it s value was a little more than my new ticket ticket cost)--but he could not get the refund on the last two coupons and gave me an envelope to use to send them to Philadelphia. Immediately after arriving here, I went into the station and told the lady behind the window my situation--and she worked the system and geve me two vouchers that the Seattle man had been unable to get for me. She, and the two men here are good to work with.
Odds and ends--I do not remember where they were, but I saw many tanks cars labled as having inedible tallow in them; I saw more new reporting marks on petroleum tank cars than I had ever seen before; even though we were down more than an hour crossing Montana, we arrived in Spokane early, left there an hour late, and arrived in Seattle just a few minutes late; at one place, I saw an "FP" sign near a switch--I presume it indicated the Fouling Point; the BNSF has "swing nose frogs" on crossover switches (there are signs indicating their ability near them)--are they movable point frogs? most of the people I ate with in diners were good conversationalists--and my Engine 999 tie clasp attracted some notice (and some of it was knowledgable) .
I go to see one of the PA's at my uroligist's office tomorrow morning; I hope to get something going to alleviate my concern that caused me to abbreviate my trip.
The temperature reaches about ninety in the afternoon now.
Oh, yes--I had never seen the engine combination that we had out of Seattle--we had egines 22 and 505 on the point. I commented to one of the engineers that I had never seen one like 505 in road service; he commented that he had it aboout every other run, and the engineers preferred that it trail, since it is a rough rider. When we I arrived in Portland, I saw him again and he asked me how the ride was--and I told him that my ride was good. I understand that the 505 is a tunnel motor; I did not find a builder's plate on it.
Deggesty Oh, yes--I had never seen the engine combination that we had out of Seattle--we had egines 22 and 505 on the point. I commented to one of the engineers that I had never seen one like 505 in road service; he commented that he had it aboout every other run, and the engineers preferred that it trail, since it is a rough rider. When we I arrived in Portland, I saw him again and he asked me how the ride was--and I told him that my ride was good. I understand that the 505 is a tunnel motor; I did not find a builder's plate on it.
James
The 500's started out in road service and were known for their flamboyant paint jobs. I rode behind one on a Chicago-Springfield round trip several years ago. I also remember seeing a pair of them heading up the "Southwest Chief". There are several assigned to Chicago as heavy switchers and protection power.
Ms Mookie had her tongue re-sandpapered over the weekend.
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