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Chatterbox Winter 2016-2017

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 6:27 PM

mudchicken
Our traveler is something like 6 hours late

The positive of this is he will get to see Cajon Pass and the "hill" in daylight. 5 hr, 37 min late at Raton. ASMTRANSITDOCS.COM is indicating 4:23 late @ Victerville or 8:46 AM.

 

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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 4:44 PM

evening

Coal train in the siding at work.Work was busy.Cool down on the way for us.Matt has finished his homework on "Romeo and Juliet." Tomorrow the start the movie in class.Chores to do.

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").

 

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Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 3:53 PM

If they can meet anymore its gotta be between Gallinas and the top at Wootton. Two bridges either missing or restricted on the SMT (#2 track) between Trinidad and Jansen....interesting meet at Trinidad or Raton with no platform between the mains at either location. Somebody gets held out?

#4's schedule is starting to fall down. 

EDIT: They met at the end of the 2mt & CTC at Schomberg NM somehow? (otherwise somebody was on the ground throwing switches west of Schomberg at French/Colmor?)

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 diningcar on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 12:54 PM

MC, can #3 and #4 meet on Raton Pass? I know there is some double track but are both in operfation?

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Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 8:44 AM

Took Duncan out for his walk in da hood. The Scottie winter coat was acting much like a weather vane when it was wasn't picking up the remnants of the shattered tumbleweeds flying by. (He hates brushing, new teef-marks in the brush after this debris removal process)

30,000 Acre+ range fire in northern Colorado now threatening some of the ex-CB&Q branchlines (NKCR-OmniTrax) in Northern Colorado.

Our traveler is something like 6 hours late and only as far west as Hutchinson KS as I type, now hitting La Junta after lunch and Raton Pass in the late afternoon on my old turf. Hopefully they can make-up* some of that delay by AQ and they get down Glorietta hill and through Apache Canyon before the shadows get too long.

Something tells me that the diner will be stocking up with extra vittles on the platform at LJ.

(*) they should not see an opposing train from La Junta to Kennedy/Lamy NM and they very well might meet #4 on the Platform at La Junta instead of Lamy-Las Vegas...

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 Mookie on Monday, March 6, 2017 8:30 PM

Murphy Siding
Why carry the tiny dogs? They've got leashes and make perfect kites. After all, they already have a tail.

And it's only Monday, folks!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, March 6, 2017 7:53 PM

Mookie

 

 
Murphy Siding

You should see how fast the geese are flying north right now! The flock I just saw probably had breakfast in Nebraska and will have dinner in North Dakota.

 

 

 

Our local weather people show us the migrating birds - like sandhill cranes and even flocks of geese - on radar.  Looks like fast moving rain.

 

Went to lake for early dinner (take your own) and watched the birds trying to fly.  Seagulls were smart - they went west to east and never came back.  Ducks were trying both ways and had to fly low and avoid the whitecaps on the lake.  Everyone walking a tiny dog, was carrying said dog.  I would use a backpack.

 

Why carry the tiny dogs? They've got leashes and make perfect kites. After all, they already have a tail.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by Mookie on Monday, March 6, 2017 6:36 PM

Sir C - we had 2-3 wildfires here in city proper, along with house fire.  Careless flicking?  Inside and out?

He was trolling from the yard east to the main line and disappeared - never to be seen again (for at least an hour), but he did stop dead and well, I won't speculate, for about 3-4 min.  Maybe he was texting - which would be a great place to do it!  

Tell sweet Duncan not to eat bad birdy seed.  It isn't sesame seeds...

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Mookie on Monday, March 6, 2017 6:26 PM

tree68
You'd be amazed how much you can feel through those wheels, though.

Like potholes not seen with me riding shotgun in Millie?  

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Mookie on Monday, March 6, 2017 6:24 PM

Murphy Siding

You should see how fast the geese are flying north right now! The flock I just saw probably had breakfast in Nebraska and will have dinner in North Dakota.

 

Our local weather people show us the migrating birds - like sandhill cranes and even flocks of geese - on radar.  Looks like fast moving rain.

Went to lake for early dinner (take your own) and watched the birds trying to fly.  Seagulls were smart - they went west to east and never came back.  Ducks were trying both ways and had to fly low and avoid the whitecaps on the lake.  Everyone walking a tiny dog, was carrying said dog.  I would use a backpack.

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by NorthWest on Monday, March 6, 2017 3:19 PM
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Posted by JoeKoh on Monday, March 6, 2017 2:49 PM

afternoon

Ns local was working when I got off work today.Rain then cool down then possible snow for the weekend.March in Nw Ohio.Need to get chores done.

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").

 

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Posted by mudchicken on Monday, March 6, 2017 12:55 PM

 Sure you didn't have some operating bubbas or some maintenance bubbas out for an inspection/ sight-seeing trip?

Just got a report from a La Junta surveyor of a major range fire across the river to the north of where Amtrak runs in SE Colorado (old MoP side)

Dog was barking early this morning at bird seed blown out of the feeder and hitting the windows on the backside of the house. (darned squirrels!)

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, March 6, 2017 12:53 PM

Mookie
There are no big visible detection things outside the car, so do they have gauges or meters inside these cars?

Mainly looking for obvious defects (pull-aparts, broken rails, etc).  You'd be amazed how much you can feel through those wheels, though.

LarryWhistling
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...

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, March 6, 2017 12:46 PM

You should see how fast the geese are flying north right now! The flock I just saw probably had breakfast in Nebraska and will have dinner in North Dakota.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by Mookie on Monday, March 6, 2017 12:22 PM

mudchicken

Be glad you left today instead of yesterday ---60-80 MPH Chinook winds and a little snow flying sideways in LJ right now...Playing havoc with signals, autoracks and dblstks...had an empty autorack blown over in the yard here.(more like it walked off the rail after severe rock & roll)

 

Was just hunting you down.  50-60 dirt blowing, allergy blowing mph winds from SW.  Just a normal day here in March.  Watched a few trains, no one seemed to be trying to fly a kite out the window.  However, a track checker went by.  There are no big visible detection things outside the car, so do they have gauges or meters inside these cars?  Other than a truck with rail wheels, they don't show much of anything.  

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by mudchicken on Monday, March 6, 2017 12:15 PM

Be glad you left today instead of yesterday ---60-80 MPH Chinook winds and a little snow flying sideways in LJ right now...Playing havoc with signals, autoracks and dblstks...had an empty autorack blown over in the yard here.(more like it walked off the rail after severe rock & roll)

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, March 6, 2017 9:59 AM

CShaveRR
One hour before we leave for the train...I think we're packed and ready now.

Safe travels, and our best wishes for Linda.  

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
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 CShaveRR on Monday, March 6, 2017 9:39 AM

Yes, Linda's her name...Dr. Linda.

And actually (my mistake) her treatment begins tomorrow (Tuesday).  

One hour before we leave for the train...I think we're packed and ready now.

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)

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Posted by Norm48327 on Sunday, March 5, 2017 4:11 PM

CShaveRR
Anyway, by this time tomorrow we should be out of Chicagoland on the Chief. By Wednesday we'll be providing aid and comfort to our daughter and her family; she finally begins radiation treatments tomorrow (after several postponements for one reason or another).

Carl,

Wishing the best for your daughter and praying for a good outcome. I believe her name is Linda. Am I correct?

Norm


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Posted by CShaveRR on Sunday, March 5, 2017 4:01 PM

Carl would love a day like that...they've been few and far between lately.

There will be plenty of cars to see for the next couple of days, as we head west tomorrow afternoon.  But where we're headed is basically the Western Division of the Land of No Trains.  I'll be desperately in need of a fix when we return; assuming I may not get to go anywhere while we're there (an overnight trip to Tehachapi would be great, but I don't anticipate being able to swing that while we're out there.

Right now, the computer is having a hard time opening a corrupted file that I need to repair.  I've narrowed the problem down to within 11 pages (out of about ten times that many), and once it's opened I can try to eliminate a few more.  The place where I suspect the problem to lie is a table covering former numbers for over 400 former CNW covered hoppers, and I expect that I'll have to reproduce the table line by line.

Meanwhile, I have some sightings from a couple of days ago that are waiting to be checked out, but can't be...while the machine is trying to open the one file I can't do anything with any other.

Anyway, by this time tomorrow we should be out of Chicagoland on the Chief.  By Wednesday we'll be providing aid and comfort to our daughter and her family; she finally begins radiation treatments tomorrow (after several postponements for one reason or another).

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)

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Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, March 5, 2017 12:28 PM

afternoon

Well csx was very busy this morning.Saw a gatx switcher tucked into a Q 368 going east.Also saw 3 former sante fe gp 30's going west on Q 369. 324 was busy dropping off cars in the yard as well.If Carl was with us he would have filled up his notebook for sure.Going to be warmer but more rain coming our way.Chores to finish up.

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").

 

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, March 4, 2017 4:49 PM

tree68
BaltACD

Try a 747...

It looks more pronounced with the configuration of the Constelation's, with the long nose wheel strut.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, March 4, 2017 12:22 PM

BaltACD
They did have a Lockheed Constellation - it is sure a long way between the ground and the cockpit.

Try a 747...

LarryWhistling
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...

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, March 4, 2017 12:20 PM

samfp1943
Imense aircraft.

Indeed!  Saw one on approach to the local military airfield (picking up electric company line trucks for assistance in the Caribbean after a storm, as I recall).  The runway is the only one in the area that could handle it.

I saw the plane from a good 15 miles away - it was so large that at approach speed it looked like it was just hanging in the air...

LarryWhistling
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...

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Posted by samfp1943 on Saturday, March 4, 2017 10:24 AM

BaltACD

Several years ago I attended a dinner that was held at the 'Combat Air Museum' at Topeka, KS.  While they didn't have the bombers mentioned, they did have a number of various era's fighters.  The are small - the WW 1 era one are almost toy like - I am surprised they had enough power to get the men with balls enough to fly them off the ground.  They did have a Lockheed Constellation - it is sure a long way between the ground and the cockpit.

How to fly a B-17

 

  Where we live is(sort of) on an axis with the main N-S runways for McConnell AFB , and Jabara Airport ( remember last year when one of Boeing 'Dreamlifter's missed their landing at McConnell AFB, and went in there on a 'short' runway?).  Point being that in this day and time, recip engined aircraft are a rarity flying around here. But when 'our locally,  restored' B-29 "Doc" is flying out of McConnell, or there is a visit from a restored B-17 (an occasionl visitor). They really 'stand out' and draw eyes towards their sound.

There have been visits to Wichita by several of the Big Antonov cargo planes, about four years back an An-225 brought in a fertilizer plant from Italy for Coffeyville,Ks, and they (An-224s) have been here to pick up parts for large wind turbines, and the last was here to pick up almost 20 crated Cessna aircraft to go to a flying school in Russia.  Imense aircraft.

Got to walk through a C-5 at Oshkosh (Whitman Field),once.  It was 'Huge' ( one of the jokes,there, was that it was big enough to be its' own zip code!)

 

 


 

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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, March 4, 2017 9:12 AM

Congrats to some great nieces on winning the trophy.  

Admit it, it is kind of nice to have a "driver"...Big Smile

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, March 4, 2017 6:34 AM

good morning

Last night the Lady Coldwater Cav bowlers got the state championship.So proud of Matt's cousins.Chores this morning.Time to wake up my driver and see what comes by on CSX.

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").

 

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, March 3, 2017 3:10 PM

afternoon

Coal train still in the siding when I left work.Mamma and Matt are uptown running errands.Chores to do here.

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").

 

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, March 2, 2017 5:38 PM

jeffhergert
In looking in the pictures in my books and the exploits therein, the planes (and the men that flew them) seemed larger than life. 

A big thing at air shows was (and may still be) flying a modern fighter in formation with a WWII fighter.  What a difference, not to mention that the WWII bird is probably almost full throttle while the jet is probably about to stall...

LarryWhistling
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...

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