We finally are getting our act together on sound. There was a time when a crew member (often yours truly) got to run through the train with a boom box that had a wireless mic receiver on it so those in the cars could hear Santa outside at the North Pole.
We currently run with five of the big guys. That's the only way to get through ten cars in the time allotted. But it means we're in effect running five trains. There are usually only a couple of the characters that have the run of the entire train.
We go out at track speed (30) and creep back at 15, more or less, depending on progress through the cars (never say the S word on the radio!)
I'll be in the cab for the six trips this weekend. Next weekend I get to be one of the conductors...
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...
tree68We finally are getting our act together on sound. There was a time when a crew member (often yours truly) got to run through the train with a boom box that had a wireless mic receiver on it so those in the cars could hear Santa outside at the North Pole. We currently run with five of the big guys. That's the only way to get through ten cars in the time allotted. But it means we're in effect running five trains. There are usually only a couple of the characters that have the run of the entire train. We go out at track speed (30) and creep back at 15, more or less, depending on progress through the cars (never say the S word on the radio!) I'll be in the cab for the six trips this weekend. Next weekend I get to be one of the conductors...
S word - Safety?
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDS word - Safety?
(Santa)
With five on the train at the same time, and crew members with radios throughout the train, reporting on each is doing, there is the possibility that someone (ie, one who still believes) could hear a reference to the big guy on our radios that doesn't square with what they're seeing.
The crew members regularly report to the conductor on the radio how each Santa is progressing, so our train speed can be adjusted to allow all of them to finish before we arrive at the station. Thus, we just say that a section is half done, etc.
evening
Work busy.Ns sent a stack train west.Sounded like he had to slow down a bit west of town.Cars were waiting for the local uptown too.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").
update
The local people have voted.The Clinton St. viaduct will now be known as "The Clinton Street can opener."
Work still busy.Ns was clear when I left work.Matt is finishing up homework.Chores to do.
joe
CSSHegewisch: just got sucked into a Wobbly Manor project about a mile north of your namesake right at SC&S Wolf Lake Junction (and next to Azcon/Hyman Michaels where too many locomotives and railcars went off to die at the end of their useful lives) .... Get to deal with PRR's version of bow and arrow country in Chicago.
Fair warning, messin' 'round in your 'hood.
Ns was pulling west out of the siding when I left work.Errands done.Did see an Eastbound CSX in Defiance.Matt is at a friends birthday party.Work early tomorrow then off to G+G house.Someone there has a birthday but she isn't talking.
Well, the first night of Polar is in the books, apparently with no issues to speak of. Everything sounded OK from my seat (in one of the locomotives).
Tonight's attendance was a little light (not unusual for the first night, and a Friday to boot). Saturday is apparently sold out, so we'll see what happens then. My part is easy (pull handles, make the train go)...
Details, please, on the vote, Joe? What was it about--does it mean nothing will get done?MC, sounds like fun! I haven't been to the middle of Wolf Lake! On a line that now seems to handle mostly unit and intermodal trains, I feel lucky...I've seen three manifests in two days. No big deal, except that manifests are where I get most of the material for my carchaeology, and this feast occurred after an entire week of seeing nothing, due to my uncommon cold and work being done around the house to get it presentable for our guests.Have I mentioned what's happening here? Instead of going up to Michigan to spend Thanksgiving with family (families...both Pat's and mine), we're staying home. Linda, though well enough to travel, is very fragile, and they are flying from California Wednesday, arriving here late in the afternoon. Thursday they will still be exhausted and jet-lagged, so we'll just have dinner here. Most of the work will be done by Shannon's, our favorite local deli--and the dinner will be easy to put out and it will not disappoint.Friday, Daughter Ellen will bring her tribe up from Peoria, along with more fixings and hundreds of ideas for putting on a gathering with no formal meal... and our families will be driving down here, mostly to see Linda and family. It should be quite a crowd, ranging in age from a couple of months to (as of now) 93 years!The rest of the weekend will be as many of Linda's friends as she's up to spending time with. The highlight will be her old viola teacher and mentor, who will bring her family from Madison, Wisconsin. That family will take Chris and Linus to a show at the Planetarium on Sunday, freeing Linda for rest, church, and whatever (maybe including Portillo's for dinner!). The family returns to California at the crack of dawn (or earlier) on Tuesday.
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)
The vote for naming the viaduct was done through social media.Even our local paper picked up on it.How much longer the wait for the problem to be fixed? Who knows.Hoping for safe travels for all this week.Need to go get ready for work.
afternoon
Ns had an eastbound in the siding plus, a westbound stack train came by when I left work.There were also cars for the local to pick up.Sunshine here today.Chores to do.
Ns local was working when I left work.Truck had squeeky wheels so we got that fixed.One more day of work.MC sister says people are using I-75 as their personal race track.Going south on Saturday.
We will have 20 family members for Thanksgiving dinner. I wish for you and your families to enjoy whatever you may do on this day of giving thanks.
Dinner at the daughter's tomorrow (I'm bringing pie and cranberry relish). Then off to the railroad Friday for three more days of Polar Express.
If you'd like to ride along with me, here's your chance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrGU64VRVTg
No, I didn't shoot the video.
Ns had a stack train go west and cars uptown when I left work.Ran errands.Big store in town is getting ready for black Friday.I will not be shopping then.Will be going to Stacey's uncles for turkey day.Hope everyone has a safe and blessed holiday.
mudchicken CSSHegewisch: just got sucked into a Wobbly Manor project about a mile north of your namesake right at SC&S Wolf Lake Junction (and next to Azcon/Hyman Michaels where too many locomotives and railcars went off to die at the end of their useful lives) .... Get to deal with PRR's version of bow and arrow country in Chicago. Fair warning, messin' 'round in your 'hood.
Local had cars uptown when I left work.Ns also has a broken rail in a crossing in Stryker Ohio.Might be Tuesday until they get it fixed.Have to report up and early in the morning.Will be listening in on the "Game" as well.Chores to do.
Tonight, I had a nice dinner with my wife at a good restaurant in downtown Downers Grove where in addition to a nice meal, I got to watch the BNSF's trains. First train through was Amtrak's #383, the Carl Sandburg pulled by a NEW Siemans built Charger with a Cabbage on the rear, Three Metra commuter trains and a westbound BNSF baretable. I am wondering how many of the Illinois Chargers have been received and are in operation. I know that per Trains that as of Aug 18th,
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2017/08/28-chargers-chicago-update
"“Twelve of the 33 ordered Chargers are on the property and I can put ten in service today,” says Mike Yates, Amtrak’s Chicago-based superintendent of locomotives."
So are all 33 in service now" Have they had any teething problems like the F125's in California?
After years of wishful thinking, one of my longtime ambitions was fulfilled (at least partially) yesterday afternoon. We were having a post-Thanksgiving celebration with relatives from Michigan, Missouri, and elsewhere in Illinois at our house. As the party was winding down and the youngest generation was getting tired, bored, and cranky, I took Grandson Nico (9) out of the fray. He deserved a reward for doing such a nice job with our leaf sweeper earlier in the day, and he still is an avid lover of trains. So we took a half-hour or so to go train-watching, just the two of us.
We stayed mostly at the grade crossing at Elizabeth, because one can see signals in both directions from there. So Nico learned about block signals, control point signals, and (when two trains came) rotary couplers on coal cars, and the newest paint scheme on Metra's F40PHs. We lingered at the crossing after the westbound scoot left, to see the progression of the block signals back to green (he had the right idea, but was surprised by the flashing-yellow aspect between yellow and green).When we got back home, I gave Nico a copy of the Kalmbach Chicago special issue. He can grasp it, I know.
Even though I need another hobby like another hole in my head, I now have a 1976 Playmatic Conquest 200 pinball machine* in my house. Friend who is basically a electrical/mechanical engineer got it as part of a package deal and sold it to me after doing a little TLC to it. I, being just the choo-choo engineer, still have a lot to learn about these things.
At the same time I'm trying to keep myself from buying a new Guardians of the Galaxy machine (I have a bit of a Rocket the Raccoon collection). And I have the space. I may lose this battle.
*- it does have a steam engine on the back glass. I guess that's something.
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
Evening
Back to work Monday.Ns had an eastbound coal train in the siding when I left work.Work going to be busy busy busy.
Brrrrrr. Down to +17F from a high of around +30F today. But, it's supposed to hit +50F Tuesday. Probably be a good day to do my outside decorating!
Drove home through some heavy snow on the way home from Polar last night. Pretty messy roads, but I got back in good order.
Today was a "down" day - just take it easy and recover...
Carl, the UP was replacing concrete ties east of Bond, at least as far as Gore. In September, there was an item in Newswire about the detouring schedule for September. Eastbound, I went across Wyoming and westbound, I had a email note from Amtrak saying that I would leave Chicago 1:35 later than usual, and arrive here 4:30 later than usual (we were to be in Denver about three hours because of the trackwork). When we reached Gore, we had to wait for #6, which may have been running late. As it was, we arrived here 5:25 late.
On the October trip, I had a note telling me that #6 would leave here 1:30 later than ordinarily. We did so, and I went to sleep before we left Denver. We were 1:22 late from the adjusted time leaving Lincoln, which would have given me time to get off #6 and get on #30. We were about that late leaving Naperville--and only 51 minutes late arriving in Chicago, which gave me time to go to the lounge and make my dinner reservation. Returning, we ran pretty well on time, and arrived here 25 minutes early.
About Bond, eastbound, I noticed this mark: CTRN.
Johnny
zugmann Even though I need another hobby like another hole in my head, I now have a 1976 Playmatic Conquest 200 pinball machine* in my house. Friend who is basically a electrical/mechanical engineer got it as part of a package deal and sold it to me after doing a little TLC to it. I, being just the choo-choo engineer, still have a lot to learn about these things. At the same time I'm trying to keep myself from buying a new Guardians of the Galaxy machine (I have a bit of a Rocket the Raccoon collection). And I have the space. I may lose this battle. *- it does have a steam engine on the back glass. I guess that's something.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Johnny, reporting marks CTRN originated with the Central of Tennessee Railway and Navigation Company. They became well known when they started showing up on cars leased to the Southern Pacific (primarily coal hoppers, both new and used). They're now a reporting mark assigned to the UP. Current equipment consists of gondolas (both standard and coal), hoppers, and covered hoppers.
I'm up at this ungodly hour because we just got home from taking Linda, Chris, and Linus back to the airport. They had a good business, with Linda's to-do list being almost completely accomplished (she didn't get that second trip to Portillo's in). Linus got his train ride, though Grandpa didn't accompany him. And our house was a busy place nearly every day they were here (at one time we had 28 people here, ages ranging from less than 93 days to over 93 years!). Our grandchildren created a leaf pile, which they then enjoyed playing in, joined by second-cousins on occasion.
Thanks, Carl. Apparently the car I saw was in use by the track men--carrying ties?
As to the hour of the morning, I have been up for an hour and a half. I'm going down to breakfast in about fifteen minutes. I don't move quite as fast as I used to, so I get up earlier than I used to--and also go to bed earlier than I used to.
32 degrees here this morning; it was close to 60 yesterday morning.
Used ties going back the co-generation plants to burn as fuel.
(Saw an undercutter at Grand Island and a massive effort to remove concrete switch ties between Grand Island and North Platte on Saturday. If they were changing out defective concrete track ties, they must have been using a P8-11 track machine that wasn't seen out there along that part of US-30. No regular concrete ties seen lying around out of track. Uncle Pete is pushing his luck working on track at this time of year.)
35 degree drop in temperature after the front went through early today. The promised snow 10 hours after a 76 degree high fortunately didn't happen. Did get some light rain with the Chinook winds. Duncan, the weatherscottie, has a wind-blown look today.
MC,
Winter is coming and there is a facility about thirty miles north of me that burns ties among other rwnewables. Wood is theit forte. That is IMO recycling. Don't let things go to waste.
Norm
Used concrete ties being used for fuel?
I saw many concrete ties in haphazard piles along the right of way between Gore and Bond when I came back in September and when I went in October. I have the impression that the job was finished when I came back in late October.
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