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It's quiet......too quiet.

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It's quiet......too quiet.
Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 11:48 AM

     Surely not everyone fell off the face of the earth on the same day?

     Here's a few things interesting I've seen in the last couple of days:

1) A Citirail locomotive. Huh?

2) A loaded grain unit train that usually has three locomotives getting by with only two that were being pushed hard. The bonus for waiting was that the DPU was a CP Rail locomotive, rare in our part of the world.

3) The subject line for a new topic is limited to 150 characters. Does CandOforPromdresses have to do a rough draft on his and then trim them back?

What have you seen recently in your neck of the woods, (or butt of the prairie(?) if you don't have woods?)

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 12:00 PM

I don't know about everybody else, but I managed to grab at some reeds as I went over the edge of the earth... and I am still hanging there.

I figure everybody else is fearing being baned for copyright violation because someone has already used the same two words in the same sequence as someone else last month, and they won't post any photos because they fear their's might look too much like what someone else already posted.  There just aren't any photos left that can be taken that have not already been taken.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by edblysard on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 12:08 PM
Citi Corp owns a lot, and I mean a lot of rail equipment, and several fleet of locomotives.
I was surprised you were surprised to see one!
CandOforPromDresses has a lot of issues….spelling and grammar are two of several that include at least one OCD.
And I saw a UP coal train on the FW&D (BNSF) main a few days ago, they are never on this side of town and I wondered why a UP train was on the BN main…they share some stuff here, but not that much!

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Posted by samfp1943 on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 1:08 PM

Well, Just an observationfrom the Back Deck... I seem to feel like BNSF is running 'shorter" Stackers and COFS's.  It seems where they were coming by with for or five headend units, the last couple of weeks it seems they are getting by with a max of three on headends.  That's east and west on the eldorado sub; just the ones I see. 

  The longer ones still seem to run through Wichita on the ark city sub. Since they announced that partnership with KCS coming off the border, I've only seen one train with all KCS units on the head...It might be they do not have that much KCS power coming out of Texas for those sorts of power moves(?). 

Through this area Citirail power seems to be few, and far between.   Seems of late they have been moving a grain leassor train with FerroMex Power,on last couple of Sundays(?).

 

 


 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 1:55 PM

The ride to and from work lets me see a lot.  Chargers are working most of the regional Amtrak runs out of CUS.  Occasional Heritage units and rebuilt AC44C6M's at 47th Street and Landers on NS.  Mostly Dash-9's and GEVO's with some Tier 4's on the east end of the Transcon along I-55.

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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 3:06 PM

Murphy Siding
(or butt of the prairie(?) if you don't have woods?)

You just don't know how tempted I am... but will let that sit for now....

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 3:54 PM

Murphy Siding
What have you seen recently in your neck of the woods, (or butt of the prairie(?) if you don't have woods?)

If you don't have woods, you must be playing a par-three course!Whistling

NDG
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Posted by NDG on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 3:57 PM
 
 

Thank You.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 4:55 PM

edblysard
And I saw a UP coal train on the FW&D (BNSF) main a few days ago, they are never on this side of town and I wondered why a UP train was on the BN main…they share some stuff here, but not that much!



I know that the FW&D was a BN subsidiary. As such was it just run as part of the bigger railroad? Did it have its own management, home office and locomotive paint scheme?

 

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 4:58 PM

Mookie
 
Murphy Siding
(or butt of the prairie(?) if you don't have woods?)

 

You just don't know how tempted I am... but will let that sit for now....

 

 

Well, we do have woods at the other end of the state- unlike some states that just have sand out west.Geeked

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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 5:04 PM

Murphy Siding
we do have woods at the other end of the state- unlike some states that just have sand out west

Halsey Forest - northwest and sandhills up north.  Both are not that far from border with So Dak.  Does any of that slop over into your home state?

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 5:50 PM

Mookie



 

 
Murphy Siding
we do have woods at the other end of the state- unlike some states that just have sand out west

 

Halsey Forest - northwest and sandhills up north.  Both are not that far from border with So Dak.  Does any of that slop over into your home state?

 

 



OK, I found it on Google Maps. A cute little patch of trees. You folks have a low threshold for calling something a forest. ClownI love how it's surrounded with sand dunes that can be seen in satellite images. Bonus- the BNSF runs just past the patch of woods, so I followed the highway 'till I caught a coal train.Cool

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 5:53 PM

NDG
Went 10 miles on my 4-8-2 bike



You have a steam powered bike?

We have a GP30 that works the local sometimes, still in Cascade Green.

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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 6:07 PM

Murphy Siding
I caught a coal train

You know that is illegal.  Especially if it was moving....

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 6:36 PM

Mookie
 Murphy Siding
I caught a coal train

You know that is illegal.  Especially if it was moving....

 

Not if their in-season!

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by jeffhergert on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 6:49 PM

Murphy Siding

 

 
edblysard
And I saw a UP coal train on the FW&D (BNSF) main a few days ago, they are never on this side of town and I wondered why a UP train was on the BN main…they share some stuff here, but not that much!

 



 

I know that the FW&D was a BN subsidiary. As such was it just run as part of the bigger railroad? Did it have its own management, home office and locomotive paint scheme?

 

 

All the pictures of diesels I've seen had CB&Q or BN paint schemes with FW&D sublettering.  

In Fremont, NE there is a company (Magnus Inc) that has a 50' box car, no lettering, and a former FW&D caboose (or waycar) in BN paint.  All on an isolated section of track.  I imagine the box car, spotted at a door, might be used for storage.  The caboose (or waycar) just sits forlornly next to the box car.

Last week I saw the CN local out of Council Bluffs with a single KCS engine.

Jeff

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Posted by doghouse on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 7:16 PM

Just a string of empty crude oil tankers on the ROW.  A bit unusual up here in N. Maine.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 7:25 PM

jeffhergert
Last week I saw the CN local out of Council Bluffs with a single KCS engine.



      Assuming that the horsepower is aligned with the needs of the train, is there any difference in operating one engine verses several?

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 7:33 PM

Murphy Siding
Assuming that the horsepower is aligned with the needs of the train, is there any difference in operating one engine verses several?

Several considerations:

How's the reliability of the individual locomotives (sometimes a problem!)?

What kind of power will be necessary by the time they finish their trip (are they picking up 50 cars somewhere?)

Perhaps it's not desirable to run long hood forward for some reason.  One loco facing each way takes care of that if they can't turn the loco.

I'm sure there are other considerations.

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Posted by NorthWest on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 8:30 PM

Citirail/CREX units are fairly common on coal and oil trains in the PNW.

I've been seeing a lot more green and cream SD70MACs than I was a while back as well.

I have noticed that participation in the forum seems down.

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 8:58 PM

NorthWest
I have noticed that participation in the forum seems down.

It comes, it goes.  Depends on what topics are at hand, and how chatty folks are.

Bring on a disaster or a particularly contentious topic and things will liven up.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by zardoz on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 2:02 AM

Murphy Siding
Assuming that the horsepower is aligned with the needs of the train, is there any difference in operating one engine verses several?


Too many locomotives on the head end can cause undesireable slack action, especially run-outs.

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Posted by zardoz on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 2:06 AM

"It's quiet......too quiet."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WatQeG5fMU

 

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Posted by edblysard on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 7:49 AM

Murphy Siding

 

 
edblysard
And I saw a UP coal train on the FW&D (BNSF) main a few days ago, they are never on this side of town and I wondered why a UP train was on the BN main…they share some stuff here, but not that much!

 



 

I know that the FW&D was a BN subsidiary. As such was it just run as part of the bigger railroad? Did it have its own management, home office and locomotive paint scheme?

 

 

Jointly owned line with Rock Island and CB&Q. Burlington would dispatch and Rock Island would maintain for five years, then switch responsibilities.
Back and forth like that every five years….guess who did most of the track repair!.
I don’t know when,. but it was a part of the merger that helped create BN.
We see UP coal runs on the south side all the time, but here on the North, there really isn’t anywhere for them to go besides the PTRA, and UP always comes in from the south.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 12:44 PM

NorthWest
I have noticed that participation in the forum seems down.



..... It's seasonal.......springtime, when a man's thoughts turn to HEY LOOK! A SQUIRREL!!!

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 12:45 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH

The ride to and from work lets me see a lot.  Chargers are working most of the regional Amtrak runs out of CUS.  Occasional Heritage units and rebuilt AC44C6M's at 47th Street and Landers on NS.  Mostly Dash-9's and GEVO's with some Tier 4's on the east end of the Transcon along I-55.

 



What's a charger? I think it was you who explained to me one time what a scoot was.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 1:55 PM

A Charger is a Siemens-built passenger locomotive purchased by the Midwest consortium (IL, WI, MI & MO), Washington DOT, Caltrans and MARC.

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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 2:27 PM

Amazingly (perhaps) I have yet to see a Charger.  

Is there increased horsepower enough to keep the trains running at 110 by themselves?  (More cabbage cars needed?)

Carl

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 4:07 PM

The Siemens Charger is tested for sustained operation with a top speed of 125 mph with four PRIIA cars.
Regards, Volker

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 4:40 PM

The Burlington-Rock Island Railroad was a different railroad from the Fort Worth and Denver Railway, which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of the CB&Q since 1908 along with the the Colorado and Southern, which had owned predecessor Fort Worth and Denver City Railway since 1899. The confusion may lie in connections.  The FW&D operated on trackage rights of the Rock Island from Fort Worth to Dallas and through the Burlington-Rock Island from Dallas to Houston.

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