evening
Ns must be doing it's precision railroading.Same train still in the siding at work.Does have an old WP boxcar next to a NDEM boxcar.The local was in town as well.Matt is off to his language arts festival tonight at school.Stacey says he looks pretty snazzy all dressed up.Going to do 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").
So, what flavor are you donating? Gator or Dew?
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)
80 degrees yesterday, less than 40 today and it's snowing. Fall in the Rockies.
(Weatherliar U. freshman class introduced to the weather machine with all those mysterious dials and gauges?)
And Carl: The bloodsuckers at the blood bank visit here tomorrow.
Interesting day today, on what should have been a 30-minute (or less) blood draw.First of all, the railroad had had signal problems out west this morning, at a control point known as "Peck" (and identified as "near Geneva" on the advisories). This basically disrupted the rush-hour scoots, and caused freights to be held out of the way. All of the trains that went through Peck had to stop, have someone get down and inspect the switches, than reboard before they could go through there. The problem must have spread, as we saw signalmen at many grade crossings, up on some of the signal bridges etc. So, in mid-morning, around the time that the store Pat needed to visit in Wheaton was open, we set out (the original mission was a blood draw for me, which I usually have done in Glen Ellyn). An eastbound was crossing Elizabeth by us, and crossing over from Track 2 to Track 1 down at Grace. When that cleared and the northbound (we) could cross the tracks, I noticed a headlight down to the east. I had figured that the westbound whose headlight we saw was also on Track 2 would be coming west, as soon as the eastbound got out of its way at the crossovers at Grace. So, naturally, we turned right toward Grace instead of left toward Wheaton (our car seems to sense these things--who am I to object?). When we got to Grace and crossed the tracks again, I noted two things: the headlight for the westbound train was on Track 3, not 2; and Track 2 was occupied by the hind end of an eastbound freight train!So we went further east, noting that both trains were sitting there. I was hoping the guy on 2 would start up and block us somewhere, but he didn't. I also noticed that the guy on 3 was a long one, and had the crossing blacked at CP Plow (Addison Road, for those not in on the joke). So we went back west, through Lombard, where an eastbound scoot, close to on time, just after 10:00, was leaving Lombard--Track 1 was open for him to get through. As we got to Glen Ellyn, I noticed that the first distant signal for the control point "University" was clear, so we decided to go through to shop at Wheaton, rather than stop for my blood draw. That was a good move...the train that had been stopped at Grace came through soon after we'd parked. We did our shopping, then went to Glen Ellyn for my blood draw (the lab was decorated in a vampire motif...who'd-a thunk?). As we left the lab, we noted that it was getting toward lunchtime, so we decided to dine in Glen Ellyn. But as soon as we got in the car, we heard a horn! It wasn't scoot time. By the time we got to Pennsylvania Avenue out of the parking lot, the train--another manifest--was headed west. So we turned right, hoping to overtake the head end before Wheaton again. No chance--he was moving slightly faster than we could.At the next grade crossing I was able to get into position to cross behind it...but first, a stack train came through on Track 1, blocking my view of a few good cars. There was no way I was going to head further west, so we took Hill Street back to Prospect and downtown to park for lunch. We were at this spot while one scoot (westbound on 3), an auto-rack train (westbound on 3), a stack train (eastbound on 1), and another manifest (westbound on 2) all came through. More good stuff on a couple of these trains for my files.It was when we were headed home from lunch that I saw how nice the trees were looking along Crescent, so I asked Pat to take a video. Toward the end of the video, we noticed the westbound stack train (on Track 2, I think), and she got a quick grab of one of the pink "ONE" containers we're seeing more and more of.
Yes, that's a scenic road from Glen Ellyn to Lombard. Historically, it was built as the original right-of-way for the railroad? That was back when it was a single-track line, the first railroad west from Chicago, in 1849. By the 1870s, it had been expanded to two tracks and rebuilt on the straighter, higher alignment in use today.But yes, this is how we roll, why some trips take longer than we expect them to, and how I keep busy (two of the cars I saw today are nearly new, and I'll have to write another report before the end of the month to accommodate them). But yes, we enjoy ourselves and our trips. It wasn't always this way, and I'm grateful for how the gears have meshed over the decades and decades we've been together. <3
Well, one less container to ride the rails - it's been duly planted at our fire training center. It'll hold the fuels for our burn facility (hay, some pallets).
In the spring we'll give it a coat of paint.
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...
Ns had a westbound frieght in the siding.The also sent a westbound power move after work.Nice sunshine after this past weekend.Tomorrow guessers say mid 60's.Chores to do.
jeffhergertWhile it was passing, we saw on a single level stack car said turkey on top of the container along for the ride. Last seen, it was headed west.
Maybe the bird will post a YouTube video soon...provided it makes it through Thanksgiving!
Jeff, thinking about your turkey hobo, I was wondering if future generations of birds might learn to ride northbound or southbound trains for their annual migration. They could save a lot of energy.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Carl: PFPX 156715, 156718 and 156720 went south on what I think was the QPDRV this morning. I found a STB filing for PFPX 156700-710, but not these cars.
A lot of the old ratty ones are also market PFPX.
Yesterday went ok.Ghosts and gobblins were able to get around Deshler for trick or treat.Csx is storing cars for SDI in Defiance as they work on the factory yard track.Matt's breakfast went well.Mother Nature is sending a downpour.The Sp 1996 is going to be in the area.The conductor reports a clogged toilet.Need to get stuff around for tomorrow.
Every time I go into the yard in Council Bluffs I can't help but see turkeys everywhere along some of the tracks used for arriving and departing trains. Lots of deer, too. They feast on grain that has leaked out of cars. I like to call them the yard clean up crew.
Today there is one less turkey in the yard. It wasn't hit by a train or vehicle. It wasn't even a meal for the coyote that has taken up residence in the brush. No, it left town. Last night while waiting to get in to set-out some stack cars, we had to wait for a train to depart. While it was passing, we saw on a single level stack car said turkey on top of the container along for the ride. Last seen, it was headed west.
Jeff
Looks like you're getting rain right now. Can't tell if that's wind or thunder on the Deshler web cam...
afternoon
Ns sent a westbound stack train after work.Wind from the east with sprinkles.Guessers say rain on our parade for tomorrow night.Matt and youth group are making breakfast on Sunday at church.
Ns sent an eastbound after work.It had some "southern" lettered ballast cars on the end of the train.Csx also sent an eastbound stack train when we got into Defiance.Need to do chores.
Got to play to lose!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Every day I don't play, I have two dollars that I didn't throw away in the hope of getting something I didn't earn. Dreams don't build wealth. If you ever take a course in statistics and probability, you would not play the lottery. But you pay for those that push the qust for riches. And what have you to show for it? Scrap paper.
Paul of Covington JoeKoh I have scrap paper as well Look on the bright side. You guys now have a little more to contribute to the recycling effort.
JoeKoh I have scrap paper as well
Look on the bright side. You guys now have a little more to contribute to the recycling effort.
And all that scrap paper may be headed to a landfill now that China has required paper to be 99 percent clean, which is near impossible with today's single sort method. Lot of places now paying the mills to take the scrap paper..........
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
JoeKohI have scrap paper as well
I have scrap paper as well.Ns was still in the siding when I left work today.Ran errands in town.Saw 3 trains on CSX and a MOW truck.The ND&W was coming into town when I came home.Have chores to do here.The sunshine is nice eventhough it's chilly.
CSSHEGEWISCH I've seen that somebody actually holds THE winning ticket. I would not want to be in his shoes for any number of reasons.
I've seen that somebody actually holds THE winning ticket. I would not want to be in his shoes for any number of reasons.
Agreed - I wonder if they will allow anonymity.
Bob Withorn Larry, the odds are discribed as equivalent to rolling one die and getting a 1..... 11 times in a row.
Larry, the odds are discribed as equivalent to rolling one die and getting a 1..... 11 times in a row.
Indeed - I saw it described as one in what amounted to the population of the US, but even that isn't accurate, as no one won the previous drawing. I think I saw something about running out of potential unique number combinations as well.
OTOH, I have a piece of scrap paper now...
tree68 blhanel ...the terrifying prospect of actually winning, Even though I got tonight's tickets at the local convenience store, I would prefer to have purchased them some distance from home. Were I to actually win, I'm sure there would be a lot of media hanging out at the store, waiting for the winner (ie, me) to 'fess up. I probably wouldn't verify it locally - I'd rather wait a few days, then visit a lottery office unannounced and see how quiet we could keep it. Otherwise, I'm sure I'd have lots of new "friends." That said, I have some idea of where some of the money I got to keep (after taxes) would go. Meanwhile, I'll stay inside, as I have a better chance of getting hit by lightning that winning...
blhanel ...the terrifying prospect of actually winning,
Even though I got tonight's tickets at the local convenience store, I would prefer to have purchased them some distance from home. Were I to actually win, I'm sure there would be a lot of media hanging out at the store, waiting for the winner (ie, me) to 'fess up.
I probably wouldn't verify it locally - I'd rather wait a few days, then visit a lottery office unannounced and see how quiet we could keep it. Otherwise, I'm sure I'd have lots of new "friends."
That said, I have some idea of where some of the money I got to keep (after taxes) would go.
Meanwhile, I'll stay inside, as I have a better chance of getting hit by lightning that winning...
Were I to become a winner (you've got to play to lose), there would be a word in my vocabulary that would be used much more frequently than it has in the past - NO!
blhanel...the terrifying prospect of actually winning,
We've been discussing the thought of going to purchase a few tickets for each, but haven't got it done yet. Between the dismal odds and the terrifying prospect of actually winning, I don't think we're missing out on much.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
There - bought my losing ticket for the lotto. Two different drawings, actually. One is over $1.6B, the other around $600M.
Cash payout is substantially less, of course (taxes, taxes, taxes), but who's to complain if my checking account is $600M richer? Even splitting it multiple ways would mean I have more money than I have now...
And there are lesser prizes in each drawing - not gonna complain if I score one of those, either.
Ns had a westbound frieght in the siding when I got off of work.Chores to do here.Going to make spaghetti for supper tonight.Need to finish it before the weekend.We use that bowl for the trick or treat candy.
I'll do that when I see one again (it's been a couple of weeks).
I'm doing well, hope you are too!
NorthWest Carl, there are a bunch of new chip gons running around Oregon. I can try to get reporting info if you want, but I haven't seen one in a couple weeks.
Carl, there are a bunch of new chip gons running around Oregon. I can try to get reporting info if you want, but I haven't seen one in a couple weeks.
I certainly would appreciate that! What would work best for me would be the reporting mark and number (so I can look them up), and a builder and date if possible. If there's an order number, that would be useful. Thanks! Hope you're doing well!
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