Oh, yes; this past Tuesday, #6 ran slowly after crossing both the Missouri and the Mississippi for there was flooding beside the track. I hope I will be able to get home next Friday.
Johnny
I found my notes on the cars I rode in from Washington to Birmingham. The sleeper was 62007, and the diner was 68003. Amtrak used to put names on the inside doors, but apparently the expense of doing so--and of restoring existed names--is an unnecessary espense.
afternoon
Was able to get out and watch some Csx today.Saw a very long q 370 eastbound manifest.Also saw 2 coal trains back to back westbound.Matt has to go and do dishes tonight.Deggesty hope your train home doesn't need pontoons to get you there.
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").
We haven't had a dry day (except for freight-car observations) for a long time now. And any of our rain that does to drainage will find the Mississippi River eventually, though not in a way that should disrupt Johnny's trip.
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)
CShaveRRWe haven't had a dry day (except for freight-car observations) for a long time now. And any of our rain that does to drainage will find the Mississippi River eventually, though not in a way that should disrupt Johnny's trip.
Locally the weather guessers have stated that there has not been a 'dry' Friday since January 25 - every Friday has had at least a 'Trace' of measurable rain.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
The lawn got it's first cutting of the year yesterday and the veggies were moved out of the house to their places in the garden. (Dining room is suddenly less crowded with seedlings)....
Concern here is the coming warm weather (into the 80's this week) is going to cause the overly large snowpack to melt at an accelerated rate. Could be interesting in the South Platte and Arkansas river valleys for a while. (They may not be mowing the river bottoms in Dodge City and Garden City this summer? Sand Creek becomes a river?) Good year for the river rafters and eastern Colorado farmers? Rockfalls, snow slides and avalanches are a concern for Uncle Pete up in the mountains on both sides of the divide.
Johnny: Sloss Furnace is quite the landmark. Been working on the track that crosses where you were and runs N-S on the east side of Sloss Furnace (32nd)...Kind of a shame that the former SAL main and Birmingham Belt that ran two blocks or more south of the NS main you were on is gone from Sloss Furnace on to the west.
Ns had a westbound powder river train waiting on Main 1 after work. Guy was also mowing real quick around the parking lot.Still waiting for the swamp area to dry.With all the water can't wait for the mosquitoes this year.Chores to do here at home.
MC, the Sloss Furnaces are the first thing I remember seeing the first time I came into Birmingham--on the overnight train from Atlanta, in July of 1953; they were working then.
The wye east of the Terminal Station was never used, so far as I knew, and I was not sure that it was still there until one of the conductors who came in on #19 Friday told me that that was where the train was turned so it could start back north after the passengers and crew out of New Orleans arrived. As well as I could tell, the track that leads to Sheffield and passed through the station is still there--and the track from Woodlawn Junction to North Birmingham seems to be still there.
I have ridden over the track that runs through where the station was and on the track from North Brmingham to Woodlawn Junction. In June of 1963, I was on my way to Bristol (I boarded the train in Meridian), and we stopped in Birmingham. A litle while before we were ready to go, a SB L&N freight and a Northern Alabama freight just out of the yard almost met; the L&N crossing watchman swung the gate (it's automatic now) right in front of the NA train; the engineer hit the independent brake--and you know what happened. After a while, it was decided that the Pelican would back to North Birmingham, and then run to Woodlawn Junction so it could be on its way.
Rain and cold air in the Northeast.
Looks like we're finally getting some decent weather today starting with a nice sunrise on the ride to work this morning. Some of the Chargers previously held at Pueblo are now turning up at 18th Street.
Today looks beautiful outside! It would be a great day for catching up on yeard work, except that I'm not allowed to, owing to the procedure I had done yesterday (that was only a prelude, for exploration and mapping out my circulatory system...the real valve replacement will come in early July). Hope you have a good trip back west tomorrow, Johnny! We should be able to make the trip in on Thursday. Paul, is Bedford Park in your neck of the woods? I've lately extended my train-hunting trips to the public street (68th Street?) that comes fairly close to the leads there, and have seen equipment that's a bit exotic for a west-suburban guy. (Sunday there was a bunch of WSOR power sitting there.) No trains were moving, but the west end of the yard provided some valuable sightings that I'm still working on (no biggie, since I was in the hospital most of the day yesterday and napping for much of the rest of it).
I'm about two miles from that part of Clearing Yard. The WSOR power routinely lays over at that locale near 68th and Old Harlem. Every so often, I will do a go-around that includes IHB at Argo, various layover points at Clearing and possibly Landers.
Ns sent a westbound stack train after work.Swamp is drying out.Chores to do here at home.
I got back from a side trip to Brunswick, Maine, about forty minutes ago--a trip that I enjoyed as I added new miles and a new state, rifing over the former B&M and former Maine Central.
Oh, yes, while going to Birmingham and back, I noticed the mile posts and whistle posts I di not see a single whistle post that indicated what is to be blown; all I saw were sheet metal signs with "W" on them. I saw none of the old cast metal mile posts; most of what I saw were light metal signs with the numerals set vertically; I did see some ligt metal signs that are oval in shape and the numerals arranged horizontally (the old arrangement).
Tomorrow, I start back home from Boston and have the opportunity to sample Amtrak's second style of substitutes for diner food. From the description on the website, this style is much better than the original.
I forgot to mention, Johnny, that we toured the Sloss furnaces when we were down in Birmingham last May (as much as was allowed, and as much of that as we could stand, in the heat).
Your whistle posts down there have probably been NStandardized.
Paul, now that we've been to each other's stomping grounds, we've got to get together sometime!
Ns local was shuffling around after work.Another swamp drying day.Friend made it back from his trip.Going to get chores done here.
Well, Johnny's in good hands with Amtrak. His Lake Shore Limited train was late today (problems with making the connection at Albany), and he got in over three hours late. I got a chance to "hail and farewell" him in Chicago before he had to catch the Zephyr home.
evening
Heard a horn on Ns but didn't see a train after work.The swamp is trimmed and mowed.Glad tomorrow is Friday.Matt wants to help run HO scale trains at Auglaize village on Saturday.He will be working a shelter and doing dishes on Sunday.
update
Forgot to mention that I saw a courthouse in Denver will be getting a package to assemble.Just one of those things I see at work.Mother Nature is refilling our swamp a bit earlier than the guessers prognastications.
Muggy with passing rain sprinkles.Ns was clear when I left work.Chores to do.
Warmer today for sure.Matt and I helped a friend run model trains at Auglaize Village.Saw and heard some csx trains go by as well.The village speeder had a little trouble running today as well.Matt gets to go do dishes tonight.Tomorrow he goes with his church group to do lunch at a shelter.Guessers say Mother Nature wants to send more rain.
Yes, as Carl posted yesterday, we had time to shake hands yesterday while I was in Chicago--the Late, Late Shore Limited arrived in time for me to get a round trip to the lounge and then go out to the California Zephyr; I di not have to get get inside the door of the lounge before the cart driver said he was ready to take me and two others who had just come into Chicago out to the train.
We arrived n Salt Lake almost two hours late--slow orders in western Nebraska and other places.
Knowing that we would be late coming in here, I took a nap after dinner--I pulled forward enough of one of the seats in the room (H) and lay down and went to sleep. The car attendent looked in and put a blanket over me.while I slept. I woke in plenty of time to get off.
It rained here last night.
Carl, can you decode a car that was plainly BNSF but now is CTRN?
The new version of get-rid-of-diners meals is a little better, but I much prefer going to the diner, ordering my meals--and enjoying conversation with whomever else has been seateda at the same table. Yesterday morning, I shared the table with a lady and her son and daughter from Australia, and had conversation with a couple from Londaon, England at lunch.
And, I saw too many people who do not understand the ettiquette of waiting at the door until they are instructed as to where to sit. I did see many who do understand. I do not recall any who awere dressed in a scruffy manner; they apparently restricted themselves to the counter downstairs in the lounge car.
A further note on the shower room in the accessible room in Viewliners--there is no place for the attendant to put towels and such where they can be kept dry during the taking a shower. Just like the floor in bedroom showers, the floor is slick (I put a hand towel on the floor to reduce the probability of slipping). There is enough room for the keep my walker and suitcase in the bedroom area--I can do so in an ordinary Viewliner bedroom, but the situation is cramped.
Of course, the public showers have dressing rooms where towels and such can be kept dry.
Now to finish unpacking, get my newspapers arranged by date--and catch up on the comics.
JoeKohGuessers say Mother Nature wants to send more rain.
I'm not sure how much will wind up in your area. Here in the SFBA the predictions have been for moderate rain today and tomorrow - so far it's been kinda light and wimpy.
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
Glad you made it home, Johnny!There were 1050 of those hoppers that were relettered CTRN (numbered 1-1050). The CTRN cars were leased to the SP, at least until UP took over. I haven't seen one for a while, so I'm wondering if it's still in coal service. I can provide the BN number for just about any one of 'em.
The water parted enough for us to get to nephews house.Had a good time.Sister is coming north on I-75.Said people are driving like idiots.We brought home a cupcake for Matt when he gets home.Saw a stack train going east on CSX.Back to work tomorrow.
CShaveRR Glad you made it home, Johnny!There were 1050 of those hoppers that were relettered CTRN (numbered 1-1050). The CTRN cars were leased to the SP, at least until UP took over. I haven't seen one for a while, so I'm wondering if it's still in coal service. I can provide the BN number for just about any one of 'em.
Yes, MC, if you are referring to the Geneva down the road from where I live, that Geneva is not there any more. The plant was built well inland during WW II so enemy airplanes would be discouraged from trying to bomb it. It is dark when I go by the place now, so I do not see it. I have a memory that people live in newly built houses on the site.
(1) So long HOBART TOWER, some of us will always remember. (at least it didn't burn like Redondo did)
(2) Johnny - yes, THAT Geneva. A bunch of those old coal hoppers have been in storage between Dotsero and Gypsum.
Rainy and in the forties here.Good chance of wet snow tonight ....Springtime in the Rockies! (and I have to be on the other side of the Continental Divide tomorrow...such fun!)
Thank you, MC, for the hopper car info!We have early-spring weather today, with the temperatures hovering in the lower 50s. This is after yesterday, when they got up to near 80, with a strong threat of severe storms. So strong, in fact, that Lombard's Lilac Festival parade was cancelled outright (you can guess what happened after the cancellation...sunshine!) That was an unavoidable pity, since the parade was also intended to celebrate Lombard's sesquicentennial.Pat and I, on the other hand, had determined that this year we weren't going to participate in or even watch the parade (it's fun when you have kids in it, or grandchildren who still enjoy such things, but they didn't come up this year). We decided that a Sunday-afternoon cruise would be a good way to get out of town and avoid the hubbub. So we went in toward the city, dined at Portillo's in Summit, visited my new "magic spot" in Bedford Park, then went to some of the rarely-seen (for me) places in industrial northwestern Indiana before returning home on my usual route through Hammond, Burnham, Dolton, and Blue Island. The weather was pleasant for most of the trip...breezy, hovering around 80. We did have a good shower while driving in Chicago, but that was it, save for some magnificent cloudscapes while driving.The results of the trip for me were quite spectacular: seven pages of handwritten data (basically the same as an extremely good day at work used to yield), which so far has yielded three heretofore-unseen reporting marks for me, requiring two new files), and a couple of newly-built series to be added to the table that we carchaeologists maintain.Pat, on the other hand, was impressed by how green and lush things were, and was helpful in recording data when needed. She also managed to get four inches knit on the sweater she's working on for a friend. We engaged in my favorite pastime, listening for the shock of recognition when, after a foray into new territory, that she's discovered that she suddenly knows exactly where we were. My biggest shock on the trip was going past the BP refinery in Whiting, when we found that several of the yard tracks there, usually filled with tank cars, held quick-dumping aluminum hoppers instead. Storage? The wildest experience was an almost-new reporting mark on a gondola: WCRX. It looked a lot like the WCRC gons near it, and when I got home, I found out that the car we'd seen does not exist! It was supposed to be lettered WCRC, but there's no mistaking what two of us saw and commented on.
Pat is still raving about what a gorgeous trip it was! And after my morning doctor's appointment I'll be getting busy on some of the data obtained. I might be almost ready to put out another report to my friends.
Thanks for visiting the area around my old neighborhood. I used to know Whiting pretty well but some of the streets don't exist anymore due to expansion at the Standard Oil refinery. Last time I was at Colehour with my son (sometime last summer), we were able to get an FEC leaser on NS.
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