https://youtu.be/Z-bRRpEvMvc
I finally got around to publishing my catches on June 18th, when we caught both a CN SD70M-2 and D11 with a shoving platform (caboose).
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
Tonight's video features two interesting 931s, plus a massive 252 (and two unheard shout outs from the conductor). Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/p56TaTUkd0A
I've got TWO videos to share tonight! The first was recorded and published by a friend who came north to visit last Saturday. We did a lot of local railroad history stuff and shot 651 coming north before running trains on my layout.
https://youtu.be/rfVczmX9-UA
The second is my own video, featuring three trains (and four railroads) around the Mohawk valley. I also happened to be with the same friend (visiting his territory).
https://youtu.be/gEQm_I4NOyY
Enjoy...
Interesting discussion about cars lengths... I always assumed a "car length" in the "modern era" (the '70s and later) was 50 feet.
BaltACDWhen discussing something in 'car lengths' you can get in big trouble real fast.
Oh, for sure.
That's why it's just a rule of thumb.
Seven of those 53 footers is just under 400 feet.
Seven autoracks is over 600 feet.
Either way, if you hear a wheel knocking from that kind of distance, there's a problem.
Of course, the only real way to determine if a flat spot is actionable is with a ruler. I have read that the WILD's are pretty accurate.
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...
tree68 Paul Milenkovic That hammering sound, especially at 1:21 on the last video -- is that from a flat spot on a wheel? Or is it from truck "hunting"? Do any defect detectors identify badly hunting train cars or flat spots on wheels? The rule of thumb I've heard (and have mentioned on the forum before) is that if you can hear a flat spot for seven car lengths, it's in need of attention. Of course, the distance will vary depending on the type of car, and I would think it would apply to each section of a three or five section IM car. Otherwise you'd be looking at the possibility of thirty-five equivalent car lengths for a string of five section IM cars...
Paul Milenkovic That hammering sound, especially at 1:21 on the last video -- is that from a flat spot on a wheel? Or is it from truck "hunting"? Do any defect detectors identify badly hunting train cars or flat spots on wheels?
That hammering sound, especially at 1:21 on the last video -- is that from a flat spot on a wheel? Or is it from truck "hunting"?
Do any defect detectors identify badly hunting train cars or flat spots on wheels?
The rule of thumb I've heard (and have mentioned on the forum before) is that if you can hear a flat spot for seven car lengths, it's in need of attention.
Of course, the distance will vary depending on the type of car, and I would think it would apply to each section of a three or five section IM car. Otherwise you'd be looking at the possibility of thirty-five equivalent car lengths for a string of five section IM cars...
When discussing something in 'car lengths' you can get in big trouble real fast.
My father and I both worked the same yard in Baltimore in out careers, separated by over 40 years. In his day, 36 and 40 foot cars were most common and the 'big' cars were 53 foot gondolas. In my day, with the yard servicing a GM assembly plant as well as import automobile loading - the 'normal' cars that were handled were 89 foot auto racks and high cube box cars. The small cars were 50 foot box cars and 53 foot gondolas. My father viewed the yard as having 'a lot of room'; my view was that it was a band box and much too small to efficiently handle the it was handling.
One thing to remember - 1000 feet of train occupy 1000 feet of track no matter if that train consists of 20 50 foot box cars or 3 five pack intermodal cars and a regular 89 foot TTX flat car.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Paul MilenkovicThat hammering sound, especially at 1:21 on the last video -- is that from a flat spot on a wheel? Or is it from truck "hunting"? Do any defect detectors identify badly hunting train cars or flat spots on wheels?
Sounds like a 'minor' flat spot to me.
I am not aware of any detectors for truck hunting. WILD (Wheel Impact Load Detectors) identify the varying levels of flat spots. In general WILD detectors are relatively few in number. On the entirety of CSX's Baltimore Division there was only one installed as of the time I retired in 2016.
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
Happy 4th everyone! After church today we went down to Cliff Haven to catch a couple of trains, a late-ish 931 and a 350 making its (now) monthly appearance.
https://youtu.be/2K8XWQP96G0
How about this? If they DON'T get off the tracks and get squashed the announcement becomes...
"SERVES YOU RIGHT!"
Flintlock76 By the way, I HATE those electronic bells too! They might as well use a recording of someone screaming hysterically "GET OFF THE TRACKS! GET OFF THE TRACKS!"
By the way, I HATE those electronic bells too! They might as well use a recording of someone screaming hysterically "GET OFF THE TRACKS! GET OFF THE TRACKS!"
That is the best thing I've heard all week. And you know? It might work...
Aw nuts, late to the party again! Better late than never I suppose.
Nice catch of that track geometry train, definately something you don't see every day!
A tripod is never a bad idea. As was pointed out, a good fluid head mount is important - even moreso if you plan on doing pans, etc.
Even better, if you're shooting video on the tripod, you're free to take stills at the same time.
There were a couple of fans set up to shoot an eastbound through Deshler tonight, tripods and all. There was a westbound coming through at the same time, so double the fun.
What was absolutely priceless, however, was the reaction of one of the fans when he discovered that CP commemorative locomotive 7013 was on the point (maroon and gray). I don't think he'd have been as shocked if someone handed him a million bucks.
To an extent a video camera with servo lens can take out some of the 'shake' that ordinary phone-style cams suffer from. But I'd run, not walk, to get something like this to use with phone and SLR-style cameras... or make up some other kind of mount on the Steadicam principle that helps.
And yes, a good fluid-head tripod is valuable, too.
HarrisonIn this video I catch CN power twice, plus chase the CP TEC (geometry) train. https://youtu.be/zdX0r3zVBUo I'm aware this video is quite shaky, and quite frankly I don't know why, other than I probably had low blood sugar on those days.
https://youtu.be/zdX0r3zVBUo
I'm aware this video is quite shaky, and quite frankly I don't know why, other than I probably had low blood sugar on those days.
A tripod overcomes low blood sugar. Hand held, especially with a long telephoto lens will always have the shakes.
In this video I catch CN power twice, plus chase the CP TEC (geometry) train.
This week's video is a LONG one. Enjoy...
https://youtu.be/Nr9XgBc_gZk
Here's a couple of afternoon trains I caught in Plattsburgh a couple of Saturdays ago. Hint: afternoon trains never occur normally in Plattsburgh. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/RybozaBcz48
Disclaimer: I filmed/edited/uploaded this video before I received feedback to include less talking/vlogging. The train timestamps are in the description on YouTube if you just want to see the trains.
HarrisonThank you for your feedback. So basically, if I just show the trains it's "boring", but then if I try to add interest (I am not big into narration for regular railfanning videos) then it is, I don't know, still boring?
As I said, that should not stop you from making material, having premiere events and 'dropping' new content, etc., just because curmudgeons don't like it.
It's not that I don't appreciate the human side of railfanning either. John D. MacDonald as an editor revolutionized science fiction by having the stories be about people rather than science and things... and the same is certainly true for fanning; it gets awful dry just the see the same ¾ 'catch' panning at the same point in consist after consist with only a list of movements in the description for company. But what I like is to have the humanity come from the people, as with some of the material Pechulis has made with the Bednars, where the very best part of the trains is when someone waves from the cab, you learn their name, and get a sense of the people that make the magic happen.
Second to that is hearing in the narration that you love what you're doing; if you're going to vlog, please make that a focus...
Harrison Overmod I've never cared for the vlogging style in railfan videos. The 'human side' of the railfanning experience is fine for social media such as Instagram, but I'd much prefer a proper narration of context and then operations without constantly having to watch the narrator's face and stream of consciousness. Basically, you lost me by 'hello, goose'. That said, I'm not the target market for Harrison's channel. Thank you for your feedback. So basically, if I just show the trains it's "boring", but then if I try to add interest (I am not big into narration for regular railfanning videos) then it is, I don't know, still boring? I will see what I can do. As long as I am still having fun...
Overmod I've never cared for the vlogging style in railfan videos. The 'human side' of the railfanning experience is fine for social media such as Instagram, but I'd much prefer a proper narration of context and then operations without constantly having to watch the narrator's face and stream of consciousness. Basically, you lost me by 'hello, goose'. That said, I'm not the target market for Harrison's channel.
I've never cared for the vlogging style in railfan videos. The 'human side' of the railfanning experience is fine for social media such as Instagram, but I'd much prefer a proper narration of context and then operations without constantly having to watch the narrator's face and stream of consciousness. Basically, you lost me by 'hello, goose'.
That said, I'm not the target market for Harrison's channel.
Thank you for your feedback. So basically, if I just show the trains it's "boring", but then if I try to add interest (I am not big into narration for regular railfanning videos) then it is, I don't know, still boring?
I will see what I can do. As long as I am still having fun...
I think it is totally cool that you can show us flat switching operations from the public jogging trail -- a safe, fenced place not on railroad property.
tree68There's a fine line between too much and too little - and it's often a moving target.
That's the most profound thing I've read here in a LONG time!
tree68 There's a fine line between too much and too little - and it's often a moving target.
There's a fine line between too much and too little - and it's often a moving target.
That's the best quote I've heard in a while.
tree68 OTOH, you can do one video in one style, and another in a different style...
OTOH, you can do one video in one style, and another in a different style...
I may try that.
I've never cared for the vlogging style in railfan videos. The 'human side' of the railfanning experience is fine for social media such as Instagram, but I'd much prefer a proper narration of context and then operations without constantly having to watch the narrator's face and stream of consciousness.
If the "vlogging style" is what I think it is, remember I'm a dinosaur when it comes to these things, it's fine as long as you remember the trains are the "stars" and you're the "supporting cast."
Which isn't a bad thing. Supporting actors get Oscars too and frequently have longer careers than the headliners do!
Good video tonight! Too bad about that pesky fence!
Burlington, VT is my video for today. Enjoy! Should I keep doing the "vlogging" style?
https://youtu.be/0yFQttjCKeE
https://youtu.be/NDJufvr9ga8
Another short one this week. This Friday will be a short tour of Vermont Railway's yard in Burlington, which I haven't been to in a couple of years. Enjoy!
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