Trains.com

Need caption help

8614 views
68 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Monday, October 25, 2021 2:53 PM

Hey Ajsik, I think you've got it!! Smile The name Wyalusing rings a big bell, and I am pretty sure I shot it while we were camped at a state park.

Thanks!

Still in training.


  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Cedar Rapids, IA
  • 4,213 posts
Posted by blhanel on Monday, October 25, 2021 10:04 PM

I'll second that location, although I've seen that bridge only from another vantage point (Pike's Peak in Iowa).

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 6:55 AM

Once I went to Wyalusing on Google satellite view, I knew Ajsik had nailed it. For sure.

Thanks, gentlemen.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 9:01 AM

In this photo, what is the piece of metal that is blocking the view of the lower part of the switchman's arm? (It looks like there may be a second such piece completely in shadow.)

Still in training.


  • Member since
    February 2018
  • 299 posts
Posted by adkrr64 on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 10:16 AM

Lithonia Operator
In this photo, what is the piece of metal that is blocking the view of the lower part of the switchman's arm? (It looks like there may be a second such piece completely in shadow.)

Looks like it is the small platform someone stands on when setting the hand brake.

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 12:46 PM

Thanks.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: Canada
  • 1,820 posts
Posted by cv_acr on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 2:26 PM

Lithonia Operator

In this photo, what is the piece of metal that is blocking the view of the lower part of the switchman's arm? (It looks like there may be a second such piece completely in shadow.)

"Crossover platform"

If you look at the end view of basically any modern car (anything built after at least 1970 or so) you'll see a step that allows a trainman to safely climb and step over the couplers of the car.

It's at both ends, so while the trainman can put a foot on it to work the handbrake, it's also at the non-brake end so not just for setting brakes.

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 3:49 PM

I should have been more specific. I was referring to the RIGHT arm.

I see the crossover platform, but I'm not talking about that. Maybe what I'm seeing is part of his jacket, a sleeve patch?? But it looks too geometric for that.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 4:10 PM

That's the light shining across from the left.  You can see the shadow of the bolts to the left of the vertical brakewheel shaft.

If in doubt look at the shadow pattern of the car at the left.

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 4:23 PM

Lithonia Operator
In this photo, what is the piece of metal that is blocking the view of the lower part of the switchman's arm? (It looks like there may be a second such piece completely in shadow.)

Top shelf of the coupler. 

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

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 10:03 PM

Convicted One

All very nice pictures, L.O. 

 

Thanks so much, CO! I had somehow missed your comment when you posted it.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 10:28 PM

This is embarrassing, since I took the photo and can't tell what I'm looking at. This is my last try. I've marked the area that confuses me.

Compare with unmarked pic.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Cedar Rapids, IA
  • 4,213 posts
Posted by blhanel on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 10:41 PM

The tank car on the left apparently has the different style couplers associated with tanks meant to prevent uncoupling during derailments(?).  If you do a Google image search on tank car couplers, you'll find examples.

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 10:51 PM

I think the light is playing tricks with the shadows in the picture with some shadows being lighter and/or darker than others.

From what I can see there are no shelf couplers on either car.  The area you marked looks to be a ray of light that has been 'prismed' by some other aspect of the scene - an aspect that may not even be in the frame of the photo.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • From: I've been everywhere, man
  • 4,269 posts
Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 11:01 PM

I agree with Zug and Brian.

Here's some comparison photos of different coupler types:

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/14785

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 11:02 PM

Brian solved it. It's a shelf coupler like this.

I have never knowingly seen a coupler like that.

Thanks all!

Still in training.


  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 11:08 PM

Yeah, I guess Zug solved it first. But I didn't know what he was talking about.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 11:39 PM

There are both Top and Bottom shelf couplers as well as coupler that have both Top and Bottom shelves.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Thursday, October 28, 2021 6:56 AM

Odd that's called a "shelf." Seems like a "vertical extension" or something.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Thursday, October 28, 2021 11:43 AM

Lithonia Operator

Odd that's called a "shelf." Seems like a "vertical extension" or something.

It's called a shelf because there is a horizontal portion of the coupler - the shelf - that's there to keep the couplers from separating if they are not aligned vertically.

The illustration shows both a top and bottom shelf.

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Friday, October 29, 2021 5:12 PM

New puzzle.

This is along the Hudson. My notes (which are sometimes dubious) say Peekskill is in the background, but photos I've found of Peekskill don't show a building as impressive as the one we see beyond the engine.

I'm not sure if that building is on the east or west side of the river. I'm on the east side. There is an east-shore facing-south photo angle which would juxtapose a railroad causeway with Peekskill (which is also on the east side). But I cannot identify that building, or find anything that looks like it in Peekskill.

Any guesses?

Still in training.


  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 2,325 posts
Posted by rdamon on Friday, October 29, 2021 6:11 PM

Looks like this ..

 

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Friday, October 29, 2021 6:35 PM

Perhaps here?  N 41 16' 59" W 73 56' 0"

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Friday, October 29, 2021 7:09 PM

rdamon

Looks like this ..

 

 

 

 

That seems to be it. Do you know what we're looking at? I take it the view is slightly east of south?

Still in training.


  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Friday, October 29, 2021 7:30 PM

It must be the Franciscan Sisters building (which Brian Hanel deduced was in a different shot of mine) in Peekskill. My notes say Peekskill bkgd, shot from Cortlandt; but from the map, it does not appear that the shooting vantage point I think it is, is in Cortlandt. It doesn't look like Cortlandt goes up that far north. On the map it's shown as south of Peekskill, but I guess it also wraps around to the north.

Heck, I'm going to go with my caption notes, and your input, and forget about it.

Thanks, guys.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Cedar Rapids, IA
  • 4,213 posts
Posted by blhanel on Friday, October 29, 2021 9:44 PM

Yep, it's a big building alright.

Peekskill - Google Maps

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Friday, October 29, 2021 10:05 PM

I'm not totally convinced it's the same building. I've looked for views of the Franciscan building from the water, and can't find a single one. And the pix I do find of that building, to my eye, is just not as big as the one in my photo. But ... they are probably one and the same.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    July 2008
  • 2,325 posts
Posted by rdamon on Saturday, October 30, 2021 12:14 AM

Found this ..

 

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Sunday, October 31, 2021 8:49 AM

Back in June, I shot three Amtrak trains, westbound, not far east of Galesburg, over two days. All were in late afternoon.

One train ran both days, with the baggage car up front.

The other train ran only one day (I think), with the baggage car on the rear.

I lost my notes.

My theory is that the train with the forward baggage car is the CZ, because I think it was daily. So the rear-baggage-car one has to be the SW Chief, because I think it was thrice weekly.

Make sense?

 

Still in training.


  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Cedar Rapids, IA
  • 4,213 posts
Posted by blhanel on Sunday, October 31, 2021 9:14 PM

I like to watch the Fort Madison VRF camera occasionally, which the SW Chief passes.  Did a little digging, and found this article about Amtrak returning 12 long distance routes to full daily service, with both SW Chief and CZ included- the CZ was on May 24 and the SWC on May 31.  So, in June you should have been seeing both on both days. That being said, I seem to recall that although the SWC usually had the baggage car on the rear, sometimes they would put it up front and sometimes there wouldn't be one at all (bi-level combo car instead).

https://media.amtrak.com/2021/03/with-increased-demand-and-congressional-funding-amtrak-restores-12-long-distance-routes-to-daily-service/

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy