What's your rail chase vehicle?

[rvos1979]

Nerves of steel...... heart of gold...... foot of lead.....

I consider my truck (Ram 2500 4x4 diesel) both categories: I have enough horsepower and torque to give chase to trains, yet I have the front axle to pull me through bad roads and some mud. Due to choice of tires, though, I have to shy away from the really deep mud, just too much weight on the front end and not enough mud traction (although in 4x4 on Madison's snow covered roads, I have near normal acceleration while everyone else just spins).

tatans, if my Charger ever does materialize, it had better be in full General Lee dress, but I'm not gonna try hiding the blower and birdcatcher intake!!

Randy

[Kathi Kube]

My 1999 Honda CRV — which seems to have a very heavy gas pedal, especially through the lovely Wisconsin farmlands. (Not that I would ever speed, all you officer-foamer types!)

And Cris? All the best moms have lead feet.

Kat

[CopCarSS]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

O.K. guys, C'mon, what's a "rail chase vehicle" ?? Are you sure you're you aren't trying to having us on with this Dukes Of Hazzard stuff? really now, what are you talking about?

The vehicle that one chases trains from photo location to photo location with, of course!

I see two lines of thought here. There's the 4x4 crowd, such as Sarah whose vehicles are optimized for traveling where the road doesn't. And then there's the on road crowd that sticks to the roads, and compensates with additional horsepower to beat the train to the next stop. I think my ex police cruiser falls into this category (though when driving up to East Portal, especially in snowy conditions, I start asking myself just how close to category 1 I am getting![:D])

And then there's Adrianspeeder that would probably do all right in either category![8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

O.K. guys, C'mon, what's a "rail chase vehicle" ?? Are you sure you're you aren't trying to having us on with this Dukes Of Hazzard stuff? really now, what are you talking about?

Well, when a trian horn is heard off in the distance my keen senses kick in and my tail starts wagging. I then jump into my speeder (google speader) and I chase the train barking the whole way until someone (usually the RR police) say BAD, or NO and I have to go back home. [:D]

[tatans]

O.K. guys, C'mon, what's a "rail chase vehicle" ?? Are you sure you're you aren't trying to having us on with this Dukes Of Hazzard stuff? really now, what are you talking about?

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by erikthered

Lockheed P-3C Orion. 4 Allison 4600 SHP T-56-14 turbines, coupled to Hamilton-Standard variable pitch constant speed propellers.

Do you use the MAD detector for trains in tunnels?
And exactly how DOES your crew react to dropping a pattern of sonobuoys on a train now...now...NOW?

Erik

Ahh you speak the speak of someone who knows the drill......."now...now.....................crap, I just went offline, flight can you come back around...."

MADs probably a bit to noisy overland, but a good IRDS (or even a bad one) will find an old U-Boat.....

[Anonymous]

Lockheed P-3C Orion. 4 Allison 4600 SHP T-56-14 turbines, coupled to Hamilton-Standard variable pitch constant speed propellers.

Do you use the MAD detector for trains in tunnels?
And exactly how DOES your crew react to dropping a pattern of sonobuoys on a train now...now...NOW?

When I'm chasing I drive a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria, Police Interceptor, lights and sireeens. The county pays for the gas...

When I'm chasing trains...I drive a humble 1999 Explorer extended cab...because the roof on the cab provides a) a steady platform to dull the excitment evidenced by shaky hands at a new locomotive seen and filmed... and b) because I can climb onto the roof of the cab and gain some altitude over bushes, fences and other impediments to a clear shot.

Erik

[dldance]

A Ford Explorer SportTrac (Year and color left to your imagination). That's the one with the spot where the soccer moms store their groceries cut off and a 4 foot pickup bed added on. It has great visibility from the inside and the 2 piece bed cover is a great photo plaftform. It is also a 4x4 but I almost never chase trains under those conditions.

dd

[Anonymous]

Me and my dad watch trains in his 2004 Dodge Intreped or a 2003 Mitsubish Lancer.

[rvos1979]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AlcoRS11Nut
...........................after I got done drooling on CSXrules4eva's JEEP.................................... I drive a (stock [V][:(] (because of lack of $$$)) 1999 Jeep Cherokee Classic with a 4.0 Straight 6 (Black), and a sliver of rail in the reciever for the trailer ball (AKA....BATTERING RAM!!!!!) I know its not a big engine but it will out run a CN freight doing 60 along HWY 10 before it hits the next crossing! Only 88,406 miles on it and still going strong (knock on wood)[:D]

I hear you about the lack of money issue..... I'm still waiting for the 1969 Dodge Charger R/T with a blown EFI 605 cubic inch Indy Cylinder Heads hemi running on E-85 to materialize in my driveway..... I think it will be many moons before that will happen[swg]

Randy

[AlcoRS11Nut]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSXrules4eva

I usually chase in the only car that I have. My "94" Jeep Wrangler. It has a 4 inch suspension lift, 3 inch body lift, 4wheel drive, K&N air filter, off road lights, fog lights, neon lights, 33inch Mud tires, a push bar, flowmaster exhaust.........almost everything on my Jeep is aftermarket engine, interior, and exterior. My Jeep is also a witring nightmare from the lighting system, stereo system, and CB radio.

...........................after I got done drooling on CSXrules4eva's JEEP.................................... I drive a (stock [V][:(] (because of lack of $$$)) 1999 Jeep Cherokee Classic with a 4.0 Straight 6 (Black), and a sliver of rail in the reciever for the trailer ball (AKA....BATTERING RAM!!!!!) I know its not a big engine but it will out run a CN freight doing 60 along HWY 10 before it hits the next crossing! Only 88,406 miles on it and still going strong (knock on wood)[:D]

[RudyRockvilleMD]

I use a '01 Saturn LW 300 Wagon now. I did use '84, '89, '9, and '96 Olds Cutlass Cruiser Wagon. I like a wagon because it has enough deck space for all of us who go together to put our gear in a place that's both handy and out of the way. I did drive my ' 91 Cutlass Cruiser wagon along what was formerly the B&O's original line through Paw Paw, WV which meant using the CSX service road for a few yards then the old roadbed. Mostly I stick to paved roads although a couple of times I have encountered paved roads that weren't too good.

A few years ago my wife and I rented an SUV to try one out. we picked it up at th Kansas City airport, and we drove out to Rapid City, SD, and back via South Platte, NE, Grand Island, NE, and Salina, KS. I even used it to do some railfanning in the vicinity of Kansas City where I actually got the rental SUV on a smooth dirt road. We found good and bad in that car. Our Saturn Wagons have more deck space, they have more pickup, and they are more economical on gas.

[adrianspeeder]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Railroading_Brit

Adrianspeeder, you might well be able to buy them if the oil prices don't drop - I get 30something mpg on a run with the Disco, which is about the same as those new "hybrid" 4x4s - difference being that mine doesn't haul around a load of extra electronics and other kit and will probably still be running in 20 years time due to having simpler mechanical components and being easy to fix (also purchase cost is lower). If enough people demand diesels the manufacturers will start offering them, it's taken a while but they've now got to the mainstream over here.

Amen my diesel brother! Love my powerstroke everytime I think about it.

Adrianspeeder

[Mookie]

Wow! What happened to your 1949 Nash Rambler?

[dharmon]

Lockheed P-3C Orion. 4 Allison 4600 SHP T-56-14 turbines, coupled to Hamilton-Standard variable pitch constant speed propellers.

[Green Bay Paddlers]

'02 Chevy Blazer. V6 engine and 4-wheel drive. Bearcat scanner and Magellan Meridian Gold GPS inside as well.

[rvos1979]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rvos1979

I chase (or watch) from a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500. 4x4, diesel, and I row my own gears.

Randy

Now that I'm thinking about it, before I got the Ram, I drove a 1990 Chevy S10, 4cyl, 5-speed, bare bones truck (didn't have power steering even!)

Both trucks were set up with scanners, though the one in my current truck is MUCH nicer than the Uniden Bearcat handheld I had. My current Bearcat has just about all of the most used goodies (police, fire, marine, weather, and uhf).

I still have the same CB radio, a Uniden Grant XL that has been tweaked to put out a bit more than stock, coupled to a Wilson 1000 antenna.

Next truck I'd like to get would be another Ram pickup, crew cab, diesel, Manual trans, and if I ever decide to drive semi, I'd have to find a Western Star, I used to work for a dealer, and they were nice trucks to work on (and drive).

Randy

[Anonymous]

Today, I use either a 1994 Ford Ranger pick-up or the wife's 2005 Ford Escape. During 1999 I was inbetween LTL driving jobs and chased UP's steam move to CSRM's Railfair 1999 between Winnemucca and Sparks, NV with a 1999 Freightliner, which is pictured below.



Jim

[Anonymous]

Adrianspeeder, you might well be able to buy them if the oil prices don't drop - I get 30something mpg on a run with the Disco, which is about the same as those new "hybrid" 4x4s - difference being that mine doesn't haul around a load of extra electronics and other kit and will probably still be running in 20 years time due to having simpler mechanical components and being easy to fix (also purchase cost is lower). If enough people demand diesels the manufacturers will start offering them, it's taken a while but they've now got to the mainstream over here.

[halifaxcn]

A 2002 Chrysler Town & County LX. Its outfitted for DVD, scanner with outside speaker. reference materials.

My work ride is a un-marked 2003 Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor Midnight Blue with all the toys! Don't get to chase trains with it, once in a while it works out well as I can get into certain areas off limits to the public. these times lately are few and far between.

[spbed]

Since I trainfan in the west but live on the E/coast it is whatever rental car I secure. The last one was a 4 door Ford Taurus [:I][:p]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CopCarSS

[adrianspeeder]

Awww Matt, TDI in a land rover! sweet, would love to have all the choices of diesel cars and trucks yall have.

And Chris, my buddy got a blown LT1 in a 93 ex cop car, and let me tell ya, that thing can almost beat the diesel off the line. However, with my gearing for towing, I cant cross 120 without going past the 3000rpm redline.

Adrianspeeder

[Anonymous]

Well, first car was a 1993 Citroen ZX 1.9 Diesel - great little car that, manual everything so weighed almost nothing and went like a rocket. Head gasket failure killed that one so now I'm driving a 1996 Land Rover Discovery - 300TDI engine, manual transmission, pulls like a train when you get the hang of driving it. Chasing trains over here is more about making sure you're in position to take photos then moving well ahead of it again - as Hugh said, they move too fast to drive alongside taking photos and there's not usually a road directly alongside the line. Having said that, I frequently pace the local passenger service out of town - they're only doing about 50MPH which isn't a problem...

[Hugh Jampton]

Started in a 1964 Rambler Classic, then had a Dart Swinger, a Beetle, a couple of Fords and a Rabbit.

Here, to coin a phrase, "Limey's don't chase", the trains go too fast and the roads are way too windy,, and narrow.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CopCarSS

So I'm curious what all of you use to chase trains around with? Are there a lot of 4x4's out there, or do most of you stick to on road transport? Here's my baby girl ('94 Caprice Classic Police Cruiser) up near Roggen on a VERY old road (note the old white lane markings).

Usually my mom takes me train chasing, and we use my dads truck. Its a 2004 ford Fsomething50

[miniwyo]

I prefer to use the Purple People Eater,




She is a 1995 Ford Ranger, with a 4.0 Liter V6 engine and she can tackle almost anything I want to put her through(note I said Almost) But I think when it comes time to trade her in, i gotta go with the ram, possibly Cummins powered, I don't think I really want another Ford, I Especially don't want a Power Smoke, Been left High and not so dry a couple too many times, in the middle of october with a foot of snow on the ground, not fun.

[fuzzybroken]

Hey Scott,

You might want to check your emissions regulations, usually they don't have any testing for cars built prior to a certain date! (1959 would probably be ok, at least it would here in Cheese-land.) Good luck, and happy railfanning!

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[Anonymous]

Right now I am crusin' in a 1988 Honda Prelude (seems like the foreign cars are horribly out numbered here!). However, just yesterday I took a road trip down to Santa Fe to check out a 1959 Ford Thunderbird, beautiful car, I am just worried about it passing the stupid emissions program here in Colorado. That would be a great car to chase trains in, or at least I would think!

And, to add an air of railroading to this post, on the way back to Denver from Santa Fe, I passed a junk train with 9 engines in the front, 4 regular (orange) BNSF engines, one BNSF with the new paint (#7687, my first one!), one old blue and yellow Santa Fe, an old Santa Fe war bonnet (#613 and still said "Santa Fe" on the side!), a CSX engine (#4722) and a DJPX (Joseph Transportation Incorporated) lease engine.

[CopCarSS]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeGibbs

Well, around the Dallas area, its all streets and no off roading, so for me its my 04 Pontiac GTO. 350 horses is plenty to keep up with the slow train movements around town. Traffic on the freeway is another hassle altogether....

Sccccchhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetttt!

Gads...I made the mistake of driving one of the '05s (with the 400hp LS2) at the AutoShow in Motion a couple weeks back. Now I'm picking up an S10 or Ranger so I can take the cruiser out of service, and give her the attention she deserves (this will include a boosted LT1/4, T56 tranny, and a beefed up suspension. While it'll take a little work, and some cash, I think it'll still be cheaper than a new GTO ($34K, unfortuntately).

Nice ride, Mike!

[emmar]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSF railfan.

My piece of junk 83 Ford. Id rather own a Chevy instead!
BNSFrailfan.

Ha ha, I have a Chevy, although it is a 76 and it hasn't moved since I could drive.
In reality I am usually being driven around by one of my parents in our 4 wheel drive 98 Chevy. This means that I can only go where they want to go and have to leave when they get bored, but I can get good pacing shots out of the passenger window!