Worst day of Railfanning all year.....8-21-05

[bnsfkline]

K-line - 0 trains
Alton- 0 trains
Wood River 0 trains
Lennox Tower- 0 trains
Granite City - 0 trains
Madison- 0 trains...not even a yard movement
E. St. Louis- 0 trains
Vally Jct -0 trains
Dupo- 0 trains
Kirkwood- 2 trains....I saw 4 Amtrak locomotives....and 6 Amtrak Coachs, and 2 Food Service cars.



WORST DAY OF RAILFANNING ALL YEAR!


Im' Grouchy....wasted gas for nothing

[Murphy Siding]

What's that bumper sticker say ? "The worst day railfanning is better than the best day at work" ?

[Anonymous]

Also you won't have to sit up at night worrying about how America's freight system is being strained to the max!

[arbfbe]

I think you have missed the concept here. It is not so much as seeing trains as it is just getting out to see the trains. Sort of like fishing, the catching may not always be so good but the fishing always is. Fill your mind with what surrounds the trains that were not there today and set the scene for those that will be there later.

[bnsfkline]

Guess So....but it was amtrak that made it bad........i dont like Amtrak

[Anonymous]

Welcome to life!
Allan.

[arbfbe]

ON the way home from work today, I worked all night last night, there was only one train to chase so I spent a little time shooting some grafitti free freight cars and discovered some rail from 1897 still in use. I got some nice early morning low light shots of the date and mill data standing out on the side of the rail. The train shot was not all that good but the rail shots made the day.

The experience is what you make it.

[TrainFreak409]

I haven't been railfanning in a while, I want to go.

Even if I don't see many trains, it is better than not seeing any!

[oskar]

it happens to everyone just don't worry like last Saturday( 13th) I saw 1 NS train and trains sitting at CSX then yesterday I saw 6 trains( 3 NS 3 CSX) its just a bad railfanning day.




kevin

[waltersrails]

Today wasn't so bad for me saw one train it had 6 engines CR and 5 NS but the last NS was a GP59 OLS scheme. That made my day.

[Sterling1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bnsfkline

Guess So....but it was amtrak that made it bad........i dont like Amtrak

It ain't Amtrak it's the Feds + Mineta (what a [censored][soapbox]) I wouldn't blame Gunn and the gang . . .

[Sterling1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TrainFreak409

I haven't been railfanning in a while, I want to go.

Even if I don't see many trains, it is better than not seeing any!

Always hope to see at least one train in each direction regardless of freight RR or Amtrak (if any) [8D]

[Sterling1]

Simple humor made one August night in FL memorable:

All three locos were elephant style on a manifest, w/ 2 fmr Chessie 85xx SD50's and a fmr Conrail 8801(repainted to gray, yellow and blue, at least they all were versus that blue and gold junk). The clincher on that night was the three man crew, the engineer blowing w/ a melodius horn, conductor looking straight ahead, and in the lighted cab w/ open windows the brakeman had stuck both legs and feet and shoes out of the window; perhaps he needed some air . . .

. . . [8D][(-D][:-,][swg][yeah][wow] . . .

[GN-Rick]

Having been a railfan for many years, and also (briefly) a RR employee,
I have found that Sundays are usually the lightest traffic days of the week.
At least here in the Northwest, the railroads run many fewer trains on
Sundays. Might have to do with traditional Sunday Services or even family
things but these have been my observations over the years.[2c]

[Jordan6]

I love that pic Rick!! Looks cool as my backdrop.

I havent been railfanning in about a year. Tell you what, lets all layoff sick and meet somewhere!

[GN-Rick]

Jordan6: thanks. I found this pic on Lindsey Korst's www.gngoat.org
website. As for calling in sick, boy! I wish I could, but I'll just have to
wait 'till Saturday. Went down to the BNSF facility at Interbay (Seattle)
this past Saturday-didn't see much interesting new power but lots
of stored unserviceable SD9s and SWs-many of GN heritage. Took
several pics, but the sun was terrible for me so they aint too good.
Have a great day.

[Tharmeni]

I dunno, I had to hang wallpaper all day and I think you're whining a bit too much. At least you were out and around. An empty railroad is better than none at all.

[pat390]

I went out on my bike for 2 hours today with my scanner just waiting for the daily eastobund coal train, finnaly came about an hour after the dispatcher verified they were only a half mile out of town, but I'm goin out agian and checking out the NS tracks along with the CN, so maybe ill get lucky this time

[JoeKoh]

like was said a day going to watch trains is better than a day of work anytime!
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

It never fails. You go out looking for trains to find none. No sooner than you get home then you hear a train horn blowing for a crossing in the distance! [:D]

[coborn35]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cris Helt

It never fails. You go out looking for trains to find none. No sooner than you get home then you hear a train horn blowing for a crossing in the distance! [:D]

That is SOOOOOOOOOOO true!!!
Oh, GNRICK, I see you have my good taste in railroads!

[fuzzybroken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cris Helt

It never fails. You go out looking for trains to find none. No sooner than you get home then you hear a train horn blowing for a crossing in the distance! [:D]

I'll second that one!

I have been advised regularly to get a scanner, but I still don't have one. I only rely on my knowledge of when trains might be running where, and most of the time I am rewarded with seeing what I am looking for, and I'm talking one train a day rail lines! Occasionally I completely miss the train, sometimes that's a disappointment, other times it can open up other opportunities elsewhere.

Jim, sorry to hear you had a bad railfanning day!

Later,
-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[pat390]

so true, got back tonight from an hour of drivng around the diamond outside of town whre I saw one train but when i get home i hear not one but two horns in the distance each on the CN and NS mainlines, oh well I guess all this waiting gives me more paitence than most

[Trailryder]

At least you are not waiting to get a ride on a train.

When I was in Portage checking out the depot it was 2:00pm and I thought it was odd for passengers to still be there. After talking to one of them I found out that the train (southbound Empire builder) was already 2 hours late and still 45 min to an hour away.

On my trip around Wisconsin this weekend I saw many trains, Wisconsin Southern, Canadian Pacific, Union Pacific, but no Amtrak (some would say thats good!?!)

I waited for an hour in Tunnel City for a train before I gave up and left, only to cross paths with a train 15 min later in Tomah. then later that day I again was impatent and left an overpass that I was waiting at only to hear one go though as I got into my truck.
I have found that railfaning takes: 1 part luck, 10 parts patience, and even sometimes a pinch of Devine Intervention.

Oh Well, I got some good shots, will post when I get time.

Later Bill

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by arbfbe

ON the way home from work today, I worked all night last night, there was only one train to chase so I spent a little time shooting some grafitti free freight cars and discovered some rail from 1897 still in use. I got some nice early morning low light shots of the date and mill data standing out on the side of the rail. The train shot was not all that good but the rail shots made the day.

The experience is what you make it.

WELL SAID......

[Anonymous]

i was coming home from missouri this morning and saw 5 trains in 30 minutes, from south of cassody to matfield Kansas, it was between 2 and 230 am though

[waltersrails]

Today was an other great day for me saw 15 trains in less than 12 hours. But i was railfaning 4 railroads though 1 train on CN main 1 Train on CSX main Lots on UP expect 2 where CSX and lots of NS.

[GN-Rick]

Originally posted by coborn35
[Originally posted by Cris Helt

It never fails. You go out looking for trains to find none. No sooner than you get home then you hear a train horn blowing for a crossing in the distance! [:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trailryder

At least you are not waiting to get a ride on a train.

When I was in Portage checking out the depot it was 2:00pm and I thought it was odd for passengers to still be there. After talking to one of them I found out that the train (southbound Empire builder) was already 2 hours late and still 45 min to an hour away.

On my trip around Wisconsin this weekend I saw many trains, Wisconsin Southern, Canadian Pacific, Union Pacific, but no Amtrak (some would say thats good!?!)

I waited for an hour in Tunnel City for a train before I gave up and left, only to cross paths with a train 15 min later in Tomah. then later that day I again was impatent and left an overpass that I was waiting at only to hear one go though as I got into my truck.
I have found that railfaning takes: 1 part luck, 10 parts patience, and even sometimes a pinch of Devine Intervention.

Oh Well, I got some good shots, will post when I get time.

Later Bill

When the Three rivers used to run through town it was known to atleast once every 2 months or so run 6 hours late. So everyonce in a while you could catch it in the morning sun. On thanksgiving my mother and I went to pick up valerie at the station. The train was 3 hours late and the whole time my mom was wondering if the turkey in the oven was going to be ok. in the end my sister got into town and tthe turkey was done perfectly

Jim- atleast you had a friend with you that day.
Andrew