How Many “Forum” Readers Are There?

[Soo2610]

Kinda figured we could always use a little levity in our lives. What with worrying about paying bills and family members playing games in the big sandbox in the middle east. I needed a laugh. I didn't respond the night before so Ed beat me to number four. Didn't really like number nine so I passed. Was looking at other posts on the forum and started thinking about number 10, the movie, Bo Derek and son of a gun Jen rhymes with ten and haven't seen a response from her yet. So I stuck tongue in cheek, posted and waited to see how the timing worked out. Couldn't have been better. Glad you got a laugh out of it.

[Soo2610]

Gerald, know what you mean. Was on the campus last fall for a tour. My daughter was considering going there and has been invited to attend. Naturally, being a railfan, I had to check out the rail lines and possible viewing areas. It is a beautiful campus but she has narrowed her choices down to the U of I Or Iowa State which has the UP just a couple of blocks away.

[Soo2610]

I'll second the Rochelle reunion. Need to get back out there. It has been a while.

[Mookie]

I always thought if I ever got there I would carry a big sign that says "I'm Here!" and show it to the camera!

Jen

[dknelson]

Wisconsin here -- about a 2 hour drive from rochelle.
and yes I do know how to spell "wave"
A group of us once stood at the fence at an agreed on time and posed for the webcam. A friend back home printed out the image but it was pretty grainy.
By the way if you ever get there don;t just hang out at the park (or "the deer stand" as some locals call it) -- there are two depots in town and one just out of town (stewart), a new intermodal yard to the west, a shortline to the north at Flagg Center that goes up to Davis Jct, and other sights worth seeing all within a few minutes of the park. You can also trace the old Milwaukee Road right of way to the south
Dave Nelson

[David3]

Illinois here I was #2 in this list but I live 2 hours from Rochelle also. I was there once and I loved it, I wish I could go back there again. Do they let you even go near the intermodal yard?

[Mookie]

Thanx for the tips, Dave. I hope to go there before too much more time passes. Talked my driver into it and now just have to get a vacation sock going!

Jen

[Mookie]

Thanx for the tips, Dave. I hope to go there before too much more time passes. Talked my driver into it and now just have to get a vacation sock going!

Jen

[GerFust]

Wow - you certainly generate a lot of potential new forum topics.

Living near the tracks sounds very nice. It makes me wonder why all the folks in Potterville, MI got all steamed when CN derailed there a year ago. It didn't hurt any homes, other than some food and wet laundry that rotted when the power went out, for which they were compensated. I think it would be cool to watch the trains from your own backyard, front porch, etc.

A Big Boy in the backyard! That's dreaming big. I wanted to start with a caboose, maybe a passenger car I can make into a private coach.

[Mookie]

Wouldn't that be a hoot to take your ice tea out and just watch the train traffic in a comfy chair! I am not sure what the attraction is, but I never get tired of watching them. I don't even photo them - just watch and enjoy.

We had a Big Boy in a park in Omaha - I loved going up there and just standing next to it. That was one big engine. My Dad hand-fired a lot of the engines in that era and explained what everything was on it. Better than exchanging cookie recipes any time!

Never been in a caboose - could never get away from the front end! :)

Jen

[GerFust]

Never had the opportunity to get up front - would love to do that but don't have any relatives in the industry. I wonder if ice tea is also a trait of train watchers? Something about you doesn't strike me as the cookie recipe type, and what do you put in the ice tea?

Jer [e-mail]

[Mookie]

Got to sit on switch engine many years ago - didn't know train crew, but since I was a RR brat, they were very nice.

Straight tea - but in my earlier years, well, it would have been something a lot stronger.

You are right - I wouldn't be caught dead baking a cookie!

:)

Jen

[GerFust]

Jen:

I think we might be pushing the etiquette limits of having this chat on the forum. Feel free to email me at [e-mail] if you'd like to share thoughts, interests, reminisces further - which I would enjoy. Otherwise, I look forward to reading your other posts on Trains.com.

Jer [e-mail]

[Soo2610]

Negative on the yard. Access points are all closed off and with the heightened security I would be very leary of trying to get a closer look.

[Soo2610]

Dave, tell me more about the old Milwaukee Road right of way. Didn't know about it. Does it run out of Flagg Center? Where do you pick it up?

[Anonymous]

I will take the the next number but I am sure I will not be the last in this count.

[dknelson]

Len - as I understand it the Milwaukee Rd had trackage rights on the CB&Q line south of Davis Junction to Flagg Cnt, then joined the CBQ main to Rochelle, then regained its own line south of Rochelle at Stewart Junction. Presumably somewhere west of the preserved depot at Stewart. In poking around I found concrete "ROW" markers at a grain elevator west of the depot and I assume that marks the spot where the Milwaukee Rd went south. If you follow the old highway you can see any number of grain elevators that obviously were on the rail line - some still have the sign that says "No clearance for Man on Side of Car."
I am sitting here without my map alas or I would give you town names but if you have the Live Steam Video book of maps of Illinois and Wisconsin, it shows the route quite clearly and there are plenty of places where the grade elevation is visible. Indeed at one town, maybe Summers? I found a Milwaukee Road marked box car grain door in the weeds. I also found some ties next to a country graveyard. Where the line ended up I am not exactly sure but I suspect it was to get company coal.
Dave Nelson

[Mookie]

Nebraska here.

[Mookie]

Yeah, Ed from Houston and I push a lot of the limits here all the time. But we have a good time doing it!

I will make a note of the e-mail and do keep looking for me on the forum. I will always have something to say!

Jen

[GerFust]

"I always have something to say" - Yes, I've noticed you are one of the more prolific posters. In fact, I was wondering if there wasn't more than one 'Jenny' posting in the forums. Ed is a wonderful resource - his knowledge of the railroads and operations is impressive!

[Mookie]

There is only one Jenny and I try not to just jump on every subject with either a statement or a question. I figure eventually someone will ask or answer and I just patiently wait.

Ed is a hoot and I enjoy bantering with him! Wonder if he can get me a Big Boy?... Hmmm....

[edblysard]

Sorry, only it's little brother, Challenger.
Got to ride behind #3985 on a excursion.
WOW!
All that from hot water?
Wife got in the cab after, made the opperating crew sidn the "newspaper" they give out as a souvenir. Have some photos, send me a e-mail address at
[e-mail] and I will send you some.
Only exsisting Big Boys I know of are static muesum pieces. Sad, you would think the steam crew at UP would want one running.
And yes, there is only ONE Mookie..
Stay Frosty,
Ed

[Soo2610]

Thanks for the information. I did not know about that line. I know I39 crosses an old roadbed a few miles north of Rochelle that appears to head in the general direction of Byron. May be going toward Dekalb or Sycamore in the other direction. There are some grain elevators just west of the highway that were obviously serviced by the line. The grade elevation and bridge abutments are still highly visible.
Len

[dknelson]

I definitely urge you to get the book of maps. All sorts of lines are shown that are long gone
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

OK, OK, I haven't been prowling the forum for a few weeks (several weeks?) and maybe I should have piped up before now. Very busy up here in Minnesota and Rochelle is the furthest thing from my mind......I can barely get the time to get back over to Dayton's Bluff.
However, Ft. Madison was my favorite spot back before the "ugly" merger. I could have sat there for days at a time just watching ATSF train after train after train....after train.

[Anonymous]

According to what I see on the forum topic "How many forum readers are there" I should be No.54. Not true is seems that Jenny, Gerald, and Len have written 1/2 of the posts. Thats o.k. I'm sure there would be a lot more posts to this topic if it (the forum) were to be revamped!!

[Modelcar]

...Not all participants put a number with their entry and the count was lost...

[seven]...QM

[Anonymous]

Hopefully well after the first, but before the last. It's really great for rail buffs to have something like this.

[CG9602]

I'm one of the few railfans in my area, and because of my recent train trip betwen RDW & FTL, one of the area "experts" on Amtrak and train travel. I also have a thread in the model RR forum on this site regarding my trials & tribulations assembling a kit of a Beyer Garratt.

[Anonymous]

Number 27 Sir!