What was your favorite trains moment?

[kschmidt]

Greetings,

One of my favorites was one of my first train chasing adventures. Got up at 4am to drive to Chicago from Milwaukee to chase #611. from Chicago to Fort Wayne, IN and back in 1995. Seeing that beautiful Class J pulling that train was awesome. #611 had a whistle that was just sweet music. It was a long day. I think we got back to Milwaukee after midnight, but it was worth it.

Another pair of favorites come from the same trip. I was able to see UP #844 travel through the Royal Gorge in 1997. We chased #844 from Denver to Dotsero. The train and the scenery were unbelieveable.

Later on the same trip we were in the Powder River Coal area. We found a small hill where we could a see a nice S-curve. I setup my video camera and started taping and for over 45 minutes I never shut it off because there was always a train in view. Again the scenery was great and so was the action.

Keith Schmidt
www.geocities.com/kaschmidt626/index.html

[Trainnut484]

WOW [:0][:)]. Almost 500 people have read our posts of favorite and not-so favorite moments train watching.

This thread is a good example of how great railfanning is. Keep'em coming[:D]

[Trainnut484]

WOW [:0][:)]. Almost 500 people have read our posts of favorite and not-so favorite moments train watching.

This thread is a good example of how great railfanning is. Keep'em coming[:D]

[vsmith]

So far the best memory I have is seeing UP 844 coming up Cajon Pass a few years ago. After the Los Angeles Union Station's 50th anniversery bash I drove up with a freind to the canyon to watch it go by, My friend picked out his favorite spot and we waited. We could hear it approaching and as it rounded the bend we could see it wasnt leasuring waltzing up the grade, no, IT WAS HIGHBALLING! at least 40-50 mph and due to our location we were about 10 -15 feet away from the track. It blasted by us so fast my freind didnt get many photos. The sound, the vibration, getting a blast of steam, fealing the heat as it passed, just the shear force was mighty impressive! I should point out that is was a realitivly short consist with 2 very big shiny diesels helping it to haul booty up that hill but thats besides the point. Wish we'd get more steamers down this way. Saw Santa Fe's Steamer going up the old SF ROW in Pasadena but it wasnt as impressive as steam at speed is.

[vsmith]

So far the best memory I have is seeing UP 844 coming up Cajon Pass a few years ago. After the Los Angeles Union Station's 50th anniversery bash I drove up with a freind to the canyon to watch it go by, My friend picked out his favorite spot and we waited. We could hear it approaching and as it rounded the bend we could see it wasnt leasuring waltzing up the grade, no, IT WAS HIGHBALLING! at least 40-50 mph and due to our location we were about 10 -15 feet away from the track. It blasted by us so fast my freind didnt get many photos. The sound, the vibration, getting a blast of steam, fealing the heat as it passed, just the shear force was mighty impressive! I should point out that is was a realitivly short consist with 2 very big shiny diesels helping it to haul booty up that hill but thats besides the point. Wish we'd get more steamers down this way. Saw Santa Fe's Steamer going up the old SF ROW in Pasadena but it wasnt as impressive as steam at speed is.

[Modelcar]

....Good photos Don, and one can sure tell it's been a while by looking at the equipment and of course there are still 4 tracks and that 4th one was elimated long ago...Also the 1.8% grade is really in evidence looking across the valley.

[Modelcar]

....Good photos Don, and one can sure tell it's been a while by looking at the equipment and of course there are still 4 tracks and that 4th one was elimated long ago...Also the 1.8% grade is really in evidence looking across the valley.

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by drailed1999

Don, those are some really nice pics but i don't think i would be camping that close

Once wasn't enough. It was too much!

-Don

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by drailed1999

Don, those are some really nice pics but i don't think i would be camping that close

Once wasn't enough. It was too much!

-Don

[Anonymous]

Don, those are some really nice pics but i don't think i would be camping that close

[Anonymous]

Don, those are some really nice pics but i don't think i would be camping that close

[edblysard]

Thanks Don,
Now I have visual proof to show my wife there are people out there nuttier than I am, and who really will sleep next to the tracks
Nice shots.
Stay Frosty,
Ed!

QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd

-Camping in tent at MP241 near Horseshoe curve in 1976 (also counts for craziest....)

Here's a picture of that!

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=14871

[edblysard]

Thanks Don,
Now I have visual proof to show my wife there are people out there nuttier than I am, and who really will sleep next to the tracks
Nice shots.
Stay Frosty,
Ed!

QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd

-Camping in tent at MP241 near Horseshoe curve in 1976 (also counts for craziest....)

Here's a picture of that!

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=14871

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Don, that is a gutsy position to place a tent...! But one thing else, and that area surely has some posionous things crawling on the ground...Sure hope those tents sealed up to be sure they stayed outside.

Being that close to the tracks brings up another thought...The loud squealing of the flanges as they passed especially the down grade ones.

[Pennsylvania native]

I'll take "gutsy" as a nice way of saying "stupid". It was stupid. Didn't see any snakes of any kind the whole weekend there, but didn't sleep much that night either. Three to four trains an hours all night long, the upgrade ones in notch 8. full load, the downgrade ones in Notch 8, light load, but with DB screaming, didn't make for uninterupted sleep. You'd hear them coming a couple miles off and the noise would get louder and louder until you were convinced the train was adjacent to you. Then, it would continue to get louder until I started wonder if somebody had moved me ONTO the tracks!

Not the smartest thing I ever did (I hope), but I was there to get some great early morning shots before the sun swung around too far.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=8717

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=15790

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Don, that is a gutsy position to place a tent...! But one thing else, and that area surely has some posionous things crawling on the ground...Sure hope those tents sealed up to be sure they stayed outside.

Being that close to the tracks brings up another thought...The loud squealing of the flanges as they passed especially the down grade ones.

[Pennsylvania native]

I'll take "gutsy" as a nice way of saying "stupid". It was stupid. Didn't see any snakes of any kind the whole weekend there, but didn't sleep much that night either. Three to four trains an hours all night long, the upgrade ones in notch 8. full load, the downgrade ones in Notch 8, light load, but with DB screaming, didn't make for uninterupted sleep. You'd hear them coming a couple miles off and the noise would get louder and louder until you were convinced the train was adjacent to you. Then, it would continue to get louder until I started wonder if somebody had moved me ONTO the tracks!

Not the smartest thing I ever did (I hope), but I was there to get some great early morning shots before the sun swung around too far.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=8717

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=15790

[Modelcar]

...Don, that is a gutsy position to place a tent...! But one thing else, and that area surely has some posionous things crawling on the ground...Sure hope those tents sealed up to be sure they stayed outside.

Being that close to the tracks brings up another thought...The loud squealing of the flanges as they passed especially the down grade ones.

[Pennsylvania native]

[Modelcar]

...Don, that is a gutsy position to place a tent...! But one thing else, and that area surely has some posionous things crawling on the ground...Sure hope those tents sealed up to be sure they stayed outside.

Being that close to the tracks brings up another thought...The loud squealing of the flanges as they passed especially the down grade ones.

[Pennsylvania native]

[oltmannd]

-Camping in tent at MP241 near Horseshoe curve in 1976 (also counts for craziest....)

Here's a picture of that!

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=14871

[oltmannd]

-Camping in tent at MP241 near Horseshoe curve in 1976 (also counts for craziest....)

Here's a picture of that!

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=14871

[gemperfilm]

Mine was last summer. The first time this east coaster made it to Cajon Pass. The train density, the scenery. It was railfan heaven to me. Twenty trains in less than four hours time, sometimes 3 trains at once. It is something I will never forget.

[gemperfilm]

Mine was last summer. The first time this east coaster made it to Cajon Pass. The train density, the scenery. It was railfan heaven to me. Twenty trains in less than four hours time, sometimes 3 trains at once. It is something I will never forget.

[Trainnut484]

I think I speak for almost everyone here when I say that the MOST UNFAVORABLE moment is leaving the camera at home, or running out of film at the worst time.

Others would probably say that the most unfavorable time is when nature calls LOL.[:p]

[Trainnut484]

I think I speak for almost everyone here when I say that the MOST UNFAVORABLE moment is leaving the camera at home, or running out of film at the worst time.

Others would probably say that the most unfavorable time is when nature calls LOL.[:p]

[adrianspeeder]

When I was little, my dad's friend's house was 50 feet from conrail's main line. I would just sit in the back yard and wave to the crews in the passing trains.
It was at a spot where the locomotives would open up the throttle wide, and blow the horn for a crossing. How cool is that for a little kid?
I couldn't tell a GE from an EMD then, but so what. My only distinction was between units painted "Conrail" and units painted "Conrail Quality." Later I would say "Hey dad I saw two conrails and one conrail quality pulling that train." I wish I could go back there.

Adrianspeeder

[adrianspeeder]

When I was little, my dad's friend's house was 50 feet from conrail's main line. I would just sit in the back yard and wave to the crews in the passing trains.
It was at a spot where the locomotives would open up the throttle wide, and blow the horn for a crossing. How cool is that for a little kid?
I couldn't tell a GE from an EMD then, but so what. My only distinction was between units painted "Conrail" and units painted "Conrail Quality." Later I would say "Hey dad I saw two conrails and one conrail quality pulling that train." I wish I could go back there.

Adrianspeeder

[Anonymous]

MY FAVORITE TRAINS MOMENT WAS ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER I GOT QUALIFIED AS AN ENGINEER I CAUGHT A SOUTHBOUND CN RUNTHROUGH TO SYRACUSE. 20' OUTSIDE, BLINDING SNOW FOR ABOUT 40 MILES AND 10,000 TONS OF TRAIN BEHIND ME. IT WAS SNOWING SO BAD YOU COULDNT SEE THE MILEPOSTS AND WE WERE THE FIRST TRAIN THROUGH IN ABOUT 8 HOURS.

[Anonymous]

MY FAVORITE TRAINS MOMENT WAS ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER I GOT QUALIFIED AS AN ENGINEER I CAUGHT A SOUTHBOUND CN RUNTHROUGH TO SYRACUSE. 20' OUTSIDE, BLINDING SNOW FOR ABOUT 40 MILES AND 10,000 TONS OF TRAIN BEHIND ME. IT WAS SNOWING SO BAD YOU COULDNT SEE THE MILEPOSTS AND WE WERE THE FIRST TRAIN THROUGH IN ABOUT 8 HOURS.

[Anonymous]

Back in the early 1980's, I used to ride the Port Authority of Allegheny County's train to McKeesport Pa to work. One rare Saturday that I had to work was riding to work on one of PATs RDC cars. I knew most of the operating crew then and I was invited up to the cab to ride up front. When we got to Glenwood the engineer said to me "Why don't you get orders coming up from the tower operator?" I had only seen orders being grabbed only a couple of times, so I reached out the open window and held my open hand out to grab them with my fingers. The operator had the good sense to hoop the orders over my arm so I didn't miss them. Even better was when we got to McKeesport they stopped for coffee and they bought me one. They were some good times then.

[Anonymous]

Back in the early 1980's, I used to ride the Port Authority of Allegheny County's train to McKeesport Pa to work. One rare Saturday that I had to work was riding to work on one of PATs RDC cars. I knew most of the operating crew then and I was invited up to the cab to ride up front. When we got to Glenwood the engineer said to me "Why don't you get orders coming up from the tower operator?" I had only seen orders being grabbed only a couple of times, so I reached out the open window and held my open hand out to grab them with my fingers. The operator had the good sense to hoop the orders over my arm so I didn't miss them. Even better was when we got to McKeesport they stopped for coffee and they bought me one. They were some good times then.

[Anonymous]

My favorite trains moment happened the summer between fourth and fifth grade, 1997 - I was watching a Wisconsin Central geep switch the drop off cars at the lumber yard in town, and the engineer saw me and we chatted it up a bit... I think I dropped the phrase "GP38-2" and he must have figured I was a budding railfan, and invited me into the cab. He showed me around, and even took me out onto the main track for a hundred feet or so, the back into the spur again. Being so young, it pretty much made my day, and week, and month, Lol.

Looking back on it - was it necessarily safe? No. (Stranger, danger...) Was the engineer seriously violating the rules? Indeed. Knowing what I know now, it may not have been the best idea but... I wouldn't change it for the world :-)