Trainwatching Thread

[Anonymous]

I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread for trainwatching, so tell us what you saw, when you saw it, where you stayed at, what loocomotives you saw, and other various stuff.

[Train Guy 3]

In Altavista, VA this morning at about 730 AM. Ex- Conrail pulling a very ackward looking N&W crane and 2 green N&W boxcars. I didn't catch the engine number but it had been renumbered. On the sides, back, and front conrail had been sprayed over with black paint and actually had N S spayed on very tacky in orange. I new the NS paint shops were behind... I didnt know we were this far behind.

[Anonymous]

Back in early august I watched at deval crossing in Des Plaines, Ill.

Wisconson Central
CN Dash 9
CN cow calf switchers
2 WC GP 40's
Manifest
Towards Schiller Park Yard

Union Pacific
UP AC4400CW
SP AC4400CW
Coal (Full)
Out of the city on the UP-New Line

Canadian Pacific
Soo SD 50
Coal (Empties)
In to the city on the UP-New Line

[Mookie]

This last weekend - 6 tracks with 4 of them running a loaded coal train, an auto train, and two mixed freights at one time. Also running a lease engine and a UP engine. SD70's, GE's new AC's, two SD60's, a couple of Dash 9's and sometimes a CSX - and an SW10 chugging right along!

Mookie

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

In service on BRC at Clearing: Two LLPX SD38-2's (ex-Reserve Mining) working as hump pushers.
On my ride home from work (Metra Southwest) yesterday, two BNSF SD70MAC's, one in Grinstein green and one in Heritage, on mixed freight (not coal) waiting for clearance to ex-CR main from former CR&I at 43rd St.

[JoeKoh]

last friday in Bryan i saw a lot of ns trains with diffrent power,their own and borrowed from up and bnsf.An amtrak train came flying by and a repainted gp 38-2 with ns colors but a csx builders plate hmmmmm
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

Last week while having some Chinese food in a local restaurant that's across from the tracks I saw CP freight with an SD-45 (I think) that was unusual because it just had the letters "CP" stenciled on with no regular logo on it. It was number 5389. Also on the same train I saw a CP Rail boxcar with the rusty outline of an old D&H logo on it.

[techguy57]

The local UP yard engine normally parked in Crystal Lake (even though there isn't a yard in Crystal Lake[?]) was out working today which I have to say made me happy!
Its a old Southern Pacific still in the red and black, just renumbered. It had MOW equipment with it as they are doing some track replacement around here.
4 gondolas, including an NS covered gondola and an ancient CNW gondola that looks like its been around for about 75 years. It was very short and squat with two unloading chutes. Hope to get a picture later.

Mike

[ironhorseman]

Noteworthy sightings (this year):
(On a busy fast-moving BNSF main line in Kansas):
A 6-axle switcher (imagine an EMD SW with 6 axles, that's what it looked like)
A Norfolk & Western boxcar
More than one GP30
Two Soo Line SD60s, no other engines, pulling a vehical train.
Several B30-7s (or like it) in blue Santa Fe and also orange BNSF paint
Several U-Boats
Once in a while a CSX loco
More often lately an ex-Conrail SD70
Lot's of NS Dash-9s (run thru power)
A thing with a crane attached to it, it looked like a ramp with a conveyor belt
Various MOW
25th Anniversary Operation Lifesaver loco

Some of this I thought was unusual, but considering everything that comes through here (except the MOW) comes straight out of Kansas City and goes to LA or Texas or vice versa it's not so unusual anymore. It's like the Route 66 of railroads. The Emporia Sub has been called the most heavily saturated line of the BNSF. If anybody has or gets a chance to see the Pentrex video/DVD Goin' To Kansas City you'll see what I see on a daily basis.

For other stuff see my website.

[Anonymous]

I couldve sworn that all U-Boats have been retired.........[?]

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The 6-axle switcher may be one of BNSF's hump slugs which were rebuilt from SD9's. They have a cab to help get the engineer away from the engine noise. I wouldn't venture a guess as to what it was doing on the main line.

[JoeKoh]

Today while giving the csx guys a calendar and eastbound intermodal westbound intermodal and eastbound autorack train.All with mixed csx and run through power.
stay safe
Joe

[mudchicken]

Ironhorseman:

Sounds like the "thing" you saw was a leased Georgetown GRX "Dump Train"....one of the neatest things to see work since sliced bread.

MC

[Anonymous]

Runthrough power from the Susie-Q in upstate New York. 2 SD-40T Tunnel Motors still in SP paint but no lettering along with a unit going back to the Roberville& Saugeney which looked like a Dash-8 of some kind. These were going on a CN runthrough.

[Anonymous]

Man its cool to hear what you guys are seeing from different parts of North America!

[Anonymous]

Hey JoeKoh do they still run anyting on the ex-conrail line through Bryan. Do you think its as much as the Conrail Days.

Tyler Winkelman.

[Willy2]

I haven't been trainwatching in a long time, but I'm planning on going on Saturday, so I'll see how it goes. Hopefully good.

[Train Guy 3]

I saw the most graffitied hopper pass through Altavista today. I couldn't tell what the cars acttual paint was. Heck I dont even know if was a NS car or not.

[Train Guy 3]

I keep seeing these ballast cars with a odd name over the last two months. The name is " HERZOG ", the letters are in white, and the cars are like maroon / rust in color. Does anyone know who or what " HERZOG" is.

[ironhorseman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Train Guy 3

I keep seeing these ballast cars with a odd name over the last two months. The name is " HERZOG ", the letters are in white, and the cars are like maroon / rust in color. Does anyone know who or what " HERZOG" is.

HERZOG is a contracting corporation. http://www.herzogcompanies.com/ I used to see gondola cars from HERZOG come through here all the time, but not as often as before.

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As for the U-boat sighting of mine: I coulda swore it was but maybe I'm mistaken. It looked like it from afar, but it was just a similar looking type. These trains go by fast, sometimes obsured by trees, sometimes in the twilight. Sometimes I rub my eyes when I see something just to make sure I'm awake and not dreaming. Who knows where it came from. Usually when the Triple Crown train comes through it's unpredictable what unit(s) will be on it. Could be a Dash-9 or a GP30 or anything else in between.

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And for the switcher: it was probably just power being moved from local to another, or maybe it needed repairs or something. I did see a UP switcher pulling 8-10 boxcars north out of Wichita once a couple years ago. I was on a bike ride at the time and didn't have my camera. Why does all the good stuff go by when I'm busy or don't have a camera????????!!!!!!!!!!!!

As it was explained in the video: if you see 7, 8, 9, or 10 locos on a train it's because power is being moved to where it's needed. I'lll never forget that time I saw 8 blue and yellow ATSF locomotives on the front of a train. I think they were all GP units.

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tillerthekiller

Hey JoeKoh do they still run anyting on the ex-conrail line through Bryan. Do you think its as much as the Conrail Days.

Tyler Winkelman.

Tyler
even more traffic than the conrail days! email me your address I have some pics but the other roll isnt done yet[:)] This morning as I got off work down the line in Archbold ohio I saw two intermodals pass each other.ns power eastbound bnsf runthrough power westbound.throw in the switching that ns does for the local factories and you have one busy mainline!
stay safe
Joe

[Nora]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Train Guy 3

I keep seeing these ballast cars with a odd name over the last two months. The name is " HERZOG ", the letters are in white, and the cars are like maroon / rust in color. Does anyone know who or what " HERZOG" is.

I have seen a Herzog ballast train around here several times this summer and fall. I learned that (let's see if I can remember this right) they've got a computer with the whole NS system programmed into it, and by using GPS the train can drop the ballast as it goes along, all controlled by the computer and the GPS. It knows where the road crossings etc. are and will stop dropping the ballast right before the crossing and start up again just past it. It sounds pretty neat, but I haven't gotten to see it doing that yet. I usually have seen it just coming into or out of the yard.

--Nora

[Train Guy 3]

Computer progamed train cars .... man i hope they didn't install microsoft.


I was on top a bridge today running and I stoped to watch a mixed frieght pass by. I waved at the train and got a very suspicious look from the train crew..... that is becoming to common these days. The odd thing was that the autoracks that were on the train were missing a bunch of side panels. Does anyone know a reason autoracks would be missing side panels. The autoracks were empty.

[JoeKoh]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Train Guy 3

Computer progamed train cars .... man i hope they didn't install microsoft.


I was on top a bridge today running and I stoped to watch a mixed frieght pass by. I waved at the train and got a very suspicious look from the train crew..... that is becoming to common these days. The odd thing was that the autoracks that were on the train were missing a bunch of side panels. Does anyone know a reason autoracks would be missing side panels. The autoracks were empty.

the auotracks could have been going to be scrapped.Csx is still in the process of sending old autoracks to omnisource here in Defiance.other places have been contracted to do the same. About the train crew there have been instances where people are throwing rocks at a train from bridges[:(!] they are makeing my taking pictures harder[:(!]
stay safe
Joe

[Train Guy 3]

Yeah I'm glad i didn't have my water bottle in hand.

[JoeKoh]

Today
three up engines with a csx freight going west in holgate ohio.a csx&/gm demonstrater train west bound freight.a local with repainted gp38-2 and an sd 40 and an eastbound intermodal(see csx starting over)plus the usual fine folks watching trains in deshler.
stay safe
Joe and Matt

[Anonymous]

Today on I-57 and I-80 saw a small glimpse of Chicago's Blue Island Crossing. While on the expressway I saw a CSX coal train, with a CSX AC6000CW and a UP AC4400CW. And a little further on the expressway I saw an IHB Grain Train, with two repainted Geeps.

I wish I was going there instead of my Aunt's House!

Also a big qusetion......
Is Blue Island Crossing in a safe enough neighborhood for a 14 year old to go?

[Anonymous]

Thanksgiving day..... ex Conrail SD90's in the new CSX paint scheme.... They looked REALLY good in this livery

[JoeKoh]

We shall see what we find today as I go to my sisters house in Dayton.We go past the gm yard csx cross ns(nkp line) at kieferville pick up the north south B&O line in ottawa. go under that line in lima and cross the I&O too(old dt&i) and follow the B&O as it cris crosses I-75.hmmm maybe mamma better drive.
stay safe
Joe

[eolafan]

I would suggest that a 14 year old NOT go to Blue Island Crossing, especially after dark, without an adult or two with him/her. The neighborhood is so-so during the day, and as long as you keep an eye on your surroundings you should be just fine, but I would definetly not suggest it for a kid all alone to hang around. Hope this helps. Jim

QUOTE: Originally posted by LaGrangeIll

Today on I-57 and I-80 saw a small glimpse of Chicago's Blue Island Crossing. While on the expressway I saw a CSX coal train, with a CSX AC6000CW and a UP AC4400CW. And a little further on the expressway I saw an IHB Grain Train, with two repainted Geeps.

I wish I was going there instead of my Aunt's House!

Also a big qusetion......
Is Blue Island Crossing in a safe enough neighborhood for a 14 year old to go?