In this video I catch CN power twice, plus chase the CP TEC (geometry) train.
https://youtu.be/zdX0r3zVBUo
I'm aware this video is quite shaky, and quite frankly I don't know why, other than I probably had low blood sugar on those days.
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
HarrisonIn this video I catch CN power twice, plus chase the CP TEC (geometry) train. https://youtu.be/zdX0r3zVBUo I'm aware this video is quite shaky, and quite frankly I don't know why, other than I probably had low blood sugar on those days.
A tripod overcomes low blood sugar. Hand held, especially with a long telephoto lens will always have the shakes.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
To an extent a video camera with servo lens can take out some of the 'shake' that ordinary phone-style cams suffer from. But I'd run, not walk, to get something like this to use with phone and SLR-style cameras... or make up some other kind of mount on the Steadicam principle that helps.
And yes, a good fluid-head tripod is valuable, too.
A tripod is never a bad idea. As was pointed out, a good fluid head mount is important - even moreso if you plan on doing pans, etc.
Even better, if you're shooting video on the tripod, you're free to take stills at the same time.
There were a couple of fans set up to shoot an eastbound through Deshler tonight, tripods and all. There was a westbound coming through at the same time, so double the fun.
What was absolutely priceless, however, was the reaction of one of the fans when he discovered that CP commemorative locomotive 7013 was on the point (maroon and gray). I don't think he'd have been as shocked if someone handed him a million bucks.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Aw nuts, late to the party again! Better late than never I suppose.
Nice catch of that track geometry train, definately something you don't see every day!
By the way, I HATE those electronic bells too! They might as well use a recording of someone screaming hysterically "GET OFF THE TRACKS! GET OFF THE TRACKS!"
Flintlock76 By the way, I HATE those electronic bells too! They might as well use a recording of someone screaming hysterically "GET OFF THE TRACKS! GET OFF THE TRACKS!"
That is the best thing I've heard all week. And you know? It might work...
How about this? If they DON'T get off the tracks and get squashed the announcement becomes...
"SERVES YOU RIGHT!"
Happy 4th everyone! After church today we went down to Cliff Haven to catch a couple of trains, a late-ish 931 and a 350 making its (now) monthly appearance.
https://youtu.be/2K8XWQP96G0
That hammering sound, especially at 1:21 on the last video -- is that from a flat spot on a wheel? Or is it from truck "hunting"?
Do any defect detectors identify badly hunting train cars or flat spots on wheels?
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
Paul MilenkovicThat hammering sound, especially at 1:21 on the last video -- is that from a flat spot on a wheel? Or is it from truck "hunting"? Do any defect detectors identify badly hunting train cars or flat spots on wheels?
Sounds like a 'minor' flat spot to me.
I am not aware of any detectors for truck hunting. WILD (Wheel Impact Load Detectors) identify the varying levels of flat spots. In general WILD detectors are relatively few in number. On the entirety of CSX's Baltimore Division there was only one installed as of the time I retired in 2016.
Paul Milenkovic That hammering sound, especially at 1:21 on the last video -- is that from a flat spot on a wheel? Or is it from truck "hunting"? Do any defect detectors identify badly hunting train cars or flat spots on wheels?
The rule of thumb I've heard (and have mentioned on the forum before) is that if you can hear a flat spot for seven car lengths, it's in need of attention.
Of course, the distance will vary depending on the type of car, and I would think it would apply to each section of a three or five section IM car. Otherwise you'd be looking at the possibility of thirty-five equivalent car lengths for a string of five section IM cars...
tree68 Paul Milenkovic That hammering sound, especially at 1:21 on the last video -- is that from a flat spot on a wheel? Or is it from truck "hunting"? Do any defect detectors identify badly hunting train cars or flat spots on wheels? The rule of thumb I've heard (and have mentioned on the forum before) is that if you can hear a flat spot for seven car lengths, it's in need of attention. Of course, the distance will vary depending on the type of car, and I would think it would apply to each section of a three or five section IM car. Otherwise you'd be looking at the possibility of thirty-five equivalent car lengths for a string of five section IM cars...
When discussing something in 'car lengths' you can get in big trouble real fast.
My father and I both worked the same yard in Baltimore in out careers, separated by over 40 years. In his day, 36 and 40 foot cars were most common and the 'big' cars were 53 foot gondolas. In my day, with the yard servicing a GM assembly plant as well as import automobile loading - the 'normal' cars that were handled were 89 foot auto racks and high cube box cars. The small cars were 50 foot box cars and 53 foot gondolas. My father viewed the yard as having 'a lot of room'; my view was that it was a band box and much too small to efficiently handle the it was handling.
One thing to remember - 1000 feet of train occupy 1000 feet of track no matter if that train consists of 20 50 foot box cars or 3 five pack intermodal cars and a regular 89 foot TTX flat car.
BaltACDWhen discussing something in 'car lengths' you can get in big trouble real fast.
Oh, for sure.
That's why it's just a rule of thumb.
Seven of those 53 footers is just under 400 feet.
Seven autoracks is over 600 feet.
Either way, if you hear a wheel knocking from that kind of distance, there's a problem.
Of course, the only real way to determine if a flat spot is actionable is with a ruler. I have read that the WILD's are pretty accurate.
Interesting discussion about cars lengths... I always assumed a "car length" in the "modern era" (the '70s and later) was 50 feet.
I've got TWO videos to share tonight! The first was recorded and published by a friend who came north to visit last Saturday. We did a lot of local railroad history stuff and shot 651 coming north before running trains on my layout.
https://youtu.be/rfVczmX9-UA
The second is my own video, featuring three trains (and four railroads) around the Mohawk valley. I also happened to be with the same friend (visiting his territory).
https://youtu.be/gEQm_I4NOyY
Enjoy...
Tonight's video features two interesting 931s, plus a massive 252 (and two unheard shout outs from the conductor). Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/p56TaTUkd0A
https://youtu.be/Z-bRRpEvMvc
I finally got around to publishing my catches on June 18th, when we caught both a CN SD70M-2 and D11 with a shoving platform (caboose).
Nice catch of that caboose/shoving platform, although why it's out there with only one car to pick up puzzles me, unless there's other pick-ups on the agenda.
I hope that CP unit that got dropped off was dropped at a MAACO shop! Man, that thing needs a serious repaint job! I mean, yuck!
Any idea what is carried in those small EPIC containers?
MidlandMikeAny idea what is carried in those small EPIC containers?
When I saw EPIC containers on CSX they were hauling trash.
Flintlock76Nice catch of that caboose/shoving platform, although why it's out there with only one car to pick up puzzles me, unless there's other pick-ups on the agenda.
Looked like they were pushing back home - that's potentially a long way to hang on the side of a car...
CP is continuing to send AC4400CW's to GE/Wabtec for rebuilding, those still in their original beaver shield paint scheme are starting to become rare.
They picked the right unit to lead with, CN 8956 has an isolated cab, microwave and air conditioning, unlike the trailing unit.
I believe CN has ended up owing CP a lot of horsepower hours over the past year or so, due to us taking over all of CP's coal trains at Kamloops, BC for the run to the Pacific coast, no matter which port they are going to. It is common for the Vancouver-bound trains to keep the CP power.
I've seen cars identified on switch lists as needing preventative maintenance due to being identified as exhibiting "low level truck hunting", so there must be some sort of detector that can pick this up (maybe those new 'super scanner' inspection portals?).
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Thanks for the comments everyone. Usually, D11 runs north to the mill in front of the cars, as it is a trailing point switch. Then they "drop" any pickups around the locomotive. Now the legality of this is unknown, and the expertise and comfort level of the crew would affect this. The D11 crew can be essentially anyone based out of Saratoga, so it's not always the same guys. I'm guessing these guys didn't know if they were "supposed" to have the shoving platform, or maybe they wanted to play it safe. Otherwise, they would just run reverse, and with 1 car visibility wouldn't be too bad. Plattsburgh is probably the worst place on the line for trespassing/vehicle hits...
BaltACD MidlandMike Any idea what is carried in those small EPIC containers? When I saw EPIC containers on CSX they were hauling trash.
MidlandMike Any idea what is carried in those small EPIC containers?
I got ambitious and googled it:
https://www.synagro.com/locations/environmental-protection-improvement-company-epic/
MidlandMike BaltACD MidlandMike Any idea what is carried in those small EPIC containers? When I saw EPIC containers on CSX they were hauling trash. I got ambitious and googled it: https://www.synagro.com/locations/environmental-protection-improvement-company-epic/
Until they got some new containers about 2014 or 2015, the Southbound trains that hauled them would routinely activated the Tanglewood High Car Detector that protected the Virginia Avenue Tunnel before it was rebuilt to handle double stacks without any height restrictions. The containers were nominally 'open top' hoppers that had a tarp as a cover - as anyone who has a convertible automobile knows, aerodynamics will cause that soft top to bow upward when speed begin to exceed 20 MPH. The bowing tarps would trigger the high car detector and have to be inspected by the crews.
It's been a while since a had a video "good enough" to post. Wrapping back around to the first catch I posted on this thread, in today's video we chased CP 7013 on a southbound oil train. Enjoy...
https://youtu.be/A9Hna1KziI0
SD70DudeI've seen cars identified on switch lists as needing preventative maintenance due to being identified as exhibiting "low level truck hunting", so there must be some sort of detector that can pick this up
Running Approach blocks on my CP heritage video, here comes another HU! This time it's NS 8100, the Nickel Plate heritage. Listen as it approaches in the first clip, you can hear Jay (the conductor) ask where I've been over the radio.
https://youtu.be/0Ep2GbosJ3U
Nice catch on that NS Nickle Plate unit!
You think there's people out in Ohio muttering "Why isn't it out here where it BELONGS?"
I've got a mixed bag this Friday, including some model railroading, railfanning, and everything in between. I also included mixed-narration styles. Enjoy...
https://youtu.be/I0PaP8KHmkk
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