Today, I was going around the Nampa yards and saw the unpatched SP 343. What's more, some GP60Ms have been calling the Nampa yards home for 2 weeks now. And then, on Wednesday, I saw a CEFX AC44 and a CP ES44AC coupled together in the front of a manifest train. It's amazing.
Reminiscing about days gone by...
- Thread starter jonwray
- Start date
Nice, there was one time last year I saw SP 335 4 times. I have it on film 3 different times.... First train I spot her, she's mid train on a grainer west, then I spot her back on what is likely train MHKRO, then I spot her again, on film, 4th on what is likely train MHKRO again! Final time she shows up on film is the time I get UP 5314 Highball east with a CSX visitor and SP335 shows up as 1st unit mid-train on train QCONP. That was it, that was the last time that I saw SP335 since Feb 27th of 2014.
Let's see if I can strike gold again today, and see UP 2010 on train IDUSE. I heard 5:30 PM Local time for us people who have wanted to spot the elusive boy scouts unit. Let's see, well, UP 1983 is probably most elusive, I've had more than about 10 times over 2014 to see it, went to about 6 of them, and it was A: Either early, Late, or just a straight up night move. When do I see it? When word was it was headed east on a train, and I find UP 1983 WP heritage 3rd on train MNPPT headed west... What a surprise eh? Didn't even expect it.
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In the early 60's a scrap yard in Tampa, Florida bought two Clinchfield 4-6-6-4's and had them towed down to cut up for scrap. I got to climb all over them. The ACL or Seaboard sent someone over to see what shape they were in just in case one could be fired up but sadly after all that time they were pretty much just rolling lumps of rust. Impressive as all get-out for a teenager who had never seen a steam engine before other then in MR Magazine.
Ben
Ben
Being only 20, I can't say I have memories of way back, although I wish I did. My fondest rail memories were of watching "There goes a...Train!" (Anyone remember that old show? lol) I remember walking around Baltimore Pennsylvania station and Washington D.C. Union Station on hot summer days watching the last of the Amtrak Phase III trains come and go. Once when I was about four at Pennsylvania station, an Amtrak stationmaster saw me watching and yelling about trains, and impressed with the little rail fan me, gave me an Acela introductory poster they had just taken down. I've since had the poster framed and it currently hangs in the basement room where I keep my O gauge trains. I also have fond memories of watching CSX coal drags pull through Ellicott City along the Patapsco river. A couple of years back, I took the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles, probably the high point of my life!
I wasn't that lucky...In the late 1960s my grand parents moved to Pemberton New Jersey. On the pike near their apartment house was a junk yard that contained a couple of steam locomotives. One of them was what appeared to be an old 0-4-0 complete with the funnel cap while the other looked like a K-4. I'm doing this from memory since being all of 7 years old I wouldn't remember or know the different models! What I do remember is the old 0-4-0 being painted all white and sitting on the pile of junk waiting to be melted down.
What railroads these came from, or their lineage is something I will never know. Looking at Google Earth or Bing brings up nothing regarding the junk yard or even the apartment building which is probably now all buried in other development today.
John
MeowRailroad
CKRail
Near the convention center in Oaks PA, there are some small engines, including an 0-4-0T sitting on some disconnected track near an industrial park. I might be able to post some pics. There is also a small Whitcomb, a Whitcomb 44 or 45 tonner, and a MOW speeder and 1-2 carts for it.
See here:
http://forums.auran.com/trainz/show...ng-completely-different&p=1144695#post1144695
More pics are always welcome, though.
You can look at the pic of the cab interior and its controls and tell the 0-4-0T is not a real steam locomotive. The 0-4-0T was actually powered by a gasoline engine. It was a Gimbels Department Store sponsored ride at the 1939 New York World's Fair where it was used as one as the "Gimbel's Flyers" in "Children's World."
There's a thread on the locos here, at the World's Fair Community website forums.
I think this thread needs a bump, and one with another good story.
So on the 17th I was out watching trains, and it was a slow day for the Nampa sub, but to my surprise, I spotted a couple SD70M's leading a train of empty flat cars. Not sure where they were going or what they were for, but I'll take it.
Later that same day, I saw the lights for another train show up at the crew-change point. I knew it would be at least 10-15 mins before he would depart, but I was rather impatient seeing that it was sun-down and I had to walk home. (Yes, I walk to the tracks to see trains, that's how close I am) Well, I waited, and got a real surprise. Here comes train ZG1BR, which is really just a UPS train, racing out of the yard east. 5 units on the head end with only 4 online. The lash-up felt so classic even though it had 2 SD70ACes in it. I haven't seen a lash-up on a hot-train like that in quite a while. I could've sworn that Dale Jarret was driving that train (UPS pun intended, only for those that followed Nascar in the early-mid 2000's) He was doing at least 60-65 MPH out of there, I have the video that is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Z6WOWRKcU
The video doesn't do it justice though, it's a wider angle shot, so you don't get a full feel for how fast he was going. It was 100% more awesome in person because the wind, and the feel of that train was special. For that moment, I felt like a kid again, in eastern Idaho watching trains zoom by at speed. All I could do was just watch and go "Wow, he's flying"
So on the 17th I was out watching trains, and it was a slow day for the Nampa sub, but to my surprise, I spotted a couple SD70M's leading a train of empty flat cars. Not sure where they were going or what they were for, but I'll take it.
Later that same day, I saw the lights for another train show up at the crew-change point. I knew it would be at least 10-15 mins before he would depart, but I was rather impatient seeing that it was sun-down and I had to walk home. (Yes, I walk to the tracks to see trains, that's how close I am) Well, I waited, and got a real surprise. Here comes train ZG1BR, which is really just a UPS train, racing out of the yard east. 5 units on the head end with only 4 online. The lash-up felt so classic even though it had 2 SD70ACes in it. I haven't seen a lash-up on a hot-train like that in quite a while. I could've sworn that Dale Jarret was driving that train (UPS pun intended, only for those that followed Nascar in the early-mid 2000's) He was doing at least 60-65 MPH out of there, I have the video that is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Z6WOWRKcU
The video doesn't do it justice though, it's a wider angle shot, so you don't get a full feel for how fast he was going. It was 100% more awesome in person because the wind, and the feel of that train was special. For that moment, I felt like a kid again, in eastern Idaho watching trains zoom by at speed. All I could do was just watch and go "Wow, he's flying"
Alright, had the catch of the month probably about a week ago.
It had been a really slow day for railfanning, and then an eastbound manifest came into the yards. The 4th unit was a non-Horsehead NS C40-9W #9442.
Then, heading east out of Nampa, I caught up to the front of a hopper train, and wow, what a lashup! UP 7400 leading, and the second unit was NS SD60E #6964. I last caught the train at King Road crossing. All caught on video.
It had been a really slow day for railfanning, and then an eastbound manifest came into the yards. The 4th unit was a non-Horsehead NS C40-9W #9442.
Then, heading east out of Nampa, I caught up to the front of a hopper train, and wow, what a lashup! UP 7400 leading, and the second unit was NS SD60E #6964. I last caught the train at King Road crossing. All caught on video.
When i was around 2, my grandparents would take me to Steamtown every...single...Saturday [they could]. I don't remember much from my early childhood. but once, i was on my grandfather's shoulder, watching CP 2317 steam by with the daily excursion. I'll find a picture of it eventually.
One things for sure, though: i'll never forget it as long as i live.
One things for sure, though: i'll never forget it as long as i live.
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Many years ago now a suburban line in Glasgow was very poorly used theorugh the west side and a couple of branches ff it not any better. Trains in the end of steam would be virtually empty and even running DMUS's made not a sod of difference. One day i decided to go upstairs to Whitienc (Riverside station and knocked the booking office window. Clerks were long gone and there would be a solitary proter and he duly slid the window up. I said a "single to Scotstoun West please." Now you could look along the embankment to that station and it was so close a train wouldn't raise much speed. He stared at me and then answered with "where. did you say Scotstoun West looking at me as if I was daft. No-one has ever got on here for the next stop in all the years he had been there and said that I could walk it in a few minutes. He just shook his head and said to pay at the other end. The train arrived a couple of minutes later and I just stood and got off at the station. As I walked along to the stairs the porter there was dumb struck when I said I had no ticket and told him where I had boarded barely 3 minutes away! He was taken aback and didn't bother taking the far and it was a funny incident.
As it happens as a wee boy I had been brought up in Whiteinch and back then it was a dead line. When built by the Caledonian thenlater absorbed into the LMS it hadn't been open long when Glasgow changed from horse trams to electric and the rail companies including the caledonian kicked up a rumpus. Sadly it did them no good as there were so many trams and no stairs like at the stations. I often smile when I think of what I did that day!
When the Beeching axe was falling onempty lines a rail fan friend of mine suggested we get a train on the last day from Glasgow Central Low Level to Crow Road which was a branch off that previous line I mentioned. He said to get a first class ticket which surprised me even though it was a steam train. But sure enough at the Low Level booking office I got my white 1st class single which I have kept for decades. But even more notable was that it did not say BR as was at the time but the old LMS which goes back to 1948 and before. Remarkable. I also got a bicycle ticket from Charing Cross station in the city around that time and it was a North British Rly one and that got taken over in 1922. Yet in the 60's there were stil old company tickets at certain places and little used. That Crow Rd line is gone too but my one consolation is that the Glasgow area has the largest suburban system outside London and much of it overhead electric.
As it happens as a wee boy I had been brought up in Whiteinch and back then it was a dead line. When built by the Caledonian thenlater absorbed into the LMS it hadn't been open long when Glasgow changed from horse trams to electric and the rail companies including the caledonian kicked up a rumpus. Sadly it did them no good as there were so many trams and no stairs like at the stations. I often smile when I think of what I did that day!
When the Beeching axe was falling onempty lines a rail fan friend of mine suggested we get a train on the last day from Glasgow Central Low Level to Crow Road which was a branch off that previous line I mentioned. He said to get a first class ticket which surprised me even though it was a steam train. But sure enough at the Low Level booking office I got my white 1st class single which I have kept for decades. But even more notable was that it did not say BR as was at the time but the old LMS which goes back to 1948 and before. Remarkable. I also got a bicycle ticket from Charing Cross station in the city around that time and it was a North British Rly one and that got taken over in 1922. Yet in the 60's there were stil old company tickets at certain places and little used. That Crow Rd line is gone too but my one consolation is that the Glasgow area has the largest suburban system outside London and much of it overhead electric.
Aye, sounds like good stuff. I missed out on 7400, though I wanted to see it. That sucker is really elusive.
I'll share another.....
Oct 18th, 2014:
Every once and a while, there's a day I go out, and a truly special event occurs. Welp, Oct 18th, a Saturday, was this kind of day... Since after about 2008 only a few days have I seen 5 trains in a very short period of time on the UP Nampa Subdivision. However, this day felt like the mid-2000's over again! EMD's! EMD's everywhere! I arrived just in time for the festival of trains with amazing EMD's and really friendly crews with beautiful light and mild weather to help. Train #1 rushes by with a SD70ACe in the lead with a SD70M and ES44AC behind at power. I expect the typical rear shover to bring up the rear, and this is when surprise occurs! SD60 #2205 is running at power reminding me of the tremendous days that were when these guys still could be found everywhere. I was left in awe when it passed, and you could hear the whines well off into the distance. Next up comes the Fruit Express with a first generation SD70ACe leading the way. Boss horn and a nice wave from the engineer puts a smile on my face. All EMD's going at 8, my favorite. Wow! Next up is #3 train MROHK with a shiny new SD70AH leading a couple 90's classics, AC4460CW and SD70M. Really big horn on this machine, and engineer let me have all of it. Train #4 is headed east with some racks, and of course 2 SD70M's lead with big horn and a big wave from the engineer! Man am I feeling like I am 8 yrs old again! Last train is a B-section one unit wonder with a shover manifest. This guys pops lots of horn and even a Shave and a Hair cut.... Loved this day, and is soon one I am not to forget.
In case you too want to live that day out, I have it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBOEGil-DS4
MeowRailroad
CKRail
That story always makes me laugh.
A bit of an old memory of mine is now history as of a week ago. The big bridge over the Merrimack River in Haverhill has now lost it's third-bridge over Washington Street. This third bridge used to serve a station siding as well as a lumber company and coal company; all of which have been gone for probably 20-plus years now, and have been replaced by a parking-lot.
The bridge, however, was always there and things look different. At first I couldn't quite figure out what the difference was when I drove under the bridge a few times. Things seemed lighter and there was a big gap near one of the downtown buildings that seemed bigger. Then I noticed bits of rusty steel I-beams sticking out on one side where the third-bridge used to be, and only the two mainline bridges remaining.
Here's the old bridge...
http://binged.it/1SPcIu5
The space looks empty now without it.
John
The bridge, however, was always there and things look different. At first I couldn't quite figure out what the difference was when I drove under the bridge a few times. Things seemed lighter and there was a big gap near one of the downtown buildings that seemed bigger. Then I noticed bits of rusty steel I-beams sticking out on one side where the third-bridge used to be, and only the two mainline bridges remaining.
Here's the old bridge...
http://binged.it/1SPcIu5
The space looks empty now without it.
John
Many moons ago the old line to the village of Aberfoyle in hilly country was closed. A train was sent north from Glasgow with rail workers to start uplifting track but they discocovered a problem asthere was a stream where the line crossed into the station and someone had came up and already removed the bridge with the track still into the station!
I can't match any of those previous first-hand experiences; but I do remember my first steam train journey. The year was 1942, and I was three, going on four years of age, when my mother came rushing into the house clutching a telegram that had just been delivered.
The telegram arrived about 3 months after the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese Air Force. The bombing actually happened on the morning of February 19th, 1942.
The telegram advised that my father who had been serving in the Royal Australian Air Force had been seriously wounded during the bombing. The telegram went on to say that my father had been recovering in a hospital in Canberra, but that he would only be there for 3 more days before being transported back to Darwin.
My mother grabbed my sister (12 mths old) and myself, threw some clothes into a suitcase and we caught a tram to Sydney Central Station, where we boarded the 8:00am Federal City Express, a 36 Class Steamer (built by Clyde Engineering in 1925) to Canberra.
I remember the smell of the leather seats in the corridor carriage we travelled in and the 'foot-warmers' which we sat on, to warm our back-sides. The smell of smoke and cinders as we sped through tunnels is still firmly embedded in my memory. I also remember the train stopping at Goulburn (about two-thirds of the way) for 15 minutes, so passengers could get off the train, stretch their legs and have a cup of tea.
It was then, I heard the driver tug on the horn alerting passengers and it was back on board for the final run into Canberra.
This was the first time that I can ever remember seeing my father in person (I was a baby when he enlisted). He was staying at a hotel, where wounded people in bandages were sitting around awaiting recovery. He took us to a swimming pool where we could splash around and give my mum and dad some precious time together.
That night the four of us all slept together in the hotel bed (something I had not experienced before).
The next day, my dad escorted us back to Canberra Railway Station, where we did the return journey to Sydney in the steam train again.
The day after, my father was shipped back to Darwin, where he saw out the War, then returned home in 1945.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/661/ubouxB.jpg - A 36 Class Steamer built by Clyde Engineering from 1925 which could reach speeds of 93 miles per hour.
Cheers,
Roy3b3
The telegram arrived about 3 months after the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese Air Force. The bombing actually happened on the morning of February 19th, 1942.
The telegram advised that my father who had been serving in the Royal Australian Air Force had been seriously wounded during the bombing. The telegram went on to say that my father had been recovering in a hospital in Canberra, but that he would only be there for 3 more days before being transported back to Darwin.
My mother grabbed my sister (12 mths old) and myself, threw some clothes into a suitcase and we caught a tram to Sydney Central Station, where we boarded the 8:00am Federal City Express, a 36 Class Steamer (built by Clyde Engineering in 1925) to Canberra.
I remember the smell of the leather seats in the corridor carriage we travelled in and the 'foot-warmers' which we sat on, to warm our back-sides. The smell of smoke and cinders as we sped through tunnels is still firmly embedded in my memory. I also remember the train stopping at Goulburn (about two-thirds of the way) for 15 minutes, so passengers could get off the train, stretch their legs and have a cup of tea.
It was then, I heard the driver tug on the horn alerting passengers and it was back on board for the final run into Canberra.
This was the first time that I can ever remember seeing my father in person (I was a baby when he enlisted). He was staying at a hotel, where wounded people in bandages were sitting around awaiting recovery. He took us to a swimming pool where we could splash around and give my mum and dad some precious time together.
That night the four of us all slept together in the hotel bed (something I had not experienced before).
The next day, my dad escorted us back to Canberra Railway Station, where we did the return journey to Sydney in the steam train again.
The day after, my father was shipped back to Darwin, where he saw out the War, then returned home in 1945.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/661/ubouxB.jpg - A 36 Class Steamer built by Clyde Engineering from 1925 which could reach speeds of 93 miles per hour.
Cheers,
Roy3b3
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Hi MeowRailroad,
Yes that wee tale still kaes me smile and there is a kind of other one when I was in my early twenties.
Three pals and I were on a hiking holiday away up in the Western highlands and onto the Isle of Skye staying at youth hostels. Coming back on the mainland a few miles south at Morar was a hostel which we planned to stop at for a night then head for Fort William and train to Glasgow. However as the day wore on and heading along the road to the hostel I suggested we instead maybe just take the train from Morar village to Fort William on the West Highland Railway. The others nodded so off to the station. It was quiet when I chapped the window wooden shutter.It came up and said "Could you tell me when the next train south is please?" He smiled back said "Tomorrow" and shut the window.
No another personal rail tale (!).
At also my early twenties I was a booking clerk on a suburban rail station on the fringes of Glasgow in te early days of the electric network. Normally the train for the West Highland Line would come through our station on the way west then up north and routinely did not stop at our station. However being the local annual trades holiday in that town some 6 people were booked to get on by the West Highland (still a steam train then) . The porter who was actually a leading one and near retirment was very good at his job and was on the platform looking after the 6. In the distance I heard the whistle of the expected special stop train and I though for a moment as it got nearare it was travelling mightily fast towards us. Sure enought as the passengers stepped forward with their cases the train came thundering to us very fast and it passed under the street bridge the booking office was on. "Uh-oh" I thought as it thundered throught the station at speed and the passenegrs were agitated. Old Willie the porter came upstairs to harange me as if it was to do with me so i picked up the internal phone and phoned the city control to inform them that the West Highland express had not stopped a arranged specially. There wa a silence then the voice mumbledand I heard a mild swear word slipping out then a repeat question on it not stopping. This was followed by being told to hold on.
A minute or so later I was informed that there was a special coming through in an hour and that would definitely stop so I reminded him that the lost train was supposed to have doe that.A slight pause then the controller finished by saying i should phone the signal box and ask the man to put the station signal at red to stop the dashed thing.
Yes that wee tale still kaes me smile and there is a kind of other one when I was in my early twenties.
Three pals and I were on a hiking holiday away up in the Western highlands and onto the Isle of Skye staying at youth hostels. Coming back on the mainland a few miles south at Morar was a hostel which we planned to stop at for a night then head for Fort William and train to Glasgow. However as the day wore on and heading along the road to the hostel I suggested we instead maybe just take the train from Morar village to Fort William on the West Highland Railway. The others nodded so off to the station. It was quiet when I chapped the window wooden shutter.It came up and said "Could you tell me when the next train south is please?" He smiled back said "Tomorrow" and shut the window.
No another personal rail tale (!).
At also my early twenties I was a booking clerk on a suburban rail station on the fringes of Glasgow in te early days of the electric network. Normally the train for the West Highland Line would come through our station on the way west then up north and routinely did not stop at our station. However being the local annual trades holiday in that town some 6 people were booked to get on by the West Highland (still a steam train then) . The porter who was actually a leading one and near retirment was very good at his job and was on the platform looking after the 6. In the distance I heard the whistle of the expected special stop train and I though for a moment as it got nearare it was travelling mightily fast towards us. Sure enought as the passengers stepped forward with their cases the train came thundering to us very fast and it passed under the street bridge the booking office was on. "Uh-oh" I thought as it thundered throught the station at speed and the passenegrs were agitated. Old Willie the porter came upstairs to harange me as if it was to do with me so i picked up the internal phone and phoned the city control to inform them that the West Highland express had not stopped a arranged specially. There wa a silence then the voice mumbledand I heard a mild swear word slipping out then a repeat question on it not stopping. This was followed by being told to hold on.
A minute or so later I was informed that there was a special coming through in an hour and that would definitely stop so I reminded him that the lost train was supposed to have doe that.A slight pause then the controller finished by saying i should phone the signal box and ask the man to put the station signal at red to stop the dashed thing.
I'll share another from just a few days ago.
So recently I found out that UP has begun running the QNANP trains again. For a while I noticed that they had vanished, but I've been seeing them about once or twice a week now recently.
One of my treks brought me out, and of course the very first train of the day happens to be one of these QNANP trains.... SD70ACe leading the way. There's always one thing you know when you've got a friendly engineer, an SD70ACe, a railroad crossing, and a K5LLA... You're getting it, and you're getting all of it. This guy put on a big show for the cameras as he rolls the train eastbound.. But that's not all, there's a second train, what looks to be a ZPDG2 to be exact rolls slowly east with yet another SD70ACe, this time a bit newer, but still just as loud horn. Yes! Gold! Another friendly crew letting me have it. Whew, my ears weren't as happy though. What?!?! Another train???? Yep, here comes my favorite train out of the yard, train MHKNP rockets east with yet again another SD70ACe leading the way with yet again another friendly crew! They even give me a horn salute! During this very short time period, I felt like a litte kid, as I could easily remember the days before GEVO's and ACe's ruled everything that I would be watching and crews would roll by with big waves and big hornshows that always amazed me and furthered my connection with railroading to what it is today. Ahhh how those were some good days... Now I worry about crews flipping me off and calling me in...............................
So recently I found out that UP has begun running the QNANP trains again. For a while I noticed that they had vanished, but I've been seeing them about once or twice a week now recently.
One of my treks brought me out, and of course the very first train of the day happens to be one of these QNANP trains.... SD70ACe leading the way. There's always one thing you know when you've got a friendly engineer, an SD70ACe, a railroad crossing, and a K5LLA... You're getting it, and you're getting all of it. This guy put on a big show for the cameras as he rolls the train eastbound.. But that's not all, there's a second train, what looks to be a ZPDG2 to be exact rolls slowly east with yet another SD70ACe, this time a bit newer, but still just as loud horn. Yes! Gold! Another friendly crew letting me have it. Whew, my ears weren't as happy though. What?!?! Another train???? Yep, here comes my favorite train out of the yard, train MHKNP rockets east with yet again another SD70ACe leading the way with yet again another friendly crew! They even give me a horn salute! During this very short time period, I felt like a litte kid, as I could easily remember the days before GEVO's and ACe's ruled everything that I would be watching and crews would roll by with big waves and big hornshows that always amazed me and furthered my connection with railroading to what it is today. Ahhh how those were some good days... Now I worry about crews flipping me off and calling me in...............................