http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-train-derails-on-metra-electric-line-in-the-loop-20150520-story.html

A minor incident.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I have ridden behind 611 several times, including from Orland Park to Decatur, Ill., probably the train ride I enjoyed the most in my life.

The former Wabash now belongs to Metra from Chicago to Manhattan, with NS still having freight rights. NS negotiated trackage rights over Illinois Central's Springfield branch from Chicago to Gibson City, where they return to the Wabash route to Decatur.

North of Gibson City, the Wabash is now owned by the Bloomer Line as far as Risk, where they connect to a portion of IC's former Bloomington branch which they also now own. Bloomer is known for locomotives painted similarly to CB&Q's red and gray scheme, but not for its high standards of track maintenance. It's torn up from Manhattan to Risk (with little likelihood of them getting approval to rebuild it, much as NS would now like to).

I also rode behind 611 multiple times on the former Nickel Plate line to Ft. Wayne, IN. I hope to have a chance to ride there again in the next few years.

Speaking of steam engines in Ft. Wayne, I ordered a ticket to ride behind NKP 765 from there to Lafayette and back in July. Did that within an hour of when they went on sale. Missed the chance when it ran 2-3 years ago.

PS

Back in the heyday of the former NS steam program, 611 and 2-8-8-4 1218 alternated years visiting Chicago via the Nickel Plate. I rode behind 1218 multiple times as well. Unfortunately, 1218 was in the middle of a rebuild when NS shut down the program. The Birmingham Shop put it back together and sent it home to Roanoke. It would take considerably more effort and money to restore it now than it did 611.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I meant to post this yesterday but had a bit of "excitement" on one of the cameras and I didn't so here is yesterday pics of 611

I believe there will be some of the videos on the Trains magazine Facebook page.

Here are a few screen grabs I got today yesterday.

Started with the 611 building up pressures and having the finishing touches done here, just outside the roundhouse.



You can see GP30 2601 in the background that was apparently forming up the train that 611 will be pulling.

They have built a platform so people will be able to see into the cab on Saturday and the camera was moved to there as 611 pulled across to the roundhouse.



Gives and unusual view.

The camera was out for about 15 minutes and by the time it came back 611 was over the pit for a quick inspection.

That done it was back out onto the turntable.



Then finally reversed back to where it started.



Tomorrow there is supposed to be a test run to Greensboro, hopefully there will be some good steaming shots!!

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Today is grey and misty in North Carolina.

By the time I looked at the camera the 611 was all set up and waiting in the museum yard.



Of course when it pulled out it did so slowly and covered the camera in steam!!

So they relocated to a hill near the mainline to wait for 611.



First time on the mainline under it own power for twenty years.

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I have ridden behind 611 several times, including from Orland Park to Decatur, Ill., probably the train ride I enjoyed the most in my life.

The former Wabash now belongs to Metra from Chicago to Manhattan, with NS still having freight rights. NS negotiated trackage rights over Illinois Central's Springfield branch from Chicago to Gibson City, where they return to the Wabash route to Decatur.

North of Gibson City, the Wabash is now owned by the Bloomer Line as far as Risk, where they connect to a portion of IC's former Bloomington branch which they also now own. Bloomer is known for locomotives painted similarly to CB&Q's red and gray scheme, but not for its high standards of track maintenance. It's torn up from Manhattan to Risk (with little likelihood of them getting approval to rebuild it, much as NS would now like to).

I also rode behind 611 multiple times on the former Nickel Plate line to Ft. Wayne, IN. I hope to have a chance to ride there again in the next few years.

Speaking of steam engines in Ft. Wayne, I ordered a ticket to ride behind NKP 765 from there to Lafayette and back in July. Did that within an hour of when they went on sale. Missed the chance when it ran 2-3 years ago.

PS

Back in the heyday of the former NS steam program, 611 and 2-8-8-4 1218 alternated years visiting Chicago via the Nickel Plate. I rode behind 1218 multiple times as well. Unfortunately, 1218 was in the middle of a rebuild when NS shut down the program. The Birmingham Shop put it back together and sent it home to Roanoke. It would take considerably more effort and money to restore it now than it did 611.

It would have been nice if NS had had the decency to let the 1218 get finished with the rebuild, instead of stopping Her in the middle. That's two articulated locos that need restoration.. :(

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

First time on the mainline under its own power in twenty years

Lovely pics. Thanks, Bernie.

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Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

A few more pics of 611 and it's run to Greensboro today.

All of these are taken from the Trains Magazine streaming mobile cam.

On the mainline



She was really moving in that one!!

Backing down the wye at Greensboro



And returning .



Now on the return leg. Approaching Thomasville NC at speed



611 was supposed to go past the museum to the next town Salisbury, that had a wye and return to the museum facing the opposite way.

However the wye at Salisbury had recently had the track renewed and the alignment was out and the loco cab was nearly touching the tender at one point, so it had to be abandoned. 611 reversed out and back to the museum.



Whilst they can turn 611 on the turntable they were not sure if they would be able to turn the rest of the train in time for the trip back to Roanoke Virginia next week.

Close up on returning to the museum.



And finally backing onto the turntable.

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Great pics, Bernie. I wish I'd had time to watch the video today.

A minor thing in comparison to that, the IPH cars that left Chicago on #5 12 days ago will be returning on #4 tomorrow.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Massive coupling rods, way bigger than any UK steam loco.

Actually, the J class was known for its lightweight rods. Less mass going up and down meant they rode better and didn't pound the track as much at high speeds.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

This is a big holiday weekend in the US, including at IRM. There are several web cams so you can catch lots of action.

If she's ready, Frisco 1630 will run all three days, and I wouldn't be surprised if they do demonstrations of picking up mailbags on the fly with the RPO car. (If 1630 doesn't run, there will be a diesel. The last couple weeks it's been BN 5383, but they might go for something more exotic.)

There will also be a 2-car interurban train each day (CA&E Saturday and Monday, North Shore Sunday), as well as 2-car Chicago L trains on the mainline and the 50th Ave. shuttle. I will be working the wood L cars on Sunday.

Also, the Nebraska Zephyr will run dinner trains Saturday evening, all day and dinner train Sunday, and all day Monday.

(If I'm going to keep doing stuff there every week, I need to lose some weight and see a podiatrist. My knee still hurts from last Sunday and me feet still hurt from last season.)

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

For those of you who did not see the streaming videos of the 611 yesterday, I have edited them all together.

This was publicly broadcast, you did not need to pay or be a member to see it, however I am not intending to post this on YouTube as even "private" videos can be reached with the link.

So if anyone would like a copy PM me and I will send you a link.

It is 430mb and 17 minutes long.

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Great pics, Bernie. I wish I'd had time to watch the video today.

A minor thing in comparison to that, the IPH cars that left Chicago on #5 12 days ago will be returning on #4 tomorrow.

Train is running over 4 hours late and should be here in Naperville in about 25 minutes. Past the camera 20-30 minutes after that.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Great pics, Bernie. I wish I'd had time to watch the video today.

A minor thing in comparison to that, the IPH cars that left Chicago on #5 12 days ago will be returning on #4 tomorrow.

Train is running over 4 hours late and should be here in Naperville in about 25 minutes. Past the camera 20-30 minutes after that.

Yes I noticed.

It currently says 7.02pm CT at CHI

Which is 1.02am BST

Might not make it!!

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Just managed not to nod off



Light is starting to go!!..

Been busy at Chicago today.

First time I have ever seen CP on the airline, with CIT in tow!



Those long coal trains and the empties are usually pulled by BNSF.

Also the 6 was going so slow when it arrived that the departing 393 kept pace with it!



1.25 am here definitely time for bed

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Here are my huge unedited pictures from this evening. (They range from 8.1 to 9.5 MB.)

1792 1793 1795 1796
My friend Mike was the Employee In Charge of this charter. Two passengers got off here in Naperville. After helping them off and giving the Amtrak conductor a highball, he relaxed for a moment. Or posed, perhaps. At his request, I posted these to his Facebook timeline.

Bringing up the rear is IPH's car Baton Rouge, and this is the genuine, original Illinois Central (now Canadian National) Baton Rouge at the CN training center at Markham Yard a couple weeks ago. Mike says that IPH president Ed Ellis gives his sleepers real IC names appropriate to the type (room arrangement) of car; I believe they are both 10 roomette - 6 double bedroom cars. (The CN might have a different arrangement now, but that's what it was as built.)

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

Massive coupling rods, way bigger than any UK steam loco.

Actually, the J class was known for its lightweight rods. Less mass going up and down meant they rode better and didn't pound the track as much at high speeds.

Did somebody say connecting rods?



Don't do that at home, kids - without a very clear understanding with the person with his hands on the steam levers.

More from this week's trip in the boat thread later, when I've sorted the good ones out.

Horizontal beam engine?

No, there's a classic rotating (well, not at that precise moment) crankshaft behind the grease-monkey. But the rest belongs in the other thread.

Before I get accused of straying off-topic, may I offer you The Leeds engine that founded a railway in Sierra Leone?

Yesterday 611 was based at the NC Transportation Museum at Spencer.

It was doing the "throttle time" run, where people had paid to be allowed half an hour at the throttle of 611.

It was parading up and down the line at the front of the museum.



Just had a caboose on the rear so someone was able to watch out when it was reversing



It also spent some time parked up so people could view the cab from the platform constructed espically for the occasion.



Also posed for a few "closeups"



I wonder if anyone knows what the white lines at the bottom of the wheels are for?

Also while at the museum, Jim Wrinn, the editor of Trains Magazine and man in charge of the camera, was able to get a few other shots.

This is my favourite.



Southern E8 6900, always had a soft spot for the E and F units as they are so evocative of that bygone era when they seemed to rule the rails.

As a young boy in the 50's they seemed to be the engine in all pictures and films of the period.

The 611 will be returning to Roanoke on the 30th May and Trains Magazine is hoping to cover the journey, plus the preparation on the day before.

If I can I hope to get a few more pictures and video

As to video it seems that certain antivirus/malware programs block Onedrive and Google drive so here is a link to a video of 611 reversing off the turntable yesterday
Talk about close up!!

https://youtu.be/SDCaBcH-lRg

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I wonder if anyone knows what the white lines at the bottom of the wheels are for?

I'd imagine they are to help the engineers ensure that all four pairs of driving wheels are at the same point in their rotation, so that the coupling rods can be slipped back over the four crank pins in a single operation, after maintenance or rebuilding. And it looks as if they wanted the piston (on this side of the engine, at least) to be at the end of its stroke while they did so.

Great pics Bernie of a historical steam locomotive.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's