Then there is this that had to be pushed, no gasoline in the 1880's..

(Off topic)
One thing about that scene nagged me. The San Andreas fault moves about 35 mm per year, so in one century the bridge would have moved 3.5 meters and Marty would have materialised in thin air next to it.

Who says this was supposed to be in California?

Because it's set in California...

Not entirely portions were shot in another state, like in Monument Valley, which is in New Mexico..

---

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

Well today has been a good day for "odd items"

Firstly it seems Chesterton got it's "vegetation controlled"

You can just see the sprays at the rear.

Interesting. Note that the grade crossing arms are up. Even if it has passed the control point, I doubt that the crossing arms come up that fast. That would mean the equipment isn't enough to operate the track sensors.

Yes you are correct I have a video of it passing in both directions and it did not cause the crossing to operate, it just kept using the horn and slowed at the actual crossing.

As you can see a car came along and stopped even though it had passed.

I often see the road/rail pickups used by maintenance crews and they never set off the crossing either.

As I have said before would not be allowed in the UK, but it's a different country and different rules apply.

That being the case it also likely does not set off the track occupied signals either. IIRC to set them off there need to be a few more axle sets shorting the rails.

---

Feeling better are we Chris?

---

That being the case it also likely does not set off the track occupied signals either. IIRC to set them off there need to be a few more axle sets shorting the rails.

Well in an article I found this.

They are generally designed to be insulated, thus they do not activate track (signaling) circuits although some rail operators, normally those operating remote lines without boom gates etc. prefer them to be non-insulated so that they are detectable by train safety systems.

So they are in fact designed not to activate tack circuits or crossings.

---

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/06/norfolk-southern-makes-train-honor-first-responders

---

http://hamptonroads.com/2015/06/norfolk-southern-makes-train-honor-first-responders

Yes saw that recently on the NS site, with a great PR pic.



Meant to mention it then, thanks for jogging my memory.

Now that really will be one to watch for!!

---

So like in China the average IQ is only 105?
Wow, no wonder I did ok in life, and I thought
I was just lucky!

---

I believe this is the train thread, one close to my heart and discussions of IQ in relation to going through rail crossings are better in the Transportation Safety thread.

Or start a thread in politics based on IQ and the ability to see a train.

Please back on topic.

---

Please back on topic.

sorry

---

That's an intriguing vehicle.
Is it still propelled by the main driving wheels?

The ones I am familiar with keep a good portion of the vehicle weight on the rubber tires. Gas, brake and gear shift work as usual, you don't have to steer. They tell me braking is only slightly reduced compared to the same vehicle on the road, hence my observation about safety at crossings.

The local rail companies love these, because they are so much cheaper than running a full loco, and they have the flexibility of switching to the road when needed (like when it is time for Timmies). Around here all the daily track inspections are done in a hi-rail pickup truck. The ones in Canada are all radio equipped, and operate under whatever form of block or track control the local line is using.

---

I trust that this is not considered off topic. Trains were extensively used during war years & the service both the trains & railway employees provided, not just to the country but the armed forces themselves, is something that should be remembered.

Don't forget that during WW1 the White Feather campaign did a lot of damage. As can be seen from the video (I hope that those outside the UK can view it), many applied to serve on the frontlines but were not allowed due to the essential service they provided to the war effort itself.

The trains that saved soldiers

That's an intriguing vehicle.
Is it still propelled by the main driving wheels?

The ones I am familiar with keep a good portion of the vehicle weight on the rubber tires. Gas, brake and gear shift work as usual, you don't have to steer. They tell me braking is only slightly reduced compared to the same vehicle on the road, hence my observation about safety at crossings.

The local rail companies love these, because they are so much cheaper than running a full loco, and they have the flexibility of switching to the road when needed (like when it is time for Timmies). Around here all the daily track inspections are done in a hi-rail pickup truck. The ones in Canada are all radio equipped, and operate under whatever form of block or track control the local line is using.

In Track Warrant Control territory, the person in the truck (or the foreman, if it's a whole work crew with multiple vehicles) will get a warrant just like a train would (I think). In CTC territory, the dispatcher will issue a Track and Time, which blocks out the line so no train can be lined into it; if a train needs to enter the blocked segment, it will also receive a T&T, then have to contact the person to whom the first T&T was issued for permission to enter, and has to move at Restricted Speed.

---

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

Well today has been a good day for "odd items"

Also the 49 today had PV on, in fact the California Zephyr car Silver Solarium, however in a strange position, right behind the locos.



Not going to get a good view there!!

I heard about that. Probably, it took passengers east and was deadheading back west, so placement didn't matter. If that's the case, it was probably logistically easier to place it there and avoid a lot of switching when 49 and 449 are combined at Albany, NY. I believe I read that it's leaving Chicago on Sunday on #3.

Unfortunatey the camera at Chicago is playing up so I was lucky to get this, they came over the airline, but I missed it with the camera in a "replay" only mode had to wait till they came along the wye.



I can say I have never seen those cars before, Metra Electrics I presume.

Also never seen the switcher before.

Those are old Metra Electric Highliners, originally built in the late 1960s to early 70s for Illinois Central. They are now being retired as new ones are delivered from Nippon Sharyo's plant in Rochelle, IL. The new cars look like a standard Metra bilevel, except all of them are cabs cars and they have a one-armed pantograph at one end. Interesting that those cars are headed in that direction. They've been storing them up north at Rondout, but since they started scrapping them they've been bringing them back down from there, so it's odd that these are headed that way. The museum is getting a pair of them to preserve, plus another pair to scrap out for spare parts.

Metra has several switchers like that. The newer ones, such as 9, are capable of going at full track speed. I hear Metra is shopping for a couple of Geeps for work trains, which could lead to the oldest switchers, 1 and 2, being retired. Fans are already speculating about them going to museums.

Topically with my recent post about the Norfolk and Western 611 being back in stream

Here is Norfolk and Southern 8103 "heritage loco" at Chesterton today.



Have to admit 611 looked better :-)

8103 spends most of its time in the Virginia coal fields. This is, I believe, only the third time it has come to Chicago, and I was otherwise occupied the first two times. It was the last of the 20 I had not seen and shot, so I absolutely got dressed and drove over to Indiana to get pictures of it this time. I found it sitting by the road in Colehour Yard (ex-Pennsylvania RR) in Hammond, just over the border from Illinois, pretty close to where you see the engines in this Google Street View. My pics are not perfect, but they're pretty good. Maybe I'll upload them for you later.

---

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

End of an era.

Would Sir like a cup of tea?

Not sure if this should be here or in the weather thread!!

Chicago is currently having a bit of a thunderstorm, and whilst recording a freight train passing the camera I also got this.



Lightning hitting the "horns" on the Willis tower and another building.

---

Nice pic Bernie, even if it didn't happen on Thorsday..

---

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

End of an era.

Would Sir like a cup of tea?

What a shame. Slowly strangled by bureaucracy and hide-bound unions.

---

Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

So after the other day with 4 Metra Electric cars going past the Chicago camera, today a large consist came by going in the opposite direction, heading west to start.



These seem to have been stored in the open, where "artists" have used them as a medium.




There were 13 altogether propelled once again by Metra 9



After a pause out of sight Metra 9 pulled all 13 across the airline.



I assume they wont be coming back!!

And as David predicted the Silver Solarium left today on the Southwest Chief 3

---

So like in China the average IQ is only 105?
Wow, no wonder I did ok in life, and I thought
I was just lucky!

Well given that IQ scores are adjusted to make 100 the average, there's nothing 'only' about 105.

---

Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

The Frecciarossa 1000 train by Ansaldo and Bombardier hs reached 400 km/h on the Milano-Rome leg but is limited to 300 km/h by state regulations. The train has almost kicked Alitalia out of business in this traveled route.
Tullio

---