Maybe in the middle of FTP'ing the website update in place? Caching servers? It is very normal to present different pages to different browsers, not all support all the latest and greatest security hole tricks to display unwanted advertising!

---

Meanwhile, on this side of the pond, I'm surprised neither Bernie or Chris have mentioned "Borders railway steam train - 9 September 2015".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdvzNNl24fs

Although this is a steam special to mark the opening of the line - complete with British Pullman car - it's a regular mainline service line (not a heritage line), re-opened today and claimed to be the longest rail line opened in the UK for over 100 years.

More at http://www.rail.co.uk/rail-news/2015/borders-railway-public-services/

Ah, sorry Richard :-)

1722944

Now this is a bit strange.

As most of you may have guessed I make a lot of use of the Amtrak website and the "Track a Train" map.

So after I did a reboot to finally install some updates, I noticed the website had changed. Where the "Track a train" link had been was a a notice about the Papal Visit


Track a train had been relegated to the bar below


Unfortunately it didn't work, nothing happened, so I tried Firefox

Well a different looking page!!


What is going on, I have tried clearing my browser cache, no difference, I tried it on my laptop exactly the same, Chrome gives one page Firefox the other?

Oh and the track a train map doesn't work on either of them.

Any ideas

Well, it's been about 8 hours since you posted. It's working for me now in Chrome Version 45.0.2454.85 m, which it says is up to date. I'll go with temporary glitch while updating the site.

---

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

Well, it's been about 8 hours since you posted. It's working for me now in Chrome Version 45.0.2454.85 m, which it says is up to date. I'll go with temporary glitch while updating the site.

Yes I suspect that is correct, I kept trying and suddenly it just worked!

I still get a slightly different page on Chrome and Firefox.

California Zephyr and Southwest Chief back to the normal delays, 6 got in around 23:45 BST yesterday, complete with the mysterious "viewliner baggage car"




Also earlier on the 29 was this;



The Georgia 300 which seems to be favoured by politicians as part of a campaign train!!

Georgia 300

---

Someone said the CP steam engines were in Portage, WI, this morning. Oh well.

Someone needs to find a place to put a webcam on the Milwaukee North line, somewhere between Techny and Rondout.

---

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

Someone said the CP steam engines were in Portage, WI, this morning. Oh well.

Someone needs to find a place to put a webcam on the Milwaukee North line, somewhere between Techny and Rondout.

So that means they may or may not have snuck past Chesterton, probably at night. No one on the Railstream site has mentioned seeing them.

Today has seen storms and rain in Chicago and Chesterton, not good picture weather. It is however now sunny.

Earlier the 29 brought yet another PV car in. This was the

Chesapeake and Ohio - Chapel Hill.





Which does in fact have a bit of history: Chapel Hill Railcar


EDIT well the "viewliner baggage car" just went back west! 93 and 77 brought it in and 93 and 77 took it out again!!



Even Chicago looks better in the sun :-)

---

Someone said the CP steam engines were in Portage, WI, this morning. Oh well.

Someone needs to find a place to put a webcam on the Milwaukee North line, somewhere between Techny and Rondout.

So that means they may or may not have snuck past Chesterton, probably at night. No one on the Railstream site has mentioned seeing them.

I believe they were at BRC Clearing for a day or two.


As did yesterday,

Today has seen storms and rain in Chicago and Chesterton, not good picture weather. It is however now sunny.

Earlier the 29 brought yet another PV car in. This was the

Chesapeake and Ohio - Chapel Hill.





Which does in fact have a bit of history: Chapel Hill Railcar

I would like to visit that car someday.

EDIT well the "viewliner baggage car" just went back west! 93 and 77 brought it in and 93 and 77 took it out again!!

Not surprising.

Even Chicago looks better in the sun :-)

Yep.

---

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

It would seem the Capitol Limited 29 is the PV train of the moment!!

Three more today:



All shiny and difficult to read the names, but I persevered.

At the back was The Louisville and Nashville Royal Street



Followed by the Southern Pacific City of Angels



Finally the Pacific Union Sleeping car.



Oddly there was an extra cafe/lounge car at the back along with a 4th sleeper, usually only 3 and at the front.

---

It would seem the Capitol Limited 29 is the PV train of the moment!!

Three more today:


Oddly there was an extra cafe/lounge car at the back along with a 4th sleeper, usually only 3 and at the front.

PVs are probably starting to congregate in Chicago for the upcoming AAPRCO convention train. I'd guess the extra Superliners are deadheading for some reason.

---

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

I cant' find the post, but I thought I mentioned a few days ago that five PVs I saw on 5 a couple months ago would be returning on 6 today. Someone posted this video of the train in Iowa.

---

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

Metra's statement regarding the PTC deadline. They aren't going to make it and are telling Congress if the deadline isn't extended, they will shut down and 300,000 people a day will need to find alternate transportation.

UP and BNSF have also warned Congress that they will not allow passenger trains on their lines without an extension. They are also warning their customers that they will embargo all shipments of TIH (toxic by inhalation) cargo and maybe other types.

---

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

I cant' find the post, but I thought I mentioned a few days ago that five PVs I saw on 5 a couple months ago would be returning on 6 today. Someone posted this video of the train in Iowa.

Well if you did mention it I had forgotten, however watching the 6 at Galesburg I was just able to see there was something on the end.

A rather strange lot this very few markings.
On arrival they were slightly obscured by waiting pair of UP locos on the nearer track so I waited for the reverse on the wye.

No markings at all on this quite nice dome (roof needs a repaint!!)



The next up was the first time I have seen a PV baggage car, says "Passenger Support Car" on the side.



Then then an orange and brown Milwaukee Road car with no visible name or number



This next one looked bigger and heavier than the others. A Southern one, once again no name or number.



Finally one I was able to identify The Missouri-Kansas-Texas 403

The Missouri-Kansas-Texas 403 was originally built in 1913 and used as a chair car. In 1946, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (nicknamed The KATY), started a two-year rebuild of the car to install the wood interiors, bedrooms and stainless steel kitchen. The car was built specifically for the Vice President of The KATY Shops, Mr. Hy Warden. His photograph hangs next to the master stateroom door and is depicted in the painting above the sofa berth in the Observation Room. The four captain's chairs and dining room furniture are original. Presidents Truman, Johnson, Carter and Clinton have all been guests on the car, as well as Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and many other notables. In 1988, the car was purchased by the Dr. John Marshall Family, and has been lovingly restored to its former beauty. The car is based in Orange Park, Florida.

As too odd cars the 4 had a Horizon coach at the front, before the baggage car.



Don't remember seeing one of those one the long distance trains before.

Also the 393 to Carbondale had a Horizion coach first then what appeared to be a heritage diner then a baggage car, then 4 Horizon coaches. I remember that those trains need 7 vehicles for some reason, but normally it is two old baggages cars making up the numbers.



All quite interesting

---

Had to post this

Early morning sky over Chicago.

With of course the departing 381 bound for Quincy IL.

---

Now here is a little oddity.

Spotted something coming over the airline



Metra 3 pushing a pure white, er what?

Could not read the number so hopefully it would come past the camera nearer.

Yep it did.



So 526, well it appears to be an ex GO F59PH

It is one of three recently purchased by Metra, to apparently "augment" their spare fleet..

Also the reason it came passed was to turn it on the wye as a little later.



Metra 3 brought it back facing the other way and then departed back the way it had come.



Next time it appears will it be in Metra blue and red??

---

I cant' find the post, but I thought I mentioned a few days ago that five PVs I saw on 5 a couple months ago would be returning on 6 today. Someone posted this video of the train in Iowa.

Well if you did mention it I had forgotten, however watching the 6 at Galesburg I was just able to see there was something on the end.

A rather strange lot this very few markings.
On arrival they were slightly obscured by waiting pair of UP locos on the nearer track so I waited for the reverse on the wye.

Glad you got them. I saw a very brief bit on Facebook about them. Will fill in what few details I know below.

No markings at all on this quite nice dome (roof needs a repaint!!)

Someone mentioned the name Bella Vista or something like that, which does sound familiar. I'm sure I've seen the car before, and it had a name then.

The next up was the first time I have seen a PV baggage car, says "Passenger Support Car" on the side.

The Facebook post said the interior is all kitchen, or something like that.

Then then an orange and brown Milwaukee Road car with no visible name or number



This next one looked bigger and heavier than the others. A Southern one, once again no name or number.



Finally one I was able to identify The Missouri-Kansas-Texas 403

The Missouri-Kansas-Texas 403 was originally built in 1913 and used as a chair car. In 1946, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (nicknamed The KATY), started a two-year rebuild of the car to install the wood interiors, bedrooms and stainless steel kitchen. The car was built specifically for the Vice President of The KATY Shops, Mr. Hy Warden. His photograph hangs next to the master stateroom door and is depicted in the painting above the sofa berth in the Observation Room. The four captain's chairs and dining room furniture are original. Presidents Truman, Johnson, Carter and Clinton have all been guests on the car, as well as Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and many other notables. In 1988, the car was purchased by the Dr. John Marshall Family, and has been lovingly restored to its former beauty. The car is based in Orange Park, Florida.

Okay, the post I saw said "some rich guy in Florida" owns all five of them and just took them on vacation on Montana Rail Link. That must be who.

As too odd cars the 4 had a Horizon coach at the front, before the baggage car.



Don't remember seeing one of those one the long distance trains before.

No doubt a ferry move, either to Beech Grove for work or coming to Chicago or the east coast to replace another car that's out of service. Back when the Acelas were fairly new and had to be pulled out of service due to a defect, 4 and 6 both had several Amfleets per day for several days to get enough of them to the Northeast Corridor to make up the missing service.

Also the 393 to Carbondale had a Horizion coach first then what appeared to be a heritage diner then a baggage car, then 4 Horizon coaches. I remember that those trains need 7 vehicles for some reason, but normally it is two old baggages cars making up the numbers.



All quite interesting

Looks like a sleeper, which someone also mentioned on Facebook. The reason is that CN requires a minimum of 30 axles, allegedly to properly activate the signal system, or the crossing signals, or something silly like that. Funny that no other railroad has that problem.

---

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

Now here is a little oddity.

Spotted something coming over the airline



Metra 3 pushing a pure white, er what?

Could not read the number so hopefully it would come past the camera nearer.

Yep it did.



So 526, well it appears to be an ex GO F59PH

It is one of three recently purchased by Metra, to apparently "augment" their spare fleet..

Also the reason it came passed was to turn it on the wye as a little later.



Metra 3 brought it back facing the other way and then departed back the way it had come.



Next time it appears will it be in Metra blue and red??

Good research on what those are. You are correct. However, I heard (although not firmly) that they will be painted like the MP36 fleet that you never see on this camera because BNSF managed to get them all off its railroad. Lacking cab signals, they will likely be assigned to the Heritage Corridor (also, the guy in charge of buying them lives on that line and can keep a close eye on them). MH also posted pictures of this move, on his Facebook page.

BTW, there was a notice in the paper last week that Metra is taking sealed bids for one of those little switchers. Probably 1, not 3 as seen here. I hope it goes to a museum, not a scrapper.

---

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

Had a really good day at the museum yesterday. Perfect weather for me to be conductor. Sunny, but not hot, just low 70s. Good, laid back engineer on the CNW 6847 (SD40-2). Light crowds, mostly managed to keep them in one car, which was good because I had no trainmen. I almost felt like I knew what I was doing. Much more confident than the first time I was conductor, and much less hectic. I made good (if just a teeny bit hard) stops at the west end.

There was a lot of switching going on, to get ready for the convention this week, capped off by Showcase Weekend. The dispatcher did a very good job of keeping everything moving, even the streetcar. Once my train was done for the day, the switch crew came and took my two Lackawanna coaches and stuck them on the train they had assembled on the other track, while I was still inside closing windows. Then I took a ride on the switcher they were using, MILW 760, down through the new South Yard Connector to stash my other car, CNW 7700, in Yard 15.

As the sun got low in the sky, the mosquitoes came out in droves, forcing me to retreat from the bench outside the diner to the relative protection of my car. Then a bunch of us went for dinner, which lasted until they closed at 10, so I got home a bit after 11, which is why I was tired all day. I even slept through my alarm. Fortunately, I woke up at about the time I would have actually gotten up, so I wasn't late for work.

---

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

I have asked to conduct the CNW bilevels Saturday night, but I haven't heard back yet.

---

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

The second of Metra's F59s is reported to be in town, although not necessarily on Metra property yet.

---

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

Well now I am a little upset.

The Blue Circus Train went past Chesterton today and I missed it!!

One reason I joined the heritage units site was because you can get an e-mail of a sighting of any of their listed trains within 25 miles of a nominated point.

So I put down Chesterton and I did inf fact get an e-mail:



Now notice my subtle arrows pointing to the "Spotted time" and then the time I got the e-mail And of course the fact that the spotting was actually AT Chesterton, on the very web cam I use!!

Then just to add insult to injury 20 minites later I got another e-mail to say that it had been spotted 20 minutes ago 9 miles away in La Porte, heading east, heading AWAY from Chesterton!!

I think the system needs a bit of work.

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