On Sunday I went to my local station to take some photographs, but unfortunately it was closed due to engineering works. Reference to WinterKnight posting we still have a traditional signal box as Wokingham is a junction station, plus it controls two level crossings, one at end of station next to the signal box and other one at Star Lane further down the line. Wokingham is sometimes used as a terminus if there are engineering works between Wokingham and Reading.



In the photo below it can be seen some the track has been relaid. The station is in the distance, the straight tracks are towards Guildford and Gatwick Airport, whilst the track curving to right are electrified track to Waterloo via Staines. The track on the extreme left is a siding where engineering trains are sometimes parked.

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.


A person who makes no mistakes, creates nothing.

http://abc7.com/news/video-driver-flees-as-train-smashes-semi-truck-in-central-california/1552549/

ATWATER, Calif. (KABC) --
Dramatic video captured the terrifying moment a freight train smashed through a semi-truck in Central California on Tuesday.

The crash happened at about noon when the tractor trailer became stuck on the tracks, according to Atwater police.

As the train barreled down the tracks, video shot by a driver caught in nearby traffic showed an officer quickly moving back from the scene.

Just seconds before the train smashed through the tractor trailer, a man was spotted jumping from the cab of the truck and fleeing for his life.

Luckily no one suffered any injuries.

The intersection remained closed for hours as workers cleared the tractor trailer from the tracks.

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Ok here's some News on the Loco front, UP 4014 news, in a Video.

Warning may contain a NAKED loco. ;)

https://youtu.be/JIjhPQsfN_Q

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

As the train barreled down the tracks, video shot by a driver caught in nearby traffic showed an officer quickly moving back from the scene.

Just seconds before the train smashed through the tractor trailer, a man was spotted jumping from the cab of the truck and fleeing for his life.

One hopes and presumes the officer then ticketed the driver.

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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'm not on tomorrow, but I may go out and see if I can help with the fall electric car inspections (or at least watch). It might get me a few brownie points toward my forthcoming official request to be trained on the PCC L cars.

Or I might go foaming instead.

Sunday I'm on the 4000s, L cars I don't have such great desire to learn. So far, there is no crew at all for the North Shore, so I may get sucked into that too.

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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.

May be the end of an era. Caboose Hobbies to close? I have fond memories of visiting this place as a kid some 50 years ago ... Some talk that they may continue as an online business only.

Update on this, for those of you who were interested, it would appear Caboose Hobbies will continue. More info.

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Then there is The Original Whistle Stop in Pasadena CA, which I used to shop at. They are still around and I recognize at least one face there, I used to model in HO Scale.

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

http://mynewsla.com/orange-county/2016/10/15/train-tracks-suicide-death-in-fullerton/

Was it suicide?

Police were trying to answer that question after a man was struck and killed by a train Saturday morning in Fullerton.

It was not immediately known if the man’s death was a suicide, said Fullerton Police Sgt. Michael Hines.

“At this point, no witnesses have been found,” Hines said.

Police received a call about 4:30 a.m. from BNSF Railway that a train had struck a man in the area of Basque and Commonwealth avenues, he said. The man died at the scene.

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Weekend almost not worth reporting. Didn't go Saturday. Sunday, first went to a railroadiana show where I picked up some CTA hat badges from another museum guy, another ticket punch, and an SPV atlas of western Canada at half price. Got to the museum at noon and took over from Crew Caller as conductor on the 4000s. He decided not to bother with the scheduled North Shore train. Motorman and I ran 3 or 4 trips, the last at 4:00. I discovered that the mounting lugs on the CTA badges are spaced differently than the holes on my conductor's hat. I guess I'll have to find a genuine CTA hat (the shape is different anyway). I may have to go to a uniform shop and buy a new one to get my size.

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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.

Even less to report than last week. Got there about 11:30 Saturday and spent a few hours observing and assisting the inspection of CA&E 409, including cleaning, inspecting, and lubricating one of the controllers. Also watched the continuing effort to troubleshoot the mysterious intermittent problems with CTA 22 and 41. Sunday, headed into Chicago to get a few pictures for this year's quiz, but did not get a couple of shots I wanted.

Next weekend will be the reverse: out foaming Saturday (or staying home if it rains like I just heard) because I want to do something in town that evening. I'm going to put in for conductor on the CA&E train Sunday to close out the regular 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.

The museum is officially turning on the lights in the Santa Fe sign at 5:00 this Saturday.

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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.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/10/28/Trains-collide-head-on-in-Chester-Township-Pa-four-people-injured/3191477664649/?spt=sec&or=tn

CHESTER TOWNSHIP , Pa., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Two freight trains crashed head-on Friday in Chester Township, Pa., near Philadelphia, injuring four people, officials said.

Two people were hospitalized.

Both trains are owned by CSX Transportation, which is investigating the crash but offered no comment on why the trains were on the same track. Both trains were moving at the time of the accident, and the two locomotives crashed head-on at about 8:30 a.m. One train was made up of empty freight cars; the other carried various consumer and industrial products but none are regarded as hazardous, CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle said.

Some fuel was reported leaking from one train, the news website philly.com reported.

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CTA to Roll Out Vintage Train Cars for Cubs World Series Games
In honor of the Chicago Cubs’ historic run, the CTA will be running vintage 2400-series cars along the Red Line for Games 3, 4, and 5 at Wrigley Field over the weekend.

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CTA to Roll Out Vintage Train Cars for Cubs World Series Games
In honor of the Chicago Cubs’ historic run, the CTA will be running vintage 2400-series cars along the Red Line for Games 3, 4, and 5 at Wrigley Field over the weekend.

I have worked on our pair of those cars, but I haven't run them.

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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.

The museum is officially turning on the lights in the Santa Fe sign at 5:00 this Saturday.

Official announcement

I think I'll be there today to work on either the bilevels or whatever electric car is getting inspected, but I have to leave before this happens.

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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.

If you thought my other weekends at the museum were boring, this one beats them all.

Saturday: intended to help with the bilevels, but got a late start. By the time I arrived, I just sat and waited for my friend who's back from Japan to show up with his family and another friend I'd never met before. I showed them around for a couple of hours, then had to leave before the sign lighting ceremony to get back to town before 6.

Sunday: I'd signed up for conductor on the CA&E, but no one ever signed up as motorman. I made myself dispatcher so I could authorize 3142 into service. 4000s conductor was present, but motorman had said he had to arrive late and leave early. I sat in front of the depot for a while, but eventually I started riding the trains because I was bored and cold. Found out eventually that all the Electric Car guys had run off to East Troy for the last day of their season.

---

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

Sunday: I'd signed up for conductor on the CA&E, but no one ever signed up as motorman. I made myself dispatcher so I could authorize 3142 into service. 4000s conductor was present, but motorman had said he had to arrive late and leave early. I sat in front of the depot for a while, but eventually I started riding the trains because I was bored and cold.

And, BTW, thus endeth the 2016 regular operating season. All that's left is four weekends of Happy Holiday Railway between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

---

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

Email from Metra this afternoon:

In celebration of the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs festivities, our downtown stations are very crowded. Please consider spending some time enjoying the beautiful weather and all that Chicago has to offer. There are many great restaurants and sightseeing available to you. As crowding conditions improve, we will keep you updated. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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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.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-marion-county-train-derailment-20161116-story.html

At least 20 train cars overturned this morning when two CSX trains collided and derailed in northern Marion County, officials say.

The cargo trains derailed near Citra, a rural community east of Interstate 75 near the Marion-Alachua County line, causing more than 4,000 gallons of diesel fuel and other debris to spill across the tracks.

Marion County sheriff's deputies said no one was seriously injured in the collision, despite photos showing extensive damage to the cars, including the engines.

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As it is Thanksgiving and this thread hasn't had a boring blue and silver train for months here is one now.



Amtrak 3/24 leaving Chicago this very afternoon at 2:pm CT.

As it happens the last time I looked at any of the Railstream cameras was 3 months ago just before I left for the Isle of Wight.

Still not sure if I have enough free time to do what I did before but I may watch now and again.

Just to make me feel at home even on Thanksgiving UP 1985 was hauling the empty well cars to who knows where.