Winning late at night, listening to the local short-line railroad train going west. Line is about 1/2 mile north of me, used to be able to see the trains from the back yard, now there are houses in the way. Progress?

That's a shame (that you can't see it anymore). What railroad is it?

San Joaquin Valley Railroad, based in Exeter, Ca. Used to be owned by RailAmerica, but I'm not certain that is still the case. Hauls freight in Tulare, Kings, & Fresno Counties on what used to be Southern Pacific (now UP/SP) tracks (UP still owns the right-of-way). Tracks run right through the middle of downtown Visalia, 2 blocks north of Main Street, then angle northwest towards the industrial park. Old Southern Pacific depot on Oak Street is now an up-scale restaurant called The Depot.

From 1957 - 1960, our backyard was up against farmland (cattle pasture/cotton field), so we could sit on the fence and watch the trains go by. Then we moved 3 blocks south, but it was still a short bicycle ride to where we could watch the trains. And I can still get my train "fix" - about once a week I get caught in town at a crossing when the trains come through, or coming home from work during cotton season.

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Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

Winning late at night, listening to the local short-line railroad train going west. Line is about 1/2 mile north of me, used to be able to see the trains from the back yard, now there are houses in the way. Progress?

That's a shame (that you can't see it anymore). What railroad is it?

San Joaquin Valley Railroad, based in Exeter, Ca. Used to be owned by RailAmerica, but I'm not certain that is still the case. Hauls freight in Tulare, Kings, & Fresno Counties on what used to be Southern Pacific (now UP/SP) tracks (UP still owns the right-of-way). Tracks run right through the middle of downtown Visalia, 2 blocks north of Main Street, then angle northwest towards the industrial park. Old Southern Pacific depot on Oak Street is now an up-scale restaurant called The Depot.

From 1957 - 1960, our backyard was up against farmland (cattle pasture/cotton field), so we could sit on the fence and watch the trains go by. Then we moved 3 blocks south, but it was still a short bicycle ride to where we could watch the trains. And I can still get my train "fix" - about once a week I get caught in town at a crossing when the trains come through, or coming home from work during cotton season.

I wish I had memories like that. I grew up (and still live) about 7 blocks from the railroad, but it's not a sleepy branch line, it's a busy 3-track main. And there's a 4-lane (now 5) US highway in between, which I wasn't allowed to cross until high school. Now I frequently drive over and sit there watching trains. If I feel like getting some exercise, I walk up and down the station platform.

RailAmerica, all of it, was sold last year to Genesee & Wyoming. Known for its orange locomotives, this holding company's namesake railroad is not anywhere near Colorado or Montana, but is in fact in New York State. (No, not New York City.) Railfans tend to think of the original G&W as cool, but wish it would quit gobbling up other cool railroads, changing their names to fit its Here & There pattern, and painting them orange. They also have an extensive operation in Australia and a small one in Rotterdam.

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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.

Winning late at night, listening to the local short-line railroad train going west. Line is about 1/2 mile north of me, used to be able to see the trains from the back yard, now there are houses in the way. Progress?

That's a shame (that you can't see it anymore). What railroad is it?

San Joaquin Valley Railroad, based in Exeter, Ca. Used to be owned by RailAmerica, but I'm not certain that is still the case. Hauls freight in Tulare, Kings, & Fresno Counties on what used to be Southern Pacific (now UP/SP) tracks (UP still owns the right-of-way). Tracks run right through the middle of downtown Visalia, 2 blocks north of Main Street, then angle northwest towards the industrial park. Old Southern Pacific depot on Oak Street is now an up-scale restaurant called The Depot.

From 1957 - 1960, our backyard was up against farmland (cattle pasture/cotton field), so we could sit on the fence and watch the trains go by. Then we moved 3 blocks south, but it was still a short bicycle ride to where we could watch the trains. And I can still get my train "fix" - about once a week I get caught in town at a crossing when the trains come through, or coming home from work during cotton season.

I wish I had memories like that. I grew up (and still live) about 7 blocks from the railroad, but it's not a sleepy branch line, it's a busy 3-track main. And there's a 4-lane (now 5) US highway in between, which I wasn't allowed to cross until high school. Now I frequently drive over and sit there watching trains. If I feel like getting some exercise, I walk up and down the station platform.

RailAmerica, all of it, was sold last year to Genesee & Wyoming. Known for its orange locomotives, this holding company's namesake railroad is not anywhere near Colorado or Montana, but is in fact in New York State. (No, not New York City.) Railfans tend to think of the original G&W as cool, but wish it would quit gobbling up other cool railroads, changing their names to fit its Here & There pattern, and painting them orange. They also have an extensive operation in Australia and a small one in Rotterdam.

I have a 4 lane interstate highway(the 15, it's wide enough for 3 lanes each way, the brides would need some merging for that to happen) and about 2 miles of desert between and the BNSF/UP tracks in Yermo CA.

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Savoir-Faire is everywhere!
The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST

I remember staying over at my Grandparents house. They lived down below a slioght grade from where My dad and grandfather both worked. It was a cement company and right across the small valley was the limestone quarry that supplied them with lime stone. I cant remember how old I was but The first night I heard the locomotive pwoering up and down and all the hopper cars slamming and banging into each other. The sound of air brakes being set and realeased was not a helpfull way to sleep. My GHrandmother told me that if you listend to the sounds it would help you sleep.
She was so right. There was a pattern to the sounds.

Being in the Air Force you are never to far from a runway. I used her advice and never had a problem sleeping. When I was stationed at Tydall AFB in Florida. Id lay in bed and could tell when a F-106 or F-101 were taking off. The F-101 had two jets that would go into after burner. To this day I cant sleep if its to quiet.

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[/quote]

Old James

James, I grew up on airbases, and find airplane sounds help me get to sleep. Whenever I travel on business I try to stay at a hotel right by an airport. No trouble sleeping then.

My father-in-law worked in the round house for 30 years, and my wife grew up in a house very close to a hump yard. She feels the same way about train noises in the night.

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James, I grew up on airbases, and find airplane sounds help me get to sleep. Whenever I travel on business I try to stay at a hotel right by an airport. No trouble sleeping then.

My father-in-law worked in the round house for 30 years, and my wife grew up in a house very close to a hump yard. She feels the same way about train noises in the night.

Your Wife might like Barstow CA then, it has a small yard there and sometimes one can hear the trains switching cars to and fro...

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Savoir-Faire is everywhere!
The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST

She would love it Vic. It would put her right to sleep.

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At one point I was stationed to the north end of Elsmere
Island in the arctic where there was only one local flight
per week. I must say it took over thirty years for me not
to look out the window whenever I heard an airplane over head.

Yes, a posting like that would make you Alert, right?

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Well let's say always
listening and looking
around from horizon
to horizon.
(Chuck chuck!)

150 years on

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London to Brighton

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Meanwhile, in Illinois, 1630 passed her hydro!!! One more inspection, and a lot of parts reinstalled, and then they can light a fire.

It's not quite in time for the big 60th Anniversary Extravaganza this weekend, but I wouldn't be surprised if they pull her out of the shop for people to see. The remaining work can probably be done as well outside as in. (Or so it seems to me, but I'm not working on it.)

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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've added a few recent pictures to my Flickr feed. More will be coming.

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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.

Vic may be interested to hear that Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is considering acquiring a 2-6-6-2 Mallet, C&O 1309, from the B&O Museum for restoration and operation. Their current 2-8-0 could use a partner, as well as being due for rebuild at the end of the 2015 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.

Vic may be interested to hear that Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is considering acquiring a 2-6-6-2 Mallet, C&O 1309, from the B&O Museum for restoration and operation. Their current 2-8-0 could use a partner, as well as being due for rebuild at the end of the 2015 season.

I wish it was the H8 Allegheny 2-6-6-6 that's there instead, but some said restoration would cost about $1 Million for the H8, so the 2-6-6-2 would have to do, though it's a poor substitute...

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Savoir-Faire is everywhere!
The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST

Vic may be interested to hear that Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is considering acquiring a 2-6-6-2 Mallet, C&O 1309, from the B&O Museum for restoration and operation. Their current 2-8-0 could use a partner, as well as being due for rebuild at the end of the 2015 season.

I wish it was the H8 Allegheny 2-6-6-6 that's there instead, but some said restoration would cost about $1 Million for the H8, so the 2-6-6-2 would have to do, though it's a poor substitute...

Plus WMS needs something that will fit on the turntable at the end of the line. Apparently, the H-6 will, but the H8 not so much.

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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.

Vic may be interested to hear that Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is considering acquiring a 2-6-6-2 Mallet, C&O 1309, from the B&O Museum for restoration and operation. Their current 2-8-0 could use a partner, as well as being due for rebuild at the end of the 2015 season.

I wish it was the H8 Allegheny 2-6-6-6 that's there instead, but some said restoration would cost about $1 Million for the H8, so the 2-6-6-2 would have to do, though it's a poor substitute...

Plus WMS needs something that will fit on the turntable at the end of the line. Apparently, the H-6 will, but the H8 not so much.

Yeah, that sucks, but maybe one day the Beast will find some loving, somewhere...

112.92'(H8) vs 87'(H6), not exactly a small amount alright, plus there is the weight difference between the two of course. 1,199,400 lbs(H8-1600, Loco & Tender) vs 434,900 lbs(H6, Loco only I think).

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Savoir-Faire is everywhere!
The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST

I'll match the Scotsman with the Blue Goose...

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Savoir-Faire is everywhere!
The T1 Trust, T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, America's First HST

I'll match the Scotsman with the Blue Goose...

That looks quite good for an American loco, at least it doesn't have every bit of pipework stuck to the outside.

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