Here is another shot of North American horsepower to amaze and/or delight you Europeans, taken in 1978. This is a helper consist, making its way down from the summit of Rogers Pass in the Canadian Rockies after helping a west bound freight reach the top. 15,000 hp, all run by two people.

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Offered without comment.

Giving them the benefit of the doubt, those bridge/ramps are probably designed for high visibility: you wouldn't want to hit one at speed, even in a car. The white bits are probably reflective, to show up in headlights (car or train). At an unguarded level crossing in an urban area (I don't see any barriers), any train driver should be paying attention for possible obstructions, and depending on line speed/curvature, might be able to stop in time.

I can just see a commuter train in push mode, derails the passenger cars and now a little issue of a cut hose turns into a major disaster.

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Those hose ramps score 11/10 on the stupid scale

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

I've hit several of these Detonators which are powerful enough to lift the wheel off the rail momentarily.

With the weight and speed of the train should it hit those ramps, would just slice through them (if they are similar to ones I've seen used in the transport industry - hardened plastic)

But as Richard stated, the train driver should be looking ahead for obstructions.

Those hose ramps score 11/10 on the stupid scale

Definitely a few Darwin Awards need to be issued there.

Cheers.

Looks as if things are moving, sort of, on the West coast (US) Highspeed Rail route:
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/high-speed/single-view/view/california-high-speed-rail-delivery-partner-appointed.html

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

Not quite trains, but fairly close:[url]
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/technology/single-view/view/biofuel-from-station-coffee-waste.html[/url]

So drink up your (fresh brewed) coffee

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

Not quite trains, but fairly close:
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/technology/single-view/view/biofuel-from-station-coffee-waste.html

So drink up your (fresh brewed) coffee

What's the slogan? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

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Donald
Infernal Optimist / Submariner, retired

In which way are you supposed to turn around those freight trains going end through end across the whole of Canada?

These trains are not the regular trams you may take when going down-town for shopping of clothes and music records.

So, is hand-feeding a curlew or the like, which is a bird, according to translation, an easier thing to perhaps be doing?

Possibly it is all about the interest you may be having, or perhaps how you may be looking at certain things. At times people may be laughing at you because what you may be able to get at and possibly make a presentation of, may be appearing not to be so interesting and possibly even stupid by other people.

Again, seeing is supposed to be believing. If you happen not to believe in what you are seeing, you are supposed to be making a laugh at it.

That is when you are sitting on a train, of course.

In which way are you supposed to turn around those freight trains going end through end across the whole of Canada?

Left!

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In which way are you supposed to turn around those freight trains going end through end across the whole of Canada?

Very carefully.

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In which way are you supposed to turn around those freight trains going end through end across the whole of Canada?

It will depend on the cargo and the terminal.
Most container trains are split into manageable sections for loading and unloading at the terminals. Once the loading and unloading has been done the train is re-coupled, with the locos at the outbound end.
Many bulk trains (coal & ore) "never stop", each terminal has what is called a "balloon loop" - the train runs into the loop, and continues at a low speed through the loading or unloading plant. Certainly in South Africa locomotives and wagons can be added and removed fro the train during this period without affecting the flow of the train through the plant - fascinating to watch on the CCTV feeds.

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

Over the past few weeks the California Zephyr has been arriving so late at Chicago that I have often missed it and assumed I have missed some of the new AC 64's being delivered.

However it appears not, the last one I saw was 647 on the 12th June and yesterday...



Had it arrived earlier there was the most amazing storm in progress.

Also being a true "railfan" in US speak or "Anorak" in the UK. I have been keeping a record of all the Amtrak P42DC's I have seen. There were originally 207, due to accidents and engine fires the number left in service is 195.

Up to yesterday I have seen 193 of them, number 196 was the 194th, this just leaves number 150 to complete the set. (did you follow that?)



These loco's pull passenger trains all across the US and yet within the 7 months I have been watching all have been to Chicago. As the site I use to track them says.

"CHI = CHICAGO - THE HUB OF THE UNIVERSE AS FAR AS AMTRAK DIESELS ARE CONCERNED".

Finally just to prove it's not all about Amtrak, UP got into the act, by lining up 5 units against a sky that was about to unleash thunder and a torrential downpour.

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So it definitely seems to be F40PH month!! None for a while the several come along at once.

This one is a bit special and is obviously the best in the "fleet"

I know I have posted pictures of 406 here before but this was a nice close up yesterday as the Amtrak Exhibit Train came in from New York on the Cardinal.



Whilst 406 is not a complete "cabbage", as it does retain a head end power unit for the heating and lighting in the Exhibit Train, it no longer has a prime mover, despite what the roof fans and vents suggest.

Compare it with 90229 that came in from LA yesterday on the Southwest Chief 4



About the only thing in common on the roof is the cab aircon unit!!

Also on the end of the 4 and also a long way form home was this.



Surfliner coach 6400, do they have surf in Chicago?? :-)

As I have said as a train fan it is the different or unusual that I like to see so the occasional 24 year old GE P32 on a scheduled service is good.



P42 138 leading P32 514 on The Capitol 29, passing Chesterton heading for Chicago yesterday.

Yes the P32's, were ordered by Amtrak as "hold-overs" in 1991, until the P42's were delivered. Most are now user as switchers, but as you can see make the occasional appearance on the main line. Almost always as the 2nd unit. They are just freight locos with the addition of a head end power unit.

And yes it is dirty on the other side as well!!

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I believe this is what railfans apparently call "a good catch" :-)

I enjoyed it because I was able to look up it's history and that made it more complete.

It really is an "oldie", in between newer and larger BNSF locos we find NIWX 2204 a 38 year old GE U23B



Seems to have lead an interesting life:

Started life in 1977 as Conrail 2795 one of the last U23B's. 2798 was the last.

Moved to Providence and Worcester as PW2204

Then the last 10 or so years with the PRL (Penn Eastern Rail Line) around Reinhold PA

Was apparently sold to NIWX (Northern Illinois & Wisconsin Railway), a leasing company, earlier this year but does not appear on their website at all.

Made an interesting change!!

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Quite by chance yesterday I saw on the heritage unit website map that NKP765 appeared to be heading to Cleveland and would pass the Berea camera.

So for me this was a first.

https://youtu.be/iOO3MYcoKHY

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Eek!! ;) That looked almost like a real freight train that steam loco was pulling, I hope the railroads aren't that desperate for horsepower..

Yes I thought that at first, but noticing they were all coal wagons, and also the loader in the last one, could it be that NKP765 is carrying it's own fuel?

It is in the middle of a quite long tour, and I suspect that large supplies of coal are not necessarily available at most stations.

I am sure David will know if that is correct.

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NKP 765 is on it's way to Youngstown OH today and earlier they tweeted this




With the caption "And every once in a while things are right in the world"

PS for those of a less "train like background"

The Nickel Plate Road

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Photos: Local photographer takes you inside abandoned ‘train wreck’ that looks like a horror movie

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ohio– Local photojournalist Seph Lawless is revealing photos that he says resembles “an apocalyptic train wreck.”

Lawless, known for documenting abandoned places all over the world including here in Northeast Ohio, said he most recently discovered the site, which is buried deep in the middle of woods in Jefferson County, Ohio.

A man who lives in the area told Lawless it’s referred to as ‘The Trolley Tragedy of 1957;’ that is now the title of Lawless’ new book. The man also told Lawless that folklore in the area is that the site is haunted. Lawless described the experience as something straight out of an apocalyptic horror movie. The Cleveland-area photographer said he’s now working with the popular AMC TV show ‘The Walking Dead.’ He said the show is looking into possibly using the site as a filming location.

LINK TO HIS TRAIN PHOTOS

Looks like it might be an abandoned museum. I visited another museum in Ohio last week with a lot of similar-looking stuff, and also a bunch in much better condition.

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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.