Did anyone here know about ATSF 2926? It's a Baldwin 4-8-4 steam locomotive that's 90% done in restoration, to operational status.

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CA HSR built a foundation, is laying Track!
PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550 Loco, US's 1st HST

Her Tender is here, I just found this online.

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CA HSR built a foundation, is laying Track!
PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550 Loco, US's 1st HST

I had a day out at the Bluebell Railway today. I took some photos and videos.

If people would like, I can post a link to them after I get to a reasonably fast internet connection.

I think most people who come here like trains!! I don't believe David will mind, I would like to see them!!

Absolutely!

Well as David mentioned the California Zephyr 5 today would have the private cars on. So I was ready and waiting.

It was due to leave at 2pm local 8 pm BST

1st Problem - Depature delayed till 2.30pm then till 3pm, then till 5:10pm!!

I went to a railroadiana show today where I met a couple of guys from the dormant model train club. Told them about the three cars on 5. They decided to wait for it at NPV. Since the station is half a mile from my house, I said I'd see them there. We also waited out the delays, communicating with the other friend on the train.

Finally left at 4.30pm, however 2nd problem

I had noted that the Texas Eagle 22 had reversed down the wye a few minutes before, so..



Ahh this could be a problem



There you go best laid plans of mice.

Oops! We nearly had the same happen to us. 5 finally arrived at NPV just as 4 was departing, also about three hours late.

Lets hope it wasn't one of the PV cars that caused the delay!!

It wasn't. The NPV agent announced that it was a refrigeration problem in the diner.

However The Southwest Chief 4 helped make up for it a bit by having F59PHI, 451 in tow all the way from the sunny west coast, don't see many Surfliner locos this far east. I assume it is bound for Beech Grove.

Just as this was pulling into NPV, I said "It could have a Surfliner on it." Lo and behold, it did! I was so surprised I didn't get a good picture of it. I agree with your surmise that it's headed for Beech Grove.

After 5 left, one of my friends went home. The other one and I went to the other platform (the sun had crossed to the north side by then) and waited for 6 to come in, which it did with that wrapped coach again. After that, I also left. I think he waited for an oil train we heard was coming; it had had NS 6334 leading, but something happened at Rochelle and they had to switch the power around so a UP unit was leading. I know it got to Aurora, but we had no clue whether it was continuing east after the eastbound Amtraks.

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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.

Did anyone here know about ATSF 2926? It's a Baldwin 4-8-4 steam locomotive that's 90% done in restoration, to operational status.

Yes, I've heard about her. Same class as 2903, which is said to be the largest steam locomotive preserved in Illinois (larger than our N&W Class Y?). It was displayed outdoors at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry from 1961 to 1995. I went down there the day it was moved down the streets on panel track to a connection to Illinois Central. I shot slides, but A: I used outdated film, and B: I then let the film sit in my hot car all summer before getting it processed. One of these factors caused the slides to come out with a slight purple cast. I have no idea where the slides are now. 2903 sits inside Barn 9 at IRM. It looks nice, but I'm sure we will never restore it to operation. It's just not practical for our railroad.

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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.

Metra Service Alert -- BNSF Railway

All Inbound and Outbound Train Traffic Halted

All inbound and outbound train traffic has been halted near Clarendon Hills due to
train #1232 needing local assistance from police and fire department. Train #1232
was scheduled to arrive Chicago at 7:49 a.m. and has been stopped. Trains are
presently delayed 15 to 80 minutes.


(i.e. 1232 had an engine fire)

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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.

OK, after a little digging on the second FP9, I'm slightly less amazed that it still exists in this paint scheme. It was built for the CN, here in London, back in the 1950s, but spent about 20 years with a local tourist line, the Waterloo St. Jacobs Line, which painted its engines and passenger cars in vintage CN colours. This engine moved to the OSR in early 2014.

I suspected the answer would be something like that. That paint is in much too good condition to be original.

Not that good, really. The same website has a photo of the same engine consist, on a Timmies break at nearby Woodstock last summer. You can still see the outline of the Waterloo St. Jacobs logo on the nose.

I commuted over the OSR line for about 6 years, and I would often see a flash of colour out of the corner of my eye as I drove by and think "what the heck was THAT?". The OSR is a virtual rolling museum of both engines and freight cars. And they apparently don't spend a lot of money on paint.

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This time a pair of Geeps on the OSR, taken last fall. They are parked beside the CP mainline, waiting to exchange cars with a CP local freight. 5 points to whoever can identify the previous owners.

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Metra Service Alert -- BNSF Railway

All Inbound and Outbound Train Traffic Halted

All inbound and outbound train traffic has been halted near Clarendon Hills due to
train #1232 needing local assistance from police and fire department. Train #1232
was scheduled to arrive Chicago at 7:49 a.m. and has been stopped. Trains are
presently delayed 15 to 80 minutes.


(i.e. 1232 had an engine fire)

Well will they "assist" it back past the camera?

Or have I missed it!!

Other odd things happening at CHI today.

Firstly I wonder if this is Metra's answer to overcrowding.



20 cars and a helper in the middle! :-)

(That is not serious, just shunting)

Then Amtrak joined in, I saw a headlight coming down the wye.



Ok 59 on the front of the train, and at the back



Er well the "other front" 52. I thought the reason for having an engine at both ends was so you didn't have to turn the train!

Must be the rain, pretty dark too!!

Then a never seen before sight for me, a Metra F40PH, running the other way round and over the airline

Apparently so passengers don't have to walk past the smelly noisy engine at Chicago, they are always at the far end, so I always see them facing the other way, as the two below.



It then sped past on the wye so I assume it will turn around from there.

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Metra Service Alert -- BNSF Railway

All Inbound and Outbound Train Traffic Halted

All inbound and outbound train traffic has been halted near Clarendon Hills due to
train #1232 needing local assistance from police and fire department. Train #1232
was scheduled to arrive Chicago at 7:49 a.m. and has been stopped. Trains are
presently delayed 15 to 80 minutes.


(i.e. 1232 had an engine fire)

Well will they "assist" it back past the camera?

Or have I missed it!!

They said they were sending equipment out to pull it to Chicago. I'm not sure if that meant the shop switcher, a freight unit from Cicero, or a whole train to pick up the passengers. Yes, you should have seen it go by by now.

News article

Other odd things happening at CHI today.

Firstly I wonder if this is Metra's answer to overcrowding.



20 cars and a helper in the middle! :-)

(That is not serious, just shunting)

I think that's a fairly standard thing there at the Zephyr Pit. I've also seen where a train broke down and another one coupled on to push it. Tricky operating them that way because of the way the brakes are set up (in some units, the engine won't load if its brakes are set up so it's in the middle of the train).

Then Amtrak joined in, I saw a headlight coming down the wye.



Ok 59 on the front of the train, and at the back



Er well the "other front" 52. I thought the reason for having an engine at both ends was so you didn't have to turn the train!

Good question! Maybe one of them died or was scheduled for maintenance and they wanted it facing a certain way for the shop. [edit] Those black things on the roof at the end of the car are the antennae for the onboard wifi system. I believe there's another set at the other end of the car. [/edit]

Must be the rain, pretty dark too!!

Then a never seen before sight for me, a Metra F40PH, running the other way round and over the airline

Apparently so passengers don't have to walk past the smelly noisy engine at Chicago, they are always at the far end, so I always see them facing the other way, as the two below.



It then sped past on the wye so I assume it will turn around from there.

That might be a replacement coming from the Rocket House for the one with the fire. Didn't think they'd act quite that fast, though.

On review, I see that's 100, Metra's first F40PH. That makes it the oldest unit currently in use on revenue trains. (There are still two F40Cs on the roster, but they are not in service.) It's been rebuilt by Progress Rail, which means the crews consider it a piece of crap.

---

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

This time a pair of Geeps on the OSR, taken last fall. They are parked beside the CP mainline, waiting to exchange cars with a CP local freight. 5 points to whoever can identify the previous owners.

The lead unit looks like a GP7 or GP9, the red/white/blue unit, I don't know which one that is exactly, but that's no Geep, that's an Alco loco, maybe a C424.

Or maybe an Alco C425, it's hard to tell.

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CA HSR built a foundation, is laying Track!
PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550 Loco, US's 1st HST

This time a pair of Geeps on the OSR, taken last fall. They are parked beside the CP mainline, waiting to exchange cars with a CP local freight. 5 points to whoever can identify the previous owners.

Lead unit is obviously from one of the Chessie System lines, C&O, B&O or Western Maryland.

Trailing unit was British Columbia.

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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.

That might be a replacement coming from the Rocket House for the one with the fire. Didn't think they'd act quite that fast, though.

On review, I see that's 100, Metra's first F40PH. That makes it the oldest unit currently in use on revenue trains. (There are still two F40Cs on the roster, but they are not in service.) It's been rebuilt by Progress Rail, which means the crews consider it a piece of crap.

Found out that a Facebook friend of mine was running 100 in that picture. He was taking it back to Western Ave. after warranty work at the Rocket House. (I believe that's the designated shop for all warranty work on the Progress rebuilds.)

---

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

This time a pair of Geeps on the OSR, taken last fall. They are parked beside the CP mainline, waiting to exchange cars with a CP local freight. 5 points to whoever can identify the previous owners.

Well I did the sensible thing and searched for OSR 644

And it is not a GP at all but an M420 originally owned by BC Rail, whose colours I recognized.

As for 175

"A GP9 built by EMD in 1956 as C & O #6193 (Chesapeake & Ohio Railway). Serial number 22576, 1750 h.p.
It later worked coal mines in Kimper, Kentucky as Ridgeway Coal #6193 and then New Ridge Mining #59. Znidar Brothers, which had been the switching contractor at CPR's Vaughan Intermodal Facility, owned the unit until 2002.

It then became OSRX #175. You can still see portions of the old Chessie Systems C & O markings under the paint."

Had an interesting life!!

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This time a pair of Geeps on the OSR, taken last fall. They are parked beside the CP mainline, waiting to exchange cars with a CP local freight. 5 points to whoever can identify the previous owners.

Well I did the sensible thing and searched for OSR 644

And it is not a GP at all but an M420 originally owned by BC Rail, whose colours I recognized.

As for 175

"A GP9 built by EMD in 1956 as C & O #6193 (Chesapeake & Ohio Railway). Serial number 22576, 1750 h.p.
It later worked coal mines in Kimper, Kentucky as Ridgeway Coal #6193 and then New Ridge Mining #59. Znidar Brothers, which had been the switching contractor at CPR's Vaughan Intermodal Facility, owned the unit until 2002.

It then became OSRX #175. You can still see portions of the old Chessie Systems C & O markings under the paint."

Had an interesting life!!

You certainly found plenty of details, but I believe I was the first to correctly answer the question that was asked.

:P

---

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

Now now now. 5 points each to David and Bernie. 2.5 points to Vic, the MLW engines often are confused with Alco. I think at one time MLW built Alco under licence.

Remember: a million points, plus two bucks, gets you a cup of coffee.

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Now now now. 5 points each to David and Bernie. 2.5 points to Vic, the MLW engines often are confused with Alco. I think at one time MLW built Alco under licence.

Remember: a million points, plus two bucks, gets you a cup of coffee.

I'd forgotten about MLW, but still it's a 420, some features just didn't show up on EMD GP units for years, but at least no one said it was a GE, GE put Alco out of business for locos, MLW is now a part of Bombardier, which makes anything from snow mobiles to HSR type trains.

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CA HSR built a foundation, is laying Track!
PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550 Loco, US's 1st HST

Now now now. 5 points each to David and Bernie. 2.5 points to Vic, the MLW engines often are confused with Alco. I think at one time MLW built Alco under licence.

Remember: a million points, plus two bucks, gets you a cup of coffee.

I'd forgotten about MLW, but still it's a 420, some features just didn't show up on EMD GP units for years, but at least no one said it was a GE, GE put Alco out of business for locos, MLW is now a part of Bombardier, which makes anything from snow mobiles to HSR type trains.

Yes, MLW had the Canadian license for Alco, and kept on building them long after Alco itself quit.

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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.

A friend of mine who lives in Kansas caught train 4 running extra late today, with Silver Rapids and Silver Solarium on the rear. I'm not going to bother suggesting that Bernie watch for it. Last report was six hours late at Ft. Madison, and it appears to have lost more time since, as it hasn't gotten to Galesburg yet. That will put it here no sooner than 9, if it doesn't hit any weather delays.

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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.

MLW had a long and honourable history. They started producing their own designs of steamers in the late 1800s, mostly for the CPR, and were bought by Alco in 1904. Their plant developed into several acres of large buildings, and during the wars they added tanks, trucks, and marine engines to the product line. Under Canadian federal tariffs that existed well into the late 20th century, it was cheaper to make any Alco product intended for a Canadian customer in Canada. When Alco downsized and eventually vanished in the 1960s these same tariffs kept the Montreal plant in existence, under a string of owners. A sort-of parallel history produced EMD here in London, that continued making engines long after General Motors got out of the business.

Bombardier took over MLW in the 1990s, and merged it with its own high speed rail and passenger facilities into what is today Bombardier Inc. Ironicaly, the old MLW plant work and design capabilities were transferred to other Bombardier facilities in Canada, the US, Europe and Mexico when the tariffs ended, and the enormous MLW complex in Montreal was finally torn down by 2004.

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I love stories like that Chris. Allows me to remind the wife that I could have had a collection like that....

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