Midweek Photo Fun 8/12/15

 

 A FEW CARS FOR A CHANGE

 

 

Been a while since I contributed to one of these threads.  So here are a few from last week.

 

 

Norfolk Southern Operation Lifesaver Train (AKA Buckeye Whistle Stop Safety Train) arriving in Alliance, Ohio approximately 2:37 PM  August 6, 2015.

 

 

 

 

With NS SD60E 911 "Honoring First Responders" providing the horsepower.

 

 

 

Greeting the train was a larger than normal group of rail fans.

 

 

 

The NS Exhibit car at the Alliance AMTRAK station.

 

 

 

A Westbound revenue train passes the stopped OLS train at Alliance.

 

 

 

The NS Office Car Special made an appearance at Alliance the same day.  The OCS is coming off the Fort Wayne Line heading to Bayard, Ohio.

 

 

 

A Westbound NS tank train being pulled by two engines still wearing their previous owner's paint.

 

 

A very interesting and enjoyable afternoon especially since I thought about going fishing but decided to do some train watching instead.  I did not know either train would be in Alliance.

hello Everyone. Well I made it out further this time & I went out to Earlville, Ill. & Mendota, Ill.  The thing I enjoyed the most was just getting out and leaving all the what I call Minor problems at home that day. So hear are the shots I took that day. Enjoy. 

Living 25 miles or more from any mainline RR sometimes is a hassle, however on 8/2/2015, I went to a new favorite place.
Hykes Rd. overpass, near State Line,PA. on NS's Harrisburg Line, towers above the surrounding landscape and offers good views in both directions.
The Greencastle Intermodal facility is just north of the bridge, and trains can use either the single-track main, or a 5-mile passing siding that also serves as the yard lead.
In just under 2 hours, I got 3 trains, and just missed a 4th.

Very nice photos everyone, thanks for taking the time to share.

Don

 

I second what Don said. I love to see real train pics. It's a good way to pick up modeling ideas.

Whittier yesterday.

 

 

Here's a short car window video about a year ago a South bound UP near US95 just North of Yuma, AZ. I'm sure its a least 100 degrees out. Someday i'll get out of my car!

franktrain

 

hello new contributor we take a backway drive as we call it via 89A from phoenix up to Yarnell and we always see these tracks just prior to the junction towards Yarnell.

 

we have traveled this same area since 1990's and have yet to see a train on it! I believe its the branch line from phoenix to somewhere east of Williams,az

 

the roadway does have modern signal and safety arms.

St. Paul, what you see is not a branch line.  It's the BNSF (former Santa Fe) Phoenix line, a secondary main line, with good track but non-signaled, having a maximum authorized speed of 49 MPH.  It leaves the Transcon at Williams Jct, Arizona, and goes to Ash Fork, where it used to depart from the Third District of the Albuquerque Division before the 1960 line change.  From there, it passes through a number of small towns like Skull Valley, the only one of note being Wickenburg, and goes to Phoenix. It used to pass through Prescott, but another line change in the late 1950's bypassed the former Arizona Territory capitol. At Matthie, a remote location, it has a junction with the former Santa Fe line from Cadiz, California and Parker, Arizona, now operated by a shortline (Arizona & California RR I think).  It had a nightly passenger train until Amtrak took over Santa Fe passenger service.  There is (or was) a spur of several miles in length to Bumstead, Arizona, where LPG cars were unloaded into underground storage caverns during the warm season, and then loaded and shipped during higher demand periods.

 

There are trains on it.  You have just managed to miss seeing them. 

Corvette "chasing" the MARC train in Martinsburg, WV

 

 

Brian - I'm glad to see that you were at one of my favorite train watching sites, Rochelle, IL.  I never get tired of going there, it's always a good show. 

 

Art

Art, I had a great time at Rochelle and took tons of pictures and video.  Pack a lunch, sit under the pavilion and watch trains all day.  I don't think there was more than ten minutes between trains, with numerous meets.  I hope to get back there again sometime!

I fly over this neat little desert town when I go to Ely - looked it up - Cadiz.  It has about three buildings, an airport, and two wye tracks.  Yep - still sort of in business, but the line to Blythe is apparently abandoned as of recently.  As noted above, Arizona and California Railway.  Desolate!