Railroad Thread of Mar. '17

[N2NH]

One of the nice things about living in Kingston (the new QTH) is that it's a railroad town. In fact you can't get away from the sound of train horns at night, but getting used to it doesn't take long. We get BNSF, NS and CSX mostly here with a few CN thrown in. This is the River Line of the old NYC which was actually built by the Pennsy. When the NYC retaliated by starting a rail line in Pennsylvania, the Pennsy lost their appetite for New York railroading and the switch was made. The old NYC yard at Selkirk near Albany is at the north end and New Jersey at the south. We had a pretty impressive derailment south of here at Newburgh in the middle of an oil farm. That made the news, but this line is pretty important so things got cleaned up pretty quick.

Here's a few scenes from the River Line here in town.
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The Wilbur Bridge coming out of the Kingston Tunnel at Esopus Creek. Train is heading southbound toward Port Ewen.

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This is the same bridge with a northbound train. The view is from the marina at Esopus Creek.

There is also a pretty decent Railroad museum with a decent showing of NYC traction too.

[WZ7U]

Cool! Not sure I want to live nearly directly under the trestle, just in case. It's that seismic state of mind coming out in me.

I know, seismic is not such a concern in those parts....

This thread should be most excellent indeed!

[NQ6U]

Neat-o, John! Train horns have never bothered me. In fact, I enjoy hearing them late at night.

As nice as San Diego is in many ways, it's a crappy place for railfans. Since there's no route eastward out of here, most of the railroad traffic runs through L.A. Now, If they should ever finally resurrect the old San Diego and Arizona Eastern line (it comes up from time to time), that would change things exponentially. It would require some tunnel repair but the tracks are still in place and run through some really extreme terrain, with a few truly spectacular trestles. This one is pretty famous:

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1704/23947938464_8f04e7096c_z.jpg

[N8YX]

Anyone noticing CSX running long trains of empty auto racks with only one engine on the head end?

Would make for a fun day for the crew if they're far away from a source of backup motive power and said engine fails. Judging from the sound of the turbos on many of their prime movers I'd say that happens a little more often than they care for.

[K7SGJ]

Anyone noticing CSX running long trains of empty auto racks with only one engine on the head end?

Would make for a fun day for the crew if they're far away from a source of backup motive power and said engine fails. Judging from the sound of the turbos on many of their prime movers I'd say that happens a little more often than they care for.

Since they're empty anyway, they could make a bundle on their deadhead runs by letting people park their cars, with the occupants still inside, on the racks and let them enjoy a nice little mini vacation. It'd be a hoot to see a lot of places few ever see. Kinda like a moving drive-in movie. Maybe add walkways so when you get out of your vehicle, you can safely walk to the dining, potty, or cocktail car, and depending how many one has, safely get back to the vehicle.

[WZ7U]

Problem with that Eddie is the view is a bit limited; at least with the units I'm used to seeing. Only holes for ventilation not for sightseeing. The liability lawyers would eat it alive.

I used to work at the Port of Vancouver, WA for Subaru and working on the rail head loading new cars was the best paying job under management. Also the most fun, as in racetrack fun. Lots of work, little time.

It's the season when a lot of ships full of new cars will start making their way to ports on both coasts just in time for summer sales events. If the economy remembers...

[N8YX]

...If the economy remembers...

The economy remembers all the oil which has recently been found in traditional (non-shale-locked) formations, and it observes the hurting which has been put on rail shippers of Bakken-play crude.

For background, research "Ft. Wayne Line". It's an old PRR/PC/Conrail route which runs from PGH to Ft. Wayne and from there to Gary. NS acquired it, single-tracked portions of the line in the 90s and let it fall into relative disrepair. Then - due to congestion on the Water Level Route along the Erie lakeshore - they upgraded it to 40MPH standards in 2014 and began running loaded oil unit trains eastbound. At least 6 of them per day during peak shipper demand, with the empties returning via CSX Great Lakes sub.

There hasn't been an oil train through here in many months.

[W3WN]

< snip >
For background, research "Ft. Wayne Line". It's an old PRR/PC/Conrail route which runs from PGH to Ft. Wayne and from there to Gary. NS acquired it, single-tracked portions of the line in the 90s and let it fall into relative disrepair. Then - due to congestion on the Water Level Route along the Erie lakeshore - they upgraded it to 40MPH standards in 2014 and began running loaded oil unit trains eastbound. At least 6 of them per day during peak shipper demand, with the empties returning via CSX Great Lakes sub.
< snip >
Well, what do you know? I can see the beginning of that line out my office window! The Fort Wayne (RR) Bridge is just on the other side of the DLL Convention Center.

It used to be a 4 track right of way from Downtown through the North Side of the City & up along the Ohio River (parallel to PA 65), and it used to be very, very busy. Not so much anymore. And I think they have the ROW down to 2 tracks now; I know CSX did that to the old P&LE ROW that goes past Station Square (the old P&LE headquarters and railyard).

[N2NH]

Cool! Not sure I want to live nearly directly under the trestle, just in case. It's that seismic state of mind coming out in me.

I know, seismic is not such a concern in those parts....

This thread should be most excellent indeed!

I went by there last week on the way to the docs. I can't imagine how they live there myself. But, there are people who live right next to the right of way and those trains blast their three horns for about 4 minutes apiece. You can hear them for at least 5 miles. I checked. Living right next to them? That's as bad as living on final approach.

[N8YX]

...That's as bad as living on final approach.

I live about 200yds from the CSX Great Lakes Sub. It's single-tracked now but at one time it was a double-track Class I shared with PRR/PC/Conrail (as that system evolved). Located nearby was the Erie Lackawanna Marion District double-track Class I main, and sandwiched between was at least one ABB RR shortline track...though I seem to remember two.

In the mid 70's I saw five (count 'em) trains on those tracks at the same time. Mind you, this was in the days of jointed - rather than welded - rail, and you can imagine the racket that meeting generated.

[KG4CGC]

Have you seen them track laying machine. Hoo boy!

[N2NH]

I live about 200yds from the CSX Great Lakes Sub. It's single-tracked now but at one time it was a double-track Class I shared with PRR/PC/Conrail (as that system evolved). Located nearby was the Erie Lackawanna Marion District double-track Class I main, and sandwiched between was at least one ABB RR shortline track...though I seem to remember two.

In the mid 70's I saw five (count 'em) trains on those tracks at the same time. Mind you, this was in the days of jointed - rather than welded - rail, and you can imagine the racket that meeting generated.

Oh, I remember that din. I lived next to the #1 subway line in Harlem for 22 years. All jointed rail and always one that wasn't joined evenly. Add those heavy subway cars of the 1960s-70s and some square wheels* and you had the mix for a sleepless night. Where we were, there was an elevated line and it was over a swamp (and fault line) with nowhere for the force of the cars to go but sideways. Oddly enough, I always knew when there was too much snow to go to work. I'd wake up at 3AM because the subway stopped running. Go figure.:scratchchin:

*Square wheels were caused by an emergency stop or one emergency stop too often. The sound was a loud BANG!-BANG!-BANG! that went on and on.

[KG4CGC]

Since they're empty anyway, they could make a bundle on their deadhead runs by letting people park their cars, with the occupants still inside, on the racks and let them enjoy a nice little mini vacation. It'd be a hoot to see a lot of places few ever see. Kinda like a moving drive-in movie. Maybe add walkways so when you get out of your vehicle, you can safely walk to the dining, potty, or cocktail car, and depending how many one has, safely get back to the vehicle.

I guess they could pee out the window.

[WZ7U]

Funny how no one considers that until it's too late

[KG4CGC]

Funny how no one considers that until it's too late

What kind of things have you thought about ... after it was too late?

[WZ7U]

For example, the 'pee out the window' thing from above. If you were parked in one of those auto transporters and suddenly found yourself having to pee, well, peeing out the window might be the only option you had. Not that 'they' are going to let that happen (you park in one of those rail cars, let alone stay in the car) in the first place.

"What kind of things have you thought about ... after it was too late?" Oh Charles, some of it would make you blush I'm certain! Others, like me signing up for this online associates degree, is a great example. Math has never been my strong suit, and in order to earn the degree one has to pass a certain level of proficiency in math. Of course, after enrolling and accumulating several thousand dollars of school debt, I've now come to realize that maybe I feel I don't have what it takes to finish this thing after all and now saddled with this debt, do I quit at this point and just eat it or get everything but the math and still lose out.

Stuff like that. Heavy on my mind as I kill myself trying to comprehend pre-algebra enough for the final in a week :rotflol:

I'm fucked

[n2ize]

Oh, I remember that din. I lived next to the #1 subway line in Harlem for 22 years. All jointed rail and always one that wasn't joined evenly. Add those heavy subway cars of the 1960s-70s and some square wheels* and you had the mix for a sleepless night. Where we were, there was an elevated line and it was over a swamp (and fault line) with nowhere for the force of the cars to go but sideways. Oddly enough, I always knew when there was too much snow to go to work. I'd wake up at 3AM because the subway stopped running. Go figure.:scratchchin:

*Square wheels were caused by an emergency stop or one emergency stop too often. The sound was a loud BANG!-BANG!-BANG! that went on and on.

LOL yep... :) I remember that well. Talk about noise, when I was living in East New York Brooklyn I used to feel a bit sorry for those folks that lived right next to the structure (the el) where the J and Z trains pass through the infamous S curve between Cypress Hills and Crescent Street. It a 10 mph timer enforced speed restriction along the whole distance and damned those trains SCREECH loud and long as they negotiate those curves. As a kid it was deafening when I was in my parents car or walking underneath that section of the el. People who lived in the apartments adjacent told me you never get used to that sound nor do you ever forget it.

Train horns bother me a little bit. Around here when I start hearing train horns it means that the morning rush is just getting underway and it means hat within a short time I have to get up and out. Maybe when I retire and if I live near a freight line I'll get to liking train horns again, :icon_smile:

Actually I wouldn't mind living next to an elevated subway line. The #2 ran past behind my Grandpa's house in the So. Bronx. In some ways I miss that distinctive sound of a train roaring along on the structure.