Big Train James
Western Thunderer
D****t! I was going to say that, but hadn't gotten around to it yet.
Right-O-Way P48 flex in this instance.
Right-O-Way P48 flex in this instance.
Richard's American Train Adventures
- Thread starter richard carr
- Start date
richard carr
Western Thunderer
It does look like that.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Here's the video of the GP38
Turn the volume up.
Richard
Turn the volume up.
Richard
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Here's the next video from Elkhart to Deshler
timbowales
Western Thunderer
Fascinating to note the mixture of signal heads in use there, hard work for the engineers with mixed types!
Also lovely seeing the varieties of schemes on the freight cars, some quite old ones coming through
Also lovely seeing the varieties of schemes on the freight cars, some quite old ones coming through
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Gents
Here's the latest video on youtube. There's quite a bit of SD40 action on this one.
I was in the US on business last week and spent the weekend over in Ohio, meeting up with Jim
We met up at Deshler on the Friday afternoon, I started out from O'Hare in the morning but congestion on I80 had sat nav take me back along I94 and into Hammond through what looked like an industrial wasteland. I saw a few trains but I'm not sure I would have wanted to stop and get out.
This took me onto I90 for what was then an easy run through to Elkhart.
A quick stop at Martins super market to see if the Elkhart and Western were doing anything, but not that day but they do have a shiny "new" loco.
I then went down to Goshen, to see if the local was switching, it had finished for the day and was waiting to head back to Elkhart.
It was sat there waiting for a other trains to pass, they are on the video.
I also saw a train heading south on the Indianappolis line, something I haven't seen before as trains were always heading north.
I then decided to head to Deshler and just follow sat nav. It took me on the usual route but at Ligonier, it took me south to Fort Wayne, round FW on the freeway and onto US24 which would take you to Toledo. 24 goes past Washburn the start of the Napoleon Defiance and Western, so I had to stop there and see if anything was going one. There was nothing not even a single freight car, so I carried on expecting sat nav to take me back to 24 but it didn't it took me east and south until eventually I met the Norfolk Southern line from Fort Wayne to Bellevue via Leipsic and Fostoria. Outside a place called Continental I found this.
It was clearly waiting to pass something and as it was a stack train it probably wasn't going to be too long a wait.
Here's the latest video on youtube. There's quite a bit of SD40 action on this one.
I was in the US on business last week and spent the weekend over in Ohio, meeting up with Jim
We met up at Deshler on the Friday afternoon, I started out from O'Hare in the morning but congestion on I80 had sat nav take me back along I94 and into Hammond through what looked like an industrial wasteland. I saw a few trains but I'm not sure I would have wanted to stop and get out.
This took me onto I90 for what was then an easy run through to Elkhart.
A quick stop at Martins super market to see if the Elkhart and Western were doing anything, but not that day but they do have a shiny "new" loco.
I then went down to Goshen, to see if the local was switching, it had finished for the day and was waiting to head back to Elkhart.
It was sat there waiting for a other trains to pass, they are on the video.
I also saw a train heading south on the Indianappolis line, something I haven't seen before as trains were always heading north.
I then decided to head to Deshler and just follow sat nav. It took me on the usual route but at Ligonier, it took me south to Fort Wayne, round FW on the freeway and onto US24 which would take you to Toledo. 24 goes past Washburn the start of the Napoleon Defiance and Western, so I had to stop there and see if anything was going one. There was nothing not even a single freight car, so I carried on expecting sat nav to take me back to 24 but it didn't it took me east and south until eventually I met the Norfolk Southern line from Fort Wayne to Bellevue via Leipsic and Fostoria. Outside a place called Continental I found this.
It was clearly waiting to pass something and as it was a stack train it probably wasn't going to be too long a wait.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
The track layout here seems a bit unusual as the line seems to cross over each other. You can see it a bit clearer here.
A manifest train was arriving from the other direction as he pulls into this siding. Here's the DPU on the manifest.
I then followed the stack train as it headed east to Leipsic
I lost it at Leipsic as it arrived at the grade crossing just as I did.
I then went into Leipsic to the diamond, you can park right by it.
This oil train then appeared without warning
I just had time to grab this photo.
I then moved a little further north, there is a nice spot where you can park by a crossing, to the north is the Mars Iams pet food factory. To the south is the ethanol plant. I didn't manage to get any photos but a SD40-3 was heading south, it is on the video.
I then went on to Deshler, it's only 8 miles up the road. As usual there was no shortage of trains, but they are all on the video.
So for Saturday we decided to go and explore the Norfolk Southern mainline that follows the lake.
The first stop was Vermillion, it has a railfan park with a seat and shelter, not that we would need it as the weather forecast was for warmish sunny day.
The trains were coming through here at close to 50mph.
We saw 4 trains go past here, and then moved on to where the line crosses the Bellvue to Cleveland line. We did see a train but I was on the phone to Emma at the time, so no photos or video.
This huge train of autoracks came through with a DPU in the middle
Hiding in the sidings round the corner was this rock train.
Here's the NS Bellvue Cleveland line passing under the NS mainline
Here's an coal train heading east.
A manifest train was arriving from the other direction as he pulls into this siding. Here's the DPU on the manifest.
I then followed the stack train as it headed east to Leipsic
I lost it at Leipsic as it arrived at the grade crossing just as I did.
I then went into Leipsic to the diamond, you can park right by it.
This oil train then appeared without warning
I just had time to grab this photo.
I then moved a little further north, there is a nice spot where you can park by a crossing, to the north is the Mars Iams pet food factory. To the south is the ethanol plant. I didn't manage to get any photos but a SD40-3 was heading south, it is on the video.
I then went on to Deshler, it's only 8 miles up the road. As usual there was no shortage of trains, but they are all on the video.
So for Saturday we decided to go and explore the Norfolk Southern mainline that follows the lake.
The first stop was Vermillion, it has a railfan park with a seat and shelter, not that we would need it as the weather forecast was for warmish sunny day.
The trains were coming through here at close to 50mph.
We saw 4 trains go past here, and then moved on to where the line crosses the Bellvue to Cleveland line. We did see a train but I was on the phone to Emma at the time, so no photos or video.
This huge train of autoracks came through with a DPU in the middle
Hiding in the sidings round the corner was this rock train.
Here's the NS Bellvue Cleveland line passing under the NS mainline
Here's an coal train heading east.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
It's actually one main line with two sidings, they have just extended the ends past each other so they can do a slow rolling pass if needed.
In the first shot the train is holding the main and this second one will swing right (our left) and take the siding past the holding one.
A good way to spot mains and sidings is the track work, sidings often run at a lower elevation, usually because the main has been upgraded with a deeper tack bed, it'll also be smoother, something seen easier with a telephoto shot. There will almost certainly be a difference in speed permit as well, possibly 70 on the main and 50 on the sidings.
You've also (frustraitingly
) cut the tops off the closest signal sets in both photos, but you can see the furthest (facing the approaching trains) and note the very top signal over the siding is a dwarf, possibly interlocked calling on for both sidings to do a rolling pass.If you look into the distance on the first shot you'll see the siding signals as red, amber, red which if I read right means proceed at limited speed, prepare to stop at next signal.
Both of these are hot shot domestic intermodals and the second one will retake the main after passing the standing one I suspect.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Next we moved on to Sandusky
This is the small yard by the Amtrak depot, a nice view of a self guarding switch that hasn't been used for quite a while.
A coal train coming into view. It was going to turn south a few hundred yards further on in to the main yard at Sandusky
We drove back round the corner and caught it (but only just) just before it entered the yard.
After this we moved on following the NS tracks to Oak Harbor.
This is the NS mainline again looking east, running above it on the bridge is the former Wheeling line from Bellevue to Toledo which is now NS.
That looks a bit like the rock train we saw earlier.
Next is a coal train approaching from the west taking the connector between the NS mainline and the former Wheeling line .
After this train had passed we headed to Fremont about 10 miles further south on the former Wheeling line.
We passed the coal train waiting in a siding for north bound train.
Fremont was about 10 minutes further on and we caught the northbound coming over the river bridge. We were going to wait fo rthe coal but about 15 minutes later we heard another horn, another north bound.
The light was now fading fast so we headed off back to Toledo about 25 miles west of us.
There's video of all of this to come later.
This is the small yard by the Amtrak depot, a nice view of a self guarding switch that hasn't been used for quite a while.
A coal train coming into view. It was going to turn south a few hundred yards further on in to the main yard at Sandusky
We drove back round the corner and caught it (but only just) just before it entered the yard.
After this we moved on following the NS tracks to Oak Harbor.
This is the NS mainline again looking east, running above it on the bridge is the former Wheeling line from Bellevue to Toledo which is now NS.
That looks a bit like the rock train we saw earlier.
Next is a coal train approaching from the west taking the connector between the NS mainline and the former Wheeling line .
After this train had passed we headed to Fremont about 10 miles further south on the former Wheeling line.
We passed the coal train waiting in a siding for north bound train.
Fremont was about 10 minutes further on and we caught the northbound coming over the river bridge. We were going to wait fo rthe coal but about 15 minutes later we heard another horn, another north bound.
The light was now fading fast so we headed off back to Toledo about 25 miles west of us.
There's video of all of this to come later.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Here's the next video on YouTube
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Here's the video of the day exploring northern Ohio.
I've actually uploaded this to YouTube in 4k and it seems to make a significant difference to the quality. Let me know what you think.
Richard
I've actually uploaded this to YouTube in 4k and it seems to make a significant difference to the quality. Let me know what you think.
Richard
timbowales
Western Thunderer
Didn't notice much difference but then I'm using an iPad 
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Thanks for the feedback everyone.
As I do all the filming in 4k going forward I will load everything onto youtube in 4K, it does take a while as my internet connection is still copper wire based, one day they might decide to give us fibre.
As I do all the filming in 4k going forward I will load everything onto youtube in 4K, it does take a while as my internet connection is still copper wire based, one day they might decide to give us fibre.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
I've been in Tokyo all week on a business trip but I have managed to squeeze in a bit of railway adventures.
The weather has generallly been very nice for this time of year cool but dry and sunny.
On sunday I ventured out to Shizuoka, about an hour south of tokyo on the bullet train.
Here's my "Hikari" bullet train, the name tells us that it's a semi fast. It's going to Omiya about 350 miles south.
They have started building a maglev line to Osaka as the Shinkansen is now at it's maximum capacity and the trains are just overloaded at peak times.
The platform staff wave off every train.
This is why I came to Shizuoka, there are some great views of Mount Fuji from one of the nearby hills.
I was only there for a couple of hours before heading back to Tokyo.
With curves at both ends of the station, the trains aren't going flat out, but well over a hundred mph.
I was only there for 20 minutes and at 10 trains went by.
Back in Tokyo I ventured up the Tokyo Tower, it's a bit like a mini eiffel tower, it looks a bit flimsy, I wouldn't want to be up there on a windy day.
You do get some great views over the city.
Yes Mount Fuji again
The weather has generallly been very nice for this time of year cool but dry and sunny.
On sunday I ventured out to Shizuoka, about an hour south of tokyo on the bullet train.
Here's my "Hikari" bullet train, the name tells us that it's a semi fast. It's going to Omiya about 350 miles south.
They have started building a maglev line to Osaka as the Shinkansen is now at it's maximum capacity and the trains are just overloaded at peak times.
The platform staff wave off every train.
This is why I came to Shizuoka, there are some great views of Mount Fuji from one of the nearby hills.
I was only there for a couple of hours before heading back to Tokyo.
With curves at both ends of the station, the trains aren't going flat out, but well over a hundred mph.
I was only there for 20 minutes and at 10 trains went by.
Back in Tokyo I ventured up the Tokyo Tower, it's a bit like a mini eiffel tower, it looks a bit flimsy, I wouldn't want to be up there on a windy day.
You do get some great views over the city.
Yes Mount Fuji again
richard carr
Western Thunderer
The jetlag is to say the least "challenging" with a 9 hour time shift. It really is working the night shift.
Yesterday morning I went for walk just after dawn as I couldn't sleep, the weather had changed and was gently raining so I decided to get the train back from Yurakucho, the first stop south of Tokyo station.
AT Tokyo station you can't really appreciate how busy it is, but you can here at Yurakucho, 8 tracks pass through the station, 2 for the Yamanote line, 2 for the Keihin Tohoku line, both of which stop. Then 2 express tracks that take you to Kawasaki and Yokohama, and then the 2 Shinkansen tracks a slightly higher level.
It really is just one train after another, in fact most of the time there is more one passing through with 20 plus trains an hour on the 2 stopping routes in each direction, about 15 an hour on the express line in each direction and the same on the Shinkansen, it's just mad.
The shinkansen to the left, an express below it and a north bound Keihin Tohoku local on the right.
Here's the video
Yesterday morning I went for walk just after dawn as I couldn't sleep, the weather had changed and was gently raining so I decided to get the train back from Yurakucho, the first stop south of Tokyo station.
AT Tokyo station you can't really appreciate how busy it is, but you can here at Yurakucho, 8 tracks pass through the station, 2 for the Yamanote line, 2 for the Keihin Tohoku line, both of which stop. Then 2 express tracks that take you to Kawasaki and Yokohama, and then the 2 Shinkansen tracks a slightly higher level.
It really is just one train after another, in fact most of the time there is more one passing through with 20 plus trains an hour on the 2 stopping routes in each direction, about 15 an hour on the express line in each direction and the same on the Shinkansen, it's just mad.
The shinkansen to the left, an express below it and a north bound Keihin Tohoku local on the right.
Here's the video
richard carr
Western Thunderer
I'm back in Chicago again, it's a bit Chilly, I started off yesterday at 7am, it was minus 8.
The plan was to go and explore Hammond Indiana, the Armpit of the World (at least according to Jim).
It does however have a reputation as not being the nicest and therefore safest place to go rail fanning, so I was about to find out.
The first place on the list was the Amtrak station, Hammond/Whiting, it certainly looked interesting with 7 tracks running through it.
It was though a Sunday morning and US railways don't seem to hurry much on a Sunday morning. I went the long way round taking I294 south to I80 for 41 North (Calumet Avenue). Calumet Ave has quite a few crossings and I got stopped at one as a BNSF tank train went through heading East.
I got to the station at about 8:30
Nothing heading in that direction, or the other direction, what a surprise.
I drove over to a grade crossing a little further on
Yes there is something down there, but with headlights out it isn't going anywhere soon.
Then of course this happens
Amtrak comes whizzing through the station, they don;t stop at Hammond any more.
Closely followed by this
It was time to go to McDonalds and get some breakfast.
When I got back the action started
A container train arriving to go in the small yard, thats the Erie Lackawana heritage ACe .
The plan was to go and explore Hammond Indiana, the Armpit of the World (at least according to Jim).
It does however have a reputation as not being the nicest and therefore safest place to go rail fanning, so I was about to find out.
The first place on the list was the Amtrak station, Hammond/Whiting, it certainly looked interesting with 7 tracks running through it.
It was though a Sunday morning and US railways don't seem to hurry much on a Sunday morning. I went the long way round taking I294 south to I80 for 41 North (Calumet Avenue). Calumet Ave has quite a few crossings and I got stopped at one as a BNSF tank train went through heading East.
I got to the station at about 8:30
Nothing heading in that direction, or the other direction, what a surprise.
I drove over to a grade crossing a little further on
Yes there is something down there, but with headlights out it isn't going anywhere soon.
Then of course this happens
Amtrak comes whizzing through the station, they don;t stop at Hammond any more.
Closely followed by this
It was time to go to McDonalds and get some breakfast.
When I got back the action started
A container train arriving to go in the small yard, thats the Erie Lackawana heritage ACe .
Attachments
Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen
Western Thunderer
Some Amtrak trains stop at Whiting Richard, train 350, the Wolverine, that I took to Dearborn recently stopped there.
Tim
Tim