Summer is here.So here we go.
Picked up my brother in Edgerton.Saw Amtrak come through westbound with an NYC pulman car on the back.
Water was down low enough for us to get to sisters house in Lima.The Toledo sub was busy.They had the local D 743 parked in South Ottawa.Had a great time with family.Tomorrow is another birthday party.Time for bed.
stay safe
Joe
Had a chance to go to the US Open yesterday, which was excellent as I could watch trains and the rest of my family (avid golf enthusiats) could watch golf. I also enjoyed watching the Coast Guard intercept boats that entered their security perimeter with several small boats or a midsize clipper, and aircraft coming and going from JBLM and KSEA.
Didn’t manage to find and 8-32BWHs, but the Starlight had P42DCs 191 and 192 running elephant style. Other things of note include an SD70MAC on a manifest train, a bathtub coal gondola in a manifest train trying to find a unit train, and an older BN coal hopper loaded full with old ties. Trains passed every half-hour or so, and I managed to catch three out of the five Cascades F59PHIs. BNSF’s executive train was also there.
Joe - do you have any open calendar dates during the year that don’t have a bd marked on them?
[8D]
Three days of Thomas down, three more to go (next weekend). Good crowds, no problems. Had to deal with some rain on Sunday, but it didn’t really dampen spirits any.
I make a brief appearance in this news video shot Saturday, at about :45…
http://www.twcnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2015/06/20/thomas-the-tank-engine-visits-utica.html
Well, Larry, I think I know now whom to look for if I can make it to Utica to ride your railroad–Perhaps inSeptember of next year. I am planning to make it to Milwaukee in September, but since I am going to have some serious surgery about the middle of next month, I am not planning any trip before November–got my bags, and got my reservation…(though I will not be taking a sentimental journey back home).
good morning
Matt and I have a dentist check up today.We will then see how the ND&W and CSX are doing.Mookie our calendar is full. Going to check with the blanket maker at work tomorrow.
stay safe
Joe
Hopefully you can make it. I look forward to meeting you.
Another note on Thomas - it was fun watching the CSX crews when they saw us…
Monday Morning 06/22… Finally, got to spend our first night in our new place. Needless to say the last several weeks have been like dancing on the blades of a blender. Yard work all day on Sunday. Went to bed about 11 PM. Made coffee about 0530. Was sitting outside enjoying kind of a cool breeze, almost nodding off; at 0545 heard orns down by the Junction, and in a couple of minutes it was going by the back of the house. The wife commented, " What is that?" Woke me up! [:^)]
First two BNSF units were split by a big compressed gas cylinder, second unit was NS unit, and the 4th was one? I never got a good look at (not much light at 0545AM). I certainly never expected to see that one, and on a Triple Crown train, around here.[:-^]
Photo and article @http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/mechanical/locomotives/locomotives-is-lng-the-next-generation.html
This (photo/not mine) may have been the BNSF units we saw on the Eastbound Triple Crown train this moring(?)
@ https://www.flickr.com/photos/47104480@N07/18731548936/?ytcheck=1
Their route through here (Mulvane,Ks) would be a return via Augusta/Cottonwood Falls(?) to Topeka/Kansas City areas, or beyond?
That moving mouth is downright creepy, though.
I presume you are the engineer with the lipbrush? Looking very dapper.
Yep. The scarf and the chore coat are more costume than necessity (especially the scarf). The chore coat (which lends a bit of British effect), usually goes by late morning - it’s just too warm…
I often make the point that what we do as a tourist line is “linear theater.” Since this Thomas isn’t as dirty as a real loco, I could probably get by with the official event shirt, slacks, and a baseball cap, but the “costume” really does make a difference.
I have given up correcting folks when they refer to me to their kids as the “conductor,” however. And that’s about 75% of the time…
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Funny you should mention that…today’s Joe’s birthday! Hope it’s been a good day for you, Joe! You may have seen more trains than Pat and I did.
We hung out at my favorite spot in Gary, where everything seemed to be westbound (there was one eastbound NICTD train, right on time). From 0800 to 1030 we caught several manifests, a steel train, a lot of stack trains, and three Amtrak trains (Capitol, Lakeshore, and a Wolverine), all westbound. The Wolverine tried to sneak past us by hiding on the other track behind a westbound stacker…didn’t work. Everything seemed to be moving smoothly today, though NS was much faster than CSX.
After shopping in Michigan City we went to Chesterton. I tried unsuccessfully to find the February 1963 date for a wreck that derailed a westbound C&O (PM District) passenger train and destroyed two E7s, looking through the “morgue” at their library (I’ll try again at Michigan City some other time). During lunch, we caught a few more NS freights going through Chesterton…one of the stackers we saw there was eastbound. The oil train and manifest were both headed west. All of the manifests we saw on NS had UP power. And one of them had the Find of The Day for me. EricSP, remember when we were looking for ARMN refrigerator car 111111? It’s there…it’s real…we both saw it!
A westbound train of NORX
A pretty significant system just ran south of Rochelle - I’m sure it will miss you, although the general system should give you some rain. The system that’s coming across the lake right now will pretty much have nothing left when it gets here in an hour or two. Hard to say what the next system will do. The Detroit area has a tornado watch from it.
afternoon
Ns local was uptown when I left work.Storms went north of us.Some said it was a great light show.I was busy sleeping.Matt is helping with couisins today and tomorrow.Chores to do.
stay safe
Joe
Two and three tenths of an inch of rain. No major problems, but there were minor washouts here and there, especially with an inch of that rain coming in just an hour just before 7AM.
Now it’s sunny and breezy - kinda pleasant, really.
evening
Ns had a westbound oil train and the local was moving around when I left work.It had getting to be scarce high hood unit. Went into Defiance for errands.Csx was quiet.Learned something new.Mookies state(Nebraska) has 1 legislative body and the smallest statehouse in the US.Mamma got the weather quiz right so she gets bragging rights tonight.
stay safe
Joe
Joe - that’s correct. They talk about changing it, but it has worked pretty well all these years. If it ain’t broke…
afternoon
had some rain showers today.Ns was clear when I left work.Chores to do.
stay safe
Joe
The Nebraska legislature is more than unicameral. It is also non-partisan. Senators do not run as a member of a party on a ticket but as individuals. A primary is held, but the two top vote getters go on to the general election without reference to party. Incumbent members are term limited.
The result is that the legislature tends to form ad hoc support (or opposition) groups based on individual issues.
Despite the official non-partisan nature, the leanings of individual members are known. The make up of current legislature would be around 35 Republicans, 13 Democrats and one independent were it organized like other states.
Other states might be well advised to study Nebraska’s system, but of course it is a non-starter as it means fewer jobs for politicans.
evening
Rain here in Nw Ohio.Was able to get some pictures before it got too bad.Saw the NS pennsy heritage unit go west.Going to go relax.
stay safe
Joe