Gotta Get that Tiara!

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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So will post my weekend outings.

Sat - went for a long ride in the area around Lincoln - doing just what a lot of you do - train hunting. I feel badly for those of you that have to do that. What a trip. We found some UP engines, but in-between, I practiced my engineer’s look. I can sit straight up, eyes closed, take short naps and never once get whiplash. Don’t drool or snore, either! Pretty good, huh?

I told the driver that we were going out Sunday and let the trains come to us - save all that expensive gasoline! Millie was happy, too!

So we saw - UP #7187, 9354 ,6701, 8227, 6581, 6815, 6808 - all 9’s.

SP 336 and 337 in old colors. They were pretty! Still marked SP, too.

Saw a train with grain and tanks of anhydrous ammonia - does that sound strange to anyone else? Maybe they are going planting? Or maybe you just always travel around with feed and seed?

Saw BNSF 2858 - a GP 39-2, 9757 and 8956 on an mt coal train.

Saw UP 3026 and 3316 both SD40-2 and 40-2B on BNSF tracks. (Freight)

Saw BNSF 9797 and 8813 - coal train

Then had a Keystone Kop - BNSF Deputy Dogg (sorry Doggy) pulled up behind us - watched for awhile - then tore off around the front of us, east about 2 blocks and sat by the tracks while a freight stopped right there. He was watching something I guess. Then he drove over behind us again. Then back over east. He had two trains that stopped on different tracks. And then started up while he watched them go by.

I was totally mystified - but he seemed to be looking for a particular something.

Anyway - back to watching 5464 and 4805 - both BNSF 9’s - dbl stack containers and pigs.

And - BNSF 6199 - an SD9-3B (that’s what it’s name tag said) - pulling a bunch of oil cans. Had “Remote” marked on side. Pulling them out to back them up and get them ready to hump. Ah…what a good day for watching.

Saw 8262 BNSF - a 75M an

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Definition, please? ‘pigs’? Sorry, when I think of pigs, it’s usually the first casting in an iron foundry. Or else, ‘pig boats’ - submarines.

Huge rocks? Were they going east or west? If east, maybe they’re going to build me that rock garden on the roof of the house…[xx(]

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Joe - pigs are piggybacks - one of the few railroad terms I know. The big truck trailers that ride on the train - piggyback. Now most of what you see is just containers.

The rocks were heading east out of the yard - so they must be on their way to your house! Best put them in the garden, not the roof. These suckers were big!

Mook

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Mookie: That “odd shaped house that is all sealed up and looks really odd”, You were right. those are airplane parts cars.You know more than you think you do.[:)]
Good luck on that tiarra!

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You sure seem to have better luck train watching than I do! I can sit for an hour and see nothing, then, when we’re leaving the tracks, I look back and there goes a train! Still I don’t know how long you typically wait. Most of the time half an hour is our regular waiting time.

Willy

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The big rocks are “rip-rap” most likely loaded in air-dump cars (The railroad’s answer to a big bobtail dump truck, ATSF 1860000 series cars). If the cars are somewhat shorter than most, painted primer brown and have what looks like two large vertical drums under each side, you have air dumps. The rocks get used to shore up earthwork around earthwork fills, to keep rivers from eroding the banks, stabilize hillsides and generally keep things in place. Some of Mudchicken’s favorite toys along with Mr. jordan’s spreader!!! (makes a D9 bulldozer look like a pup)!

joeKC6: pigs=pigz=piggyback highway trailers…you want rocks the size of a VW Beetle on your roof?

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That sounds like the kind of luck I usually have![:(!]

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Willy - max time is usually 2 hours. If we hit it just right, we can see just about everything in the yards move during that time. When you are just a wee bit older and can drive to Lincoln on your own (to attend UNL of course), you and I will go sit at my favorite spot and watch. It is just like a good nite at a ball game or a car race track. Lots of action and not a lot of time!

Mook

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MC! You are describing exactly what I saw. Even the driver was commenting on the drums underneath. Ugly cars, too. And that rock was just the right size for doing exactly that! Boy am I glad I can read and you can write! Makes my world so much easier!

Mookie

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Mudchicken told me that was what it sounded like to him, but usually I see them with the airplane body. Then I see the house with no body. So I am never really certain that it isn’t some kind of homeland security item - maybe Tom Ridge traveling back and forth checking the tracks…[}:)]

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Mookie
some days are better than others.Gotta have the Matt with me thats when the action really gets going.The cop might have been looking for hobos on the train.
stay safe
Joe

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BNSF 1014 is a C44-9W, one of the original units actually built for BNSF…built before they adopted the current flashy paint scheme.

I envy your great day of train-watching. I was lucky enough to see four trains yesterday on my way to work, but they were pretty much the same old same old.

Which would you prefer…instant answers to some of your questions, or posting them here for the dozens of replies you always seem to get?

BC

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Mookie and Mudchicken,

Thank you for enlightening me. Now I understand a little more. (There’s a quote in the front of the book, “This is Kendo” which states: ‘To ask may be a moment’s shame, but not to ask and remain ignorant is a lifelong shame.’)

My comment on the rock garden was tongue-in-cheek. I can’t have a garden because I rent, plus I have a very steeply angled roof. The rocks would be showering me at every opportunity. By the way, I have learned from the U.S. Geologic Survey that my area of Ohio has the highest occurence of earthquakes in the state. [B)]

Thanks again.

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I take whatever I can get - but by posting here, I am closer to my tiara that I am not going to get! :slight_smile:

I was wondering if the cop was looking for “riders”, but they are usually in the area and don’t pay much attention - this one looked like someone had dropped a dime and he had something specific that was bothering him. Like maybe his wife was leaving on a train - in the cab with the engineer?

Smirk…

You know - I tell eveyone that we have high traffic thru here and the minute someone will come to visit my place, BNSF will go on strike or give up trains for trucks or sell out to the UP and rip up the tracks. I live in fear of this. Like the tv doesn’t work until it gets to the shop. Works fine, now!

SJ

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Mookie, Wow, that sounds like a great day.

I’m gonna have to take a driving vacation down there sometime and sit in your spot (when you’re not there of course) [:)]

You make my days down at roberts bank seem awfully boring, mostly just containers and coal.

Ah well, I look forward to hearing about next weekend.

Let me know if you see any more BC Rail or any SRY…

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Mookie
Sunday was a good day for me. They are having a maintenance frenzy here in Northern KY on the CSX “Shortline”. They have been replacing ties for about 2 weeks now. They have a curfew during the weekday, only allowing their hot freights to go through. Then at night running them crazy. This past weekend they were dang near running them back to back. It has been sweet. Still waiting to find those “L&N” rail cars I have been reading about in yahoo. My son saw an L&N coal hopper last week when I was in convenient store. And you would know that I didn’t have the camera to chase it down.

Brian (KY)

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Mudchix - Mookie’s comment - out loud even - “Oh my!”

Yep - that’s what I saw and you are right - they looked so beat up. If they hadn’t been loaded I would have figured they were going to the scrap yard.

Thanx guys - you did good!

Mook

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Mooks:

Before you ask out loud…I’ve never tried or even thought about trying to unload one of those rascals full of chocolate cake.[:D][:D] If Uncle Peter delivers a Big Boy (not the Frisch’s or Shoney’s kind), he could also deliver some mulch and landscaping in one air dump (for you and how many neighbors?) and the chocolate cake in another [dinner][dinner][dinner]

Mud Chicken

PS…Tree68 & I may have located a substitute in Chamberlain, SD if Uncle Peter cannot deliver a 24 wheeled articulated steam kettle on short notice.

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MC - there is one in Omaha that they aren’t using that I would be very happy to take off their hands. Need to borrow a pick-em-up truck, however. Won’t fit in Millie’s trunk.

Landlord landscaped back yard - remodeled the basement in duplex next door and now back yard is full of dirt piles and broken concrete. Nice habitat for mice and rats - I am giving him until May and then he will get the Mookie Mouf…

Hope UP makes sure the chocolate cake is wrapped and not left out in the rain…[#oops]