Am at this very moment watching the Rochelle webcam in another window. I started it up about 5 minutes ago, and came in the middle of a train, more specifically a coal train, running eastbound on UP trackage. At the very end, there was one engine running backwards, I’m assuming as a helper. How often are helpers through Rochelle?
Noah, that’s not really a helper. It’s what’s known as distributed power. The locomotive on the rear of these trains is controlled by the engineer in the lead unit. With proper training, engineers using DP can haul longer, heavier trains more safely. Coal trains used to be in the 100-110-car range; the DP trains handle 130 cars or more, usually.
How often will you see them? Most, if not all, of the Wisconsin Electric (WEPX) coal trains have a DP unit; the Alliant Energy trains (EDGX) usually do, and a lot of the Midwest Generation (CWEX) trains do as well. Most of the other coal trains that go through Rochelle do not.
I live in Dekalb(about 15 min. east of Rochelle). I can look out my back windows of my house and see the UP line(about 750 ft away). It’s very rare any more to NOT see DP engines on the any of the coal trains that go by. That is heading east OR west.
By the way, can anyone ship me some oxygen, the air is pretty thin up here…
[xx(][xx(]LOL
Just saw a mountain lion run by.
This thread - plus LC’s post on CSX weather in Chicago - made me go to the webcam about a half hour ago. It was just light enough to see, but dark enough for the light of a train traveling toward Savanna, IL to be reflected off the signal cabinet on the lower left. I’d never seen that on the webcam, but then again I don’t go to that site too often. Pretty cool, though. Then, it turned out be be pretty short…about ten cars, so I guess it was a local. Moving at what looked like a pretty good clip, too. One of the boxcars (at least I think it was a boxcar…) had the unmistakable “GT” of Grand Trunk. This made me wonder how many of those are still out there? Don’t see them much here out on the west coast.
I have been surprised by DPU power on coal trains near Galesburg (Cameron to be precise).
You know, back in the good old days (20+ years ago) you’d always keep your camera ready for the end of the train in the hopes of seeing an interesting caboose. We lost that habit for a while but with DPU you have to have that camera ready again or take the chance of missing a good shot of interesting power. But there’s still nobody to wave at (or toss you copies of train orders and switch lists!) like there used to be in those long gone days of the caboose
Dave Nelson
Just happened to click onto the Rochelle web cam and noticed that the snow right around the diamonds has really gotten dirty since the snow stopped falling yesterday morning. Is this due to residue from track wear on the diamonds or from “stuff” i.e. dirt falling off of the passing cars when the bump accross the diamonds?
There are a ton of the GT boxcars stored on the CN in North Fond du Lac, WI. There were also some last year being totally rebuilt and painted blue with a small CN and the website.
Yeah, I could kick the kids out, they like the snow and I’m sure my wife would understand.[:)]
I’m always interested in furry rugs[:p]
Does the lion have corn coming out of its skin and will it get along with our shih-tzu[B)]…LOL
Yes, I am that close. I could give you about a 10 min heads up on all trains heading west towards the web-cam, and considering I have been riding the bump board these last many d
