Rail-fanning on The OGR Forum 🚂 Welcome: Pictures YOU have taken! • Hope to see you out rail-fanning.

Arnold - thanks for the explanation. I kinda thought there might be another version of the story.  The forum certainly does not want to get embroiled in a copyright suit.  I'll continue to post my photos or links as is my practice.  I do not envy the staff who has to manage this stuff, tough job. 

Just a note - a copyright is created when the author creates it. The author does not need to file with the government to establish a copyright - it simply exists by law because it exists.  Basically everything is covered by copyright and unless you own it you are limited on how you can share. Way too much detail to go into here - as a non-attorney I have been working with copyright issues for 4 to 5 years at the university and still need to consult copyright attorneys when issues arise.  Rule of thumb - if you own it you can post, if not, don't post or get written permission.

@ScoutingDad posted:

Arnold - thanks for the explanation. I kinda thought there might be another version of the story.  The forum certainly does not want to get embroiled in a copyright suit.  I'll continue to post my photos or links as is my practice.  I do not envy the staff who has to manage this stuff, tough job.

Just a note - a copyright is created when the author creates it. The author does not need to file with the government to establish a copyright - it simply exists by law because it exists.  Basically everything is covered by copyright and unless you own it you are limited on how you can share. Way too much detail to go into here - as a non-attorney I have been working with copyright issues for 4 to 5 years at the university and still need to consult copyright attorneys when issues arise.  Rule of thumb - if you own it you can post, if not, don't post or get written permission.

There is more to it than "ScoutingDad" says in his second paragraph.  If you don't go through the processes of copyrighting your work ... in other words register it properly with the government ... then if someone uses it and you take them to court for copyright infringement, you will have a tough time winning the case.  However, who the heck wants to go to court and spend the time and financial resources?  In our terms of service, we deal with this problem as our copyright legal staff advised us to do.  If you post pictures you have taken on this website, then you do so per our TOS.  So, all of you that post your own pictures here may want to read our TOS on copyright carefully.  It is the same as if you provide us pictures for the magazine.  The right to use them is granted to OGR through your use of this site per our TOS.  Everyone that signs up as a member of this forum/site is bound by our TOS.

Shot last week of a NJT Armed Forces Unit in Rutherford on the Bergen-Main Line.

More LIRR MOW yesterday.

Rail-fanning at the CN Yard • Pontiac Michigan

February 5th, 2022 • 15ºF

Went out for a short rail-fanning trip to the CN Yard. The CN Railway uses this GT as a yard locomotive. The day started out by putting on my yellow rail-fanning boots and removing the snow off my Ford F150. This CN Loco #4930 & GT #4930 are idling on a siding. Finished up the evening at Amtrak’s siding with a fisheye lens.

Every model railroader started out rail-fanning!

Hope to see you out rail-fanning and posting your images on “Rail-fanning on The OGR Forum”. Any day and time. 😎

🇺🇸 Gary 🇺🇦

Spring planting season is just around the corner here in the northern plains and the Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern looks to be ready to "plant" a new crop of ties on their South Dakota mainline.  Here they are staged up in Iroquois, SD earlier this week.

Some recent loot

AMTK 130 leads 5 through the tunnel district on Saturday morning April, 9, 2022.

From a few years ago at Spruce, CO a loaded coal train rolls away from the hold signal for the assault up to the Palmer Divide under severe warned hail producing thunderstorms. 7/19

Flat Irons Manifesto

From a distance between the top of the world as so exclaimed by those who blasted through these rocks and the place called Arena below the Big Ten is an incredible place of cathedrals of giant granite that slice upward like guardians of the Great Plains. Morning Spring snow still falls in the marbled sunshine on the pines and red rocks of these great slabs while a BNSF train resplendent in a variety of tones emerges from tunnel 4. Its hard to believe without seeing it with your own eyes a train cuts right through these granite towers; most definitely not around it. 4/21

Pinecliffe Manifesto

Middle ground and right in between the big canyon and the free run to the Divide is Pinecliffe. Its a dramatic corner and a horse shoe around a place on the river called Boiling Gulch by the founders. Also the subject of the tightest curve on very unstraight line west of Rocky, CO. South Boulder Creek plays a poem of geologic history and sound written in deep granite walls. Tunnel 29 still plays host here and the daylighted 28, the gate keeper to the deep canyons that lead to Great High Plains. A train threads through here, an echo of steel wheels and fuel oil; still a magical sound one rarely forgets. These walls of granite are like an instrument, a violin’s strings vibrating a song of a miracle of engineering.

Some Fall color and gray skies bind the mood. Love those grades in these mountains. 4/22

Morning in the valley east of Rollins Pass. 2/22

Calling all MP fans!  You don't see much MP hanging around, but here in Atchison Kansas there are some things.  It is at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Depot.  The Santa Fe originated here in Atchison Ks.  This town was a jumping off point for Pilgrims heading west on the trails.  Wagons were supplied here.  The river bends west several miles to here making the wagon trip shorter.  The Missouri Pacific built up here from Kansas City, so now UP is king.  Santa Fe moved its main lines to the Kansas City area rather than here.  A swing bridge was built over the Missouri river here in the last part of the 19th century.  It looks to be used very little.  The Depot is now a museum and visitor center.  Across the street is a modest yard.  Just down the street stands a new Holiday Inn Express, and just a couple of blocks further is the swing bridge and a river trail perfect for that morning walk or run.  Streets heading north are still brick and steep hardly describes them.  Up there stand awsome old mansions overlooking the river and the town.  The Depot has this 2-8-0 available for viewing, but not well preserved, plus an array of rolling stock including MP baggage car.  Given the small town atmosphere, I wandered around the engines getting close up shots.  All pics by me.

For whatever reason in fall 2021, Amtrak's (then two) daily Regionals to Williamsburg were a hotbed of heritage unit activity. Over the next few weeks, I will showcase the madness, which brought all of Amtrak's than-operational P42DC heritage units save 184 through the city, many of them in daylight. As is standard practice, I attempted multiple angles on most of the units. (0:00) Title card

(0:09) Train 1: NE Regional 125 P42DC 100, "Midnight Blue"

(1:38) Train 2: NE Regional 65 P42DC 23, Phase V

(2:06) Train 3: NE Regional 99 P42DC 108, Phase VI 50th anniversary

(4:50) Train 4: NE Regional 66 P42DC 161, "Phase I" Note the improperly closed cafe car water tank.

(7:53) Train 5: NE Regional 65 P42DC 146, Phase V (EMD steel bell)

Dan

Love your work. I get down to Williamsburg a couple of times a year to visit the grandkids. Have to check out some of your viewing locations.

On regionals 65/66 I see a baggage car, a viewliner (diner/sleeper?) and the cafe car before all the coaches. I've never seen this in any of my trips. Was it something new or just moving equipment?

David

@Scotie posted:

Dan

Love your work. I get down to Williamsburg a couple of times a year to visit the grandkids. Have to check out some of your viewing locations.

On regionals 65/66 I see a baggage car, a viewliner (diner/sleeper?) and the cafe car before all the coaches. I've never seen this in any of my trips. Was it something new or just moving equipment?

David

Thanks David, I appreciate the compliment! Almost all of my shots were either at the Transportation Center or within a 10-minute walk from there. The cafe is standard equipment on all Regionals, but the Viewliner sleeper is not; back in 1997, Amtrak changed its overnight NEC train from the Night Owl to the Twilight Shoreliner, which instead of terminating in DC, ran through to Newport News. That service stopped in 2003 (all of this is per Wikipedia, as a disclaimer). In mid-2020, Amtrak decided to trial putting a sleeper on the Northeast Corridor again; since 65 left Williamsburg at about 4:50 and got to DC at about 8:00 PM (and 66 arrived in WAS at 7:00 AM or so), they decided to, in effect, bring back the Shoreliner but keep the Northeast Regional branding.

65, 66 and 67 were suspended south of DC along with several other trains at the beginning of this year, apparently because of a shortage of crews, and have not yet returned; only within the past month or so has Amtrak quietly added a bus substitute that runs from WBG to Richmond and connects with one of the long-distance trains that uses the CSX A-Line. I have not yet talked to anyone at Amtrak about whether the sleeper will come back if and when full service is restored.

@Erik C Lindgren posted:

Some recent loot

AMTK 130 leads 5 through the tunnel district on Saturday morning April, 9, 2022.

Eric,

I rode #5 back from the March Meet to the SF Bay Area.  This is an awesome photo.  I now know what it looked like from outside the train.  Someone told me that there were 44 tunnels between Denver and Salt Lake.  Thanks for sharing this and your other amazing photographs.  NH Joe

Dan

I used to take 95 down from Newark to Wilmington but its a long ride after Staples Mill Road. Lately I've taken the Silver Star to Staples Mill so I can get a roomette, much more comfortable, no mask etc. Meal in the diner included but its really bad. My son in law works in Richmond and picks me up for the ride to Wilmington.

My brother lives in Lakeland FL so we take the Star to visit him. Was a really bad trip when they pulled the diners and only had one cafe car for the whole train. Haven't done it since COVID but we're planing a trip this September. Love to see the sleeper back on the Wilmington run.

Haven't been out trackside recently, here are a few from the past.

West of Syracuse, early 80's

Leadville, Colorado and Southern Sep 2019

Chama NM Aug 2021

@wb47 posted:

Calling all MP fans!  You don't see much MP hanging around, but here in Atchison Kansas there are some things.  It is at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Depot.  The Santa Fe originated here in Atchison Ks.  This town was a jumping off point for Pilgrims heading west on the trails.  Wagons were supplied here.  The river bends west several miles to here making the wagon trip shorter.  The Missouri Pacific built up here from Kansas City, so now UP is king.  Santa Fe moved its main lines to the Kansas City area rather than here.  A swing bridge was built over the Missouri river here in the last part of the 19th century.  It looks to be used very little.  The Depot is now a museum and visitor center.  Across the street is a modest yard.  Just down the street stands a new Holiday Inn Express, and just a couple of blocks further is the swing bridge and a river trail perfect for that morning walk or run.  Streets heading north are still brick and steep hardly describes them.  Up there stand awsome old mansions overlooking the river and the town.  The Depot has this 2-8-0 available for viewing, but not well preserved, plus an array of rolling stock including MP baggage car.  Given the small town atmosphere, I wandered around the engines getting close up shots.  All pics by me.

My sister went to college in Atchison KS.  I recall there being a flood on the Missouri around 2010 or 2011.  The connection between the north south main over by the east river bluff and the bridge into town retained its crown of driftwood for a while afterward the flood.  I suspect the swing bridge was not in use anymore.

Ten years ago there was a lovely cafe a few blocks away named the Marigold.

-Nathan

Near Bucoda, WA

Centralia yard:

Bucoda, WA:

Whoa!  Normally, when one is stopped  by lowered gates across Weston County Road 10, it's to count the 100+ nearly identical coal hoppers hauling away chunks of Wyoming dug from the Powder River Basin coal fields.  Today, however, saw a real mixed freight heading west.  The UPS driver behind me may have been annoyed by the delay, but I wasn't!  I have only two regrets, that I was on the wrong side of the tracks for the sunlight and that I missed capturing the KCS Diesel that was third back.

@Bill of the Paha Sapa Lines RR posted:

Whoa!  Normally, when one is stopped  by lowered gates across Weston County Road 10, it's to count the 100+ nearly identical coal hoppers hauling away chunks of Wyoming dug from the Powder River Basin coal fields.  Today, however, saw a real mixed freight heading west.  The UPS driver behind me may have been annoyed by the delay, but I wasn't!  I have only two regrets, that I was on the wrong side of the tracks for the sunlight and that I missed capturing the KCS Diesel that was third back.

And Boeing air frames as a nice bonus.

Tenino and Rochester, WA, just now:

Guys....this is the real trains forum.  If you want to post pictures of model trains on your layout, please post them in one of the appropriate forums for that purpose.  Thanks!

Great thread folks, here are two of mine.

Burlington / Norfolk Southern (BNSF) double stack train traveling about 55 mph through Crawford Texas, March 2020

The Savannah and Old Fort, an 8 mile Watco short line serving the Savannah wharf and riverside industry, moves mostly chemicals and wood products.  Taken just outside Savannah Ga,  Jan 2021.

Best Wishes

Don

Had to catch this Amtrak heritage unit which I'd never seen before, in view of the Virtual Railfan cam at Chehalis, WA about an hour ago:

Note the fireman returned my wave.

The rail cam caught me (to the far right, in a WW2 'tanker' jacket and orange cap) taking these shots:

On April 15, 2022 some new Amtrak transcontinental units ALC42 were being transported to Chicago. Amtrak’s “new look” paint scheme.  I grabbed some shots at Blue Mountain despite the less than ideal light.

@Erik C Lindgren posted:

On April 15, 2022 some new Amtrak transcontinental units ALC42 were being transported to Chicago.

It's time to get photos of GE's on Amtrak.  They will quietly disappear before long, like the F40PHs did.

Not a photo, but I saw this NS pulling a consist with RBMN rolling stock and thought it was interesting enough to share a video.

On June 3rd 2021, Amtrak's Pennsylvanian had one of the Department of Transportation's inspection cars tacked onto the end for its run west to Pittsburgh. I had hoped to catch the train heading west into the strong setting sun, but alas, Amtrak ran late again and foiled those plans. As was custom, though, I stuck around after Amtrak, and was rewarded with a meet between what I believe were the Union Railroad's 76 and 10 crews, the former with a three-unit set of SWs and slabs, the latter with 5 units and a string of coke and other interchange cars. In short, a night for strobes: the safety lights on the FRA's converted Metroliner, and the remote control lights on the Union's switchers.

(0:10) Doe, a deer, a female deer....

(0:38) Amtrak 43/NS 07T P42DC 94 DOTX 216

(1:47) Union 76 Crew SW1500 no. 8 (blue/blue) MP15DC 28 (blue/yellow) MP15DC 15 (blue/blue)

(3:45) Backs down to Edgar Thompson Works

(7:00) Meets Union 10 crew from Mon Southern Yard

(11:00) 10 crew goes to Dexter Yard

Lunch & Rail-fanning

Yesterday: April 22, 2022 • Waterford, Michigan

Today I had lunch at a greasy spoon. Two sliders & fries. As I left I ask for the rest room key, which is attached to a red spatula. It was a overcast day with light rain showers. There was a BNSF locomotive #4059 and this is rare for Michigan. Also saw an Illinois Central and several CN locomotives.

The last three photos were shot with a fisheye lens as a selfie. I am the guy wearing the Detroit Tigers Ball Cap.

Every model railroader started out rail-fanning!

Hope to see you out rail-fanning and posting your images on “Rail-fanning on The OGR Forum”. Any day and time. 😎

🇺🇸 Gary 🇺🇦

@p51 posted:

Had to catch this Amtrak heritage unit which I'd never seen before, in view of the Virtual Railfan cam at Chehalis, WA about an hour ago:

Note the fireman returned my wave.

The rail cam caught me (to the far right, in a WW2 'tanker' jacket and orange cap) taking these shots:

Great pix Lee. VRF is one of my favorite sites on YouTube.

Go over to the train club next time and they will give you a close up. 👍

Bob

Was in Battle  Creek Mi to watch my granddaughter compete in a gymnastics meet. She was very happy with her highest ever score and on the beam and netted a second place and three medals overall.

As it turns out there is quite a bit of rail traffic in town.

Had a great pizza in tne old firehouse. Note the street sign Grand Trunk - i assume this is for the Grand Trunk & Western which used to serve this area.

Now for a true rail Fan photo , just a sweeping double curve which would make an even better photo with a train on them.

As it turns out, right after i snapped this photo, i heard the familiar sound of lumbering diesels on another set of tracks as a CN freight headed west. Video won`t load I`ll try again later. Then on a couple of later west bound freights all headed by a CN engine, one with a light grey engine could not see a road name followed by a weathered Wisconsin Central and later a Canadian Pacific adding HP in the middle of a long freight. Never have seen eitner of these road names in person. Too far away for a decent photo with my phone cam.

The video is funny mainly  because of the conversation I was having with myself while capturing the video.

Yesterday went for a hike with the family to the centennial trail in Romeoville Illinois. Next to it is an old Comed coal fired generating plant. I snapped these photos  of WCCH (Will County Coal Handling) SD20 #1802. She's ex IC->ICG->UP. I first saw her 3 years ago parked in the same spot. Looks like she hasn't moved since.  Rumors were that Comed/Exelon/NRG was shuttering old coal fired plants but with the amount of coal still on the grounds it'll be a long time. At first I thought that she was ex Burlington Northern based on the paint scheme but the green is darker than BN's Cascade Green.

This was as close as I could get to the engine,  sits behind chain link fence with a lot of barbed and razor wire. By all the lights on the cab she must have radio control capability.

The trail goes over an old offset swing bridge but dummy me I don't have any pics to show.  Maybe next time.

@ScoutingDad posted:

Was in Battle  Creek Mi to watch my granddaughter compete in a gymnastics meet. She was very happy with her highest ever score and on the beam and netted a second place and three medals overall.

As it turns out there is quite a bit of rail traffic in town.

Is there a diamond crossing at grade between the ex-Michigan Central and the ex-Grand Trunk Western?

@Scouting Dad :  Great job by your granddaughter. Three medals and 2nd place overall...Olympics next!  OBTW that building you took a picture of looks like the old Durand, Mi station the turrets etc seem to be a the same architecture.

Best Wishes and congratulations to that granddaughter!

Don

Saw a LORAM MOW rail and ballast train passing overhead on the LIRR main line at Merillon Ave earlier today. I was running my 17 YO/ learners permit in hand,  son around practicing some driving so it would have been bad form for me to pull out my phone and start snapping pix.

https://www.google.com/maps/se...64,86m/data=!3m1!1e3

@Number 90  Don't really know about a diamond crossing in Battle Creek From Google Earth it looks like lines join through turnouts. Kellogg really has a large rail network supplying the plants. I did not see any crossings, but I may have just missed one. First time in town and did not get a whole lot of time to explore.

Following is the phone video I shot. I forgot the camera also records voice. Can't believe I was chuckling - taken totally by surprise by the chance encounter with the freight. How fun. The fire station is the red building on the left - right on top of the tracks, no fences, no signs, warnings nothing.

Amtrak Crew Change   •  January 26, 2022 • Pontiac, Michigan

Come along with Train Room Gary & Train Room Pam as we watch a “Crew Change at the Amtrak Station”.

Every model railroader started out rail-fanning!

Hope to see you out rail-fanning and posting your images on “Rail-fanning on The OGR Forum”. Any day and time. 😎

🇺🇸 Gary 🇺🇦

That is a really nice video, Gary!!

@trainroomgary posted:

Amtrak Crew Change   • January 26, 2022 • Pontiac, Michigan

Come along with Train Room Gary & Train Room Pam as we watch a “Crew Change at the Amtrak Station”.

Every model railroader started out rail-fanning!

Hope to see you out rail-fanning and posting your images on “Rail-fanning on The OGR Forum”. Any day and time. 😎

🇺🇸 Gary 🇺🇦

What train number and service is this Gary?

@Mark Boyce posted:

That is a really nice video, Gary!!

@RSJB18 posted:

What train number and service is this Gary?

Hi Mark: Thanks for watching & hope to see you out rail-fanning!

HIi: RSJB18: This is the Wolverine Line, Train #355 leaving Pontiac Station @ 5:28 PM

🇺🇸 Gary 🇺🇦

Amtrak heritage unit on a NE regional at Staples Mill Rd VA.

A couple of shots of Penn Station in Newark NJ. Notice the PRR Keystone over the door. They are restoring the benches now several of which also have the keystone carved in them.