I've detected no regularity in the passage of trains here. If I had a timetable, I'd be taking a lot of pictures. Today, I got lucky. After hearing the whistle at home, we drove a mile or so to the crossing. I expected the train to have gone past, before we arrived. Indeed, the crossing was empty. I drove over the tracks & parked, anyway, & they appeared. Since I'd once seen a UP switcher on a siding here & see UP trucks by the office, I expected to see a UP locomotive. Instead, I saw two Southern Pacific 4-axle locomotives in consist! I see a small UP sign on them, too. Among other cars, they picked up two tank cars from the nearby Quality Liquid Feeds storage station. I don't know whether the QLF tank trucks bring the feed to be stored & loaded into the tank cars, or it is the other way around.
Perhaps, someone can identify the model of the locos:
http://s547.photobucket.com/albums/hh465/wlaine/Local%20Trains/
This will come in handy for UP train spotting. Note "Roster Options" upper right menu.
Locomotives: 103 pages.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=UP
#1476 GP40-2
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=48754
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1062430
#2050 GP60
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=87216
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1585188
Rolling Stock
Index by type:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsTypeList.aspx
63 page list:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsList.aspx?id=UP
390 pages thumbnails: (change "columns" to 3 for 260 pages.)
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?road=UP
Have fun. :D
The lead unit is a GP40-2. You can tell because there are 3 fans on the roof(4 if you count dynamics, but look at the rear section of the roof), and it has normal sized EMD grills on back. The second unit is a GP60. It has 3 Fans(Again 4 if you count those over the dnynamics) and larger grills, and different dynamic break blisters.
i am fortunate enough to have the ns former prr mainline about 100 feet from my door, csx former b&o/p&le 1/2 mile away at the bottom of the hill, ns former prr line across the river used by trains with high cars and coal about a mile away. between those lines, over 100 trains a day....
and then there's the union rr which is all switchers, a couple of miles away by the steel mill.....
gotta love those trains.....
Dear Friends,
Here in Altoona, one can go to the Horseshoe Curve Museum and get a print out of times regularly scheduled trains come through. Possibly it is on line somewhere for this and other rail road companies.
Jeff Ward,
What part of the 'burgh are you in?
Best Wishes,
Jack
Quote from: jward on June 04, 2009, 09:21:31 AM
i am fortunate enough to have the ns former prr mainline about 100 feet from my door, csx former b&o/p&le 1/2 mile away at the bottom of the hill, ns former prr line across the river used by trains with high cars and coal about a mile away. between those lines, over 100 trains a day....
and then there's the union rr which is all switchers, a couple of miles away by the steel mill.....
gotta love those trains....
Jeffery are you close to Rochester? My sister-in-law lives not to far from Conway yaerd and I have train watched the yard and the lines on both sides of the Ohio. Pittsburg area is great for railfans.
Tom
to answer the questions, i am in rankin, on the east side of pittsburgh.
rochester, i know well. i love the park where the beaver river meets the ohio, and have often taken photos of conrail and ns trains from the parking lot of the bowling alley in rochester. but i am about 35 miles east of there. i am about 6 miles west of the pitcairn yard, where they unload the intermodal trains.
We have a second home in McKeesport. The old B&O line through town was torn out in the late 1960's, with the tracks routed over a new bridge onto the old P&LE line. It's still a pretty busy route, and there's a good spot next to the tracks to train-watch right across the Yough from us. The P&LE, of course, was sucked into the mergers and the main line from McKeesport to Dickerson Run (Connellsville) was pulled up and is now a bike trail.
Dear Jeff,
That is a busy place! Isn't the old Edgar Thompson works there? Many moons ago we used to go over the Homewood-Rankin bridge on the way to West Mifflin to visit my sister. I was born in the Rochester hospital, and have seen many trains pass through that area. Back in 1982 or so the Zambelli's put on one heckuva fireworks display. They towed two barges and had the tow boat hold them stationary in the water whilst the fireworks were ignited. We watched them from the dock in Monaca.
Dear Nut,
I was in the Port last week and drove over that wonderful iron bridge from Port Vue. Must be very old indeed.
Best Wishes,
Jack
i live right off the end of the rankin bridge. and i often drive by the edgar thomson works. as for mckeesport, i go there several times a week. i was just there tthis afternoon. there is a csx yard under the duquesne bridge which often has some interesting locomotives, and even a c&o painted caboose they use on local freights.
that old iron bridge, known as the jerome street bridge, was built in the 1930s. i once worked for a man who was a retired photographer for the mckeesport daily news. he took photos of the great flood in 1936 from the uncompleted bridge. only the arch had been put up at that time. the p&le bridge right next to it is unique in that it has a switch right in the middle of the truss.
and yes, this is an area where you can't help but see trains. i've barely been home and i've seen 14 so far to-day.
Thanks for the links, Bob. They should keep me busy.
Thanks for identifying the SP locomotives, Guilford Guy. Now, I have an excuse to get an SP locomotive. ::)
WGL,
To determine the model of the locomotive go to www.railpictures.net and in the "Enter Keywords" box type in the railroad and locmotive number (example: SP 1476) and then it will give you pictures and it will give you the locomotive model.
Since Southern Pacific is a fallen flag, and their stock is owned by Union Pacific, you should first search the UP database for most recent numbering, which may or may not be different from the original SP number. In other words, search would be for UP1476.
Regards
Thanks, Trainsrock. Thanks, Bob, for explaining that UP owns the SP locomotives. If each locomotive's number is unique, then your links to 1476 & 2050 show the same locomotives I saw here. It's nice to know where they go.
I was disappointed that most of the cars didn't have names of railroads on them or companies whose product they were carrying.
For freight cars look for the reporting marks. Then refer to the AAR database to see who owns the marks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reporting_marks:_A
Thanks, Jeff for the info.
I will take my dear old Mother down there Sunday and watch a few choo choo's! She now resides in Elizabeth at a nursing home, so I get out there several time a month. I saw a few switchers working under the Boston bridge a month ago. Where does that line go?
Best Wishes,
Jack
Most cars painted today do not get much of an advertising gimmick on them. A lot of cars from car pooling companies, and cars sold surplus from other railroads, are just given a patch (paint over the old reporting marks and put the new railroads ones where the original ones were), or a dip job and new reporting marks. Finger Lakes Railway is notorious for doing this.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd264/Guilford_Guy/Weathering/IMG_3147.jpg
If you ever catch a Pan Am car out there, they look pretty spiffy and new.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd264/Guilford_Guy/Guilford/IMG_0918.jpg
The rolling stock on the shortline RR, SKOL, ( http://www.watcocompanies.com/railroads.htm ) that runs by my house is a dukes mixture of line names each proudly tagged with it's own distinct graffiti.
Rick
switchers? under the boston bridge? you have got me there. that line is the old b&o mainline to cumberland, md. the one that goes over sand patch mountain. maybe they were working on the track, they've been doing that alot lately on csx.
Dear Jeff,
Was down there Sunday afternoon under the Boston Bridge. Two CSX trains came through. The first was a consist of tankers, all CSX. The second was container cargo. Both were double headed.
Crossed the Duquesne Bridge and saw what you meant about the locos and rolling stock.
Thanks a million!
Did not know that Jim's was still doing business in W. Mifflin. Had a few dogs with me Mum. The last time I was there was 40 years ago.
Best Wishes,
Jack
jim's in west mifflin, and johnnie's in west elizabeth are both still going strong. it is great to eat at these places, which were around long before mcdonalds. that's one of the great things about pittsburgh, no matter how many big boys move in. we still will go to the little guy.....
did you happen to see the c&o caboose under the duquesne bridge? it might be the only one left in c&o paint.
Dear Jeff,
Was driving too fast to get a gander. How do I get down there to get a closer look?
This link listed the CSX depot in Donora:
http://pittsburgh-pa.yellowusa.com/Railroads.html
CSX
339 13th St
Donora,PA 15033
19.3MI from Pittsburgh
(724) 938-2817
Perhaps trains originate there? Regardless, it is good to hear the rumble of the diesel engines and wheel-on-rail.
Another aside, a local fisherman told me he caught a chain pickerel, a beautiful two footer that cooked up real nice!
Best Wishes,
Jack
that yard under the duquesne bridge is demmler, csx's base of operations in the pittsburgh area. locals originate there that go as far up river as newell, and as far west as neville island.
to get there, coming from downtown mckeesport, go straight past the ramp to the duquesne bridge. there is a red light under the ramp, turn left there and follow that road back to the tracks. be careful, they use remote controlled locomotives and the operator may or may not be onboard.
usually anywhere from 3 to 10 locomotives there, and 4 or 5 cabooses, most in csx paint.
Dear Jeff,
Thanks! I'll have a kraut-dog in your honor!
Best Wishses,
Jack
Coming back from M-port last Sunday I stopped in at Connellsville to see what might be moving on CSX. I just caught a Wheeling & Lake Erie train coming in. It had a Geep (maybe GP-40's) on either end, separated by about 6 steel coil cars. The lead unit was still in pretty fresh Rio Grande paint. The other in a blue and black scheme that looked like an old lease unit. Soon thereafter an eastbound CSX train rolled through. It's kind of tough to railfan the stretch of CSX east of Boston. There are only a few spots where any roads go down to the tracks. Unfortunately, the bike trail on the old P&LE R-O-W is on the other side of the river.
Dear Friends,
Recently scoped out the Pine Creek Trail area near Wellsboro, PA, home of the PA Grand Canyon, for a July Boy Scout trip.
http://www.gis.dcnr.state.pa.us/railtrails/oneTrail.aspx?name=Pine+Creek+Trail&RegID=2
In several areas there is trackage along Pine Creek and the bike trail. Perhaps it belong to the Tioga Central RR.
http://www.tiogacentral.com/
There are multiple access areas, right along the road in at least 30-50 spots along the 50 miles of maintained bike trail. There should be great viewing if any of you get up to see the PA Grand Canyon. I am not sure if it is for excursion or freight. Does anyone know?
Too, whilst looking up the Tioga Central RR, I found this nice link of Pennsylvania short lines. Several are from my home area of western PA.
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr819.htm
Hope you enjoy the links. Any comments are appreciated.
Best Wishes,
Jack