I've actually seen a SR71 before at Omaha in the SAC museum (if you like big planes check it out!!!) it was alot smaller than I thought it was, but I wasn't surprised as it was originally designed as a intercept aircraft. They also have a Concord at Intrepid, that'll be cool never saw one in the metal, they only came to Sydney a few times. Come to think of it I've seen more planes than trains so far!!! That'll change as the tour goes on. As to keeping tabs on what I've bought, your going to loose track after Denver!!
Oh no,Caboose Hobbies look out for a crazy Ozzy with a twitch in his eye.... Hey Sten if you find any M/T PFE 40' steel reefers,grab them for us & I'll direct debit your account .
or N Scale Supply!!! but there are a few other shops that I like that I'll be passing through such as Bruce's Train shop in Sacramento and Des Plaines Hobbies in Chicago. (got to get their new C&NW Sleeper!!!) anyways just a short one today gotta go and find some trains!!! PS to CityRail "Stop running over people!!"
that's great to hear Colonel, but maybe this week will be different with no SBY trains and buses around the traps. but if not they can always drop the OTR benchmark back to 3 mins instead of 5 and see how things are really doing.... just arrived in Toronto Ontario. CN had a massive power failure and lost all the signals not long after we crossed into Canada so we ended up being just under 1hr late, not bad considering Amtraks poor commitment to OTR. Niagara Falls tomorrow then buff out on GO transit the day after...... plus a visit to Georges Trains...... need some CN power!!!
well stooged around Toronto today, went down to Union station to pic up my ticket for tomorrows trip on the Canadien and also went and picked up some Go transit TT's what!!!!! they run about 6 trains a day and the rest are buses. so that idea went out the window as I hate buses. while in the area of Union station I think in the space of just over 2 hours I saw 4 inbounds and no outbounds. I guess living in Sydney with CityRail one does get spoilt where it is possible for example to ride to the extremity of the electrified system (Newcastle - 150kms from Sydney) with departures every hour. The thing that gets me is that when you read of these systems they say how great they are, but....... maybe they are if you are a commuter living in the burbs and travelling to and from the city during those hours, but not so much for a tourist wanting to travelt o and from the burbs off peak. Saying that I liked the subway system, 5min headways all day, good service easy to use and they have Guards!!!!! yay!! but sucked in to them, they don't have full length crew compartments, so they open the drivers cab door and lock off a section of passenger area. headed to Georges trains, not much in N scale so all I bought was a DVD on Toronto railfanning and some paints. anyways roughing it on the Canadien tomorrow in coach ALL the way to Vancouver (3nights) this'll be a test!!!! but very much looking foward to it...... after all they say that the Canadian rockies are like heaven on earth.
Sten, just caught your travelogue...great stuff. Sounds like you are having a wonderful time. To comment.... 1) Westmont Hobbies, in New Jersey, was a well stocked and well run Mom-n-Pop LHS back in the early 60's when I lived three blocks up the street from them. Don't know who owns it now...maybe Mom-n-Pop's kids or grandkids... 2) The "elevated" tracks in New York City you referred to is known as the "High Line". It was part of the New York Central System, completed in 1934 to remove all downtown freight movements off the streets for about 2-1/2 miles below 34th street and the Central's 11th Avenue Freight Yard. I believe the last traffic was run by Conrail sometime around 1980. CSX took over ownership of the High Line after the Conrail breakup. Now I believe the City has gained ownership, or at least a long-term lease with rights to create a 2-1/2 mile long park out of the right-of-way. The last photos I saw showed that most of the trackage was still in place, although difficult to see under all the weeds and trash.
that's the one. I had read an article on it in Trains mag, and when it was still in the streets they called it "death ave" or something because of all the hitups. arrived in Vancouver BC this ........ afternoon. train was 5hrs late due to I believe a CP coal train derailed/broken down in the Fraiser River canyon. So CN was hosting run throughs and we joined the que at Ashcroft about 1am and only reached Boston Bar just after day break. I tell you while the trip was good, 3nights to sit on a train is tooooo long and I felt like I had the hangover of the century when I got off the train. Don't know yet what I'll do in Vancouver but there is a model train museum on Granville Is so I'll check that out. The sky train is pretty cool, used it to get from the station to the hotel as the taxi que was a mile long and I don't like Canadian taxi drivers with their tiny cars that can't fit any luggage in the trunk. 2 nights here and on the Cascades to Seattle (and the Boeing tour!!!!!)
for those keeping tabs I went to Central Hobbies!!! Kaslo SD50F body shell SD-50 undec F40PH CNGP40 DI BN 5 pack husky stack athern Railbox box car. they'll be sent home on Thursday, (saves carrying the stuff. looking forward to playing with the SD50. Jason body shell up for grabs - armour yellow MP - or maybe Colonel would want it... bids !!!!
Well Boeing is on strike so going to see that big mountain MT Rainier (sp) The Cascades run was awesome and the Conductor made some of the best announcements I have heard,,,,, anywhere.
Sten, I stopped by N Scale Supply this last weekend and they had a lot of pre-owned stuff available at unbeatable prices. The wife had to drag me out of there after drooled for an hour or so. Stop by there if you get a chance. Also if your travels happen to take you through Utah you might check out the air muesum outside of Hill Airforce Base. It is just north of Salt Lake City in a town called Roy. The best part is that the muesum is free! Ben
all the time I kept wishing they had the Essential Services Act just so I could go and see the factory. for those that don't know what the Act is, it basically stops those who provide essential services from striking. any employee or Union can be fined or imprisoned - they used it on CityRail train crew during our EBA negotiations. anyways got to see Mt Rainier from many different angles, nice mountain. beautiful day, what's all this about the Pacific Northwest and rain???? not a cloud in the sky
will be dropping by N scale supply if they are open on the days I'm there. As the the Utah thing, only passing through on the train. Think I've seen enough planes for the trip so it's train hunting time!!!!
did some train hunting, not much as Seattle became what it is known around the world for. Wet!!!! got a couple of stack trains, and a light engine movement, and some pics of the Melbourne trams they have running around here
Cool!!! I live about 15mins walk away from the joint...yet sooooo far away this yr. I hope it is better than the skeptics think it'll be. Heading to San Francisco today on the Coast Starlight. Highlights for SF include Nappa Valley Wine train, Sacramento (train museum - will get a decent shot of that Cab Forward yet!!) and general touring. I want to try for a circle tour by taking CalTrains to San Jose and then Amtrak back to Oakland. Going to San Jose I can hopefully snap some ACE stock while there. fingers crossed this can work...
arrived in SF today, train was 5hrs late due to late arrival/turnaround in Seattle and "congestion" preventing the dispatcher frm allowing the train to turn. There were a fair few freights through (about every 15mins) but it shows poor train control and path management to delay a train for 1.5hrs when there was plenty of room for a path.. From there I will blame Amtrak, "yeah we're running 5hrs late but the next stop will be a smoke stop" In NSW if Countrylink falls just 10mins off the table then no more smoke breaks until crew change point - or back on time.
headed out to Sacramento today, thanks to the marvals of digital cameras, I was able to get what looks like a decent photograph of the Cab Forward (3rd time lucky....) was going to head out to Bruces Train shop, but decided against it as I already purchased a couple of locos yesterday (Chans Trains and Franciscan Hobbies) so I'll save my cash for Denver. Napa Valley Wine train tomorrow then on Wednesday I'm taking a Cal Trains trip to San Jose. Then Thursday on the Cal Zephyr to Denver.
