Happy New YEAR! 5 years ago today I enjoyed a snowy white trip through the cascade range in Oregon on the Coast Starlight. Bound home for Portland. I would only live in Beaverton for another 30 days before a job opportunity would take me to Roseville.
Two cars that belong to the Texas Railroading Heritage Museum . The plan is to move them to Tomball, Texas one of these days.
Russell, nice photo of the helium car. NASA's Mississippi Test Facility (now Stennis Space Center) received helium by these cars back in the '60s. I even had one in N-Scale, though don't remember who made it.
My goodness -- a helium car. I have an old Atlas N Scale Helium Car, but have never seen a prototype until now. Thanks!
April 5, 1989 at MG Tower west of Horseshoe Curve, taken in the rain. I'd driven up from AL and wasn't going to let lousy weather deprive me of this shot, which required some significant planning and hiking to access. As luck would have it, the Pennsylvania Highway Patrol set up a license and insurance check point while I was en route to this shot. Everything was in order with my AL documents, but they were somehow suspect and asked me to stay put. After waiting 20 minutes, I decided to be a pain. I got out my luggage and opened it in the highway and sat close to the road putting on my hiking boots. I left everything spread about and finally a Trooper walked up, apologized and allowed me to go. MG (Middle Grade) was built in 1944 to assist in keeping the line fluid in WW-II.
Interesting -- I didn't know about that MG at the south end (and origin) of the Bel-Del branch. This link suggests it achieved its designation from nearby Montgomery Street. http://broadway.pennsyrr.com/Rail/Prr/Maps/Itlk/mg_beldel.gif
Larger companies seemed to end up with a fair number of duplicated station names. Especially when the operation came together in earlier years, via many mergers, leases and acquisitions. Sometimes it can be a real job to decipher which location is which, if not spelled out within the body of the order, or if dispatchers office is not noted at top, usually by the date line. You end up digging to find out the superintendent or chief dispatchers initials, and other methods. An involved process!
UP-CSX ethanol by BuddyBurton posted Jan 2, 2016 at 6:25 PM UP 8591 leading a CSX run-thru ethanol train west at Otis, IA. 12/30/15
They were built around 1994-96, so they must have required a good overhaul, in addition to some cosmetic changes like moving the headlights from the nose to the top of the cab (other than that, I don't see anything else, except maybe the louvers on the hatch under the cab), and whatever else NS likes in their motive power. Maybe some emissions upgrades? Only ATSF (and later BNSF) took SD75Ms. CN did take a gaggle of SD75Is (most of that production), as did BNSF and Ontario Northland.
After several years of almost being there at the right time, but not quite, got blessed today with sunshine and an empty coal train going over the Valley City, ND trestle! Will post a video to my youtube later, it sure gets loud under these things!
I do not believe significant rebuilding occurred. Most were LUGO laid Up Good Order. I believe BNSH kept the 75Is but it's hard to tell as they no longer classify them differently calling them all SD75m
Traveling back from a ski outing on Saturday 1/2/16 we stopped at the small town of Skykomish, WA and were greeted with an oldie but a goodie SD-9 on the BNSF Scenic sub. GN 1731 is ex-BNSF/BN 6126, nee-GN 599. It has been donated to the town of Skykomish. It is intended for cosmetic restoration to its original GN appearance and eventual display next to the restored depot.
Now that you point that out, yeah the top part of the structure on the left is not level. The left side of it drops down to support the deeper girder on the left. The rest of the structure's beams are more or less parallel to the same members on the other structures to the right.
It was set up to accept a second track eventually if needed, I think. The existing original girders are on the north side of the towers. So it makes it look a bit out of balance. The pics don't do justice to the height!
Glad to see the depot is finally on a foundation. Last time I was in that area, when I stopped by it was way up in the air on blocks and timbers.
The Great Northern Hotel is looking much better as well. The BNSF settlement monies have really improved the entire town.
