Sorry guys, I'm swamped at work. Couldn't upload some photos, but I have some. So starting thread and I'll be back with pictures.
Empty BNSF coal train out of Houston has just switched off the UP Sunset Route onto home rails and is heading north to Sealy and beyond.
I need to get out and take a few fresh photos! WAMX 301 RCC unit. Columbia Falls, Montana: Sorry about the weeds. They were all along that track at the time I was there. Could not seem to persuade them to move.
I am in this week. I thought for fathers day this may work. Our grandson Gavin doing some train watching in Belen NM looking down the BNSF yard south from the north end. Were on the way to the NMRA regional convention in Albuquerque. Mike
Well, I promised pictures. Alas, I have time for only one. Last Sunday, the Rocklin Rocket (local) was powered by 2 GP39-2s. In over 2 years living here, this is the first time I've seen GP39-2s in any service. This is most often a GP40-2/GP60 powered train.
It services industries in Roseville and Rocklin all the way I think to Lincoln on the Valley sub. I do not think there's anything on the Donner Sub that it gets to. Other trains that originate out of Roseville are the Redding Turn (which is actually not a Turn, because it ties up in Redding and returns the next day rather than going out and back in one shot.) And the Canyon Crawler which goes up the Ex-WP Feather River Canyon sub.
Over the years the railroad vernacular has changed depending on what the railroad and/or crews called a train. Never mind what the mess the rail fans have contributed to the confusion. Grin! For example when my family of rails worked the Boron switch job, which is how I heard them refer to it. It was also referred to as the Boron Local. It was a one day out and back type of job. More about Boron: Later, the Borax Mine, at Boron, Ca,, was switched by what the rails called a "Turn". The train would originate out of Barstow, Ca., headed for Bakersfield, Ca.. The crew and train switched the Borax Mine as well as other locations along the route but continue on to Bakersfield where it would tie down overnight and the next day return (where we get the verbiage "Turn") via Boron, back to Barstow, Ca. The same thing happens with the San Diego Turn. It originates in Barstow, travels to San Diego, ties up overnight and then returns the next day.
Panama Canal - Part 1 Did some video work from a trip we took back in 2001 [video=youtube;BbRdOqVBIy8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbRdOqVBIy8[/video]
Rick, I was taught the meaning of turn by a former SP/UP dispatcher. On the SP and later Up, a turn is same symbol out and back. The Redding Turn is I believe 2 symbols one eastbound to Redding, one Weatbound to Roseville and is therefore 2 way freights. Of course, Rocklin Rocket and Canyon Crawler are just fun Sac/Roseville specific names.
Yup. Localisms. Such as reference to The Milwaukee Road line up Tacoma Hill, which was originally main line of predecessor company the Tacoma Eastern Railroad. Locals called it the "T&E" or "T&E Gulch" for decades thereafter. Which causes problems to no end, as hobby newbies and those lazies who do not bother to do any research have then assumed, obviously incorrectly, it was the Tacoma & Eastern RR. When there was never actually any ampersand. As to such as "local" and "turn", after the BN merger, there were some line coordinations between that RR and the MILW. On one formerly all MILW branch, the two companies operated alternating days, Monday through Saturday each week. BN had their "Snoqualmie Turn". The MILW was the "Snoqualmie Local". We did hear references to such, from dispatchers, etc, on the radio. Of course there were official train numberings for bookkeeping purposes, and both trains were operated as extras east and west for their round trips.
Pretty cool Darren! Thanks for sharing your video of the " ships " going thru with the aid of the loco's ! Those guys seem to be pretty relaxed and confident.
YoHo, Yep, agreed. No argument here and none intended. Just using examples of how the railroads arrived at some of their terminology. A return trip would be a "Turn". And then as Ken, pointed out it would depend on the dispatchers usage, based on the official designation given to such operations, of the railroad operating the train. Some railroads call their daily switch jobs, locals while others call them turns. Now to hear the crews and what they call their jobs. Well....I better not get into that. I can't use expletives like that here on TB. Grin!
Yeah, I can't imagine that even for someone living in Barstow and therefore, presumably they like the Mojave Desert, that the Boron Turn was a popular one. Especially in non-AirConditioner equipped power. Couple of weeks ago, I posted this blurry image of a train, I assume of Borax in the hole at Boron.
YoHo, If that doesn't look like the real deal. I have no idea what train that might be but if it's picking up or dropping off cars like the first one pictured, it could be loaded with Borate. You are so right about the heat. Most of the time the Mojave Desert is a pleasant place to live. Natives of the area were known to move to the mountains during the summers and winter on the desert. It does get hot on the desert...no doubt. One of the saviors was a insulated ice container/cooler on the tender. Providing it was filled with ice.... the crews would dampen their kerchiefs with the cold water and wrap it around their necks. Work times on the desert? Most crews liked beating it out of the yard early in the morning. Coolest time of the day.