With this year coming to a close fairly soon, it's time to reflect on the past 12 or so months. Since this is a RR forum, I'll limit the subject to railfanning. The question is: What was your favorite railfanning moment (or moments) of 2006? Trip reports are OK if you wish.
Tripleheaded steam! My favorite fanning moment of the year was getting down to Atkinson, Illinois, on September 16 and then finding out that the doubleheaded steam train was really tripleheaded.
A lot of great railfanning in 2006, too much to list! I saw military trains: I saw some cool shortlines: Heck, I even saw Thomas: But my favorite had to be the ride we took in Chama:
Hey, we rode the other end of that railroad on Labor Day weekend! Here's the fireman and the locomotive that pulled our train from Antonito to Osier.
No contest; Mullan Pass, June 2006, with LAdiver, and Grant-sar! The rest of the tour is here: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=73985
Probably not that big of deal for most of you, but catching my first swoosh BNSF ES44 in Rochelle IL. was a big deal as seen here. And when THarms and I caught this brand new ES44, way north of the border, in Mendota IL. No steam for me this year . Jim
Ooh, this is a toughie! Well, there was that time we went up to Toronto and chased trolleys around town, catching a train for once on the NKP trestle in Painesville, OH (from below!). Also, finding the "Short Line" viaduct on the south side of Cleveland, which is on a very busy CSX main line. Another was seeing two CSX trains racing each other on the downhill towards the Painesville arch bridge. Various NS trains trying to climb the hill south out of Astabula... In lieu of pics, here are some of these locations on Google Satellite: Painesville Trestle (The CSX bridge is a mile north with a TV train on it) Short line bridge NS ore line in Ashtabula, showing NKP diamond. Note lack of east to south connection, a major headache for NS, which has a regular train that needs that connection. Instead, if the train from Buffalo is short, it will pull into the siding and back around the NB connection. If the train is long, however, they have to go 10 miles down the track to Unionville, switch ends, and head on up the SB connection.
I put this on before we started blogging, and it probably should go there. A report on the railfans and crews after a great photo trip in May this past year, at Sumpter Valley NG and Cowlitz, Chehalis and Cascade. http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=77103 Bob, of course the next best experience was meeting you in Portland during the recent Holiday Express. :teeth:
Railroad Adventures of 2006 - Yes, this has been a majr RR year for me [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]OCT 29 - Heritage Square (Rio Golden - 15" Gauge)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]OCT 29 - Colorado Railroad Museum (Ghost Train)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]SEP 25 - Gold Camp Road (Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek Railway)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]SEP 24 - Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge (2' Gauge)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]SEP 22 - Manitou & Pike's Peak (Cog Railway)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]SEP 17 - Colorado Railroad Museum (Thomas the Train)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]SEP 04 - Georgetown Loop Narrow Gauge Railroad[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]AUG 27 - Tiny Town[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]AUG 19 - Colorado Railroad Museum (Steam Up; Old Georgetown Loop Equipment)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]JUL 23 - Ski Train[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]JUL 23 - Cheyenne Frontier Days Train (DENVER)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]JUL 02 - Colorado Railroad Museum (Part II)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]JUN 30 - Colorado Railroad Museum (Part I)[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]JUN 11 - Boulder Railfan Trip[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Boulder County Railway Museum[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Depots / Stations[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Static Displays[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]APR 11 - Copper Canyon, Mexico[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Currently being uploaded[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Also visit my Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures) - Copper Canyon, Mexico topic for more info...[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]FEB 26 - Denver Railfan Trip[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Misalliance: BD, BNSF, COPR, CORX, CSX, SF, UP[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]RTD (Regional Transportation District) Light Rail[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Denver UNION Station[/FONT]
Well my top where the steam only TVRM excursion back in Aug and then there was a good chase with a CR SD60-I on the point of a NS train between Chatt and ATL. Then I guess the other for me would be getting to see the New England Central units on a the EARY in Alabama.
Hmmmm........what DID I do? For me, 2006 was a very good year, railfan-wise. Plus, I got to meet the boss (Charlie) in Maine, George at Wig-Wag Trains in ABQ, and Fitz up in Portland. Shot Maine two-foot stuff in Portland, ME Caught an Alco C425 in Rockport, ME Rode the Downeaster as well as the Boston subway Saw & captured on film some new Alcos on the A&M in Arkansas Shot several varieties of GE on the Arkansas-Oklahoma in eastern Oklahoma Took the youngest son out to try out his new digital camera (railfan trip in Denison, TX) Paced along the BNSF Transcon from Vaughn west to Gallup, NM SHot beaucoup BNSF trains in western NM Railfanned the NS in & around Macon, GA Shot pics of several Georgia shortlines In the process of shooting pcis of Oregon shortlines Captured SP&S 700 and SP 4449 on film For me, railfanning has been and continues to be a therapy plus a safe way to pass the time while away from the family. It's much safer and cheaper to chase trains than skirts (The safe part does not apply if you're single, however )
Some top hits from my trips 2006 There was this find but no trains in site. Then there was this site with BN green out in front Then there was the visit to Union Illinois that is always a big hit with me. BUT this one has to top all them any time I get to set in the seat of any engine moving or not is got to be the top of my list
Then there was the trip to Wis. (forgot the town name) to see a real mg: (not live ) Shay Also in Wis. it's always good to see a snow blower when its not snowing
It's pretty hard to miss trains in Alaska, as there are only a few roads and only a few tracks, and they parallel each other most of the time. Sometimes they share the same tunnel.
Here's a follow up to the previous post, now with pix! Streetcar in Toronto: Short Line bridge: NKP's Painesville bridge:
