Weekly Rail Carloading Report - Week 8, 2008

There is an interesting report available on the web that is "A Weekly Report of North American Rail Freight Traffic by Major Railroad and Commodity." It is currently showing data for week 8 of 2008. Take a look.

http://railfax.transmatch.com/


Here is an example of the information available on this web site.

Attempt to steal ex-CNJ Southern Div. railroad tracks for scrap

Received the following via email. It looks like a newspaper article dated 2/25/08, but the email did not cite the newspaper.

Manchester police charge man with trying to take railroad lines for scrap metal
February 25, 2008
By MARGARET F. BONAFIDE
TOMS RIVER BUREAU

Police arrested a 49-year-old Lawrenceville man on charges that he tried to scam a subcontractor into pulling up six miles of railroad lines between Manchester and Stafford to be cashed in for scrap metal. The work had just begun when the plan was foiled by an alert truck driver at the Clayton Sand Company, which owns the tracks, police said.

John Stonaker, 49, of Shelmet Lane, Lawrenceville, was charged on Feb. 20 with attempted theft of six miles of railroad track stretching from County Route 539 in Manchester to Route 72 in Stafford, said Capt. Brian Klimakowski. The U.S. Marshal's Service aided in bringing the charges.

Stonaker produced a phony work order to have a subcontractor remove the railroad tracks, which were to be sold for scrap metal, Klimakowski said.

Stonaker's plan was to split the proceeds of the scrap metal retrieved from the railroad track, which was valued between $250,000 and $300,000, police said.

The contractor was not aware that the work order from Conrail, which was presented to start the job, was forged, police said.

He was released on $75,000 bail the day he was arrested.

Manchester police are asking businesses or individuals that may have dealt with Stonaker in the past to call Detetctive Joseph Hankins at (732) 657-2009 ext. 2111.

Big Little Railroad Shop at Mother Seton Train Show

The Big Little Railroad Shop will be at the Train Show at Mother Seton High School, Clark, NJ on Sunday, March 2, 2008. This show is sponsored by the Jersey Central Railway Historical Society (JCRHS). Hours are 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. The high school is located just off of Exit 135 of the Garden State Parkway. There is free parking, refreshments will be available, and there will be door prizes. For more information visit the following web site:
http://jcrhs.org/rrshow.html

Be sure to visit our table where you will find lots of wonderful bargins. Hope to see you there.

Matawan, NJ station "Stabilization"

Received the following via email.

NJT will be performing structural stabilization on the old Matawan NY&LB station.
The story is here:
http://independent.gmnews.com/news/2008/0213/Front_Page/002.html

Weekly Rail Carloading Report

There is an interesting report available on the web that is "A Weekly Report of North American Rail Freight Traffic by Major Railroad and Commodity." It is currently showing data for week 7 of 2008. Take a look.
http://railfax.transmatch.com/

Railroads Upgrading

Two weeks ago The Wall Street Journal had a story titled "New Era Dawns for Rail Building." This article talks about the upgrading, expansion, etc. being done by American railroads. If you are not aware of this work, read the article at the following web site.
http://online.wsj.com:80/article/SB120179835382432337.html?mod=hpp_us_pageone

If you are a regular reader of Trains magazine, then you probably already know about most of what is covered in this article. We do not carry The Wall Street Journal, but we do carry Trains and several other magazines that cover news about railroads. Stop in and check them out.

NJ to Ban Railfanning?

Received the following via email. Read the comments from Jim, then read the article from the Star-Ledger newspaper, and finally, read my comments.

"New Jersey's State Legislature is giving police some pretty broad powers -- trespassing can be defined as what a cop defines it as under this law -- there are NO exceptions for public areas, for example.

And you better check the property deeds down at the recorders office before going out and taking pictures . . . . You never know when that public street is merely an easement."

Jim (CRRNJ@yahoogroups.com)

From the Star-Ledger:

A bill to prevent terror attacks on railroads by making a person convicted of trespassing on railroad property guilty of burglary was approved by the Assembly yesterday.

Sponsored by Assemblyman Fred Scalera and Assemblywoman Joan Quigley, the bill (A929) would subject anyone trespassing on railroad property to up to five years in prison and $15,000 in fines.

The maximum penalty would rise to 10 years in jail and $150,000 in fines if the offender purposely, knowingly, or recklessly inflicts, attempts to inflict or threatens to inflict bodily harm.

"Railroads and rail yards, by their very design, are hard to secure and are more vulnerable to criminals and the threat of terrorist attacks than other modes of transportation," said Scalera (D-Essex), the chairman of the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee.

The Assembly passed the measure 76-0 and now heads to the Senate.

Now my comments.

Go to this web site to read the text of Bill A929. You will find a box to enter this bill number on the right side of the page. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/

I think the Star-Ledger article did not explain this bill well. The legislators have added text to the NJ state criminal code covering burglary. If you look at the bill on the web site the added text is underlined.

As I see it, they have added a definition of "railroad property," then they shoehorned "trespass in or upon railroad property" into the definition of burglary. Also, it appears to me that they have made this "trespassing" a fourth degree crime as opposed to burglary which could be a second or third degree crime. The more serious burglary crimes have the stiffer penalties which is where the $15,000 and 5 years come in. Finally, they have included an exemption to this law as follows: "a person lawfully using a public or private railroad crossing."

They have not exempted public railroad stations and platforms, so, in theory, a cop could arrest you for "trespassing" while waiting for a train or even for riding in a passenger car; but that doesn't seem likely to me. Here's the reason: burglary is committed if you have the "purpose to commit an offense," i.e. some crime beyond the act of trespassing. If you are waiting for a train or riding a train you probably do not have the purpose to commit an offense.

Bottom line: I don't think this legislation is the best way to address the problem; it will not deter any terrorist, and it probably won't stop the graffitti artist either. It could lead to haressment of railfans, but I doubt there will be any convictions of railfans under this law.

Stourbridge Railroad Railfan Day

Received this info via email. This may seem a little premature, but you need reservations for the night time trip which will be limited to 50 people.

The Stourbridge Railroad will be holding its First Annual Railfan Day on Saturday, September 20th, 2008.

Cost will be $100.00 and will include TWO round trips with a mixed-train from Honesdale, PA to Lackawaxen, PA (one in daylight and one at night) and a box lunch. This will include a special freight consist and the regular passenger consist. We will offer a single roundtrip (either AM or PM for $50.00). All trips will feature multiple Photo Stops and Runbys. The PM trips (limited to 50 participants) will feature Night Lighting at various locations. (Camera capable of shooting on a "B" setting without flash, Tripod, Cable Release, and a flashlight required).

The Stourbridge Railroad rosters one of only 2 operating EMD Model BL-2 Diesel Locomotive. (Ex BAR 54). Our second unit will be an ex MEC GP-7. There may be some other locos available to us.

Tickets are available through the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, 32 Commercial Street, Honesdale, PA 18431
Cash, Check, or Credit Cards are accepted.

For Reservations ONLY, call 570-253-1960 or 800-433-9008

For all other inquiries, PLEASE Write to : Central Pennsylvania Rail Corp, 200 Center Street, Tamaqua, PA 18252.

All sales final, Reservations Required for the PM (Night Photo train), no alcoholic beverages allowed on the train, all excursions are subject to operating conditions and are subject to change without notice.

Conneaut Lake Park's Dreamland Ballroom destroyed in fire

Received note below via email with no date of the event nor credit for the source. However, the links below, which were included in the email, are to local news articles that give the date of the fire as 2/1/08.

Conneaut Lake is located in northwest Pennsylvania, about 7 or 8 miles west of Meadville. You may wonder why this note is posted on this blog; read the article and you will see the connection. As an aside, Meadville was the location of significant yards and shops of the Erie and Erie/Lackawanna railroads. Conrail put an end to that.

The resort opened in 1892 as "Exposition Park". Development was backed with capital from the Meadville, Conneaut Lake and Linesville Rail Road Co., later the Pittsburgh, Shenango and Lake Erie and still later, the Bessemerand Lake Erie RR. The Dreamland Ballroom was built 99 years ago. The B&LE and ERIE/Erie Lackawanna RRs both held annual employee picnics at the park, as did many companies from the region. Trainloads of Bessemer employees and their families were brought in from Pittsburgh and Erie, and the ERIE/EL ran special CLP company picnic trains in from as far away as Chicago and NewYork City, clear into the early Sixties. A lot of shoes that had climbed off of all those trains over the years were just a little more worn when climbing back on, after having 'cut the rug' on the hardwood dance floor of the Dreamland Ballroom...

Conneaut Lake Park's Dreamland Ballroom destroyed in fire
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080201/NEWS02/344707526/-1/RSS01

http://www.sharon-herald.com/local/local_story_032213624.html

http://www.sharon-herald.com/local/local_story_033225226.html

Amtrak service closure extended

Received the following news article via email with no date nor source of the article. Email was dated 2-2-08.

Amtrak service closure extended

The massive Frazier landslide blocking train tracks east of Oakridge will keep Amtrak’s Coast Starlight off the rails until at least mid-February as Union Pacific crews battle bad weather to clear the line.

Both the northbound and southbound Coast Starlight runs (trains 14 and 11, respectively) that ferry travelers from Seattle to Los Angeles are canceled through Feb. 14, according to an Amtrak news release. Other regional Amtrak trains and buses will continue serving California, Oregon and Washington.

A week of intense precipitation has dumped more than 2 feet of snow at the site of the slide, slowing cleanup and making it impossible to predict just when the tracks will be cleared, Union Pacific spokeswoman Zoe Richmond said.

“We’re at the mercy of the weather, so we’re not putting a date on it,” Richmond said.

Railroad and contract crews with dozens of excavators, dump trucks and other heavy machinery are working to move more than 2.3 million cubic yards of mud and debris, an amount the size of a football field, reaching as high as the 108-story Sears Tower in Chicago, she said.

Workers have recovered about 700,000 board feet of timber, a mix of Douglas fir and cedar trees that Union Pacific loaded onto rail cars to haul away. Some of the downed wood will be put back into streams to create both resting and spawning habitat for salmon and bull trout, Willamette National Forest Service spokeswoman Judy McHugh said. The rest will be available for purchase through a competitive bid process.

Forest Service geologists who have had a look at the area where the slide began doubt that a 1992 clear-cut and logging road caused the land and trees to give way. The slide ripped out soil more than 10 feet deep, well below the root zone of the trees, said Mark Leverton, a Forest Service geologist on the Middle Fork Ranger District.“Once you get to a depth of failure of (more than) 10 feet, then rooting strength is no longer a factor,” he said.

Of the 60-acre slide, about 5 acres began in the harvested area. The slide is comprised of an upper 20 acres where the failure originated and another 40-acre path where trees and debris cascaded down the mountain and covered thousands of feet of track in two locations.

Leverton said tree growth in the area suggests that the slope isn’t prone to sliding. Trees there grow straight without the kinks that suggest previous slides, he said. “When you have a slope fail in a place where there’s not a big history of slope failure, you naturally start looking at what changed,” Leverton said.

It will take a more thorough assessment of the slope in the spring to confirm the initial analysis, Leverton said.

“There’s a lot that we don’t know about it and we may never know,” he said.

The Lost Engines of Roanoke

Here is a link to an interesting web site about the remains of some old steam engines in Roanoke, VA.

http://lostengines.railfan.net/scrapyard.shtml

Snow Strands Nearly 400 Train Passengers in California Mountains

Received the following news article via email with no notation as to date or source of the article.
Then I found a follow-up article as shown below.

SAN FRANCISCO — Amtrak officials say that nearly 400 people are trapped inside two passenger trains that have been stuck all afternoon in the snowy Northern California mountains.
An Amtrak spokeswoman says the trains were stranded near Donner Pass around 2 p.m. today after a large snow plow being used to clear the tracks fell through a walkway and blocked the trains' path.

No injuries have been reported and both trains have heating and lights.

The spokeswoman says Amtrak is trying to summon buses to nearby towns to evacuate passengers, but have had little luck because many of the vehicles are in Arizona for the Super Bowl.

Officials said at 7 p.m. that they expect it may take another hour or two to clear the tracks and that more snow that has fallen since the accident.

The following article follows-up on the above. It is from the Associated Press (AP) and was posted on the MSNBC web site on 2-2-08.

Trains freed from snowy Calif. mountains

Winter storms on both sides of country make for miserable travel
The Associated Press
updated 4:51 p.m. ET, Sat., Feb. 2, 2008

CHICAGO - A passenger train stuck overnight in the Northern California mountains resumed its journey Saturday after a snow plow that was blocking the tracks was removed, officials said.

Two Amtrak trains with about 400 passengers were initially stranded after the accident Friday. One train was pulled to Reno, Nevada, and its 165 passengers were put up in a hotel, Amtrak spokeswoman Karina Romero said.

The other train, which was headed from Emeryville to Chicago, remained in the mountains until the tracks were cleared Saturday morning.

About 60 passengers from the second train were taken by bus back to the San Francisco Bay area overnight, while 155 stayed on board to wait for the line to reopen, Romero said.

The train had heating and lights and passengers were given food, Romero said. No injuries were reported.

The train was scheduled to arrive in Chicago Monday morning about 16 hours behind schedule.

A Union Pacific spokeswoman, Zoe Richmond, confirmed that the company's equipment was blocking the tracks but had no other information.

Now that my fingers have thawed out...

I can type this report as to what I observed on Saturday (2/2/08) trackside along the Lehigh Line from Manville. The trains observed passing by my vantage point were as follows:

7:45-CSX Q417: had BNSF 4341 (C44-9W) as the leader coupled to CSX 8543 (SD50). Behind them were fifty-two cars of mixed freight.

7:59-NS 21M: would have NS 2721 (SD70M-2) and NS 9698 (C40-9W) for power.

8:45-NS 24V: power would be NS 9864 (C40-9W), NS 9711 (C40-9W) and NS 6763 (SD60M, ex-CR-5501).

10:20-NS 213: Shades of CR! Two C40-8Ws, PRR 8452 (ex-LMS 712) and PRR 8416 (ex-CR 6225), made me think I had gone back in time to the days of CR.

10:30-CSX 707: taking this short trash train south was CSX 8810 (SD40-2, ex-CR 6386) and CSX 8701 (SD60). It would hold at Port Reading Jct to allow CSX Q300 to come east.



10:41-CSX Q300: finished working Manville yard and headed east with eighty-one cars of mixed freight. Motive power was CSX 7314 (C40-8W, ex-CR 6085), CSX 4768 (SD70MAC) and CSX 504 (AC44CW).



11:00-CSX Q439: would have a very clean CSX 4594 (SD80MAC) and CSX 7765 (C40-8W) to provide the motive power in bringing 117 cars of mixed freight south.

Hope your morning was just as enjoyable, albeit not as cold!

Last(?) Pictures From the WNYP

Pictures below are by Kermit Geary Jr. taken as he finished testing on the Western New York and Pennsylvina (WNYP). Note the yellow Sperry (SRS) truck in the background.

SCL photos from the archive

Received the following photos of Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) engines via email. They were taken by Kermit Geary, Jr. in his younger days when his parents had him out in his stroller. And yes, they are in black and white.

SCL 618 at Richmond, VA with caboose

SCL 213 & train at Richmond, VA

SCL 410

SCL 558

Trains and Trash

Following is an editorial from The Star-Ledger (a New Jersey newspaper) posted on their web site on 1-20-08.

Trains and Trash

For years, railroad officials have been arguing that federal law pre-empts New Jersey's attempts to regulate the trackside waste transfer depots that have been popping up around the state. Finally, efforts to increase local oversight may be gathering steam.

Last month, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) inserted a provision in a federal funding bill that requires state approval before railroads can start new trash transfer operations.

Unfortunately, the Lautenberg language doesn't affect already operating transfer stations. And the state Department of Environmental Protection, as well as Paterson and a number of other communities, have serious concerns about odor, dust, stormwater runoff and other issues at the dozen or so facilities now in operation around New Jersey.

Many of those sites, including a number run by the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad, have begun taking steps to limit their impact on local communities, such as paving dusty parking lots or enclosing the tipping areas where construction waste is dropped off by trucks before being loaded onto trains headed to out-of-state landfills.

But the DEP still lacks direct oversight of these operations, thanks to a quirk in federal law that exempts railroads from significant local control.

Lautenberg, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.) and others are pushing legislation that would change federal statutes so states can ensure that existing railroad transfer stations also meet reasonable health, safety and environmental standards.

Congress should make this change. It is not an issue just in New Jersey. New York, Massachusetts and several other states also are seeing rapid growth in the amount of trash moved by railroads.

Shipping trash by train can be a major public benefit because one train can remove dozens of tractor trailers from the highways. But states need to be able to make sure the transfer stations don't create new problems for local neighborhoods or those along train routes.

Somerville Train Station to be Renovated

The NJ Transit train station in Somerville, NJ, will be renovated to provide access for the disabled. The work to be done will include new high level platforms, new ramps and stairs, elevators, and a new waiting room. The station will also get face-lift. Planning will begin shortly, followed by taking bids from contractors, with actual construction probably starting in the fall.

More details can be found in a Courier-News article posted on their web site on Monday, 1-21-08. Link below.

http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080121/NEWS/801210325

Entire Circus Train in one view: Palm Bay, FL 1-14-08

Here is a good example of photographic compression. Photo taken by Kevin Andrusia on 1-14-08. This pic has been bouncing around the internet attached to emails (we received it more than once), but maybe you are not on the "right" mailing list. So here it is along with one of the emails.

A mile worth of circus train photographically compressed into a single frame with a telephoto lens (it shows the entire train's consist -- note vehicles already crossing tracks at the grade crossing beyond last car). Kevin Andrusia captured the RINGLING BROS. and BARNUM & BAILEY Circus "RED UNIT" train yesterday (1-14), northbound at Palm Bay, FL (near Melbourne). The 58-car 137th Edition Show (now on the 2nd half of its 2-year tour) is seen on its Miami-to-Columbia, SC (long jump) run via Florida East Coast Railway, en route to interchange with Norfolk Southern in Jacksonville.
http://ringling.com/explore/137/

The RBB&B BLUE UNIT train was also on a repositioning ('jump') run in FL, yesterday, headed north from Orlando to Jacksonville on CSXT. This year, the BLUE UNIT train is 62 CARS -- 138th Edition Show (now on the 1st half of its 2-year tour).
http://ringling.com/explore/138/

From the RBB&B Website: "The Red Unit and Blue Unit trains criss-cross the country 11 months out of the year, logging more than 25,000 miles as they bring America's Living National Treasure® to millions of families in more than 90 cities!" http://ringling.com/explore/backstage/town_w_zip.aspx

Here is the Blue Unit back in December, 2000 at Auburndale, FL, also en route from Orlando to Miami at that time: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=39625&nseq=86

More Photos from the WNYP

Photos below are by Kermit Geary, Jr., taken on the Western New York and Pennsylvania railroad (WNYP) in Olean, NY on 1-16-08. Note the SRS (Sperry Rail Services) truck. I think Kermit is putting in a plug for his employer.

Somerset 4-H Trainmasters Train Show

The Somerset 4-H Trainmasters is having their annual winter train show this weekend, 1/19/08 and 1/20/08.

Time: 10 AM to 5 PM
Place: 4-H building
310 Milltown Road
Bridgewater, NJ

Members will have their modules set up for all to see.
Operation Lifesaver will be there.
There will be Brio trains for the little ones to play with.
Train related videos will be shown.
Concessions will be available.

Please come and enjoy the work of the members. You won't be disappointed.

Dozens injured as boy wreaks havoc by playing trains with city's trams

Received the following news article via email with no date and no citation or reference to the original source. Date of email was 1/11/08, so assume the incident was on or before that date.

Dozens injured as boy wreaks havoc by playing trains with city's trams

A POLISH schoolboy who turned a city's tram network into a giant toy by maneuvering rolling stock using a TV-style remote control has been arrested after he caused chaos on the public transport system.

Adam Dabrowski, 14, described by teachers as a model pupil and an electronics genius, hacked into the public transport network in Lodz to change the track points derailing at least four trams and leaving dozens injured.

The teenager had also equipped himself with a hand- drawn map of city tram junctions.

He told police in Lodz in central Poland he had changed the points on tram tracks across the city for a prank. However, in one incident alone 12 people were injured.

The giant train set started operating at 1pm on Tuesday when a city tram driver tried to steer his vehicle on to right hand tracks, and found himself helpless to prevent it swerving to the left instead, seemingly of its own accord.

The rear wagon then swung off the rails and crashed into another passing tram, hurling screaming passengers to the floor.

Transport employees said they knew immediately that someone outside their staff had caused the accident.

Miroslaw Micor, spokesman for Lodz police, said: "He studied the trams and the tracks for a long time and then built a device that looked like a TV remote control and used it to maneuver the trams and the tracks."

Mr. Micor added: "He had converted the TV control into a device capable of controlling all the junctions on the line and wrote in the pages of a school exercise book the best junctions to move trams around and what signals to change.

"He treated it like any other schoolboy might a giant train set – but it was lucky nobody was killed.

"Four trams were derailed, and others had to make emergency stops that left passengers hurt. He clearly did not think about the consequences of his actions."

Dabrowski is to face charges of endangering public safety in a special juvenile court.

Vandals sought in Newport News bombs

Rceived the following news article via email. It included no date nor original source citation or reference. Using the date of the email, I assume these incidents occurred the wekend of Jan. 5-6, 2008.

NEWPORT NEWS - Fire investigators and railroad authorities are searching for vandals they say planted two makeshift explosives on Newport News train tracks this weekend, a few blocks north of the city's Amtrak station.

Railroad workers spotted the first device around 3 p.m. Saturday on the tracks near North Avenue and Warwick Boulevard, behind the Hilton Shopping Center. After fire department workers removed it from the tracks, a second explosive appeared around 10 p.m., fire officials said.

At least one Amtrak passenger train and several freight trains were delayed as bomb squad workers removed and deactivated the devices, said Robert Sullivan, a spokesman for CSX, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based company that owns the tracks and the freight trains that run on them. The tracks were reopened early Sunday morning.

The bombs were detonated safely before trains could hit them, and no one was injured.

"The devices appeared to be crudely built, and the work of vandals," Sullivan said.

Police blocked parts of North Avenue, east and west of the train tracks, Saturday afternoon.

Monica Long lives close enough to the tracks that her house rumbles when the trains go by. On Saturday, while the tracks were closed, it was the force of an explosive that rattled her home.

Long, 48 said she saw flames on the tracks after 10 p.m., then heard a boom that shook the house so much it made the dogs howl.

"It was a ball of fire," she said. "Like a big firecracker."

She called police, who said firefighters had detonated a pipe bomb.

Officials would not comment on how powerful the explosives were.

"All I can say is there's no threat to public safety right now," said Newport News Fire Department spokeswoman Dana Perry. "We rendered the devices safe and the rest is part of the investigation."

CSX investigators and the fire marshal's office are trying to find whoever is responsible for the explosives, Perry said.

CSX officials have been in touch with federal agents, said Sullivan, but he could not say whether they were doing their own investigation. Officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives did not return phone calls on Monday.

This is the first time explosives have been planted on train tracks in Newport News, Sullivan said.

"Obviously, any act of vandalism or anything that might endanger the safety of the public or the trains is something we take very seriously," he said. "We're investigating, and we'll prosecute anyone connected to the incidents to the full extent of the law."

Lehigh Valley SW-1 112, SOLD FOR PRESERVATION

Something of interest received via email.

There is a web site that specializes in buying, selling, or swapping railroad equipment for preservation or use by shortlines. It is called RailSwap.org

A page on this site lists a former LV SW-1 as being sold in December for preservation. Unfortunately, it doesn't say who it was sold to. Does anybody know?

Here's the link to the page:
http://railswap.org/cb/cl/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=8605&query=retrieval

Saturday morning (1/5) sightings:

were only two in number. Ice floes were still on the Raritan River as NS 20K came through around 8:57 with PRR 8444 (C40-8W, ex-CR-6273) on the point coupled with NS 9000 (C40-9W). 20K's trailing consist was made up TOFCs.


Ninety minutes later, CSX Q300 would finish working Manville yard and head east down the passing siding with 106 cars of mixed freight A good number of those cars would be trash containers on flatcars. A roster shot is included for the modelers as this is the orange colored flatcar and container. Motive power was CSX 4587 (SD70MAC), CSX 435 (AC44CW), CSX 8532 (SD50) and CSX 7768 (C40-8W).



Falling into the "heard about but didn't see" category was NS 213, rumored to have UP power, and a NS high and wide load that passed through Alpha, NJ around 11:40.


Not a really good day but on the other hand, not a bad day either. It was nice getting trackside with some sunny weather instead of the dreary Saturdays we have had the past few weekends...

Beware of following GPS at grade crossings

Ah, modern technology. Apparently GPS can't tell you when a train is coming your way.
Click on the headline below.

Man using GPS drives into path of train

Reading & Northern Return to Steam

The Reading & Northern ran an excursion on Saturday, December 29, 2007 with a recently restored steam engine. We received the following text and pictures via email from Kermit Geary Jr. FYI - Port Clinton is just north of Hamburg, PA, along I78 west of Allentown.

"A belated Christmas gift from the Reading & Northern came today in the form of the return to steam, after 11 long years, of the ex GM&N 425....or 4 & a quarter as she is affectionately called.

They put on a great show as it ran from North Reading, PA to Haucks, PA, turning on the wye there, and then heading back to Port Clinton, PA with a dinner stop at the restored Tamaqua Station.

Thanks to Andy Mueller and the people of the R&N Steam program for a wonderful and memorable day."

Photos and captions are by Kermit Geary Jr. (Annotations are by me because some of the place names do not appear on a regular road map.)

At engine facility in Port Clinton, PA


Leaving the depot at Port Clinton, PA

At speed through New Ringgold, PA

Highballing through Reynolds, PA

(Reynolds is just west of Rt. 443 between New Ringgold and South Tamaqua)

HiBall through Tamaqua, PA

Passing old water tank at East Mahanoy Junction, PA

(East Mahanoy Junction is along Rt. 54 about 3 or 4 mi. west of Hometown, PA)

Arriving Haucks, PA

(Haucks is about 3 or 4 mi. west and slightly north of Hometown, PA)

Leaving Haucks, PA after service stop

Heading into the Sunset

Something old and something new...

(Train sightings on 12-31-07)

was the best way to describe this last day of being trackside for me in 2007 along the Lehigh Line in Manville (NJ).

The something old started out with CSX Q300. It would have for power two SD40-2s, CSX 8834 and CSX 8356, coupled with CSX 106 (AC44CW).

CSX C761 (Manville / Skillman) would have PRR 3001 (GP40-2, ex-CR 3278) and PRR 3057 (GP40-2, ex-CR 3382) shuffling cars around in Manville yard.

At 9:35, NS 212 would arrive on the scene with the something new portion of this day. A trio of UP SD70Ms, UP 4492, UP 4637 and UP 4437, provided the motive power on this day. For me, this was a nice way to close out 2007's trackside trips.

A slow Sunday morning...

(Train sightings on 12-30-07)

with the weather forecast calling for still more gray skies for Monday and Tuesday, I decided that Sunday afforded me to some trackside time. As it turned out, the trains were about as frequent as a sunny day in central Jersey! Only two trains would pass by my location.

The first one was an NS intermodal carrying mostly TOFCs at 9:23. Motive power would be three NS diesels- two C40-9Ws NS 9700 and NS 9775 along with NS 8739 (C40-8).

A few minutes later, CSX Q300 would finish working Manville yard and head east to Oak Island around 9:34. Motive power would be two ES44DCs-CSX 5453 and CSX 5271. At the tail end of this train was a number of EPIC garbage containers. A roster shot has been included for modeling purposes. After all, hauling garbage is now becoming a revenue commodity for NS and CSX.

With no trains on the horizion, it was time for me to call it a morning and read Sunday's newspapers. Have a good day along with a happy and healthy new year! See you next year...

Photos of the Western New York & Pennsylvania

Following photos were taken by Kermit Geary Jr. In his email he wrote the following:


"Did get a call from a good friend who told us that the Meadville Job would be arriving Olean about 1PM, so we headed west to intercept it. First shot was at Vincennes, NY and the rest at Olean, NY. Sure was nice to see a matched set of ALCO's with a re-painted C-430 in the lead."

Santa Train Tragedy in Michigan

The following news article from the Associated Press was found on the FOXNews.com web site. I hope all our readers always remember to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN at all railroad crossings, especially those with no lights, bells, or gates.

Car Crashes Into 'Santa Express' Train, Two Killed

Sunday , December 09, 2007

Associated Press

ISABELLA TOWNSHIP, Mich. —

A car crashed into a train that was carrying mostly children to a visit with Santa Claus, killing two people in the car.

No one was injured among the 67 passengers Saturday on the "Santa Express" train, which was traveling from Mount Pleasant to Clare, about 16 miles away, where Santa was to join the group, authorities said.

Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski said investigators don't yet know how fast the car was going. It struck part of the train's engine, which was hauling three cars, he said.

The train's passengers were in the rear car, he said.

The crash happened at a railroad crossing north of Mount Pleasant. Authorities said the crossing has a stop sign and a railroad crossing sign to warn drivers, but no warning lights.

The Isabella County sheriff's department said the 31-year-old woman driving the car and one of her passengers were killed. Another passenger was hospitalized with broken bones.

Saturday morning's sightings along the Lehigh Line...

near Manville, NJ on a rather brisk and windy morning of December 15th.

NS 212 @ 7:55- had NS 8990 (C40-9W), NS 2541 (SD70) and NS 9083 (C40-9W) for power on a train that consisted of autoracks, a majority of them being KCS and BNSF, some TOFCs and one doublestack bringing up the rear. 212 would hold on the passing siding at CP Bound Brook for NS 21M to go west on the main.

NS 21M @ 8:05- headed west with NS 9175, NS 9758 (C40-9W) and NS 9955 (C40-9W) for power.

NS 18G @ 8:54- would have two ES40DCs for power, NS 7642 and NS 7635.




NS mixed freight, symbol unknown @ 9:00- would have NS 9831 (D9-40CW) and NS 2723 (SD70M-2) coming off the passing siding at at CP Port Reading Jct . It would take sixty-one cars of mixed freight west after NS 18G passed by.

CSX MA80 @ 10:07 would have CSX 2798 (GP38-2, ex-CR 8238) taking eleven coil cars east. The ex-CR coil car behind CSX 2798 looks to be of a newer design than the traditional coil car. A photo is included for the modelers in the audience.

2007 Santa Trains on New Jersey Transit

We know of 2 different Santa Trains being run on New Jersey Transit. One on Saturday, 12/8/07 on the Raritan Valley line and one on Saturday, 12/15/07 on the Hackettstown-Netcong-Dover line.

Raritan Valley Santa Train, 12/8/07

Join Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their elves for a train ride through the country. This trip features Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus along with a few of Santa's helpers. There are sing-a-longs, candy canes and coloring books for the kids. In addition, each car on the train features a drawing for a trainset; that's ten train sets per trip! Santa pays a visit to each car and is more than happy to pose for pictures with the kids.

The Raritain Valley train departs Raritan at 8:30 AM and goes to Westfield where it will depart at 9:00 AM for the trip to High Bridge. This train will then return to Westfield, stopping at Raritan along the way. A second trip will depart Westfield at 1:00 PM, travel to High Bridge and return to Westfield.

The price for the trip is $10.00 for children under 12 yrs. and $12.00 per adult.

Tickets for the Raritain Valley trains may be purchased from The Big Little Railroad Shop. Cash or personal check made out to the Jersey Central Railroad Historical Society. Sorry, no credit cards for train tickets.

For more information call call (908) 233-3603 or visit the following web site:

http://www.jcrhs.org/santa.html

Hackettstown-Netcong-Dover Santa Train, 12/15/07

For information on this train, please visit the following web site:

http://tristaterail.org/santa.html

Schedule and pricing are slightly different than the Raritan Valley train.

We do not have tickets for this train.

Union Model Railroad Club Open House and Show

Received the following Press Release via email.

The

Model Railroad Club, Inc.™
Founded 1949

PO BOX 1146, Union, NJ 07083-1146

http://www.tmrci.org/

CONTACT: Bob Nalbone
(201) 892-5930 Weekdays 9 am – 5 pm
(908) 964-9724 Tuesdays 7 – 10 pm; Saturdays 1 – 5 PM
E-mail: TMRCi_Dev@TMRCI.org

September 1, 2007

Model Railroad Club Announces Annual Light and Sound Show Dates

UNION, NJ – The Model Railroad Club, Inc., a tax-exempt public charity affiliated with the Union County, NJ Department of Parks and Recreation, today announced the dates for its 2007 Annual Light and Sound Show and Open House.

The show will run November 23, 24, 25 & 30 and December 1, 2, 7, 8 & 9 at the club building, located on Jefferson Avenue, off Route 22 east in Union, New Jersey behind The Home Depot.

Show times are: Friday, November 23, noon to 10 pm; Friday, November 30 & Friday, December 7, 7 to 10 pm; Saturdays 10 am to 8 pm and Sundays 11 am to 6 pm.

The show features the Club’s world-famous 1,600 square foot HO Scale layout. A 30 by 27 foot, double-decked N Scale layout is also featured. Visitors will also be able to view the progress that has been made on the 60 by 80 foot HO Scale layout addition.

The show is a perennial favorite with children and adults alike. It is the club’s major fund raising event for the year and proceeds from admission donations and purchases made at the Club’s gift shop and snack shop will help fund the Club’s activities.

New for 2007 is an additional presentation called “Classic Streamliners on Parade.” Exact HO scale replicas of five famous streamlined passenger trains from the post-World War II era, from locomotives to observation cars, will be on hand and operating.

“A majority of people were born after the formation of Amtrak and probably don’t know that at one time the nation’s freight railroads owned and operated all of the passenger train service and did so without any government assistance,” said Model Railroad Club Vice President and head of Development Bob Nalbone. “That’s the story we want to tell with ‘Classic Streamliners on Parade.”

The Model Railroad Club, Inc. was founded in 1949 in the basement of the late Paul Mallery, a pioneer of the hobby of model railroading. The Club occupies a building on Union County parkland designed, built and maintained entirely by the members, under a unique arrangement with the Union County Park System. Free parking is available on site and the building is wheelchair accessible.

For more information, please contact the Club at (908) 964-9724 on Saturdays between 1 – 5 pm or (908) 964-8808 for a recorded message, or by visiting the Club’s website at: http://www.tmrci.org/.

Holiday Wishes from Rail Europe

Received the following via email.

Check Out Warm Holiday Wishes from Rail Europe -

Click here: Warm holiday wishes from Rail Europe

.....and pick a destination. There's sound.

Western visitors on the Lehigh Line...

were greeted with cold temperatures and a blustry wind heading east over the Lehigh Line near Manville, NJ on this Saturday morning. Their trip east was "... in a holding pattern due to a Chessie move..." at Port Reading Jct. That CSX train was Q409-30 headed south down the Trenton Line at 7:40. Q409-30's motive power was CSX 5375 (ES44DC), CSX 8858 (SD40-2, ex-CR 6502), CSX 7604 (C40-8) and CSX 7357 (C40-8W, ex-CR 6192).

NS 214 finally was on the move again around 7:50. Its power was BNSF 4558 (C44-9W), BNSF 841 (C40-8W, still in a red and silver paint scheme with the "Fe" missing in Santa Fe) and NS 8463 (C40-8W, ex-LMS 723).



NS 212 would follow shortly there after around 8:00. 212's all western power trio consisted of TFM 1616 (SD70MAC), UP 4176 (C44-9W) and UP 4149 (SD70M).



CSX's MA80 would be holding at CP Bound Brook before heading to Plainfield. The power to pick up those cars would be CSX 2798 (GP38-2, ex-CR 8238). A side shot of CSX 2798 for the modelers in the audience has been included for reference purposes.

The day after...

(Train sightings on 11-23-07.)

Thanksgiving was a rather cold and blustry day to be trackside. Before my fingers became too cold, I was able to record what trains would pass by my locations. By time sequence,the trains seen passing through Manville on the Trenton and Lehigh Lines were as follows:

8:30 CSX Q409- CSX 5117 (AC44CW) and CSX 647 (AC60CW) would bring this train of mixed freight west and then south on the Trenton Line.

9:10 CSX yard engines CSX 2795 (GP38-2, ex-CR 8234) and CSX 4452 (GP40-2, ex-CR3403) shuffling two muncipal waste container cars on the ex-Reading Line.


9:35 NS 212- NS 8831 (C40-9), NS 9714 and NS 9466 (C40-9W) was the motive power on this mixed train of auto racks and intermodal cars.

9:55 NS 18G- had a rather short mixed freight with NS 9134 (C40-9W) and NS 2508 (SD70) as its power consist.

Hope that this day after Thanksgiving doesn't find you saying "Ohhh... I shouldn't have eaten that last piece of pumpkin pie!"

Happy Thanksgiving

Norfolk Southern Dash 9 40C, locomotive was manufactured March 1993. Picture taken 22 Nov, 2007, 11:15 AM on the Leigh Line at CP Potter.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

A Saturday morning surprise...

was CP's 38T appearing on the Lehigh Line just east of Manville, NJ around 7:51. Actually, another website had said that 38T's schedule had changed on November 12 from a Monday-Wednesday-Friday to a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday schedule. Since Saturday morning's weather forecast called for some early morning sun before the clouds rolled in, I thought perhaps I would see what was running while the sun was out. I was hoping perhaps, just perhaps I might be lucky enough to get a glimpse of this train. A distinctive horn to what is normally heard was the first hint this oncoming headlight was something other than a NS train. The motive power lineup was a trio of SD40-2's, CP 5763, CP 5664, CP 5593, and SOO 6021 (SD60). For me, not a bad way to start this morning off since seeing 38T was something I didn't anticipate seeing.

BLACK FRIDAY - Christmas Shopping at The Big Little Railroad Shop

Avoid the crowds at the malls by coming to the Big Little Railroad Shop in downtown Somerville on "Black Friday." We have all sorts of wonderful model railroad items from full sets to individual cars, locomotives, track, buildings, scenery supplies, etc. And if you don't know exactly what to get your modeler, we have gift certificates. We also carry books, videos, and calendars. We have items in all the popular scales: G, O, HO, and N. And, if we don't have what you want in stock, we probably can order it for you.

In addition to a full line of model railroading “stuff,” The Big Little Railroad Shop is now carrying plastic model kits for airplanes, ships, automobiles, and military vehicles. We also have some RC (radio control) items.

For our address and phone number, visit our web site at: http://www.biglittle.com/

For your holiday shopping convenience we are open the following hours through Christmas:

Tuesday – Wednesday 11 AM - 7 PM

Thursday - Friday 11 AM -8 PM

Saturday 11 AM - 5 PM

Sunday 12 noon - 4 PM

A Train Of A Different Color

The following pictures are of an ACELA wrapped in ads for The History Channel. They were originally posted on 11/15/07 on TrainOrders.com by Chuchubob.

Last call for fall foliage...

(Train sightings on Veteran's Day, 11-11-07.)

started off with NS 212 going in the passing siding at CP 64 and coming back out on to the main at CP 62 without stopping around 8:40. Power for 212 was NS 9235 (C40-9W), NS 8759 (C40-8) and NS 2721 (SD70M-2).

NS 24V would follow at 9:53 on to the passing siding at CP 64 and be held there for no apparent reason as there were no westbounders forthcoming. At 11:20, it would then pass through Stanton Station and be held at CP 51 for 11J, whose power was not seen, and another westbound, symbol unknown.

That second NS westbound would have a combination of TOFCs and empty spine cars. Motive power for this train was NS 2744 (SD70M-2), NS 9690 (C40-9W), NS 9125 (C40-9W) and a unknown fourth NS diesel (I couldn't record that fourth diesel's numbers as this train was moving!).

Once the westbounder cleared, NS 24V would finally pass through Three Bridges at 12:10. On the point was NS 9386 (C40-9W) and NS 2614 (SD70M)to take in on to the Roycefield Running track.

What was nice for me was being able to photograph the 24V in good sunlight amidst a backdrop of fall foliage at Pattenburg and Stanton Station. Not able to include those scenes here as they were shot on film as I wanted to capture some of fall's fading color on film...

Video of Steamtown excursion to Tunkhannock Viaduct

Here's a link to a nice video produced by a Scranton TV station. Look in the list of titles for "Steamtown Excursion over Viaduct."

http://www.wnep.com/Global/category.asp?C=112458

Note: It is also known as the Nicholson Viaduct, as that is the small town that lies underneath; but I think the DL&W called it the Tunkhannock Viaduct after the name of the stream that runs under it.

Black River Railroad Historical Trust Newswire

Time certainly does fly when you're having fun! It's hard to believe our regular passenger season is over for the year, but October is over and it's time to get ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

For the first time ever, the Black River & Western Railroad is sponsoring free train rides on November 17'th for anyone who brings a donation for the Flemington Area Food Pantry. Come get into the spirit of the holidays by making your donation, and enjoy a free train ride! More information is available on our website www.brrht.org.

Also coming soon are the Santa Express and North Pole Express trains. This year's North Pole Express trains are sure to please our passengers with a special experience they won't soon forget. We've been working hard to make improvements over last year's program and provide an enjoyable evening for all our passengers. Tickets are by reservation only, so visit our website soon to buy your tickets!

If you can't make it out to the railroad in the evening for the North Pole Express, you will certainly enjoy the regular Santa Express trains on our standard weekend schedule. You'll meet Santa and his elves and receive a tasty treat too. No reservations are required.

Upcoming Events - Schedules, Fares, and additional information for these events is available at www.brrht.org.

November 17 -- Stop Hunger Express -- It's Thanksgiving, so come help the Flemington Area Food Pantry with your donation and enjoy a free train ride! A minimum donation of two non-perishable food items is required per rider. At the end of the day we'll take the train into Flemington to deliver the food!

November 23, 24, 25, December 1, 2 -- Santa Express -- Take a ride to Ringoes and visit Santa on the way! Santa and his elves will be on board the train to meet each child and give them a candy cane. Once the train arrives at Ringoes, there is plenty of time for photos with Santa.

November 23, 24, 30, December 1, 7, 8 -- North Pole Express -- Our last event of the year, the North Pole Express, is a special experience for the entire family. Come board this evening train for an exciting journey to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. Santa's elves will lead a sing along of familiar Christmas carols on the brightly lit train, and Santa himself will give each child their "first gift of Christmas". Reservations are required for this train. Buy your tickets now at http://www.brrht.org/northpole.aspx.

Projects

Work continues on several projects including the overhaul of our steam locomotive #60, construction of a museum in baggage car #420, and the rehabilitation of a hand operated railroad crane. Visit http://brrht.org/currentprojects.aspx for pictures and more information on these projects!

About Us

Based in Ringoes, NJ, the BRRHT's mission is to preserve the heritage and history of railroading while educating the public about railroad safety. To fulfill this mission, the BRRHT operates seasonal passenger excursion trains on the Black River & Western Railroad. Other activities include hosting special events in partnership with the railroad, working towards the creation of a small museum at the Ringoes rail-yard, and ongoing acquisition, restoration and preservation of historic railroad equipment. The BRRHT is constantly seeking out individuals with an interest in railroading or railroad history to become a part of our organization. For more information on how to support the BRRHT email info@brrht.org or visit http://brrht.org/getinvolved.aspx.

Picture of me

People are always giving me grief about not having my picture on the web site. So, here is a portrait of my "real" self along with my store mascot, Pennsy. Pennsy was literally an angel. She had her costume on all day long.