Orlando's Disney World monorail system...

on a recent trip to Orlando, Florida's Disney World, I didn't forget to pack my railfanning interest in the suitcase for this trip. One of the most interesting aspects to moving people around the park's Epcot and Magic Kingdom resorts in a efficent manner would be Disney's monorail system. This 13.6 mile monorail system will carry over 150,000 guests to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot parks on an average day. At Epcot's World Showcase German pavilion, there is also a well designed and attractive garden layout that can be seen.


The current model of monorail began operation in 1990, with the full fleet of 12 in service by early 1991. The Mark VI has a higher passenger capacity as well as improved air conditioning, door systems and improved safety features. Each Mark VI train consists of six cars. The overall length is 203 feet with a capacity of 365 passengers. A quick glance at some of the cars initially lead this causal observer to believe that some cars were vandalized with grafitti! I later saw that these are Disney-themed designs on these cars.

The track consists of 26 inch wide, pre-cast concrete beams supported by concrete columns which are approximately 50 feet apart. Each monorail travels on rubber tires and is powered by a 600 volt DC propulsion system which includes eight DC motors rated at 112 HP each, with the power emanating from each side of the beam. The track's construction gives passengers a very smooth ride that also makes them feel as if they are gliding in air along the elevated track

Texting and Trains Don’t Mix

Following article is from the Cincinnati Enquirer for Monday, 8/20/07.

Text-messager hit by train

ELMWOOD PLACE -- A man walking across the Township Avenue railroad crossing was struck and thrown 50 feet by a Norfolk Southern train this morning.

A witness, Mike Billups, of Deer Park said the man was text-messaging on his cell phone at the crossing just before the accident, which occurred about 10 a.m.

Billups said the man waited for a southbound CSX train to pass. After it cleared the crossing, the man walked forward and was struck by a northbound train.

The man may have been distracted and unaware that a second train was coming in the other direction, Billups said.

Col. William Peskin of the Elmwood Place Police Department said he also had heard that the man was text-messaging and possibly distracted. The crossing is maintained by Norfolk Southern and had all gates and lights in working order.

The unidentified man, who is in his 20s, was taken to University Hospital by St. Bernard rescue. Elmwood Place Mayor Richard Ellison, who went to the scene, said the man appeared “a little roughed up” with a nose bleed, bump on the head and some scratches but appears as if he will be OK.

Ellison received a call about the man being hit by a train and immediately went to the area.

“There were five witnesses. I talked to three of them myself,” Ellison said.

The witnesses told the mayor they saw the man wait in front of the double gate for a southbound train to pass before crossing the tracks while text messaging on his cell phone. That’s when he was hit by the northbound train.

“The horn was blowing like mad and the kid was text messaging,” Ellison said. “The kid apparently was just daydreaming.

Added Ellison: “The only way the train could have missed him was if it could make a turn.”

The railroad crossing has had “practically no” incidents in the past, Ellison said.


Additional information from the Associated Press.

Aug 20, 11:47 PM EDT

Zachariah Smith, 18, waited around 10 a.m. for a southbound train operated by Jacksonville, Fla.-based CSX Corp. to pass. He then walked around a gate and onto the tracks, apparently unaware that a Norfolk Southern Corp. train was coming from the other direction, said witness Mike Billups.

"The horn was blowing like mad and the kid was text messaging," said Mayor Richard Ellison, who went to the scene and talked to several witnesses after hearing of the accident. "The kid apparently was just daydreaming."

Smith was knocked out by the collision, Billups said.

After regaining consciousness, Smith was taken by paramedics to nearby University Hospital in Cincinnati with undisclosed injuries. He was listed in serious condition Monday night.

It was not clear how fast the train was traveling.

Gates and lights at the crossing, which is maintained by Norfolk, Va.-based Norfolk Southern, were in working order, said Elmwood Place police Col. William Peskin.

Saturday sightings...

(Train sightings on 8/18/07.)

were certainly sparse along the Lehigh Line near Manville (NJ) on this Saturday morning. Four trains, three NS and one CSX, was all that was seen during my time track side. Those trains were:

NS 11J @ 8:20- would have NS 9883 (C40-9W) and NS 2659 (SD70M-2) for power to bring ninety-six auto racks west.

MA-1 @ 9:16- headed east out of Manville yard with thirteen coil cars behind PRR 3048 (GP40-2, ex-CR 3364) and CSX 6109. PRR 3048 certainly looked like it had seen better days of service! Another interesting sight was the appearance of a CR CoilShield car mixed in amongst the CSX Coil cars.

CSX Q300 @ 10:05- would take its ninety-one cars of mixed freight east after finishing work at the Manville yard. Motive power would be two C40-8Ws, CSX 7888 and CSX 7780.

NS 212 @ 10:35- looked more like NS 18N with all of those auto racks! NS 9404 (C40-9W), NS 2532 (SD70) and NS 8311 (C40-8) would comprise the power consist.

Falling into the "heard about but not seen" category was NS I4V and an NS westbound power move.

Somerset 4H Trainmasters group photo

Here is a picture of the Somerset 4H trainmasters at the end of the Somerset County 4H Fair. See posting below for more information.

Somerset 4-H Trainmasters at 2007 Somerset County 4-H Fair

The Somerset 4-H Trainmasters Model Railroad Club is once again at the Somerset County 4-H Fair. The Fair runs from Wednesday, 8/15 through Friday 8/17, 2007, and it is located in North Branch Park on Milltown Road in Bridgewater. The club currently has 23 members ranging in age from 10 to 16. Their display is located in the pavalion at the rear of all the tents, between the cows and goats. Come see the great modeling work of the members and watch the trains run. If you are interested in joining, or you know someone who might be interested, please ask the folks at the display. You can also visit the club web site at: http://home1.gte.net/vzeo5q9u/

Before going to cut the grass...

(Train sightings on 8-11-07)

decided that this would be a good morning to spend some time trackside in Manville, NJ. After the previous week's roller coaster ride of varying weather conditions, it was time for me to take advantage Saturday's enjoyable weather. As for the trains that passed by my vantage point, they were:

8:12 NS 212-had a quartet of GP60s for power, NS 7135, NS 7146, NS 7123 and NS 7141. Considering the inordinate amount of autoracks to be seen, this train could have easily been mistaken for NS 18N.

8:30 MA1-would have NS 5620 (GP38-2) taking ten CSX coil cars east.


9:30 NS 11J-NS 9297 (C40-9W) and NS 8821 (C40-9) had thirty-seven autoracks in tow as it headed west past my vantage point.

9:41-CSX Q300-was finally given permission by the dispatcher to proceed east along the Lehigh Line. Today's train had a number of garbage container flats in its consist of eighty-five cars that it reminded me of CSX's K206. Motive power would be CSX 8752 (SD60I, ex-CR 5647) and BNSF 1097 (C44-9W).


Hope that your morning was just as enjoyable!

Erie E8 at Port Jervis

Pictures below are of the recently repainted Erie E8A on the turntable at Port Jervis, NY taken on 7-29-07. (See also posting below about this locomotive.) The E8A belongs to Jimmy Wilson, New York and Greenwood Lake RR. It was repainted at Ringoes, NJ and towed to Port Jervis by NS. New York and Greenwood Lake RR plan to put up an enclosure at the turntable area in Port Jervis which would encompass the E8A, the Alco(?), the GP9m(?) and two pieces of Private Varnish that have been refurbished and become a tourist attraction. They also plan to do passenger car restoration at this location.

Restored Erie E8 #833 to be Displayed in Port Jervis

(Gathered the following information from emails and the web.)

The recently restored Erie E8 #833 along with other former Erie RR equipment will be on display in Port Jervis, NY this weekend, 8/28 and 8/29, as part of the Port Jervis Centennial Celebration. It will probably be located somewhere in the vicinity of the train station.

The 833 was restored in Ringoes, NJ by Star Trak, Inc., and will be moved to Port Jervis some time this week. It must be inspected by NS first, and then it will be picked up from the Black River & Western RR at their interchange with NS in Three Bridges. From there to Port Jervis, but I don't know the route. Hopefully not by way of Conway yard.

From an email by Jim Wilson last week:

"The 833 is supposed to move out this Sunday to the familiar territory of Port Jervis.

1267, 935, the Chestnut Hill and Pride of the Delaware will all be moving east out of Lackawaxen to PO sometime next week.

The Erie RR celebrated PO's 50th anniversary by displaying it's modern equipment, well, 50 yrs later it's back (see Erie RR mag Oct., 1957) .

You're all invited to dejavu all over again next weekend in PO. The EL dining car society will be hosting open house on NYGL equipment on Sat and Sun, July 28 & 29th with a store & refreshments set up on one of the cars."

Here are some pictures and text from Star Trak, Inc.'s web site.

"Star Trak has recently completed a full exterior restoration of Erie E8 #833. This included the removal of exterior fiberglass panels, repair of structural members, rust mitigation, re-assembly, sheet metal and body surface preparation, and paint. This unit is truly unique in that it was the last E8 built for the Erie Railroad as well as the last known surviving unit of it's kind assigned to the Erie."

To see more pictures of the restored #833, follow this link:

http://www.startrakinc.com/833A/Default.htm

To see pictures of the progress of the restoration work, follow this link:

http://www.startrakinc.com/833A/workinprogress.htm

Finally, to visit the home page for Star Trak, Inc., follow this link:

http://www.startrakinc.com/

Bad News about the PRR K-4s project

Received the following email from Kermit Geary, Jr. The photos and captions are his.

It's probably apropos that this news would come on Friday the 13th: the K4s#1361 restoration project is reportedly dead.

According to a very reliable source, as of next Friday (July 20) the project is shut down and all paid people will be laid off. Two factors have been mentioned: 1) Funding has been cut off and bills have not been paid, and 2) According to an engineering report, the firebox doesn't and *never did*conform to specifications (!). In a way, is that testament to how well these engines were maintained over their long lives...and maybe how 'forgiving' the specs. may have been? Who would have suspected she and her sisters had had a 'congenital defect', as she sat triumphantly up on The Curve all those decades, after all those millions of miles of service?Reportedly, the parts will be placed in secure storage. There is now an almost-new tender, nearly complete, with no engine to pull it...

Awful glad I made the effort to go and photograph her when she actually ran!!!!

PRR 1361 arriving Bellefonte, PA 10-25-1987

PRR 1361 at Gladfelters, PA 8-27-1988

PRR 1361 highballing through Julian, PA 10-25-1987

PRR 1361 street-running in York, PA 8-27-1988

A different kind of day trackside...

(Train sightings on 7-14-07)

In that this Saturday was devoted to being a tour guide for my friend from Virginia. I first met Bill back in April, 2005 at Stanton Station (NJ) while we awaited the arrival of RB&BB’s circus train. During this wait, our conversation focused on the Lehigh Line. I offered him an invitation that if he our schedules coincided, I would serve as a guide to some of the significant locations along this stretch of track.

Two years and two months later, we were able to get together for a day of rail fanning. The first train spotted was an eastbound NS intermodal, symbol unknown, at West Portal around 8 AM. NS 19G (Oak Island, NJ to Pittsburgh, PA) was holding the siding at CP 67 until this train passed and would then be on its way west. A little while later at Pattenburg, another NS eastbound intermodal loaded with COFCs was seen, possibly 24V.

After talking about the tunnel’s history, we drove over to Lansdowne Junction. I showed him what remained of the LVRR's roadbed to Pittstown and explained about the history associated with that spur. The sound of NS 18G (Pittsburgh, PA to Oak Island, NJ) approaching would be reason enough to momentarily halt our conversation and watch it pass by. Motive power was PRR 8378 (C40-8W, ex-CR 6159) and NS 9882 (C40-9W) bringing this load of mixed freight east.

Next stop would be Three Bridges to see if NS was running any trains through here. The signal at MP 48 was green over red but no NS trains would be seen. Black River & Western was busy though, switching cars for NS H76’s Sunday pickup and we went over there to watch them work. For both of us, seeing BR&W 8159 (SW1200, ex-CP 8159) still wearing the CP paint scheme was a nice surprise.

The final stop of the day would be Manville. CSX Q300 (Philadelphia, PA to Oak Island, NJ), led by CSX 7533 (C40-8) and an unidentified second unit, would finish working Manville yard and head east with fifty-eight cars at 12:35. A little while later, CSX Q438 (Hamlet, NC to Selkirk, NY), with CSX 5335 (ES44AC) leading a second unidentified diesel and seventy-five cars of mixed freight would head east.

While there were lulls seeing trains, there never was a lull when it came to talking about them. Bill would reminiscence about trips on Amtrak, his favorite railroads such as the D&H, Bangor & Aroostook and CSX. I would counter with my historical knowledge of the Lehigh Line, trips to Shenandoah Jct. and Kingman (AZ). As you can imagine our conversation covered a variety of railroading, non-railroading topics and geography.

Could not have asked for any better weather than what we had on this Saturday. Seeing at least one train at each stop was a bonus. At day’s end, this all added up to an enjoyable day to be trackside. Hope your day was just as nice.

Ssssssafety Alert - July 2007

Received the following via email from Kermit Geary, Jr. These are his photos.

Hi All: It is never too early ...or late to offer a bit of rail safety advice! ALWAYS LOOK AT THE RAIL BEFORE WORKING AROUND IT WHEN TESTING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN !!!!!Found this friendly critter along the Delaware River today...testing the Central New York's line from Lordsville, NY to Susquehanna, PA. Should finish off tomorrow in Binghamton and then head North to Syracuse, NY...From there onwards to the RBMN!

Kermit Geary, Jr.
SRS 813

Additional email comments from Nathan S. Clark, Jr.

Well, it sometimes CAN be too late to offer the advice, like when you're telling it to some poor bloke who is staring down at the two blood-red pinholes in his hand!

Nice, healthy timber rattler specimen. Armed and dangerous. I'd guess a female, based on size. Just trying to get warm in the morning. She(?) will soon be off to look for rodents. You leave it alone and it will leave you alone, etc.

When changing out rail, track crews in snake country do a 'snake patrol' first, so no one goes to the hospital. Copperheads, unfortunately, are more inclined to stay put, and also blend in with rusty rail bases better.

Thanks for sharing these shots from along the former Erie RR. GREAT photos of a very beautiful creature, Kermit.---NSC

BLRRS Customer and Sons Make the Front Page

Big Little Railroad Shop customer Steve Jones took his sons to Altoona RailFest on July 7th and the wound up on the front page of The Altoona Mirror (picture below). The highlight of RailFest was a passenger train excursion around Horseshoe Curve. You can read the newspaper story that accompanied the photo at the following link:

http://www.altoonamirror.com/articles.asp?articleID=13349

Photo and caption from The Altoona Mirror.

Donald (bottom left) and Corey Jones of New Jersey try on Gary Clare’s (right) conductor hat. Jordan (second from right) and his father, Steve, traveled with the family from New Jersey for RailFest and the excursion around the Horseshoe Curve.

To view more photos, visit cu.altoonamirror.com and click on the We CU tab.

(Mirror photo by Jason Sipes)

A smattering of Saturday's sightings...

(Train sightings on 7/7/07)

along the Lehigh Line at Manville (NJ)...

7:05- NS Intermodal, unknown symbol, had NS 9643 (C40-9W) and NS 2729 (SD70M-2) as its power. NS 64R was holding on the passing siding at CP Bound Brook before getting its orders to proceed down the Port Reading Secondary at 7:34.

7:45- NS 11J's power consist of NS 7640 (ES40DC) and NS 9793 (C40-9W) would have fifty-four autoracks in tow.

8:00- NS 21M's power consisted of NS 9786 (C40-9W), NS 2670 (SD70M-2) and NS 9907 (C40-9W).

8:25- MA-1 would have two GP38-2s, NS 5615 (ex-SOU 2828) and NS 5620 (ex-SOU 2871), bringing seven coil cars east.


8:45- NS 24V power's would be NS 9812 (C40-9W) and NS 7609 (ES40DC).

9:35- NS, unknown symbol, would have NS 7511 (ES40DC) and NS 9237 (C40-9W) bringing three empty autoracks east.

10:03- CSX Q300 finished working the Manville yard and would head east on the passing siding and hold CP Bound Brook to wait on a westbound NS train. The first ten cars were garbage container cars (PU!) followed by sixty-six cars of mixed freight. Motive power was CSX 4745 (SD70MAC) and CSX 5347 (ES44DC).



All in all, not a bad day to be trackside here in New Jersey. Hope your morning was as enjoyable wherever you are...

Watching trains or baseball?

The Somerset Patriots are playing the Lancaster Barnstormers in a game at Commerce Bank ballpark on Monday (July 2nd). The Patriots would eventually win by a score of 7 to 6 in 12 innings. But wait, those fans out in right field are not watching the action on the field. Could they be watching NJT 4202 depart from the Bridgewater station on this night? You be the judge...

Jersey Central History Question

The Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) had a branch line in New Jersey from Somerville thru Three Bridges to Flemington. The section from Three Bridges to Flemington is extant and operated by the Black River & Western Railroad. The history question is:

When was the South Branch of the CNJ (Somerville - Three Bridges) abandoned?

Stop in the store and give us your answer. We would love to see you.

Five trains and one 4 legged train-watcher...

(Train sightings on 6/23/07)

In three hours trackside along the Lehigh Line in Bloomsbury (NJ) and Flemington Jct, I would see five trains and one red fox. I had hoped to catch the NS OCS but that it had gone through while I was driving out to Bloomsbury. Oh well, a person can't be in two places at once, eh? Would have been nice to see the OCS. I was told it waited at Flemington Junction around 6:30 for a westbounder. The trains were as follows:

19G @ 7:15 passing through Bloomsbury with 138 cars of mixed freight. Motive power would be NS 7565 (ES40DC) and NS 9199 (C40-9W).

212 @ 7:55 would have NS 8720 (C40-8) and NS 9126 (C40-9W).


23M @ 8:07 would leave the controlled siding at MP 67 and head west with its cargo of mostly K Line containers after 212 passed by. NS 9964 (C40-9W), NS 7138 (GP60) and NS 7141 (GP60) provided the power.

At Flemington Junction, NS 11J, with NS 7522 (ES40DC) and NS 2712 (SD70M-2), would head west with eighty-six autoracks.

24Z @ 10:20 would have two SD70M-2s, NS 2760 and NS 2766, as its power on this day.

Hope your day was just as enjoyable....

Somerville Street Fair

Photos below are from the Somerville Street Fair held on Sunday, 6/2/07. We had a small train layout set up in the street in front of the store. We also had a couple of RC tanks running in the street. The kids all had a good time.

In the last photo, note the young man's T-shirt for the Somerset County 4H Trainmasters. We support this club, and if you contact us we can tell you more about them.

Next Somerville Street Fair will be on Sunday, 10/7/07. Come on down!

New GE Evolution Locomotive

Received the following via email.

Photo of the new GE Evolution Series Hybrid at Chicago, IL
Pic taken on 6/1/07 by KC Tweed.

Norfolk Southern proposes new Louisiana-N.J. rail corridor

Received the following via email. From a Virginia news article found at the following link:
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=126138&ran=6981

Norfolk Southern proposes new Louisiana-N.J. rail corridor

By GREGORY RICHARDS, The Virginian-Pilot June 6, 2007

Norfolk Southern Corp. announced today plans for a $2 billion rail corridor to speed shipments of cargo containers between the central Southeast and the Northeast.

The project, dubbed the Crescent Corridor, involves upgrading and expanding the Norfolk-based railroad's rail network along a route stretching from Louisiana to New Jersey, purchasing new locomotives and railcars, and building new terminals in Maryland and Tennessee.

It is even more ambitious than the $309 million Heartland Corridor project that is being built to shorten train ships between the port of Hampton Roads and the Midwest.

Like the Heartland Corridor, Norfolk Southern plans to rely heavily on public dollars. The project would divert much truck traffic from highways, producing such public benefits as reduced highway congestion and vehicle emissions, Mike McClellan, Norfolk Southern's vice president of intermodal and automotive marketing, told a Wall Street conference today. Public bodies should pay for those benefits, he said.

Already, Virginia has committed $40 million for the project, which would run along Interstate 81, a main truck route, McClellan said.

If the financing comes together, construction on the Crescent Corridor would begin in 2008, with the first part being completed by 2009. he said. The project would be finished by 2013.

Is it summer yet?

(Train sightings on 5/31/07)

as being trackside along the Lehigh Line in Manville (NJ) with the three H's (heat, haze and humidity) certainly made it feel like summer on this Thursday morning. Here was the rundown of what passed by my vantage point.

NS 21M @ 7:20; had a trio of C40-9Ws for power. They were NS 9977, NS 9978 and NS 9398. NS 212 @ 8:07; had two C40-9Ws, NS 9407 and NS 9059, for power.

NS 18G @ 9:15; had NS 9954 (C40-9W) as the leader, NS 2690 (SD70M-2) and NS 3376 (SD40-2, ex-CR 6438) for power on this mixed freight.


NS 11J @ 9:22; would proceed to head west after holding on the passing siding for 18G to pass. Motive power would be NS 7620 (ES40DC) and NS 8813 (C40-9). Behind them were sixty-three autoracks.

CSX Q300 @ 9:54; After dropping off six cars at the Manville yard, Q300 would head east with CSX 7538 (C40-8), CSX 709 (SD70MAC) and CSX 5228 (ES44DC).


As to when the calendar declares summer officially arrives, that will happen on June 21st.