The Railfan Thread
- Thread starter Driving Park
- 317 comments
- 25,186 views
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
@Carlos Well, sometimes it's just the engineer and fireman, sometimes its also with the headend brakeman. But yes, never leave a locomotive/train unattended. Only leave it unattended when it's on a low simmer/idle with all brakes applied in the yard or siding.
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Fantastic clip, great view.
A lot of good Euro stock (if not all) of even higher quality is available for free for Open Rails.
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Fantastic clip, great view.
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- 6,425
- KCCO
Meh, I see why I stopped tinkering with it, lack of interaction...That is actually a tourist trap, isn't it? Well engineered and choreographed - I hear they closed down and restructed the whiole thing so as to make it even more attractive (and safer, too, I guess for the tourists who come from all over the world to see that. Definitely on the trainophile's bucket list.
Trains and people - there is something about 'taking the train' that appeals to everyone - though not necessarily the subway or even the smaller DMUs that shuttle between urban stops. I'm talking about the bigger passenger locos - a couple of 1500 HP engines - a consist that runs the entire platform - First Class Sleepers and 2nd and 3rd Class, too, with a Buffet and Observation car. Every trip is an adventure.
Because trains link major cities and have to run through rural areas as well as really dangerous-looking passes and bridges that even sometimes cross the sea, it can be quite an experience.
Trains are also a source of income for poorer folk who live through the business that come by way of passengers - and quite often in coastal areas where trains run regular short stops people squat on land close to the station and villages and communities populate and survive this way - adding to the flow of exchange.
Impossibru! Did the Yardmaster know? This was obviously a lark - that engineer could have kissed those buffers if he wanted. I lived by a siding once and used to watch the field crews for hours thinking 'MG! These guys are grown up and they still get to play with trains - real trains, too. Shucks.'
All I had was my Canon AE-1 and a telephoto lens.
Quite calm. And now I know for sure that penguins live at a completely different speed.
What's the story on all the horn-blowing? Never experienced that IRL.
No lack of locos on that consist - the idea being I guess that even if half of them go down the other half will get them out of trouble. I have been parked while a CN freight train passes and actually have stopped my engine and got out of the car. These consists are unbelievably long.
Great fun watching one of these when it threads through a spiral tunnel.
And, Oh! man - to be the engineer. . ..
*sigh
Nice shoot, Johnny.
@Swagger897 - how goes it with the MSTS? You're perking my interest, too.
- 2,007
- Los Angeles
- GTP_DrivingPark
- Finetales
Speaking of simulators, I got a new computer on Cyber Monday so I've reinstalled Trainz 2012 and am in the process of downloading thousands of third-party assets for it. Stoked to start making routes and running consists again.
This is my favorite notch 8 mountain drag video.
I'd love to see something like this in real life, but unfortunately it doesn't really happen any more.
This is my favorite notch 8 mountain drag video.
I'd love to see something like this in real life, but unfortunately it doesn't really happen any more.
- 4,464
- Azle, TX
- supermanfromazle
- SanjiHimura
I rarely venture into this part of the forums (I dabble into politics most often here at GTP), but I have to say that I am a big fan of rail. My state is getting ready to install its first bullet train that will get from Dallas (roughly a 2 hour train ride from my town) to Houston in roughly an hour for 62 trips a day, however, there is plenty of local resistance from the towns that are in between the major population hubs. The train that they are using is going to be the Shinkansen train, which they used over in Japan for over 50 years with no accidents.
Here is a gloss over about the train in question:
http://www.texastribune.org/2015/09/08/texas-bullet-train-moving-forward-despite-obstacle/
Here is a gloss over about the train in question:
http://www.texastribune.org/2015/09/08/texas-bullet-train-moving-forward-despite-obstacle/
- 5,000
- United States
- GTP_Johnny1996
EDIT: Voting closed a good while ago.
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- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
1! SD9 for the win.
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
Tough choice. I guess it all comes down to what kind of choo-choo sound they make. Or is it shoo-shoo!?
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
Since it's Christmas eve, I shall post a gem for all.
On December 24th, 1957, train 42, the eastbound "Pelican" heading from New Orleans to Washington D.C. makes a stop at Rural Retreat, Virginia with Class J 4-8-4 #603 doing the honors. In the background, church bells ring chorals can be heard as the 4-8-4 whistles at distant crossings. The stop at Rural Retreat is short, probably only a couple people and some mail bags being let off. After making its stop, the 4-8-4 gives a whistle goodbye to the sleepy town and accelerates away into the darkness, whistling again as it goes through another crossing. The distant stack talk can be heard for quite a while before the train disappears into the night, the locomotive and her crew not much farther from home. The photo is of a westbound passenger around an hour later with the station clerk leading the engineer in with his lamp. A 9 minute slice of eastern America that will always be remembered fondly. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas everbody.
On December 24th, 1957, train 42, the eastbound "Pelican" heading from New Orleans to Washington D.C. makes a stop at Rural Retreat, Virginia with Class J 4-8-4 #603 doing the honors. In the background, church bells ring chorals can be heard as the 4-8-4 whistles at distant crossings. The stop at Rural Retreat is short, probably only a couple people and some mail bags being let off. After making its stop, the 4-8-4 gives a whistle goodbye to the sleepy town and accelerates away into the darkness, whistling again as it goes through another crossing. The distant stack talk can be heard for quite a while before the train disappears into the night, the locomotive and her crew not much farther from home. The photo is of a westbound passenger around an hour later with the station clerk leading the engineer in with his lamp. A 9 minute slice of eastern America that will always be remembered fondly. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas everbody.
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- 3,918
- Null Island
In a shocker to nobody, still on a Western Maryland kick. Apparently they fielded their own Challengers back in the day.
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
Yeah they had 2-8-0's, 2-10-0's, a Shay, 4-6-6-4's, 4-6-2's and 4-8-4's. The 4-8-4's were some of the best ever designed. The "Wild Mary" was and always will be known for its fast freights. 👍 Their big 2-10-0's were beautiful to look at as well.
In a shocker to nobody, still on a Western Maryland kick. Apparently they fielded their own Challengers back in the day.
The modern day 734 (ex-LS&I 34) fits the role of a 700 series 2-8-0 perfectly, odd, but its fantastic that it worked out that way considering the only WM steamer preserved was the 1 4-6-2, #202.
- 3,918
- Null Island
Yeah they had 2-8-0's, 2-10-0's, a Shay, 4-6-6-4's, 4-6-2's and 4-8-4's. The 4-8-4's were some of the best ever designed. The "Wild Mary" was and always will be known for its fast freights. 👍 Their big 2-10-0's were beautiful to look at as well.
The site I pulled the pic from actually had aa shot of the original WM 734. Found than amazing.
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
Here's a 1996 cab ride in a KCS SD60 on a KCS manifest. It's neat footage, and you get to see a proper headlight + gyra-light combo (none of this ditchlight nonsense 
).
).
- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
I dread to think of the horsepower on tap there.
Having been spurred to look myself I'm lined up to try this sometime, too. Real time-killer though.
_______________
The consist on top is the consist at the bottom:
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
The tunnel loops on the Kicking Horse Pass portion of CPR's line in British Columbia is amazing, it's pretty much like the Tehachapi loop in California but at a much higher elevation and with treesI dread to think of the horsepower on tap there.
Having been spurred to look myself I'm lined up to try this sometime, too. Real time-killer though.
_______________
The consist on top is the consist at the bottom:
. Originally the loop in the photo was a series of switchbacks until the tunnel was boared out.
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
Must...keep...thread...alive.
To kick off the first week of 2016, here's some peaceful scenes from New Zealand in 1994.
Edit: Must say, our friends in New Zealand were blessed by those EMD exports with their non-turbo engines. There's just something so epic about the throaty growl of a roots blown 567 or 645. Don't get me wrong though...turbo 567's/645's sound like the closest thing to pure power...not a steamer, but close.
To kick off the first week of 2016, here's some peaceful scenes from New Zealand in 1994.
Edit: Must say, our friends in New Zealand were blessed by those EMD exports with their non-turbo engines.
There's just something so epic about the throaty growl of a roots blown 567 or 645. Don't get me wrong though...turbo 567's/645's sound like the closest thing to pure power...not a steamer, but close.
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- 7,436
- Canada
- photonrider
Plainly aerodynamic. Broad gauge? Or have I lost perspective? If those windows are anything to go by . . ..
Peaceful and New Zealand in the same breath - almost sounds redundant. How laid back could one be riding a cow-catcher?
I have long wanted to see NZ close-up - especially a dream ride on a hired bike of my choice around the coastal roads. Now I have something else to investigate, too. I was intrigued by the scenes around the 4:00 mark - the trains seem to be running without rails - like regimented millipedes speeding around in the sand. The sleepers seem buried and the rails are almost invisible.
Talking about tracks - here's a machine I would really love watching in real life. Oh! Yeah. Me parked nearby on a Cagiva, flask of tea handy, and the camera rolling. I could watch this machine all day.
I had to crack a smile when the mallets come out.
Worlds largest track layer - Plasser & Theurer SVM1000 Infranord at Haparandabanan, Sweden
But here's a twist on it. Just staple the darn sleepers on, mod the gantry, hire some of the local help and put some money in their hands - after all how much intellect does one need to drive a spike. Some skill with a hammer.
That being possibly the world's oldest tool.
Peaceful and New Zealand in the same breath - almost sounds redundant. How laid back could one be riding a cow-catcher?
I have long wanted to see NZ close-up - especially a dream ride on a hired bike of my choice around the coastal roads. Now I have something else to investigate, too. I was intrigued by the scenes around the 4:00 mark - the trains seem to be running without rails - like regimented millipedes speeding around in the sand. The sleepers seem buried and the rails are almost invisible.
Talking about tracks - here's a machine I would really love watching in real life. Oh! Yeah. Me parked nearby on a Cagiva, flask of tea handy, and the camera rolling. I could watch this machine all day.
I had to crack a smile when the mallets come out.
Worlds largest track layer - Plasser & Theurer SVM1000 Infranord at Haparandabanan, Sweden
But here's a twist on it. Just staple the darn sleepers on, mod the gantry, hire some of the local help and put some money in their hands - after all how much intellect does one need to drive a spike. Some skill with a hammer.
That being possibly the world's oldest tool.
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
BobK
Premium
- 7,020
- Massachusetts, USA
That appears to me to be more the result of too much (lossy) compression especially since at times you can see the rails ghosting in and out of existence.
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
An interesting thing I found, steam is still in revenue service in Africa! Sort of...it's only a "shortline" operation, but these ex-SAR 4-8-2's are being used to haul copper. Very neat. 👍
- 13,270
- GTPlanet
- Street-King-07
- Quattro Saltire
After 10 years and £4.2 million, the legend that is the Flying Scotsman is back:
- 9,554
- Vermont
- catamount39
