Are there any element owner railfans out there? :mrgreen:

OH MY and you bought green too....

I am a Northern Pacific and a BNSF fan and an Amtrak supporter. I walk the old Millwalkee track bed most every day and often ride Amtrak from Washington to MN or California. My greatest love though is the 4449 Daylighter engine in Portland. I would love to follow it in my E with somone out the skylight snapping pics.

Thanks for asking this question.

I grew up with the PRR and about 10 years ago we took the Empire Builder to Portland, GREAT ride. Someday I want to drive the Columbia River Gorge and do some railfanning. The riding while standing in the skylite opening would be interesting. I know the tailgate is nice for watching the trains. :mrgreen:

Well i work for a RailRoad , The long Island RailRoad

karl N2RLD

I can sit trackside at my "table" and enjoy a railfan day. I also belong to an N-Trak model RR club and the main reason for buying the E was that I can fit two 2'x4' nested modules inside, no problem. Of course, I like everything else about my E too. :wink:

I've been a member of the Railroad Museum of New England/ Naugatuck Railroad for the last 5 years and have done all kinds of work ( all volunteer,of course) When do you suppose Fairmount will come out with a highrail kit for an Element?

...does this answer the question? (Hi, karl!)

http://www.everywherewest.com/folkston.jpg

My wife and I take an Amtrak trip/vacation every year, since 1997. This year's trip is to Milwaukee (Texas Eagle) for a big paintball game and visit some friends, and then on to the Grand Canyon (Southwest Chief) for 4 days.

Is it May yet??

{member-TXARP}

We did the Cumbres and Toltec and Durango and Silverton narrow gauge railroads last week of October then rode the SW Chief second week of Nov. from Albuquerque to Trinidad CO for an overnighter and back next day. Great rides, all three!
Also spent a railfan day at Vaughn NM watching BNSF and UP and used the table legs first time....worked great!!

[quote:f4af63edf9=" "]My wife and I take an Amtrak trip/vacation every year, since 1997. This year's trip is to Milwaukee (Texas Eagle) for a big paintball game and visit some friends, and then on to the Grand Canyon (Southwest Chief) for 4 days.
[/quote:f4af63edf9]

Mike,

How long does it take to get from here to Milwaukee and then down to the Grand Canyon? How about if I just wanted to go straight to the Grand Canyon from here? I've never ridden a train on a real trip and think it would be fun.

Bill

Bill:
The most direct route would take you from Houston to Los Angeles on the Sunset, then get on the Southwest Chief to Flagstaff or Williams. If you go to Williams, you can ride the train to the Grand Canyon the next day.

Timewise, you're looking at a day and a half to LAX, kill most of the day in LA, then another half day to Flagstaff. Start to finish, it would be leaving Houston at 9:00 pm, arriving Flagstaff at 5:30 am, 2&1/2 days later.

The train is definitely part of the vacation.

Find out more at www.amtrak.com

Oops... I wasn't finished......

From Houston to Milwaukee is about 1&1/2 days and another full day to Flagstaff.

It might be better if you took the train to San Antonio, or New Orleans and back for a first trip.

You can get TONS of info about trains at www.trainweb.com

UP3985 is coming through St. Louis weekend after next. We've already made plans for following/chasing as it leaves town on Sunday.

I've offered the E's unique "tank commander" position to my video-shooting friends, but so far no takers. :wink:

[quote:a8d534a5e0=" "]Timewise, you're looking at a day and a half to LAX, kill most of the day in LA, then another half day to Flagstaff. Start to finish, it would be leaving Houston at 9:00 pm, arriving Flagstaff at 5:30 am, 2&1/2 days later.

The train is definitely part of the vacation.

Find out more at www.amtrak.com[/quote:a8d534a5e0]

That sounds pretty cool to me. Thanks for the info.

Big railfan here. Just not enough trains here.....

Are there any Element railfans from Northeast/Central PA? Also any from around Erie/and the town of North East PA

Don't tell me that this is the railfan vehicle of choice! My wife will flip when she hears that and probably buy a VW bug or something in spite!

Railfan/railroader from the early days.. here's my working lineage:

Morristown & Erie (NJ) - trainman
Long Island Railroad - trainman while going to college
Conrail - Sales, Marketing during the Stanley Crane years (now I'm dating myself for those fans in the know!)
Southern Pacific Lines - Network Planning & Operations

If it weren't for the UP/SP merger and the demand to move to Omaha I'd still be in the biz probably, but alas life takes you on many twists & turns.

Now in the PNW and get an occasional rail jaunt here and there (but get to see Interbay yard everyday in Seattle woo hoo!).

Most interesting things I've seen so far - Stevens Pass, old MILW line (abandoned), Columbia river trackage.

The old Cascade tunnel and the town of Wellington (which was wiped out in an avalanche that took out a GN train packed with people) is on my short list of hikes that I haven't taken yet.

No doubt the E will enhance the chase!

You Green Toaster..

If you are from Bloomsburg, I'm sure you know all about the DL&W Bloomsburg branch (parts now the Reading & Northern Taylor Secondary if memory serves me..).

Pennsylvania is the ultimate RR history and action state. Horseshoe Curve should be seen by every railfan at least once in their life. And the remnants of CNJ, RDG,LV,Erie, DL&W and even O&W remain to be discovered.

Awesome territory!

I still find it strange to be blathering about railroads on an Element board!

You PNW,I guess I could be writing on a rail board about the element, but no I'll Stay here. At least we're not complaing about our Elements like alot of the other owners. Diffinatally enjoy mine. Anyway I was stationed at Whidbey Island back in 1971-72. Its really a nice around the Seattle area. Sould have stayed there! The Element is a great vehicle for training. I slept in it once at Erie Pa last year. Slept ok but took too much gear with me, crowded up a bit. As far as railing PA, they pretty well ruined Horseshoe Curve with the museum and tram. Too many non railfans, the area is to enclosed and closes up the curve area for the winter. Progress yea right. So enjoy the railing in the PNW :D

If any of you live near the Challenger's route, I'd suggest you go watch it chug by your location.

Here's its web page:
http://www.uprr.com/notes/corpcomm/2003/1229_super.shtml

I'm gonna see it in Houston while it is here!

>If any of you live near the Challenger's route

I was trackside yesterday waiting for it to go by. City cop pulls up and tells me it's going to be at least two hours late, so I thank him and head back to work. By the time it got here, it was five hours late due to minor re-route and a hot rod bearing.

Plan on chasing it Sunday. Hopefully there will be an E+3985 photo op. And hopefully they'll have that rod fixed, or it will be a very long day.

I've been looking for my slide collection (stopped shooting years ago) to scan and post a little bit of area history for you...

...MILW westbound at Cle Elum. When I find it I'll post it.

Sadly, it was diesels; the wire was long gone in 1980.

Would love to see the pic!

What a travesty to have ripped up that rail.

I'm sure UP could be using that as a stack route today if they had picked it up at fire sale prices in the 80's. Nobody had that foresight back then, so somewhat understandable.

I haven't hiked/mtn biked much of the MILW right of way. I have suspicions that some archeological remnants of the electification still exist. Maybe a substation or two.

Across the Columbia River bridge at Beverly there's still fading remnants of the trackage and water tower. Plus the massive bridge itself.

For two summers I worked for the Denver & Rio Grande as a hostel helper while attending college in the late 50's. Good pay and by picking up jobs off the extra board(job postings), it was possible to work 10-12 consecutive days and nights. I remember my wife and I calling the paymaster to verify a check that we thought surely was an overpayment as I cleared $525 for the week! Big bucks because we could fill up the back seat of a '54 Ford with groceries for $35-$40. With the GI Bill and RR earnings, finishing college was assured.

One job posting required chugging on up to Craig, CO to clean up the train before it returned to Denver. Beautiful and rugged country but also dangerous-a conductor got careless and hopped off the passenger car for some fresh air, forgetting that the train was stopped on a hillside with a 1000 ft drop. Daydreaming could be fatal. Once a foreman whacked me with a newspaer as I walked the track. He told of rabbits being cut in half while sitting on a track underneath a stopped rail car. When the cars are bumped form some distance, the wave effect becomes noiseless.

Some recollections, both amusing and tragic:
-As the yardmaster watched a train leaving he spotted a switchman who was coupled between two rail cars with his legs raised, waving and yelling as best he could. Seems he opened the coupling and when he turned around his jacket was caught.
-At night we were to bring back a unit from the central station but we waited until dawn until a pipefitter came to disconnect steam line-strong RR unions at the time.
-At holiday time a guy thought he saw the flashlight signal to back up, which he did, not realizing that the round table was not lined up. He put two diesel units in the pit but kept his job. As did an engr who was nicknamed, "Million $ Bob", because of an accident for which he was blamed. He was restricted to yard duty.
-Supposedly a switchman, who was generously endowed, was asked to discontinue visiting a thriving house of fun in Pueblo, Co because all employees were unwilling to provide him service.
-Yes, railroading can be dangerous. Tragically, a switchman had his boot caught in the frog(rail switch) and was pulverized by a diesel unit whose engr mistakenly thought he saw the backup signal. Attempts were made to contact his wife who was on her way to pick him up but she and the kids arrived shortly after the accident.

-Ending on a happier note- an old timer and I drove a diesel unit to the Denver central station which we were to hook up to a passsenger car filled with merry makers heading to Cheyenne Days. He told me to hop up and drive the diesel saying it would be a good experience for me. I edged ahead very carefully not wanting to screw up but as I did I encountered a slight upgrade which caused me to slide back as I approached the coupling. Yeah, I ended up banging the passenger car and moving it ahead some distance. I guess the bigwigs in the car thought it was funny as hell. Thank God for booze.

E OWNER

I have suspicions that some archeological remnants of the electification still exist. Maybe a substation or two.
Actually? The first place I'd look would be Cle Elum. The substation was a substantial masonry structure on the western fringes of town. The reason it was still standing in '80 was that it was a junction point for the non-RR electrical grid. It was really eerie - borderline frightening - to walk around inside it with the high-tension lines within the building buzzing not very far over your head. That area didn't impress me as being particularly ripe for development, so I would not be surprised to see it still there, untouched.

It was a bittersweet visit, because it was public knowledge that the line was slated to be abandoned in a few months. That's why we made the trip. We spent a couple of hours chatting with the station agent, who was about to be laid off weeks short of qualifying for retirement, and with no prospects. It was a tearful experience for all.

Hi to all from Altoona,Pa. Home of the Juniata shops and the Horseshoe curve. We most recently lost the Hollidaysburg car shops. Take the fall excursion around the curve.

Slides! :shock:

-brendan

http://www.everywherewest.com/UP3985_E.jpg

It was supposed to go out today (and I was hoping to post an "E + 3985 in action" shot), but a failure in a firebox circulator tube on the KC-StL leg has it parked here until Wednesday. That projection is optimistic because of the nature of the failure - if it fails inspection and/or the running test, then they're down at least another two days for the boiler to cool again.

UP's PR folks say they don't know yet if they're going to post a revised schedule (http://www.uprr.com/notes/corpcomm/2003/super_schedule.shtml), but I wouldn't be looking for it until it's verified as running and on the move again.

Nice paint match between your Element and 3985. I hope they get 3985 running. Post more photos if possible.

Thanks to multiple info sources (and some direct asking!), we learned that UP3985 was heading out today. Our plan was to follow it most of the day's run, to the next layover point.

We only paced it for one short stretch - the left-hand photo below is from that. Most of the time we jumped ahead and stopped for run-bys. That was pretty easy to do - train had lots of slow orders due to track maintenance. We started the day around 8:00, and packed it in around 2:30 when the crowds and the pacing traffic were making it difficult to get around.

Notice the traffic in the rear-view mirror in the left shot. Those are all railfans, and this road was in the middle of BFE. Apparently I'm not the only one who can read a topo any more. :roll:

http://www.everywherewest.com/UP3985_E3.jpg http://www.everywherewest.com/UP3985_E2.jpg

Mike, Thanks for posting the photos. Nice one with the Element in the runby. You sure are lucky to be there to see that train. Maybe some day I,ll get out there. Keep the photos coming it definitly adds to this web site. Only we railfans appreciate that. Drive the BOX.

Looking good!

Mike, I'd like to have that picture on the right (or bottom picture, if it displays that way) as wallpaper for a while.

Can I download a larger version of that somewhere? Or could you email it to me, as long as it's not over 3 megs? (Yea, I have cable access...)

Thanks for posting. I can't wait for it to get to Houston!

I might as well chime in here. Yes I am a railfan too, my territory is Stockton/Sacramento and to some extent the Bay Area and then on down to Bakersfield and the Tehachapi Loop! I know all the backroads around Tehachapi Pass, so if you want me to show you were to take your E, just drop me a line...

I don't have any good e and rail photos at this time, but I'll get some up...

Joe Bohannon