N Gauge Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Lawrence on April 08, 2020, 07:47:22 PM

Title: Virtual Railfan
Post by: Lawrence on April 08, 2020, 07:47:22 PM
Was watching some feeds earlier via the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOIkT9bq-1N2BvrsBjhNlag/featured (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOIkT9bq-1N2BvrsBjhNlag/featured) you tube channel. At Elkhart, Indiana I saw a Norfolk Southern triple header hauling 170 cars, around 150 of them were double stack containers, the rest were intermodal containers and truck chassis, it seemed neverending. Nice to see they were using the EOTDs though.
If American railroading is your thing it is well worth a visit, there is also a chat box so you can find out when the next traffic is due and there is several feeds so you can flick between them chasing the action  ;)
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: Bealman on April 08, 2020, 10:15:00 PM
Not a lot happening at LA Plata, Missouri, but I guess they are in lock down too
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: njee20 on April 08, 2020, 10:45:28 PM
Something went through at 14.27 local time. That's pretty frequent for a lot of US railways!

I quite like the Tehachapi Loop cameras, and there's another UP yard in that vicinity which has a staggering amount of traffic (or certainly did pre-Covid-19). The name eludes me presently...

Edit: Barstow, CA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsMrJJaU6gk)

Edit 2: If you're interested in UK movements the York one is quite good! Just wish there was a similar one at Rugby ROC or something on the WCML!
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: emjaybee on April 08, 2020, 10:52:37 PM
If you want busy in the US try Flagstaff, Arizona. The wife and I spent the night there a few years back, hell's teeth, clanging bells, train horns and crossing bells all bloody night. I've no problem with being near rail lines, our family home was/is about 100yds from the West Coast mainline, but Flagstaff is something else!
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: Lawrence on April 09, 2020, 08:49:15 AM
Quote from: Bealman on April 08, 2020, 10:15:00 PM
Not a lot happening at LA Plata, Missouri, but I guess they are in lock down too

There is a lot of freight moving at the moment George but not much in the way of passenger traffic, even on the Japanese webcams it seems to mostly freight
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: 70000 on April 09, 2020, 08:57:12 AM
I generally leave the Elkhart one running on my computer for a good couple of hours each day, generally longer, as I've found that there is a good variety of traffic on there.
Have also looked at the Cresson and Chesterton ones in the past, but consider the Elkhart one, with appearances of trains like the two "locals" with cabooses and the Grand Elk RR make the difference.
Only problem with the "live chat" is that you can easily work out when the schools are off......
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: TrevL on April 09, 2020, 05:14:18 PM
I had a look at Cajon Pass for a few minutes and was lucky enough to see one coming, and it stopped mid train by the camera (43 double stacked container wagons in). It was waiting for one coming in the other direction, which had 8 locos on the front.  I've seen two or three on the front with one in the middle somewhere and another at the back, but eight, is the usual?
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: 70000 on June 29, 2020, 04:07:03 PM
A new camera on the Kingsley Inn in Fort Madison, Iowa, went live at the weekend.
It's on YouTube for the next 12 months, if not longer....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc5ViXfb6x0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc5ViXfb6x0)
An interesting location, having actually stayed in said hotel back in 2011, with plenty of rail activity, plus barge traffic on the Mississippi and a two level (road upper, rail lower) swing bridge as well!
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: Lawrence on June 29, 2020, 10:25:44 PM
@70000 (https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=profile;u=5878) got there just as a BNSF triple header went by with a very long empty coal haul  :D
Title: Re: Virtual Railfan
Post by: jpendle on June 29, 2020, 11:28:43 PM
Quote from: TrevL on April 09, 2020, 05:14:18 PM
I've seen two or three on the front with one in the middle somewhere and another at the back, but eight, is the usual?

No, probably at least 4 of them would be dead in tow. They have to spread the power through out the train so that the couplings don't come apart.

Regards,

John P