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Virtual Railfan webcams


NickBrad
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6 minutes ago, mdvle said:

 

Now perhaps add in this - a comment on this website indicates steam locos don't use the brakes on the loco at all, just the brakes on the rest of the train.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/union-pacific-steam-shop-update?page=3

 

Quote

"The locomotive brake (the Independent Brake) on a steam locomotive is not used when moving because of the heat generated between the brake shoes and the tires. If the tires are heated too much, they could expand enough to get loose and come off. That’s obviously a bad situation!"

:scratchhead:

 

Now let me see. How did a 9F brake that long train of unbraked loose couple wagons?

Can't remember any 9F tyres coming off due to stopping a train!:D

 

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2 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

Also, is it just my imagination or are they not really taxing the 4014 in the way the 3985 used to actually do some work?

 

I can't recall seeing any stirring performances yet, just this giant piece of machinery sedately rolling about.  

 

Shhh now, but its a bit underwhelming once you get past the monstrous size. 

Maybe they are worried about how much they spent restoring it and don't want to break it!

A few coaches and a diesel to pull aren't going to tax it anything like a fully loaded train of coal hoppers.

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On 17/08/2021 at 18:13, melmerby said:

Maybe they are worried about how much they spent restoring it and don't want to break it!

A few coaches and a diesel to pull aren't going to tax it anything like a fully loaded train of coal hoppers.

 

At a guess there maybe a lot of truth to that.

 

Steam locos lost to diesel to their maintenance costs, and so reducing the maintenance on Big Boy allows the UP steam program to continue given the only purpose is public relations.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Fans of interesting motive power should get along to the Belen cam - BN whiteface SD60M is working the yard, currently kicking cars.  A sight and sound to behold while it lasts.

 

1257681127_SD60M1466.JPG.37a573e9d538e784ffa7f2a7e01179e2.JPG

 

It's interesting to see just how fast switching actually is.  There's no funereal crawling about, and gentle coupling of cars, it's all rev up and go...

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On 17/08/2021 at 20:16, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

If the heat generated by braking is sufficient to loosen tires, then we're well past worrying about braking... the damn thing must be re-entering the earths atmosphere wheels first...

Slipped tyres aren’t that uncommon due to dragging brakes on wagons and then they can crack or go soft and pick up damage causing a derailment. We’ve had locos and stock sidelined and wheelskated to a depot because of heat damage to tyres a few times over the years. 
 

On 19/08/2021 at 02:02, mdvle said:

Steam locos lost to diesel to their maintenance costs, and so reducing the maintenance on Big Boy allows the UP steam program to continue given the only purpose is public relations.

But under Steve Lee they rescued diesel freights and did this . . .

 


That was PR for their customer APL!

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There is a new VR railfan camera supposed to be going live over this weekend in Springfield, MA, in conjunction with a local Railfan/Model Rail group.   Its mounted on the main station building there, so will be interesting to see what sort of views it gives over the tracks - given the platforms do have canopies.

Will come in handy when its used in conjunction with the B&M Independent rail cameras at Palmer, Chester and Westfield (when the latter starts working again...).   The Palmer and Chester cams now have train logs that record everything passing (including loco numbers) for those who want that sort of detailed information....

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:scratchhead:

That looks like the bog standard UP train of passenger cars, that have been wandering around parts of the system.

 

BTW that's a regular Amtrak fuelling point from road tankers on the platform.

Edited by melmerby
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9 hours ago, melmerby said:

It's on now:

 

 

Not exactly a scenic location is it........!!

They have built two high level platforms since I was last there back in 2010 but, despite completely refurbishing the terminal building for use again (and adding a bus station), the rest has been allowed to go into terminal decay. I thought some of the comments about the view on the chat yesterday were quite amusing.

Think i'll be sticking to the B&M run Independent railcams at Palmer and Chester for my viewings of trains on the former B&A line. At least Palmer has New England Central and Mass Central running into there to break up the fairly slack CSX traffic....

Hopefully their Westfield camera will get back online soon, once they have sorted the electrical problems at that site.

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The Westfield, MA, cam is up and running again now, after several months absence....

 

 

That means that the former B&A Main line now has 4 cams, all of which are fairly close together, covering it!

 

Chester, MA (B&M  Live)

Westfield, MA (B&M Live)

Springfield, MA  (Virtual Railfan)

Palmer, MA  (B&M Live)  - 2 cameras

 

 

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On 29/09/2021 at 21:04, Johann Marsbar said:

Nice one, Squirrel !!

 

image.png.57e8004e9748017ee7868c8456b4dc2c.png

Checking it out for a nest box?

When you first posted it, all that was visible was a blank screen (presumably something to do with the RMWeb fallover?)

 

 

On VRF they had a problem with one of their cams and when they opened the housing it was full of ants/termites/an other nesting in it.

 

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2 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Checking it out for a nest box?

When you first posted it, all that was visible was a blank screen (presumably something to do with the RMWeb fallover?)

 

 

On VRF they had a problem with one of their cams and when they opened the housing it was full of ants/termites/an other nesting in it.

 

It appeared on there again yesterday at a similar time.  That camera is mounted on the end gable of the former station building there so the squirrel is a bit off its normal stamping ground, I would think !

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4 minutes ago, Johann Marsbar said:

It appeared on there again yesterday at a similar time.  That camera is mounted on the end gable of the former station building there so the squirrel is a bit off its normal stamping ground, I would think !

Grey Squirrels are not unknown to nest in roof spaces in the UK, so their US brethren probably do the same.

Edited by melmerby
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