RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 4, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2014 There are numerous specially built railfan or railroad Parks appearing across the USA. Perhaps the most famous one is at Rochelle about 100 miles West of downtown Chicago and an easy hour and a half drive from Chicago O Hare airport. Rochelle Railroad Park http://goo.gl/maps/PYX1f This is also the location of the Trains Magazine live web can http://trn.trains.com/Interactive/Web%20Cams/Rochelle.aspx you do need to register and sign in but it is free. At Rochelle you will find a double track diamond crossing with Best and Union Pacific crossing each other on the flat. There can be over 100 trains a day passing the Park. There is a covered shelter for railfans with power points around the perimeter along with ample seating. Also there are restrooms and drink vending machines plus a railfan shop selling various souvenirs but opening times are restricted, I think to weekends. We paid a visit last week and in the 4 you rs we were there we saw 14 trains. photos to follow but if you have photos by all means post them here. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 4, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2014 Here are the first few photos taken last week. We had to wait about 40 minutes and other rail fans commented that it had been very quiet. However a couple of UP workers showed up and removed some red square signs then replaced them with green ones on posts either side of the diamonds. Things then got busy. First train was a East bound BNSF train. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 4, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2014 The second train to pass by was a West bound UP service. UP locos are now starting to look quite shabby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 I'm pretty clueless when it comes to identifying these "modern" locos - what I do like to do when looking at pics of them is to recall that a UK Class 66 is only as tall as the short hood on them. Also, in the UK we had to have new small-wheel, low deck flats so that 9'6" tall containers will stay within the Loading Gauge..... looking at US double-stackers always makes me think our container trains look rather under-nourished.... Thanks for posting!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2014 Also bear in mind that both HO scale and US a N scale scale are both smaller than British equivalent scales Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2014 A good example is being in the done day on the Ocean Via Rail service looking across the roofs of the Night star stock they bought from the UK with the Via Rail US locos on the point Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDuty Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I'm quite close to the Rochelle "petting zoo" as the crews call it - if anyone will be visiting drop me a line! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2014 Ken Too late for this year but should be back again soon and Aurora has a great bar in the old Roundhouse next to where we stayed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDuty Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Ken Too late for this year but should be back again soon and Aurora has a great bar in the old Roundhouse next to where we stayed. I'm in Aurora, actually... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 The US Loading gauge for lines that allow double - stack containers is 20’2” IIRC - as we know many lines do not allow that. Bit more than 3 foot but as I say in the New York/New Jersey/PA Port areas, for example, as few as 4 mainlines allow them. Probably for the same reason the UK cannot, early builds. I still have big trouble id’ing modern locos and I live here! The best way is to Google the loco numbers.... Never mind the height, consider the width............... Class 70 approaching Enola Yard, Marysville, PA http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=480110&nseq=0&favsearch=1 Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDuty Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 All the new GEs in particular look the same to me - give me SD40-2s and GP38-2s! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2014 I have to think about them too. When an SD70ACe passes I keep thinking of SD80/90s Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 BNSF6977 is an ES44/Gevo of some description (you can tell an ES44 from the hump in the radiator - i'd have to google to narrow it down further though!) BNSF673 is an ex Santa Fe C44-9W (Santa Fe only had -8 and -9, and it's not a -8 due to the roller blade trucks) - cool catch. UP4340 is an SD70M I think (EMDs version of the roller blade says it's not an SD60M)The UP loco behind is a C40-8W (or a 41, they had both, and I don't think there are any external spotting features) - the -8s had older style GE trucks compared to later GEs (I think that counts as an old-school high horsepower lashup on UP these days!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 In general terms (for modern 6-axle stuff) If it has visible fan housings it is an EMD, if it doesn't, it is a GE. If is an EMD: - and has flared radiators and a non-flared section behind them it is one of SD90 (all variants), SD80MAC, SD70ACe, SD70M-2. If it is very long it is one of the first two. - and has flared radiators reaching to the back of the long hood it is likely an SD70M - and has vertical radiators and a wide cab/short hood it is likely an SD70M (early), or SD60M - and has vertical radiators and an old-style cab, it is likely an SD70 (if NS), an SD60, or an SD50 (or conversion thereof) - if it has visible dynamic brake blisters mid-way down the long hood, it is an SD45-2 or an SD40 variant If it is a GE: - and has fat (deep) radiator wings, it is likely a GEVO of some form - and has thinner radiator wings, it is likely a Dash-9 or an AC4400 (or variant). The ACs have a longer high walkway aft of the cab on the left side. It could also be a Dash 8, although they have slightly thinner wings still and are slightly shorter. - and has an old-style cab, it is a Dash 8. Note that there are exceptions to all of this, and more subtleties of variants. An internet connection or a spotting book are the best bets for true identification. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2014 find that the SG70M;s are fairly easy to spot. Recently I bought an Athearn N scale UP large flag SD70M, only to fin out that they had put a flared radiator number on a non flared model which is odd because Athearn do both types. Luckily Railpics website had a photo of a suitable loco and that number just happened to be on a Microscale set of decals so was easily rectified. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 find that the SG70M;s are fairly easy to spot. Recently I bought an Athearn N scale UP large flag SD70M, only to fin out that they had put a flared radiator number on a non flared model which is odd because Athearn do both types. Luckily Railpics website had a photo of a suitable loco and that number just happened to be on a Microscale set of decals so was easily rectified. There are actually multiple variants of SD70Ms - pinched nose with straight radiators (done by Athearn), pinched nose with flared radiators (done by Athearn) and straight nose with flared radiators (done by Kato). UP has all three variants, NS has the first and the third. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2014 Adrian Yes forgot about the pinched / straight nose type. It took me a little while to find the correct one to renumber to due to all those variants! The third train that we saw at Rochelle was a really nice find having both the CNW liveried locos that UP specially kept. Both looking a little worn these days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I think they look fab, long may their "unofficial heritage loco" status continue - we probably should model these for RS Tower one day, especially given their longevity! (PS - You're doing okay so far, only one of six loco's is a boring everyday GEVO, and half are fallen flags!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR88 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 The US Loading gauge for lines that allow double - stack containers is 20’2” IIRC - as we know many lines do not allow that. Bit more than 3 foot but as I say in the New York/New Jersey/PA Port areas, for example, as few as 4 mainlines allow them. Probably for the same reason the UK cannot, early builds. I still have big trouble id’ing modern locos and I live here! The best way is to Google the loco numbers.... Never mind the height, consider the width............... Class 70 approaching Enola Yard, Marysville, PA http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=480110&nseq=0&favsearch=1 Best, Pete. Saw this loco a little while ago pulling intermodals around Eastleigh area! (UK) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 7, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2014 Some more photos from our visit. A very bowed gondola Also I noticed that all the unit tank car trains now have either a box car or covered hopper barrier car at each end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 This is awesome, more please! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dalesman Posted June 7, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 7, 2014 Rochelle is definitely a good place to go for quantity of trains - occasionally throws up some interesting moves too! I've put some of my photos from 2004/2008/2010 and 2012 online at www.flickr.com/photos/27874750@N04/sets/72157605729780238/ and some others at: www.flickr.com/photos/27874750@N04/ Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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