Track Warrants
"The Electronic Internet Newsletter of Western Railroading"P.O. Box 720301
San Jose, CA 95172
USA
Issue No. 16
Jan. 26, 1995
Night shot by Ken Rattenne© at Riverbank, CA.
Priorities...juggle this, juggle that. It seems the older I get the more critical stuff there is to deal with. I work at a major university's journalism department where I support a computer operation of about 300 nodes, as well as photo and broadcast facilities. I am also a master's student at that school in my last semester working on my thesis project. I know, it sounds like I am whining. I know I am not alone. We all have things that make demands of us, especially those of us with families.
After moving last month, this month the work crunch hit. It was semester break. While the students and professors were gone we completely rearranged our computer labs. I was working overtime and something had to give and that something was TRACK WARRANTS.
It is something editors/publishers, especially those of us who do it as a labor of love have to deal with. I know it was my undoing at FLIMSIES. I used to get frustrated sometimes reading about other peoples railfan experiences and, meanwhile, spending time otherwise spent chasing trains, publishing. So it goes. My hats are off to all those who have put time into the magazines. There are very few of the publishers who actually make money (much less a living) at what they do. You cannot imagine how disheartening it is to get angry mail from readers who are frustrated (and sometimes get mean) when you get behind on publication schedules when you are doing the best you can. (Some people don't realize that publishers hate to be behind more than anybody. Catching up can be a daunting task.)
I think that is one of the greatest things about TRACK WARRANTS. Since it is "free" I don't get that. Also, I think the nicest readers are on-line.
Speaking of FLIMSIES I was touched by Bill's comments in issue #200. Seeing FLIMSIES, as it is now, is like seeing a good kid grown up and out in the world doing good things. I am glad those who followed behind me with the newsletter held true to it's concept.
By the way, the person who came up with the name for FLIMSIES was George Manley. George was talking about another publication that was once put out twice monthly as a ditto sheet and changed format to a slick magazine competing with Pacific News. He said, "somebody should start a sheet devoted to just getting the news out. It doesn't matter what it looks like," he said. He suggested the name, FLIMSIES. So it happened. (Blame it on George.)
By the way, are there any of you original subscribers who remember the first color cover? That was born when a "foamite", (associated with that now slick mag) who shall remain unnamed, laughed at FLIMSIES and said, "I'll subscribe when it comes out with it's first color cover." Since it then had less than 36 subscribers I went to Martienez and shot the SP employees special that ran with the E-unit as it climbed the hill toward the bridge. I motordrived a 36 exposure roll of film, ran it to a quickie lab, and pasted the prints on the cover. Each issue was different. I lost the negs so no more issues like that were printed. It is the collectors FLIMSIES. (You know the bugger still didn't subscribe.)
Anyway, this issue of TRACK WARRANTS is coming out in two parts and there is 32 pages of downloads I have yet to edit. My apologies to the people who sent them. I'll try to have them in the next issue. The HTML versions will be posted on Monday. They will each have a neat photo by Ken Rattenne. (Ken, by the way, is one of a few Ken's my youngest son was named after. I told young Ken's mother I never met a Ken I didn't like. One of the others was railfan Ken Compton.)
Happy Rails:
Steve
This is SP RS-32 4009, owned by Short Lines Enterprises (or whatever they are) at Fillmore CA. The caboose is an ex-SP bay window and I have no idea where the flat came from. Dig those funky arch bar trucks!
Bill Shippen
Flimsies!
Pretty ironic, considering how many ALCO's likely went into the construction of Japanese cars...(Steve)
If you live in San Joaquin, Alameda or Santa Clara Counties near where the proposed Altamont rail service will operate you should know:
The San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission will hold a community forum on Saturday February 3rd 1996 at the Pleasanton Hilton, 7050 Johnson Dr (just off 580 near 680) starting at 10am. Learn about the passenger rail service by attending this one hour forum. You will hear directly from the planners of the new communter rail service and the officials who are working to make the service a reality.
Additionally this will be an opportunity to communicate your feelings on what the service should include.
Space is limited so you must call 209 468-3025 by January 30.
Richard L Silver 415-368-7112
Today (1/20/96) Amtrak "Capitol" 721 rolled past College Park Tower in San Jose with ex-CZ vista dome "Silver Lariat" (with the SP letterboard over the CZ lettering) cut in behind the F59PHI.
OTHER FUNK-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-@-
Brian Rosenwald, product line manager for Amtrak's "Coast Starlight", spoke at the Central Coast Chapter-NRHS banquet in San Jose last night. He mentioned that a TALGO set would be running over Altamont Pass and the SP Monterey Branch on some demonstration runs next month. He did not have exact dates or other schedule info. Does anyone else have any info on this?
Matt Vurek
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A man was killed by a train nearly 70 years after he survived a fatal crash of a train and school bus at the same crossing.
Herman Lorenz, 88, was struck Saturday by an Amtrak train in a Chicago suburb while walking home from the Northbrook Garage, a business started by his great-grandfather in 1843 as a blacksmith and wagon shop.
Witnesses told police that Lorenz went around the crossing gates and kept going after the train engineer sounded a warning horn.
Gerry Lorenz said his father often recounted an October 1926 crash at that crossing in which a train sliced through the school bus he was riding, killing two people, including Lorenz's seatmate.
"Dad got his glasses knocked off and his coat torn," said another son, Jay. "He never forgot he survived and always tried to help others."
via Dave Bono
JAN 25-The BNSF's first SD70M #9712 with large BNSF lettering arrived Denver 1/22/96. It laid over till 1/23 departing Denver's 38th St Yard about 11:30 AM on the point of train 265 bound for Alliance, NE., and the Powder River Basin, WY.
The Colorado Zephyr, from misc.transport.rail.americas, via Leonard G. Ruback
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JAN 25-Deadhead equipment for the BNSF Super Bowl special arrived LosAngeles at 8:40 p.m. Jan23, pulled by ATSF Dash 9-44CWs 695 and 677.It will be held at Hobart Yard until Jan26. BNSF SD75Ms 8257 and 8258 departed Chicago Jan23 on the SCHLA1-23.They will be set out at Winslow AZ and added to the Super Bowlspecial at Williams Jct. AZ Jan27. They are painted in Warbonnetcolors with the usual "Santa Fe" logo on the nose, but the sides arelettered "BNSF" instead of "Santa Fe".
The Super Bowl special will deadhead from Los Angeles (dp. Hobartyard 12 noon) to San Bernardino (ar. TOFC facility 1:30 p.m.) onJan26. It departs San Bernardino live at 10 p.m. The consist willbe in reverse order, so that it will be correct leaving Williams Jct.where there is no wye.
Jan27 it arrives Williams Jct. AZ about 8 a.m. where the road powerwill cut off the east end and BNSF 8257 and 8258 will be added on thewest end. Depart Williams Jct. 8:45 a.m., arrive El Mirage (nearPhoenix) AZ between 2 and 3 p.m. It will be parked in the El Mirageautomobile facility and will not go to Tempe.
Deadhead equipment departs El Mirage 1 p.m. Jan29, arrives KansasCity 12:30 a.m. Jan31.
BILL FARMER, via RAILROAD%CUNYVM.TAMUNJE@tamvm1.tamu.edu, via Leonard G. Ruback
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JAN 20-The BNSF Super Bowl Special is scheduled to depart North Kansas City (Murray Yard) on Monday Jan. 22nd at 0930, arriving Hobart Yard, Los Angeles, about noon on Wednesday Jan. 24th. Tenetative consist as follows:
Consist (note BN-style numbers on former ATSF cars):
Cars will be washed upon arrival Hobart then spotted at San Bernadino TOFC
facility for occupancy on Friday Jan. 27th. The Special is scheduled to
depart San Bernadino at 2200 27th and arrive Phoenix 1500 Sat. Jan. 28th.
There is a power change contemplated at Williams Jct., AZ (more details
should becime available later on this). The equipment is scheduled to
deadhead back to Kansas City, departing Phoenix about 1300 on Monday Jan.
29th. The occupied cars in Phoenix are tentatively scheduled to be parked at
the El Mirage auto facility.
Dave Bernstein, via Leonard G. Ruback & Bill Farmer
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In the course of my job as a reporter, I had occasion to talk Monday with BNSF pr man Mike Martin about BNSF's train to the Super Bowl in Tempe. He said the company hopes to have it pulled by four new locomotives, two in red-and-silver warbonnet with BNSF lettering and two in cream-and-green with BNSF lettering. Re the train, he said it'd start in Kansas City and travel to Southern Cal en route to Phoenix/Tempe. He said the railroad wasn't disclosing exact routing and schedule in advance because of security concerns (he specifically mentioned the Amtrak sabotage last October). Martin said the train will have something like 17 cars. Sorry _ I didn't get specifics on locomotives or cars except that the locomotives are being delivered this month from GM in London Ontario.
Paul D.
Yesterday (12/22/95) I rode the Capitol #724 (via Caltrain #40 from Mountain View) to Sacramento. What was supposed to be a nice day turned into raining hell in the morning but the rain eventually did stop by the time I boarded train #40. Upon arrival in San Jose, CalTrain 904 was being cut off the rear of #721. It had to go to College Park wye to be turned around. Meanwhile, inspection of the cab car revealed that 904's air hose was still attached to the cab car's glad hand, with a metal pipe presumably from 904 attached to air hose! I wandered over to the mechanical department's trailers and told a blue hat. A man came up mumbling a few minutes later acting like the info was bull but he changed his expression once he saw the busted pipe on the ground between the rails dangling from the air hose still attached to the cab car. He then whined to me that he had 4 B/O locomotives account flat spots on wheels. All I can say is: NO ADULT SUPERVISION!!
Matt Verek
January 17, 1996 - CCP Holdings, Inc., whose principal subsidiary is Chicago, Central & Pacific Railroad (CCP), has entered into a definitive agreement to sell all the stock of the Corporation to Illinois Central Corporation (IC).
Illinois Central Railroad, Illinois Central Corporation's principal subsidiary, operates a 2,700 mile, Class I freight railroad from Chicago south to the Gulf of Mexico through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.
Along with Chicago, Central & Pacific Railroad, CCP Holdings,Inc. is the parent Company for the Cedar River Railroad (CEDR).These two railroads comprise a Class II frieght [sic] system which operates 850 miles of road. CCP's main lines run west from Chicago across Illinois and Iowa while the CEDR runs north fromCedar Falls, Iowa to Albert Lea, Minnesota. Lyle Read, CCP President and CEO, believes "The combination will bring expanded opportunities for the CCP shippers and employees and preserve an independent originatorof corn and soybeans in its service territory. The IC is a strong,well-run railroad with a diverse traffice [sic] mix and I believe the addition of CCP is a good fit."
For purposes of comparison, CCP Holdings' 1995 revenues on a preliminary basis are $75 million. Illinois Central's 1995 revenues are expected to be around $640 million with an operating ratio of less than 65%.
The transaction will require Department of Transportation (DOT) approval. Given the relative size and the end-to-end configurations of the railroads, IC and CCP are highly confident of obtaining prompt regulatory approval. The purchase will not close until regulatory approval has been obtained which is expected to take less than six months following the filing of its application. An approximate timeline follows:
IC and CCP will remain separate although their operations will be coordinated. Existing labor agreements on each property will remain in force. No decision has been made as to which facilities may be effected [sic] by the coordination of the operation.
IC Press Release, via RAILROAD%CUNYVM.TAMUNJE@tamvm1.tamu.edu, via Bill Farmer, via L. G. Ruback [ On Track Ltd ]
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The order option by ICRR has been cancelled for the twenty additional proposed SD70's (Nos. 1020-1039).
Stephen Lee
0001 and PMX0002 that are electromotive model PF50-I painted marlboro red and trimmed in white and black. Believe these are for the marlboro excursion train. These were sighted by an EMD employee. Anyone out there know where they are going? Believe PMOX stands for Phillip Morris Organization. They are Beautiful. This has been dictated by--------C. J. O'Malley, Quality Control Insp.
At San Onofre, new signals have been put in, but not activated. Sidings will now protected by dual target signals, rather than the old single targets that give a flashing red indication if a train is lined into the siding. Presumably, the improvement in the signals will allow higher speed in the San Onofre siding (greater than the 10MPH now).
At Anaheim, progress on double tracking one of the two remaining single track sections between LA and San Juan Capistrano is beginning. Previously, all of the overpasses were completed, but no track installed between CP East Anaheim and CP Howe. This fall, concrete ties were stockpiled near CP College (the SP crossing near the Anaheim station). Now grading is beginning at the depot area for the second track.
Finally, construction at the throat of the San Diego station is affecting fueling of units at San Diego, so trains requiring service at San Diego now pull to San Diego and push back to Los Angeles.
Ron Lehmer
The following is the response I received from my friend in Scotia on the status of the North Coast Railroad.
Regarding the railroad, yes it's still running, but no passenger service yet. There is talk of passenger service this summer and the railroad is also planning to try and revive the Annie and Mary line for passenger excursions.
The weather last winter was really hard on the line. There was a huge slide near Island Mountain that blocked the line off and on for weeks. Plus the line at the Scotia Bluffs is always taking a hit when the rains.
I'll keep you informed on the latest news regarding the railroad. I've gotten to know the general manager of the Railroad. He's a nice person and we keep in touch every so often.
via Dave Bono
Dec 25-I live in Lake Tahoe but was in San Jose on Dec. 23 to visit family and was downtown letting the kids look at the christmas decorations while I watched the lightrail. Happened to be standing on the car when the lightrail approached the intersection and gave a longer than necessary whistle blow (due to the large number of people) and proceed into the intersection. A long whistle blast shrieks throught the air as the trolley attempts to warn a small compact running just ahead and parallel to not turn left in front of it. Needless to the say, the only sounds were the screeching of the trolleys wheels on the tracks as it tried to stop, slamming into the car that quickly cut in front of it, and then the jerking stop as it broadsides the car.
Didn't appear to have any serious injuries (the trolley or the vehicle's driver), but it only makes you ask the question of why people think they can beat a train. And these are usually the same ones who laugh at the Operation Lifesaver booths at the shows... (sorry, editorial comment).
Mountain Mike
DALAF 9768,9613,8024,9658 AICLC UP6071,316,113 KCHOQ 8232,8238,8324 DAHEM 8572,8650,7361 EGCHT 8369,9252,9327,9683 HOKCQ 9709,9752,9398,8379 arr Hearne HOKCQ 7316,9767,8572,9709 dep Hearne CLAIC 374,343,378 1MBSMF 8023,DRGW5386,8037,7380,CSX5837 2MBSMF 8057,8032 LBDAT 8700,8555 LBMFT 7431,9262 MFEGT & PBSAM were arriving appr 6pm and 6:45pm
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JAN 11-EXETER CA. As reported in Flimsies the Progress Rail list of Geeps and Caddillacs. As of 1-6-96 here is what I verified. Located on the ex Santa Fe Porterville District and what is now part of the Tulare Railroad operated by the San Jouquin Valley RR are stored units for (reported as) Progress Rail. In the sidings at Exeter across from the Santa Fe depot from north to south are 33 GP-9's SD-9's and SD-7's in three seperate groups. They are: 3742, 3759, 3432, 3429, 3348, 3836. 4349, 3878, 3828, 1510, 4416, 1500, 4353, 1525, 1529, 1531, 4313, 4440, 4344, 3831, 4417, 4334, 4320, 4389, 4355, 4377. 1504, 1502, 1511, 4408, 3370, 3380, 3822.
VE LAST RESPECTS: Over the weekend starting on Friday 1-5-96 the last rements of the Visalia Electric RR was pulled up. about 6 miles of 117 pound rail was lifted by A & K Dismantlers using a UP ribbon rail train with SJVRR power GP-9 1763 and GP-28 1826 ( The 1763 was actually an ex SP GP-20 without a turbo) A temporary track had to be constructed over the Santa Fe to back the train onto the VE for one last time. The work was completed on Sunday 1-7-96 and the train load of rail was on its way to its new home in Albany Oregon.
John Ford, John Bergman, Don Bowen, Matt Vurek & Vic Neves
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that members of a train crew are not on duty while they wait at a stopped train after working the maximum 12-hour shift allowed by federal Hours of Service Act. The act required crew members who reach the 12 hour limit to stop their train and wait for a relief crew to take over while they are transported from the train.
Dave Bono
Flimsies
The NewsMagazine of Western Railroading
is edited by Bill Shippen
Flim4449@aol.com
This document was last updated January 26, 1996.