#trainorders

In the Capital City

This post will conclude the series focusing on one train, powered by F-units, on the former Chicago & Alton, later GM&O/ICG.

We begin at Ridgely Yard, Springfield, Illinois, where our train is approaching a signal bridge adorned with a color position light for each main track. The second image has the train crossing over North Ninth Street, while the third shows it south of downtown Springfield at Iles Tower. You may be able to see in that last image that the engineer is leaning out of the window, arm extended, so he can pick up train orders on the fly.

Receiving Orders/Station Stop

Train orders, in the form of paper flimsies, are set up in both the upper and lower forks here at Effingham, Illinois. The train approaching the station is an eastbound Amtrak National Limited.

While the fireman is ready to grab the orders while rolling by, it seems the conductor might get his by walking over and snagging them while on foot in this case, once the train is stopped, but I can’t recall if this happened. Once the train is at rest, we see the Amtrak employees ready to gather some baggage on an ancient cart.

This is all happening on the Conrail line between Indianapolis and St. Louis, which is the former Pennsylvania (and then Penn Central) here seventy miles west of Terre Haute. The diamond for the Illinois Central north-south mainline is just behind the locomotive in this image.

Receiving Orders

Train orders, in the form of flimsies, are set up in both the upper and lower forks here at Effingham, Illinois. This images shows a westbound National Limited approaching the station.

This is happening on the Conrail line between Indianapolis and St. Louis, which is former Pennsy here west of Terre Haute. The diamond for the Illinois Central mainline is just behind the photographer. It seems the train will make a stop given the baggage person at the ready. While the fireman is ready to grab the orders while rolling by, it seems the conductor might get his by walking over and snagging them while on foot in this case, but I can’t recall.

2012 Blue Unit Circus Train: ---61 Cars (40 conventional passenger-type cars; 21 TTX-[type] piggyback flats) ---4,490 Tons (when fully loaded) ---5,409 Feet (WITHOUT host RR's power attached; 1 mile = 5,280 feet)

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You're welcome. EVERYONE: remember that the coaches on the Blue Unit (as well as the Red Unit, now in Texas) have those flood lights atop the vestibules on both sides -- which light up the right-of-way VERY brightly at night, which should aid night-time photography for both still and motion-capture cameras.

Pieces about the train's schedule.

link: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,67545