Hello, all. Just wanted to jump in here to see what Mr.CNDave was making a fuss about. He was right....very nice forum here. By the way, I work for Milepost Transportation, and I'm currently working out of the CN Port Huron yard office as a clerk/crew driver. When I get my digital camera, I will post some bodacious pics of the rolling stoc making its way through Port Huron.
Welcome blubomber to trainboard, glad you dropped by to see what all the fuss is about. So is Dave as enthusiastic at work as he is here? I look forward to seeing some of your pictures here. I hope you make this place your internet home like the rest of us
Hello blu welcome Dave is doing a good job with this forum, and will be pleased you came aboard. I see you work out of Port Huron. I had to get off a train there in '85, to go across to the customs/immigration post to fill out some documents, so it was the first place I set foot on American soil
I would like to add my welcome to you too blubomber1. By any chance does your nickname come from the Winnipeg Bluebomber Football team?
Blue Bomber...well..... Go Lions Go....lol Glad you are here, help build up the CN forum, sometimes it can be lonely here. I'm not a CN employee but my grandfather and uncle were engineers for CN. I have a long history with CN, though second hand.
I should be working tonite Kurt , your probably already there When I get my other computer fixed Blubomber and I will have a massive CN picture thread . I already got 40 pics
I've always liked the Canadian National. I wouldn't say I'm an ardent fan, but I do like it. I became more of a fan since the almost CN-BNSF merger. I live in Central Illinois, IC territory, and I'm watching the IC slowly turn into CN. But I guess by the end of this year, the IC will be totally gone. It't too bad, since they got out of the hands of Pepsi-Co., they really became a real railroad again. During the Pepsi-Co. rule, they ran ICG (A merger of two of the finest small Class-1's, IC and GM&O.) into the ground, mostly by ransacking the GM&O physical plant. They also came up with the "BRILLIANT" idea of De-Double Tracking both the IC Chicago-New Orleans Main and the GM&O Chicago-St. Louis Main. STUPID! I witnessed two of the fastest Mainlines become plugged, un-maintained and under utilized. Both the Abe Lincoln (GM&O) and the City of New Orleans (IC) used to run these mains at 110 MPH. Now Amtrak can only go 79. The GM&O line got so bad, Amtrak was running at 55 MPH until the line was finally sold off to the Chicago Missouri & Western, which in turn failed and was sold to SP. This is now a UP owned line and is barely used, except for the three Amtrak trains a day. Now, with CN at the helm of IC, things are getting even better. The Peoria-Sub, a Secondary Main of IC's that runs from Peoria-Lincoln-Mt. Pulaski-Decatur, IL., is seeing a lot more use and has had many track improvements. I've been told they could run Passenger Trains out there at 79 MPH if they wanted to. Too bad there isn't a Passenger Train on this line, I'd love to see that! With all this going on so close to home, I'm going to start visiting this forum more often. I have to learn about my new Railway Neighbor, the CN!
If you're learning to like CN that is great Maxwell. Usually up here in canuck land, most uncivilized Canadians prefer CP. Since I was raised around CN I couldn't fathom why anyone would like CP, I'm sure you would agree that isn't a prejudice...lol. CN is a funky railroad with incredible history. A book you might find hard to get, but I really really really recommend is The People's Railway: A History of Canadian National. It was written in 1992. Along with the railroad was all kinds of incredible spinoffs. We have a radio system called the CBC, which is kind of like PBS television except on radio instead. This station is broadcast nationally. Its origins was from the Canadian National. Some wise guy decided it would be nice to have music on the trains. So, radio stations were set up across the country to pipe in music into the trains. This became the embryo of our modern broadcasting system. The first Canadian hockey game ever broadcast over radio was on this system. Air Canada, our national airline was spun off from CN. The history of CN in the war years is fascinating, and the volume of traffic in Halifax, where most air craft and shipping freight left from, during the second World War is astounding. Both Canadian and American war products left through this port. The demand for coal was so great, they bought a coal field. Actually as I type this, I am looking at a picture of people in the lounge car with large ear phones on, listening to the radio; this was 1920. Also CN pioneered the use of radio telephones from trains, again in the late 20's or early 30's; I'm not sure of the time frame here. CN was also into shipping (ships) in a big way, owning many of them. And of course, resorts across Canada. One of the most famous being the Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper Alberta, where I did some of my growing up. Last March, I took the family on the VIA to Jasper and stayed at the Lodge, something I had never done. It was the best place I have ever stayed in my life. It's more like a university campus. I counted around 70 buildings on the "grounds." There are all kinds of pictures of Bing Crosby, as he used to love stay there and golf. As for passenger trains, I will be curious as to what CN does with that. Like all railroads, they disdained passenger service; since it was a financial loss. My grandfather was an engineer on the Super Continental for many years; like many young lads, passenger has always been one of my favourites, operations be damned. Unfortunately I am not so young any more, I had my 53 birthday today. I hope you learn to like CN. And if you ever come to Vancouver BC, I'll take you railfanning to some great spots in the Fraser Canyon...lots of that other inferior railroad there as well...CP. Cheers!
Like I said, I've always liked the CN, and for some odd reason, never liked the CP! As you know I'm not a Canadian, I've only been up there once, Thunderbay. I saw ONE CN train there and One too many CP's! The Cn line looked "weedie", but the train I saw was HUGE! It had two SD75i's on the point and the train just went on and on! We were on our way back to the US so I didn't get a picture or even see the whole train, it was so LONG! Anyway, I am glad we didn't get another "Pacific" Railroad to operate on the IC, ONE AROUND HERE IS ENOUGH!
Hello all.....Thanks for the warm welcome. I saw CNDave tonight at work. He's the engineer on the F50331-07 train. Basically, it's a CP detour train that runs on CN's line. The CP crew brings it from Toronto to Port Huron,MI. and get a cab back to Canada. Then, the CN crew picks it up here, and moves it to Battle Creek. Another CN crew will relieve them, and take it to the Bensenville, IL. where a CP crew takes it to god knows where. If anyone has any questions about schedules and times of CN trains, I'll do my best to get the information to you.
Hi Blubomber1, regarding train times. Is there any ryme or reason as to the freight traffic through Georgetown Ontario? Sometimes I get lucky and others spend an hour or two waitng with the camera and nothing comes through. Even if I could determine when the majority come through it may help. As an example, two came through while I was walking my dog at about 8:30 this morning. Sometimes there is a flurry of activity between 3pm and 6pm. Any help will be appreciated
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by blubomber1: Hello all.....Thanks for the warm welcome. I saw CNDave tonight at work. He's the engineer on the F50331-07 train. Another CN crew will relieve them, and take it to the Bensenville, IL. B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> God Kurt , your a serious rail fan I did not know where the train went I was just glad to get off it when I got it to where I had to take it Man I did not get home until 1 PM today , slept my day away too . Glad you made it here blubomber Hey Maxwell Plant The IC (HUNTER HARRISON) has slowly turned the GT into the IC We used to have double track and he tore it out and made it single track with passing sidings , now it takes forever to get across the road BUT if the CN BN merger happens , all the track that was taken out will be replaced and paid for by the government . I am really surprised that CN let a guy come in from another railroad and let him make all of the changes that he made . I was really surprised because basically the CN (Canadians) don't like to have other people run their railroad . That is one thing that I have learned being employed by CN for nearly 8 years . [ 08 February 2001: Message edited by: Davecn5623 ]
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rsn48: If you're learning to like CN that is great Maxwell. Usually up here in canuck land, most uncivilized Canadians prefer CP. Since I was raised around CN I couldn't fathom why anyone would like CP, I'm sure you would agree that isn't a prejudice...lol. CN is a funky railroad with incredible history. A book you might find hard to get, but I really really really recommend is The People's Railway: A History of Canadian National. It was written in 1992. Along with the railroad was all kinds of incredible spinoffs. We have a radio system called the CBC, which is kind of like PBS television except on radio instead. This station is broadcast nationally. Its origins was from the Canadian National. Some wise guy decided it would be nice to have music on the trains. So, radio stations were set up across the country to pipe in music into the trains. This became the embryo of our modern broadcasting system. The first Canadian hockey game ever broadcast over radio was on this system. Air Canada, our national airline was spun off from CN. The history of CN in the war years is fascinating, and the volume of traffic in Halifax, where most air craft and shipping freight left from, during the second World War is astounding. Both Canadian and American war products left through this port. The demand for coal was so great, they bought a coal field. Actually as I type this, I am looking at a picture of people in the lounge car with large ear phones on, listening to the radio; this was 1920. Also CN pioneered the use of radio telephones from trains, again in the late 20's or early 30's; I'm not sure of the time frame here. CN was also into shipping (ships) in a big way, owning many of them. And of course, resorts across Canada. One of the most famous being the Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper Alberta, where I did some of my growing up. Last March, I took the family on the VIA to Jasper and stayed at the Lodge, something I had never done. It was the best place I have ever stayed in my life. It's more like a university campus. I counted around 70 buildings on the "grounds." There are all kinds of pictures of Bing Crosby, as he used to love stay there and golf. As for passenger trains, I will be curious as to what CN does with that. Like all railroads, they disdained passenger service; since it was a financial loss. My grandfather was an engineer on the Super Continental for many years; like many young lads, passenger has always been one of my favourites, operations be damned. Unfortunately I am not so young any more, I had my 53 birthday today. I hope you learn to like CN. And if you ever come to Vancouver BC, I'll take you railfanning to some great spots in the Fraser Canyon...lots of that other inferior railroad there as well...CP. Cheers!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Look what happened too all of this stuff. Most of it was taken over by CPR, then sold to a private invester except for some things that are still held by CPR. Example: The Jasper Park lodge, a great CN destination, now it is owned and operated by Canadian Pacific Hotels Canada. Dane N.
Hi Robyn. Ya know....lately the trains have been running quite late. When I relieved the day clerk Fri., she only had 3 trains all day. I came in at 15:30-23:30, and had to deal with 11 West bounds and 8 East bounds. 19 trains in 8 hours; man, I was whipped. We had them stacked up in Port Huron...all 3 main lines and at least one yard track was filled with traffic at one point or another.Plus, our local switcher out in the yard doing their thing too. For being classified as a "closed yard", we certainly are busy. Until everything gets back on schedule Robyn, I am no help to you. Sorry
Yup, I can understand it is hard to know when trains run through here. Will just have to keep looking. I often see trains running as a go over the overpasses here, two of them, and can't stop. Sometimes I go sit at the station for an hour and nary a train. That's the way it is
Yesterday my conductor & I had to take 20 cars over to Sarnia and bring the engine back lite , so before coming into the tunnel to come back I called Kurt on the radio , I goes like this : "GT 4921 train #359 to the Blu Bomber" You had to been there , Kurt loved it I was supposed to say #359 to Port Huron Yard , just having some radio fun with my man Kurt !!! [ 14 February 2001: Message edited by: Davecn5623 ]
Yeah Dave, That was really funny . I've got the Asst. Supt. standing next to me, muttering something about "proper radio procedures". So, I tried to keep my professionalism best I could, but I couldn't help but laugh.
Welcome to the Board BluBomber! I read an article about some of the funny radio traffic between guys on the road today. We didn't have radio in the steamers, it would have been fun.
