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    New tower near Monroe St crossing

    Just noticed a new tower South of the Monroe St crossing in Goshen IN. Not a real tall one.....doubt it's a PTC unit. Two small dipole antennas mounted on it...I think dipole.... Any ideas? Right next to the control box where last year they put new signal lights up.
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    limestone slurry tank cars

    Because of my proximity to the RR where I work I can rail watch all day long. I've noticed tankers labeled Limestone Slurry....Just what would this be used for? I'm guessing this is a mixture of liquid and fine limestone that gets pumped out of the rail car....
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    what do track lights tell

    I work next to a 2 track line....and recently the light towers were moved real close. I often see lights switch from red...to yellow...or green. What exactly does the color of light tell the engineer?
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    what is a positive train control tower

    About a month ago the local electric company installed electrical service along the RR next to where i work. Todays newspaper has a public notice that a 60' Positive Train Control tower is being placed here. What is this? Anyone have details etc on this?
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    steam pull

    Just heard that the 1st weekend in May a steam unit will be pulling freight along what is known as the Marion line here in the Goshen IN area...Anyone know details re: this?
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    possession of rail

    Reading on a totally different forum the question was posted as to legality of having a piece of old rail. The person asking was given a short section by a RR worker....another mentioned a new building going up and demolition revealed some old rail in ground. What do you folks know about...
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    Red end of train device

    The other weekend I was sitting and waiting on a slow moving train when both my son & I heard a higher pitched sound as the end of the train passed. He said he has heard it before. Made me wonder if the red light on the last car is powered off the air line that drives a small generator.
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    Unusual car

    The other day I was watching a train roll by when the very last car caught my eye. Of course there wasn't time to open the cell camera and snap...but it was a shorter car then any I've seen yet. From the end it appeared to be pretty darn near a triangle shape... with a mid sized square...
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    Locomotive arrangement & numbers

    With a day job that allows me view of a busy line I see plenty of rolling action. Two things that have intrigued me are why are locomotives arranged in a front, back, front...back position so often? Is there any special reason for this? And also what determines, if anything, the number of units...
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    audio frequencys

    Is it possible to monitor RR frequencies to listen in? Or are they all phone traffic? And if so, what frequencies would one dial in on?
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    Animal hits

    Yesterday I watched a train roll through followed minutes after by a 'service' pick-up on the tracks I couldn't be sure if the truck was on the same tracks as what the train had just passed on. I noticed the pick up stop and driver get out and walk around a bit...then leave. When I had the time...
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    Caboose on line up?

    Was watching a train roll along the other day when I thought I spied something different approaching...I grabbed my cell quick, till I got the screen up and camera activated 'it' was upon me...I snapped a pic but wouldn't you know it froze up...and couldn't save the pic. Of course I had the cell...
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    tamper in action

    Had the chance to watch the tamper working a section of line yesterday....followed behind by the ballast re-grader. Pretty impressive machines that can do this..... This took place on the South edge of Goshen,IN...just East of the Elkhart yard.
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    buffer car

    Again today I saw a train rolling past that had a boxcar right after the engines and one at the very end. All the rest were tankers....black...possible LP cars. Do they do this as a simple crumple zone in this case?
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    pusher engines?

    Twice now in the past month I've seen a train which had a single locomotive on the end of it. Smoke a pouring from its stack and bellowing out. This section of track is not on a grade....all the other trains that run don't have a 'pusher'. Any reason for this? And how is it controlled? Is there...
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    Unusual crossing arm rest

    I thought I posted this the other night but no luck finding it today. At a local crossing one arm pole has an unusual device at the very top. At about 20" tall it has four oblong holes at the very top. What is it...does anyone know? I can post a pic IF I can figure out how to do that here.
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    Crossing arm/light activation

    Because I work next to a double rail line I see many trains roll past in a days time. It's not unusual to see one stop off in the distance by the track side signal lights. Other times a unit may pull way forward much closer to the road crossing. I know about where it will trip the crossing...
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    LARGE concrete on cars

    Friday during the day I watched a short unit roll thru Goshen IN with 5 large rail cars, with double trucks on each end, hauling some very LARGE pre-cast concrete structures. They were at least as high as I see double stacked container units. At the end were 5 more cars with what appeared to be...
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    PU arrangements

    I've often wondered if there is rhyme or reason as to how PU's are arranged. Of course there is a reason, but this week I saw 7 power units leading the pack. Front unit was a Canadian Pacific, Soo, unknown, Iowa Chicago Eastern, CTX, Canadian Pacific,GITX . Also what reason is there if any for...
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    Elkhart IN yard backlog?

    Several times this past week I've noticed different trains stopped for hrs....once nearly all day headed into the Elkhart yard.This was on the SE edge of Goshen where I work. Any thoughts as to why the long waits?




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