Official Valley Railroad Thread (VALE)

[bigjim4life]

Question: I've searched the forum and looked through all 17 or so pages of this thread and didn't find an answer to my question, so I'm asking it here. I was thinking of coming up one weekend day and doing some railfanning up there. I've never been up to the area, and was wondering about night railfanning (in addition to the daytime). I don't have any fancy lumadyne lights, or big fancy lighting (or small fancy lighting). I have my video camera and a little IR light that I can plop next to it. Otherwise, I'm mostly in the dark. Are there any well-lit crossings or well-lit areas along the line where I could get decent/ok video footage? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Cosmo]

All kinds!
I think Lee and Tom can help you out best here though.

[VALE40]

Does anyone know if there are plans yet to turn 3025 on the Saybrook Wye so she is facing North like 97 and 40 instead of South?

[boatsmate]

I would assume so as the pit and coal loading are set up for north facing trains, as well as the water hose...... the enginer would also be on the wrong side for signals in Essex. It was fun runing south though, very different.



Bill

[Cosmo]

Does anyone know if there are plans yet to turn 3025 on the Saybrook Wye so she is facing North like 97 and 40 instead of South?

Yes, that is and has been the plan all along. While not a "game changer," we've noticed there is a potential clearance issue with the loco facing South that could present itself along the platform track, so I would imagine we'll turn her as soon as we a) have steam, b) have had her back and forth enough to satisfy her mechanical soundness, and c) can arrange it with Amtrak/P&W.

[daylight4449]

Does anyone know if there are plans yet to turn 3025 on the Saybrook Wye so she is facing North like 97 and 40 instead of South?

Yes, that is and has been the plan all along. While not a "game changer," we've noticed there is a potential clearance issue with the loco facing South that could present itself along the platform track, so I would imagine we'll turn her as soon as we a) have steam, b) have had her back and forth enough to satisfy her mechanical soundness, and c) can arrange it with Amtrak/P&W.

Or, just floating another option, but a turntable could be installed in Essex to remove the dependency on the Old Saybrook Wye. Just thinking out loud.

[shadyjay]

Does anyone know if there are plans yet to turn 3025 on the Saybrook Wye so she is facing North like 97 and 40 instead of South?

Yes, that is and has been the plan all along. While not a "game changer," we've noticed there is a potential clearance issue with the loco facing South that could present itself along the platform track, so I would imagine we'll turn her as soon as we a) have steam, b) have had her back and forth enough to satisfy her mechanical soundness, and c) can arrange it with Amtrak/P&W.

Or, just floating another option, but a turntable could be installed in Essex to remove the dependency on the Old Saybrook Wye. Just thinking out loud.

Or a wye

Seriously....

There was once a turntable between Broadway and Goodspeed in Haddam - some recovery work took place in the early 90s, during the time we first started running up to GD (well, Rt 82 then).

Regarding the Saybrook wye, I'd assume that any move of a locomotive turning on the wye would require an ACSES-equipped locomotive. The days of Valley steamers running on their own on Track 7 is most likely something for the history books.

[Cosmo]

Does anyone know if there are plans yet to turn 3025 on the Saybrook Wye so she is facing North like 97 and 40 instead of South?

Yes, that is and has been the plan all along. While not a "game changer," we've noticed there is a potential clearance issue with the loco facing South that could present itself along the platform track, so I would imagine we'll turn her as soon as we a) have steam, b) have had her back and forth enough to satisfy her mechanical soundness, and c) can arrange it with Amtrak/P&W.

Or, just floating another option, but a turntable could be installed in Essex to remove the dependency on the Old Saybrook Wye. Just thinking out loud.

Why, when we only need to turn it once?

[atsf sp]

Equip 3025 with ACSES! But in all seriousness, a move on the wye would be allowed without an ACSES loco attached. Just a clearance from dispatching. Plus also is track 7 even covered since it is not a revenue passenger track for Amtrak?

[VALE40]

This may be somewhat of an elementary question but, what is ACSES?

[H.F.Malone]

The first day you get a computer, you learn that Google is your friend:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_C ... ent_System

The train control system used on the Northeast Corridor. You might also Google "Ricky Gates" and "Back Bay Wreck".

[shadyjay]

Equip 3025 with ACSES! But in all seriousness, a move on the wye would be allowed without an ACSES loco attached. Just a clearance from dispatching. Plus also is track 7 even covered since it is not a revenue passenger track for Amtrak?

Actually, Track 7 at SJ/OSB isn't Track 7 anymore... and SLE trains and PW trains use it. It is equipped with overhead catenary and abuts against the high level platform which also serves Track 1. During electrification construction, Amtrak trains did indeed use Track 3 (no high level platform yet - that was built shortly after electrification was completed). But years ago, there were 4 tracks past the station - I believe numbered 2, 1, 5, 7 (or 2, 1, 3, 5) and Amtrak predominately used the two closest to the station (2 & 1). The two other tracks were more or less sidings.

Regardless of what happens, it'll be a photo op for sure, especially passing the center island high platform!

[Steve F45]

I was up at Essex this past Saturday for the "your hand on the throttle". What a great place they have and great course. Being able to operate #40 was incredible.

[bshrdr]

Quick shot from 3025's short jaunt into the sunlight earlier today.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=381174

-Tom

[bigjim4life]

All kinds!
I think Lee and Tom can help you out best here though.

So who might "Lee" be? I'm assuming "Tom" is bshrdr - am I correct?