Railfan/Rain Delay

Did anybody catch that short story about railfanning at the Steaming Tender (or steaming tender commercial) on during the rain delay of the Sox game last weekend? I was in a bar and was watching a TV with no volume so I had no idea what was going on.

YES! We were at the 99 in Littleton (Westford?). Didn't get to hear it, but we did see it. Was it that phantom gourmet guy?

Yes it was the PG guy, but I didn't hear it either...the food looked good on tv. It has been a while since I've been there...

Here's the review. They were designated a "Phantom Hidden Jewel", which is just about one of the best rating they give.

Too bad I didn't get held @ CP-83 while heading west on my last few trips on the road.

CSX Conductor wrote:Here's the review. They were designated a "Phantom Hidden Jewel", which is just about one of the best rating they give.

Too bad I didn't get held @ CP-83 while heading west on my last few trips on the road.

They should let train crews call in orders -- put it on a credit card and they can have it waiting for you as you come by. A 21st century version of picking up orders on the fly. (there's probably some more jokes here too...)

In some areas that's actually a routine type of practice... call the order in on the cell phone when your 20 minutes' running away, tell the pizza place what crossing to be at, slow the train to crawl so the conductor can "make the grab" from the steps, and nocth out...

Actually Octr, I do that when I am being held somewhere and we are given a heads-up by the dispatcher. 2 regular spots that I do this for when going west are the ice cream place (Parkside DRive-in) at the east end of Palmer Yard, great burgers with a good price and the Route 66 Diner in Wilbraham (@ mp 95.5). I have many menus for places between Selkirk and Boston but there are only a few that are close enough to the tracks to call them in and grab it when being held for a passing train.

Thank god for a few of the Dunkin Donuts also along the way....

It's common to see crews make their way over to the Steaming Tender while waiting in the controlled siding.

CSX Conductor wrote:Actually Octr, I do that when I am being held somewhere and we are given a heads-up by the dispatcher. 2 regular spots that I do this for when going west are the ice cream place (Parkside DRive-in) at the east end of Palmer Yard, great burgers with a good price and the Route 66 Diner in Wilbraham (@ mp 95.5). I have many menus for places between Selkirk and Boston but there are only a few that are close enough to the tracks to call them in and grab it when being held for a passing train.

Wow, they let you call in the orders ahead! That's awesome, I never heard of train engineers call in orders to restaurants, but that's how they should be getting their food so that they can stop and grab a bite,. since freight trains don't have their own "cafe car"

Just call ahead like anyone else would, as long as youi know you are going to have enough time to run and get it before the train you're waiting for passes.

Just call ahead like anyone else would, as long as youi know you are going to have enough time to run and get it before the train you're waiting for passes.

Oh yeah, that's it, it's a great idea to do that, do it within enough time, and get it. Now I think freight trains ought to have a lounge car for it's crews right behind the engines so that they can relax and eat their stuff rather then be in the engine cabs, which would be a bit uncomfortable.

MikeB wrote:Did anybody catch that short story about railfanning at the Steaming Tender (or steaming tender commercial) on during the rain delay of the Sox game last weekend? I was in a bar and was watching a TV with no volume so I had no idea what was going on.

Thats actually at least the second time it ran....I saw it during the regular PG broadcast about two or three weeks ago. Neat place....gotta try me one of their seafood plates..

Xplorer2000 wrote:Neat place....gotta try me one of their seafood plates..

No thanks, I'll stick to Kelly's on Revere Beach for seafood.