Passenger Trains > Howling for the Amtrak San Joaquin

Self-Explanatory.....

Amtrak San Joaquin 710 at Nichols Rd, Port Chicago, CA 11/20/2020

Gary

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I hope he got out of the way in time.

Roadrunner in the cab car? BEEP BEEP

GenePoon Wrote:
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> I hope he got out of the way in time.

Agree !! In my 28 year career of running trains, I thankfully have only struck a couple coyotes, Gene— they’re extremely smart animals. ( yes, they kills cats and small dogs—keep them inside, pet owners!).

Wile E. Decided to turn away about a car length ahead of the train. It was going to be a close call because every time the Conductor blew the horn, the coyote just howled more and as he saw the coyote he blew the horn more.

The train was moving a bit slower, maybe 30-35. Allowable track speed on the curves is 45. The Amtrak trains quite often are still in the PTC conversion process between the UP and BNSF and tend to have to run slower till the next signal.

Gary

Posted from iPhone

I live 150-yards from the BNSF's Dry Creek Bridge in Modesto.  The Dry Creek floodplain is the home of lots of wildlife, including coyotes.  Two or three nights a month the coyotes will all "chime in" with the several BNSF freights that blow for the Parker Road crossing.  It IS pretty neat listening to them!

It may depend upon the engineer, but I have encountered few issues recently when transitioning PTC from UP to BNSF.  Transition is usually seamless. Although PTC forces us to far more conservative braking distances, it is possible to be track speed (45) for Nichols curve and I am usually at 45 when I go by at Nichols Rd crossing with #710. 
SCAXEngr

SN711 Wrote:
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> Wile E. Decided to turn away about a car length
> ahead of the train. It was going to be a close
> call because every time the Conductor blew the
> horn, the coyote just howled more and as he saw
> the coyote he blew the horn more.
>
> The train was moving a bit slower, maybe 30-35.
> Allowable track speed on the curves is 45. The
> Amtrak trains quite often are still in the PTC
> conversion process between the UP and BNSF and
> tend to have to run slower till the next signal.
>
> Gary
>
> Posted from iPhone

Conductor blew the horn? I know you meant the Engineer...