Good afternoon, Ken; Thanks for stopping by along with the comments. We have a lot of heat here as most of the country has. UGH! The group of 4 are headed for San Francisco and a liner headed for Alaska. Sounded like a nice trip to me. I hope that it cools down for you back there. Please take care, stay cool, and safe!

Good afternoon, John; I thank you for dialing in and the comment. I thought it was a good morning. I hope that you have a great afternoon and evening back there. Please take care, stay cool, and safe!

Good afternoon, Ken; Thanks for stopping by along with the comments. This trend seems to have grown but I am still of the mind it is temporary. Hard to turn any train in Chicago right now and the same holds true for Oakland. An event at Galesburg with a late #6 yesterday showed that operating the transition/dorm/sleeper in this configuration is not a great idea. I am sure that event will make the Virtual Railfan "Grab bag" video. What a great "Darwin Award" candidate. Managed to tie up the Mendota sub for a couple of hours. Anyway, I hope that you have a great afternoon and evening. Please take care, stay cool, and safe!

@@MikeJensen-jt9yr I saw #6 at Mount Pleasant yesterday but not Galesburg. What happened?

@@Ken_in_Wisconsin There was a "hitchhiker" riding the last car where the lower door is located. On the outside of the car. He was seen by the cameras and station personnel at GBB. Had to wait for law enforcement just outside of Galesburg tied up the Mendota Sub a while. #3 & #5 got later due to that "Darwin Award" candidate. That event should show up on V/R Grab bag video.

@@MikeJensen-jt9yr That has happened before on the hind end of a superliner train. The time that I'm remembering, the guy had climbed all the way up to the second level. (It was not a transition car)

Good afternoon, Cheryl; I thank you for dropping by as well as the comments. Hope the appointments all go well. I know about having warts and corns removed. Feels soooo good afterwards. We have had a stiff wind from the south overnight and most of the morning. The temps were already above normal as was the humidity. Headed for the mid 90s today and maybe the mid 80s tomorrow. It jumps back up on Sunday and stays up for the rest of next week. UGH! Most of what is going on with the weather for the front range doesn't make it out here unless it's a hailstorm. Most everything else fizzles out about Wiggins. Oh well. This is part of the great American desert. I haven't ventured away from the A/C in the house yet today. Don't plan on it either. LOL! I hope that you have a great afternoon and evening down there. Please take care, stay cool, and safe!

Good afternoon, Jean; Thank you for tuning in along with the comments today. Look for Ollie to stick his arm out the cab window today. Although not on camera, he was on the platform to meet the delivery of his coffee near the baggage car. I don't think the running order is a permanent thing. The transition/dorm/sleeper just doesn't work back there. I know the ramps are part of the gear carried in the cars. If AMTRAK is aware of the need beforehand, it will be there. It is pretty much a straight stem from the car to the platform and back at Galesburg. That is happening across the system over the next few years. Double check with reservations on your rooms and where they are at in the car. I am sure that you will be on the lower level but well worth the double check. I know the countdown. Can't wait to start another. I hope that you have a great afternoon and evening back there. Please take care and stay safe!

Good morning, David; I thank you for tuning in as well as the comments. There was a still wind from the south just prior to the arrival of the 5 train out here. Seems to have laid down for now with the temps heading towards the mid 90s. Maybe a brief relief Friday and Saturday. Think summer has arrived in eastern Colorado. It is nice to be able to have a quick chat with the crews. They all have some great people skills. Hope your ride was a nice one. Like you, I'll be inside most of today. The A/C is running already. Hope that you have a great day. Please take care, stay cool, and safe!

Good afternoon and thank you for dropping by as well as the comment. Yep. #5 had some mechanical problems just after they left the station in Chicago. They have also run inti freight traffic between Omaha and Lincoln. Kind of a tough luck train today. I hope that you have a great afternoon and evening. Please take care and stay safe!

Good afternoon, Conductor Dave; Thanks for dialing in along with the comments. Greta to read that you are on the mend. Never a fun time in the hospital. As to your question, that is the leading end of the transition/dorm/sleeper car. It normally is against the baggage car to allow the conductors access to the baggage car while the train is moving so they can prep material/bags for offloading at an upcoming stop. With track work ongoing in the yards at Chicago and Oakland the consists are not being turned on the wyes as usual. There was a "freeloader" who tried to ride #6out of Galesburg yesterday. That "Darwin Award" candidate tied up traffic on that sub for a couple of hours. I think a warning to the train crews has gone out because of that antic. Anyway, I am happy that you are doing better. Please take care, stay cool, and safe!

Good afternoon, Dillan; Thank you for dropping by as well as the comments. With the trains stopping short and blocking the Main Street grade crossing, I thought about getting a chat in with the head end crews, but they are still busy, and this stop is a short one. Also, the noise is really loud. My hearing is bad enough now. I hope that you have a great afternoon and evening back there. Please take care and stay safe!

Good afternoon, Jay; I thank you doe stopping by and th question. The background noise is from a steel fabrication shop directly south of the depot. I think it was from an air compressor in the shop. Yesterday the noise was from a portable recirculating filtration system working a diesel fuel tank. The time of day has a lot to do with the noise today. I hope that answer your question. Please take care and stay safe!