ONE OF OUR BEST GRAB BAGS! EMERGENCY STOP, 6 DARWINS, SNOW & TRAINS & SONG & FLIGHT

[@mcgirtdustin]

The kid and his dad makes my heart happy! ❤️😀 Great wave from the engineer

[@matthewrinehart9514]

That kind of memory could last a lifetime. Did with me ❤

[@mcgirtdustin]

@@matthewrinehart9514 yes indeed!

[@lauren8960]

Thanks for including us! My son was super excited to be in a grab bag 😁 we were waving in Thomasville!

[@annaf7812]

I am glad we were able to do it for you!

[@Brother_D_therail]

I was waving back ! 😊👋

[@baileylynn6481]

Welcome to the grab bag family 🙂

[@chrishylton3080]

Bald Eagle sitting on a rock in the river at 17:10! Sweet!

[@PreciousFifi]

32:05 on to the end is just beautiful.

[@CorinneHSmith]

White pelicans from Texas, using the mighty river as a migration directional tool. They're a little early this year, according to a bird expert friend. They may turn around and come back.

[@johnstafford4304]

@@CorinneHSmith Pelicans live in Ft. Madison year round.

[@ren-uz2mz]

Love to see kids loving trains and engineers giving back with waves and little horn boops!

[@ginny9311]

The geese were spectacular!!

[@johnwalters1341]

Those "geese" at the end were American White Pelicans.

[@ginny9311]

@@johnwalters1341 Thank you. Hopefully I will recognize them if I see them again. They were beautiful to watch.

[@donnaj9964]

@@ginny9311Look at the heads and necks: geese stretch their necks far out but pelicans tuck theirs into their chests. 🌹

[@charleshettrick2408]

56 years ago at Fort Madison near Easter watched a similar flight. Awesome. Asked my grandmother why they flew like that. Answer: To save energy as a flock. Next day I pestered her to take me to the library to understand how that worked. Spent 2.5 hours. Started in the children section. Annoyed enough librarians to get into the adult section to get real books that properly explained slip streams. The physics back then was not well understood. But as a kid, it was good enough, plus Navier-Stokes equations were way out of my league. Our 1 day trips to Fort Madison were memorable.

[@yyzedd]

Cannot believe the "Darwins" at 10:06 climbed over the coupler - both well cars had ladders on both sides with a platform between! Wow!

[@HighBall-wt8jp]

The train really should have waited longer to start moving, let them cross and be well clear of it

[@BruceMielke-h1b]

Dang survival of the fittest failed again.

[@Shumilin_Andrei]

Beautifully selected footage of VR trains.The clip at the end is divine.Your video channel is wonderful.🤝👍👌

[@timh.6910]

I had to watch the 1 second guy twice. Wow. Pretty casual. I guess he didn't realize, and should count his lucky stars.

[@donnaj9964]

Either that or he does it so often that he's just jaded. Sigh...

[@baileylynn6481]

"oh,they see me. They'll stop"

[@BruceMielke-h1b]

Nope, they just like the folks on the south end. We, too,cool to care, besides if something happens, they just cry racism.

[@matthewrinehart9514]

Virginian unit is one handsome dude

[@mrbluesky2050]

yeah, but Pennsy 8102 is Better !

[@matthewrinehart9514]

@@mrbluesky2050 love the number placement on the side of the pennsy

[@carolinagirl4483]

Whoever is editing is doing an awesome job and the ending is always beautiful! Thank you!

[@csrrjefflloyd6496]

At the risk of repeating myself, these Darwins will keep it up until their luck runs out.

[@taijuan5087]

But he had a mask on. Won't that protect him?

[@franciscampagna2711]

We who are without trains salute you.

[@joecallis3474]

The private railcar Hollywood Beach used be in Nashville on the Broadway Dinner Train in the 90s. My parents used to take us on it!

[@arkansasrailproductions5507]

It is now owned by Robert Riley, CEO of the Rock Island Rail in Mississippi. He also owns the L&N “Royal Street”.

[@donnaj9964]

I love the way the individual pelicans change altitude so that the entire skein looks like a big wing flexing in flight. And great catch of the eagle next to that very nice power move--and then you came back and gave her a close-up at the end (which was so beautiful!). Another railfan-in-training in Flagstaff was a happy thing to see--they sure got hammered with snow though! And all of those Darwins--they make my stomach hurt. Please warn us in the headline if anybody ever doesn't make it, and I won't watch that one. But you're right: this one was one of your best! 🌹

[@MikeG42]

I doubt VR would show a fatality on a grab bag video.

[@periwinkle-dragonfly]

Best final 3 minutes ever!! Beautiful camera work John!!

[@johnstafford4304]

Thank you

[@lynsmith]

Well 6 Darwin’s & New Chargers! Birds Of A Feather Fly Together Musical Performance!!👏🏽👏🏽

[@gp3829]

Nice show of BNSF SD70MACs in Executive livery tonight, thanks VRF. I thought the youngster at Flagstaff (14:50) waving to the Conductor was great. I wish I had been taken to see the Trains like that, when I was kid.

[@MikeG42]

Great shot of the BNSF on the curve coming toward the station in Flagstaff while an Amtrak is stopped. Overall a good grab bag. Have a nice day. 👍😊

[@tytn9978]

@34.20+ I was looking at the artwork on the cars and said "Wow", and just then your WOW popped up on my screen! Great minds DO think alike!

[@melissametivier4]

I read this comment before I got to that point in the video...and said, "Wow!" about half a second before it popped up. 😂

[@edwinchappell2153]

Thank you VR. That was a real pleasure to watch.

[@lisabehe4546]

Indeed one of the best Grab Bags! I always love to see the Horseshoe Curve.

[@donnaj9964]

This footage of it was especially beautiful!

[@gordonchef]

Probably the first time I've commented here. That was indeed the best Grab Bag that I seen since I started viewing here regularly. And that ending, WOW! Beautiful piece of music to go with the stunning panning on those (geese?) . Sensational, thank you to all those who put this together. *Watching from Cloncurry, far NW Queensland Australia.

[@jaysnively2472]

Extraordinary ending. Thank you VRF!

[@CraigBaughan-mg3hf]

Breathtaking precision flying.

[@Pykem]

Thanks for another Grab Bag full of interest. It always surprises me how much vintage liveried stock is out there, both locos and freight cars. Sad to see so many Darwin candidates. I enjoyed the Fort Madison flying display thanks. Best wishes from New Zealand.

[@JoinMyAdventures_YT]

At 16:54 I met those people in Fostoria they were really nice they said they wanted to be in the Grab Bag so thanks for putting them in

[@davidcrook5511]

Another one already! And another great one! But the Darwins beggar belief... Never mind; which one of the trains stands out; can't say; I think they all did! And another great ending from Fort Madison this time with amazing bird formations and another great sunrise like Fort Madison a lot most amazing line and those loco formations! Keep these grab bags coming love them! Greetings from GB David 😊

[@ТилегенДуйсен]

Пойыз❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@davidbrown4823]

No words tell what I feel for the Darwins or mom said say nothing if not good. love seeing the little fellow wave.

[@jamesnicholas7180]

Whenever I see the Virginian unit I think of my dad’s old Lionel Fairbanks Morse engine.

[@the-terrible63]

Wow! Excellent catching all the trains, especially the Herzog train in Quanah, Texas, Heritage Units, 6 darwin candidates, and so much more, @Virtual Railfan, thank you very much.

[@joannecarpenter8725]

AWESOME Grab Bag! Thank you 😁

[@b.a.d.2086]

Wow! Nice ending with the pelicans! Good Grab Bag.

[@Hap6605]

25:32 Watched this live while watching 48 have engine issues, I certainly did not expect the passing amtrak to have their newest to their oldest long distance Locomotives.

[@matthewwhittington-jk9ep]

Best train videos

[@willywhite492]

Love these

[@don63]

Nice assortment

[@Branddenthepinkgoldpeachfan]

*Nice Catches*

[@NW611]

Love the vids!!!

[@johncamp2567]

The Oklahoma City camera caught a nighttime hot-box on a BNSF ethanol train last Winter; the next morning, there was an ethanol-train derailment and fire in Texas. And the four consecutively numbered AMTRAK units in tow was a train-spotter’s delight!

[@lowellvillerailfanproductions]

I just want to point out that first guy that almost got hit had absolutely no reaction to the train which is kind of scary

[@yyzedd]

noticed that also - maybe had headphones or earbuds

[@markrobinson3830]

We need to thank our Darwins for teaching us what NOT to do when a train is coming.

[@FARMERJONESVA]

Shout-out From Gloucester, Va (Train Fan 4 Life)

[@haydenverner5458]

The Darwin’s are out strong in this one wow people just can’t wait and be patient

[@delurkor]

Was the OKC shot ~7:58 a hotbox or sparks off the brake shoe. To me, it did not seem to be coming from the journal box but off the wheel. And there were also sparks from the far side of the truck. I am not an expert, not do I play one on KZbin. Edited to add: Thank you for the great shots.

[@csxisaiahjonesproductions2290]

Nice Grab Bag Video 😁👍

[@stevekile1919]

It still amazes me how much freight and people are still moved by rail. The American way but oh how the technology has improved to make it safer.

[@unklewink]

Let's get a Darwin of the month vote going!

[@ILoveTrains2]

I loved this grab bag and the pelicans all in the letter v

[@poowg2657]

Would've loved to see a cut-in-two(or three!) at Elkhart.

[@jerrydaily8208]

Not a hot box brakes locked up

[@leeroth5604]

Yeah, I agree. I would think it pretty unlikely to have hotboxes across multiple axles, on the same car.

[@daveluehr8685]

yea 18 inches ahead of the bearing

[@pmzoeller]

Brake shoes worn down to the metal backing plate.

[@grogman1911]

Nice eagle pose at 17:15 in Fort Madison.

[@randomtransitadventures]

10/10 camera quality 💀

[@taslimchoudhary1253]

🎄🍂🇮🇳🍂🎄 Nice footage!

[@roberthagberg5482]

SPRING MUST BE COMING OR ARE THOSE GEESE LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@donnaj9964]

Nope...pelicans.

[@chappelln]

I work for Interrail Transport. We have been seeing the New GATX/Hourglass/CSX autoracks for the last month.

[@DaveInCanada081]

The AI train drones were cool.

[@Photoline1]

All the parents of these "Darwins" must have told them to "go play on the highway" when they were kids.

[@baedenwilliams8291]

13:35 Ah, yes, a P42DC and a Dash 8 pulling their replacements.

[@patrickrancourt4782]

Gr8 catch clip's Darwin winner so........

[@b3j8]

That tuscan FRA car fools me alot. I'll think, "Wow somebody had clout to get their personal passenger car up front...oh FRA, never mind."

[@Freshpizza11]

Yea thats right

[@ChadSimplicio]

More alc-42 Chargers going to Delaware for testing. When will Amtrak start training Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, & Texas Eagle crews?

[@genewilson2705]

I was wondering if you had noticed that bald eagle, should have known.

[@andrewlaverghetta715]

The big long string of bnsf power in fort Madison, I think there was a bald eagle on some little floating thing or island at the start.

[@johnstafford4304]

Eagle Rock, he fishes off of there almost everyday, trains don't bother him

[@ronhill5118]

That is Robert Rileys Seaboard Railroad passenger car.

[@danmiller7079]

I know I had penned a comment, but I felt this necessary. In 2001, while I was still a school police officer, I noticed that traffic was stopped at the grade crossing near my high school and the train wasn’t moving so I called the other S.R.O. at that campus and told him I would be delayed. He told me that someone had been sitting on the tracks and a train had hit that person. The sheriffs deputies wanted one us to respond to the scene to see if we could I.D. the possible kid that had been struck. I told him I would help if I could. I drove to the crossing and I.D.’d myself and was directed toward the front of the train. I met the deputy at the scene and he asked me if I could I.D. the person who had been hit. The deputy uncovered the part of the body that would have been able to be identified but the amount of damage was too great. I later found out that the person, later identified as a student by his parents, had committed suicide by sitting on the tracks and listening to his headphones. I normally would not bring this up but maybe it might save a life or keep people from getting hurt from climbing on or over trains.

[@jacobdubielak]

I see what you were talking about

[@frederickschulkind8431]

I got video of the Capitol Limited pulling 4 new locomotives, which this shows twice, at 0:45 and 12:40. It ran 6+ hours late.

[@nikdazley5236]

My first ever appearance in the grab bag! 16:56

[@squarebodycasewademckenney6190]

I think people who disregard warning signals (crossing lights, horn) if identified or witnessed by a officer should be made to pay a heafty fine to the train crew... so much stress from that be going like 35-50 mph and someone just walks or drives out in front cant imagine there blood pressure

[@normsweet1710]

The “Darwin’s” make it many times . . . . . until the last time ……. I wish there was a way to convince them of that truth

[@gloryannbatista6211]

I was online a few hours ago and here’s what I catches CSX,Y 128 in Covington, Kentucky Norfork Southern intermodal train in Elkhart Indiana and a Burlington Northern Santa Fe manifest train in Galesburg Illinois with an ex Santa Fe - eight leading

[@peterp1158]

When you see a long string of locomotives, is there a way to tell which are working and which are just a power move? Are all prime movers running?

[@randydobson1863]

hello Virtual Railfan it's is Randy and i like yours video is cool Thanks Virtual Railfan Friends Randy

[@kilt2024]

Seems lessons from the President

[@highlife0586]

09:48 Wow this guy has a death wish for sure!

[@secondarymainlineproductio3033]

I have no sympathy for pedestrians crossing the tracks like the one in Cordele...they must think they are special and entitled for some reason.

[@matthewrinehart9514]

Like those crews need more stress

[@maynardcarmer3148]

And heaven forbid they should so much as get a broken fingernail. I can see the lawsuit already.

[@williamflowersrailfannerpr3808]

I wish people knew what train safety is

[@HighBall-wt8jp]

The trains really should learn to slow down for them

[@nolantherailfan5048]

I actually yelled at someone for doing that

[@kevinburt]

Is that a bald eagle at 17:11?

[@natehill8069]

9:15 Odd that BOTH trucks on the same car have a hot box. Makes me think someone forgot to fill them?

[@jimcombs6760]

Last time I was in Flagstaff AZ it was a “no horn” crossing. Did that change?

[@johnstafford4304]

Because of the Darwins from college, yes, it has

[@musicman8942]

I counted 7 Darwins

[@DTD110865]

The Danbury Branch takes M8s? :-O

[@stevem3605]

30:06 is that a old package or mail car seem really long? Thanks in advance.

[@sloop_jon_b]

Amtrak material handling car I believe, from when they also hauled mail and express

[@csrrjefflloyd6496]

It sounds like there is a bad length of rail in Wichita.

[@peterp1158]

"Dumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die"

[@richardmclaughlin8345]

But what if the 'Darwins' know there is no one in the cab? That makes them 'Scofflaws' not 'Darwins'.

[@joebidenbites1015]

7:30 mark typical, 6 guys standing around, 2 trucks, 2 operators, very little getting done. Luckily, original lines weren't built this way as they'd still would be working on them.

[@janeordway4841]

Stepping over a drawbar is a Dumb thing to do. A safer option would be to use the steps on the well car.

[@jovetj]

12:23 Why was the signal circled?

[@johnstafford4304]

To show it dropping to red

[@MrAmtrak207]

Those are overheated brake shoes that are sparking, that's not a hotbox

[@crystalkittykat3581]

9:38 😮 15:51 😮 25:08 😮

[@jonathanburrowaz]

Sorry but if you've never walked down railroad tracks then u haven't railfanned much. Yes it's your fault if u get hit by train, but most people reading this have walked down railroad tracks one time or another.

[@HappyHands.]

2:36 having to have passenger cars made in other countries and imported is kind of sad.

[@jerrydaily8208]

No brains fair game

[@spooge1oh1]

What is up with all the Darwin candidates lately

[@georgeadams1853]

"Hey, it's perfectly safe. I made it. It's not like the train's going to hit me. He's going slow. He can stop."

[@toomanyhobbies2011]

Empty train at 21:00, another at 22:00.

[@stevegird7706]

Tank cars containing toxic God-Knows-What with flaming journal boxes. Will they never learn? Do the people of OKC know about this?

[@windlockatc]

If you are talking about the sparks, that's coming from the Brakes it appears

[@dennisnieradka6668]

Some people have such a low value on life. Why does it take 6 Amtrak to pull a train?