SPARKS START ANOTHER FIRE IN WICHITA! GIRL DOES NOT NOTICE A TRAIN JUST FEET AWAY! & MORE 9/3&4/22

We don’t want to keep using superlatives, but it’s true, these Grab Bags are catching an unbelievable amount of Train magic from locations all over the USA and one in Canada!

[@thomasboese3793]

4:38 Brings back sweet memories of working in the back shop & diesel house... A cold start-up is the best music...

[@railroaddean7040]

My favorite sound every time I got to start up a GP-35 on the F&W. It would bring a smile to my face every time.

[@darreneller4295]

i miss the Southern bowties along with those little red bay window caboose at the end.

[@AbramRRproductions]

35:50 That’s Me! Thank you so much for putting me on the grab bag🤗

[@Dan_C604]

Haha. Cool!

[@parailfan]

I love hearing how to start an EMD locomotive at 4:34.

[@Cpr1234]

That cat in Hesperia was really showing off it's night vision! (3:51)

[@georgeadams1853]

Bobcat aka red lynx (lynx rufus)

[@frankthomas855]

Can't a bobcat do it's business in private?

[@TheMetGuy]

Virtual Railfan, You have awesome camera locations, I am still glad that Ashland is back to the public for everyone to watch

[@tabranch3165]

🙋🏼‍♂️ Wow ! Trains ,fire trucks ,wild life , people…. ,classic cars ,weed killers , grinders ,friends,antique rail cars ,boats ,flags and more ! A real GRAB BAG ✅

[@Shakes1420]

I always love the grab bags, but even better when we make it in one twice! Elkhart is our favorite location! Love all the action around the cams though. Thanks for giving us great videos to watch VRF!

[@MrBnsftrain]

0:50 plenty of old boxcars 1:27 P42 on a Cascades Service of Horizon cars 4:34 firing up the Southern GP38-2 at the TVRM 6:00 cool train maneuvering through La Grange in both directions 7:44 the lead unit of this 9-unit lash-up is on backwards! 8:55 Loram grinder followed by the smaller one grinding the crossing 11:08 two NS slugs on this train 11:28 Amtrak 606 in the King Tut exhibit livery 11:53 excellent ATSF tall gondola 15:50 WOW! CSX GEVO pulling an Amtrak train without any Amtrak locomotive. I hope it's just a stock move because that locomotive doesn't have any means of powering the cars with electricity 16:15 UP and NS power on Cajon Pass 16:44 CSX 3194 leading solo 17:27 UP 1995 trailing 17:37 all CSX power on CN tracks 17:46 just make a right turn at that point. The road's wide enough for ya 20:26 BNSF 25th anniversary unit on a uP intermodal 21:32 NW hoppers with NS 8103 passing them 22:30 all three versions of BNSF orange, NS, and CSX power on one train 23:06 person cuts in front of the arriving Amtrak with 169, 184, and 309 on it 25:19 the hand sticking out of the window of a P42 makes them look even cooler 25:47 the WAMX geep emitting sparks as seen on the thumbnail. The fire department is called to clean up the mess it made 28:35 stacks raising on the American Queen 29:08 Amtrak 160 "Pepsi" and train being towed by a BNSF GEVO 31:53 the ex-Algoma Central FP9 we saw a few grab bags ago 32:47 Maine Central boxcar 33:00 NCRC Rio Grande Pacific GP15-1 33:56 caboose at the very end of this freight train 34:20 baretable (completely empty intermodal) train passing two other trains 34:56 warbonnet 686 has a lot of Xs on it 35:25 an old geep and two ex-Citirail GEVOs on this train

[@tomp8871]

Are you his producer?

[@DVR01]

You forgot this part: 33:29: Great Horned Owl

[@christinatweet6580]

Where is the great, old Milwaukee Road? What about the "Old 400" betw Chicago & Twin Cities? ❤️❤️😎👍

[@triangulism]

11:00 Beautiful interaction between two distinct ages of locomotives.

[@citylimits8927]

You should have put the Darwin Candidate icon up on the screen for that girl on the tracks at 23:15. That was close! Love these grab bags though!

[@macmedic892]

Much closer than the vast majority of those "Darwin candidate".

[@rogertemple7193]

In to much of a hurry to get somewhere apparently.

[@stevensolway1054]

Algoma Central F7 @ 32:06, used to come through Green Bay South to Fondulac and Milwaukee during the Wisconsin Central Ltd Era in the early 2000's particularly during winter when the A.C. Snow train to Agawa Canyon was on a shortened schedule. Plus I saw 1 in Ashwaubenon by Sugar Factory siding by M.P. 239 and parallel to Ashland Ave by the newly re-opened Willard Street grade crossing, when the Sugar Factory siding was expanded North to provide another passing track for the longer W.C. Freights, and S.F.S. at mp 239.5 is also the primary access track to the NATIONAL RAILROAD MUSEUM !!-!

[@asphalt_98_gamer76]

1:19 that guy was vibing

[@Gordanovich02]

I was today years old when I learned that there are boats with collapsible smokestacks.

[@bradklingensmith]

Some of them have the upper area where the captain and controls are that actually drops down into the boat.

[@trishoconnor2169]

I found myself thinking, How did I get this old without EVER realizing that????

[@kendufresne]

Same here. Guess we learn new things everyday 🤠

[@jpayawal]

Saw the live stream in real time of the girl running across the track. My oh my. Can’t say any more.

[@rebeckylee157]

35:23 : Several CN Engines go thru Waupaca, WI with their cars attached. Two seconds later at Waupaca: “Wait for ME! Wait for MEEEEE!”

[@47fireguy16]

Does the engineer have anything on his system displays showing that that the engine is blowing those sparks out the exhaust? As someone that is retired fire department, that is more than a slight problem when you are setting fires as you go on your merry way. Set the wrong thing on fire or get someone hurt and it changes the outcome a lot. You would think if it's happening in the engine you are in you would look behind you every few miles and see it.

[@christianwishmeyer4107]

It's probably throwing codes and derating

[@atsf-3415]

I live just NW of Wichita. When Omnitrax was running this area (prior to K&O) we could tell where the train was, and direction of travel due to the fire department pages for ROW fires.

[@MatthewMello]

*Embers.

[@MatthewMello]

@@christianwishmeyer4107 lol sd 40 is very primitive

[@Kansas-Trains]

WATCO doesn't know what spark arrestors are for until after the fire has burned up the right of way or a building 🔥🤔👀🇺🇸

[@garygates9493]

One thing about these grabs a bag short video. It makes up for what I could miss watching it live. Trains and especially wildlife. The locomotive that was sparking the fire, don't come to California! It would be forced to retire! We are a tender box here! One more thing to add, that person that walked in front of that Amtrak train, which was a dumb move. If you would have trip, it is over!

[@maccedorejoice3981]

How are you doing

[@rogertemple7193]

God made us in his image but however he let's us think on our own and in the case of this person walking in front of a moving train maybe her brain just wasn't working.

[@evanf1293]

10:21 Huh, that took me by surprise. Before anyone asks it ain't the man, it's the number of the engine as it's the same diesel that assisted UP Big Boy 4014 for the first part of its Southwest tour in 2019 from Cheyenne to Texas or Arkansas I believe.

[@dannymccarty6680]

Huh, how the heck do you remember stuff like that?

[@evanf1293]

good memory, and photos I took.

[@Dan_C604]

I wonder if those walking close to the tracks at Revelstoke ever realized how close they were of a bear….

[@lightwavz]

They were about to get more than they bargained for, that's for sure!

[@Cipher160]

You mean the ones that started to run at the bear to scare it? I'm sure they're aware but equally oblivious to how close they came to death if the bear decided to fight back. Surprised it didn't have a Darwin Candidate highlight as well.

[@Dan_C604]

@@Cipher160 true. My guess, they were a bit under the influence and acting without awareness…. At least awareness of danger.

[@jameslauback]

I thought most locals know the bears by name up there lol

[@coast_to_coast_photos]

23:13 I feel for the engineer. That's the "Is today gonna be the day I end some careless imbecile's life" moment and unfortunately being a railroad worker in that position puts one in those traumatizing incidents. Probably gave him flashbacks to the last time he ran over someone fooling around and/or intentionally trying to do away with themselves on the tracks.

[@le_th_]

Sadly, sometimes they're not "fooling around" but intentionally there trying to do so, without any empathy or regard for the years of recovery from PTSD they are likely causing the engineer. People who commit suicide this way are extremely self-absorbed in their pain, and simply don't care what their actions cost those who are left behind, be they loved ones, friends, children, bystanders, or first responders.

[@b.a.d.2086]

@@le_th_ Son is a firefighter. In one place here the suicides are so frequent he noticed some "chunks" had dried on the engine from the last one. Makes for a bad day for everyone.

[@rebeckylee157]

@@le_th_ Well said. So true.

[@Woodsballer209]

Playing with her phone. Sad to think people are this ignorant.

[@chrisdaniell2990]

I see she was on the phone just before crossing (I'm not surprised). Wait and see, there will be fences all along the trackside and stairs to get from one side to the other thanks to this kind of stupidity. A number of stations in Canada already have such designs.

[@kevinstewart449]

The three at 13:35 chasing the bear - perfect Darwin candidates .... as is the girl at 23:36 head down looking at her phone crossing the track.

[@rogertemple7193]

Probably just in a hurry like they all are.

[@poowg2657]

Re. Sparks at Wichita. I didn't know they had gone back to firing diesels with wood.

[@paullindberg9230]

Looks like a.bunch of our Abrams tanks Keep up the outstanding joob Virtual Railfan. looking fowrad to seeing any new shots There all great

[@tomcline5631]

That N.S. train with two slug units was pretty cool! You don't see them outta the yards very often.

[@johannastein8020]

She didn't look very surprised at her marriage proposal. The ring wasn't worth a second look. 🤣

[@deborahmaidon4017]

The K & O needs to properly maintain their engines, especially if they're getting ones from another RR such as UP. I live in Wichita and surprisingly the trees didn't catch fire....

[@iatif1995]

And the ones from other railroads that were given to them are old and probably need rebuilding

[@nerd3d-com]

17:50 I guess the driver of the black car was afraid the train was going to swerve onto the frontage road. Oh well, at least they didn't try to play chicken with the train.

[@rogertemple7193]

The crew is gonna have to repair another crossing guard and how many times this week it's usually the crossing guard up at the other end.

[@Alex-tw6ph]

13:15, Life Lesson kids, Don't chase bears, they will chase you

[@theenforcer9967]

Or, their Mom will! 🏃‍♀🏃🐻😮

[@cesiro10]

Hello, At 20:58 is the truck spraying water? Is this to prevent overheating on the rails?

[@TylersNeighborhoodGarage]

weeds

[@BarredCoast0]

Very good grab bag! Impressive footage.

[@Mcdaffodilhill]

Have marked La Grange as an area to avoid in any trips in Kentucky. Glad the Whistle Stop crew remembers the ones who stayed behind, thanks for photos. The number of engines belching smoke and open flames at time is a real concern. Are there no standards for this type of pollution? Recall last year a fire @ the Spaghetti Works site, shared it with our grandsons as a teaching aid showing how fast flames spread. This was unavoidable and unfortunate.

[@nathanjplatt]

Probably a good idea....There's plenty of small towns with railroads near them to visit here in Kentucky that isn't La Grange chaos.

[@rogertemple7193]

If you ain't doing anything about then don't complain about it. 😕

[@EliWCoyote]

4:04 That bobcat is...not resting.

[@ren-uz2mz]

Where does Chehalis get all of those old cars, and I will never think of carrots the same way again. Lil bear safe at Revvy, bunch of other good stuff...

[@christinatweet6580]

Glad to know abt li'l fellow 🐻❤️

[@tomp8871]

Thanks for the trip. The freeze frames are great

[@iyaayas200]

2nd time in 3 months that a WAMX loco started a fire in the same area, maybe they need to start paying for the fire response

[@john_nip_nop]

Those must be the worst-mainted diesels in the country. Local first responders should have authority to stop them in place until repaired - if they were blocking the track for a few days waiting for mechanics and parts, there would be some action.

[@-SkyCat-]

I don't know if its done this way but imo a train that spews out sparks shouldn't be allowed on the tracks due to the fire risk to people Outside of the rails.. think if UP or BNSF had that going on in Fire Prone Southern Cal and starts a Major fire. the rail company should be liable for the damages. if it sparks it should be parked.. stop cutting corners.. putting everyone as risk to move cargo when there are other Good Engines that Don't Do that...

[@christianwishmeyer4107]

Maybe something went wrong with the engine and the rain is on route. Meaning there's no shop for it to be worked on anytime soon.

[@KelleysQuiltsandCruises]

Look up Lytton BC. Yes this happens.

[@kenmelrac]

@@christianwishmeyer4107 UP was fined by the state of Missouri for starting grass fires due to sparks. The crew knows that sparks are shooting out, WAMX probably doesn't care or have to money to address the problem.

[@WestPac-ny9vi]

Ex Western Pacific GP35 almost 60 years old, California will not allow non Turbo Charged Locos in Certain Parts of the state, I know it is Kansas, just making a point that Turbo Charged Locos start fires also.

[@justalurker66]

Engine WAMX 3511 - former UP, now run by a short line. Probably shouldn't run a fire breather. There were other engines in the consist if they didn't need all engines online. I saw a very smoky engine one day. A few minutes later fire crews responded to false reports of a grass fire. The person reporting apparently didn't see the engine spewing smoke.

[@kilt2024]

Fabulous as always That girl was lucky Revelstoke cam ❤ 🐻

[@Debbiestrainsandtoys]

Mike 15T your usual porch Train is in the grab bag it got stopped outside Renoake its at 19:07 if you wanna see it

[@KatoOnTheTrack1]

I hope that engaged couple didn’t know the cameras were there and hopefully soon they’ll have a pleasant surprise

[@LilJigglypuff999]

33:30 🥺 Ohh, my heart!

[@drubarlow]

33:06 I saw NCRC 645 in BNSF's Temple (TX) Yard on 9/06. It is now on a new assignment in Evadale, TX, I'm told.

[@notinmyUSMC]

What happened to the Darwin Awards? That girl is most deserving of one. I wonder if she will now keep the phone in her purse when walking? 🤔

[@SETX_Sirens_and_Rail_02]

When is Watco going to fix the locomotives on the K&O

[@alberthendericks4234]

Probably when they are made to. If it still runs why fix it. Run it until it blows up.

[@brandtfj]

nice to see legacy paint jobs also I actually got the Pac-Man reference LOL

[@espeescotty]

So, I'm curious to know the story behind CSX 9280 at 4:28. A freshly painted CSX C40-8 in 2022? I was sure those had just about achieved dodo bird status by this time. I mean, I hope it/they still have a good bit of life ahead of them on CSX.

[@carsonthorpe6696]

Just re-acquired after buying Pan Am Rail

[@espeescotty]

@@carsonthorpe6696 Yes thanks, I came across more info after I posted the question. I just don't see why CSX would feel the need to repaint and possibly refurbish an engine that they didn't want some years ago. I for one, am glad to see an old standard cab DASH-8 getting some love instead of a torch. It looks good!

[@TheMetGuy]

I never seen an Amtrak train with a CSX unit leading without any Amtrak engines

[@dannymccarty6680]

7:49 SIX BELLES I don’t get it. What is that about?

[@dannymccarty6680]

Hey Hoog, I’d never figure that out in a hundred years. Thank you! 👍

[@frasertrembath2697]

6:33 And listen to that dinger go! 🤑🤑🤑🤑

[@timothyrachford1868]

While the Amtrak sat in Galesburg, a freight passed on track 3 will a few Soo hoppers and a Pillsbury hopper too

[@davecooper3238]

Would there be any advantage fitting spark arrestors like they had on wood burners.

[@maccedorejoice3981]

How are you doing

[@crollwtide9452]

That girl was so distracted by her phone that she almost got trashed by that Amtrak train

[@lizw7066]

3:35 love the video of the cat.

[@shawnwright4129]

What was all the X's for on that one engine?

[@TrainguyNCL]

Lots of Chehalis today😊 Wish we could see more of Skykomish

[@christinatweet6580]

Me too! AND Manitowisch!!

[@ZiggyShadowDust08]

I see the scattered baracade is still at Folkston

[@mikemalo47]

1303 -- thats a Mini Revelstoke bear , hey BO BO. 27:16 thats not goo , I bet the FF were peeved at so many brush fires all at once.

[@raytaylor6412]

Was the spray rig in Chattanooga trying to control weeds or reduce the chance of a fire?

[@frankthomas855]

Weed maaan!

[@rolandmcphail5060]

hope the fire department bills watco heavily for this. believe they also caused the last fire. if they cant maintain their junk, keep it off the rails!

[@TinkerTailor4303]

What are they building at Ft. Madison??

[@TrainguyNCL]

A marina

[@MatthewMello]

Those are not sparks. Those are embers. Just like a chimney fire.

[@Indy125]

Can you please start adding time stamps, or make chapters in the videos?

[@charlottecunningham2141]

There’s a person that comes in here occasionally that comments and time stamps. I miss him

[@xrude7875]

the girl is very lucky the engineer was on the ball , unlike the engineer in Wichita who wasn't . and a F unit

[@fostoriadistrictrailfan3907]

20:02 Yo that's me!

[@glenwitteman2585]

I believe that is a new Signalman Lead in OKC. And he was laying down the law to someone.

[@davidurban6813]

Does Canada ever have any messy Bear human problems or for the most part do both species get along OK? Just keep.their distance?

[@jonathanburrowaz]

20:20 waving goodbye to happiness

[@Thunderer0872]

I'm from the UK so I ask at 11:05 what are those NS 877 & 885 halves sized engines or are they something else?

[@alberthendericks4234]

They are heavyduty Yard Slugs.

[@alberthendericks4234]

Thanks T Hoog for explaining the what and how part of what Slugs do.

[@Thunderer0872]

@@T_Hoog Many thanks learnt something new today. Thanks again. I thought they had all the bits from the waist down, I wasn't sure why they had no power unit, cooler group or cabs. but that explains it. cheers.

[@bluemax2491]

We had a great day and were glad to make the "grab bag" at Ft. Madison. Thanks, John Stafford, for getting that family on as well! They had stopped and had a picnic lunch up by the station and were a pleasure to talk to!

[@stevensolway1054]

LA Grange, KY, needs some Angular hash marks across the tracks, to better delineate the narrow area between tracks and the curb.

[@rogertemple7193]

Yeah you go ahead and tell them that HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA

[@joesolo9946]

How did you get all those scratches? 😂👍

[@buckyc.9069]

That old WP, GP35 is almost as old as me. It doesn't have anymore hi-tech gadgetry on it than I do.

[@outdoorfrenzy]

That same area caught on fire about a year ago from a loco that was showering the area with sparks.

[@jfjr992]

Was actually just a few months ago

[@outdoorfrenzy]

@@jfjr992 thank you for the correction. For some odd reason I had it pinned as longer ago than that. Glad we have the right time frame now.

[@patrickmcarter6244]

Again No trespassing on rail road property. as always see track think train. be safe y'all.

[@serails_]

Nice Grab Bag

[@ronaldrondeau7870]

Great catch again

[@brandonkoole655]

4:30 what's up the the CSX C40-8 9280? Thought they sold all of those

[@parailfan]

When CSX acquired Pan Am, they got their C40-8s back as well.

[@brandonkoole655]

@@parailfanOhh gotcha, forgot they bought them out.. they're putting some back into service then?

[@parailfan]

@@brandonkoole655 Most likely.

[@hdcrow]

'She mite be an engineer one day.." ?? More likely she will own the rail road!

[@normsweet1710]

Put the phone down ! Ya stay outta trouble that way . . . . . . and won’t have to worry bout checking your drawers for Evidence of being scared 😳

[@kdwaynec]

Folkston RR ties still laying there untouched since July 26.

[@knowone6214]

nice shot of a lynx taking a dump....LOL

[@csxisaiahjonesproductions2290]

What Happen To The Red BNSF In 34:50 ?

[@frankthomas855]

Warbonnet haters!

[@notarotomwithhair5637]

EX santa fe warbonnet, but vandalized

[@alberthendericks4234]

Someone was practicing writing their name.

[@kylenicholas3562]

7:48 that’s me!

[@thelnner6765]

lest we ignore the CSX C40-8 at 4:26

[@taslimchoudhary1253]

Excellent Video 🎄🥀🇮🇳🥀🎄

[@MojaveNarrows]

Wow!

[@user-marco-S]

@20:10 What is that sound? It is not the first time i hear it in the video.

[@user-marco-S]

@@T_Hoog Thank you. It's now clear to me. I did just look on internet for how the logo looks alike.

[@waltslostson1056]

I have asked this before but why doesn't the crew stop the train when sparks or flames are spewing out of the stack? They keep going like nothings happening!

[@mybeasty3560]

Your sat looking forward, not backwards and unless its constant even if you look back, you still mite not see it. Add to that the fact you can't see the roof easily, especialy if its the lead engine.

[@waltslostson1056]

@@mybeasty3560 I agree with the view aspect BUT with these modern locomotives you would expect some kind of alarm sound

[@imamcrat9859]

@@waltslostson1056 Problem is as I see it, what sort of alarm, a heat alarm would be no good as the exhaust can be hotter than the flame, thats often what ignites the unburnt fuel. A flame detector, again with the movement of the train, probably unreliable, and in any case, in the grab bag its a few sparks, probaply caused by carbon deposist burning off, normally not something to worry about to much till it sets fire to very dry embankments. In this case (the video) a spark catcher mite be better. Fires from exhausts are usualy more to do with a blown turbo charger.

[@richardbause2453]

Billy Bobcat and the B C Yogi Bear 🐻, now that's a catch. Hope the girl that walked out in front of the Amtrak wasn't planning to ride, don't think they'd open the door for a idiot. There shouldn't be much brush left to burn on that curve, they've already burned the tree next to the Spaghetti House 🏠 😐 😳 😬.

[@chilobronzo1163]

Amazed, and scary, how the engineer is totally oblivious to what is going on just above him. There's no way to remedy this?

[@MatthewMello]

I love watching my EMDs spit out embers like that.

[@frankthomas855]

Spark arresters?

[@tallmansfavorites7563]

Maybe a visit by the FRA? isn't this the 2nd time in the last 3 months they torched that embankment by those apartments?

[@whispofwords2590]

Its really not that big a deal. Locomotives powered by fire that shot smoke directly from said fire out of their stacks once ran everywhere in this country daily for over 100 years. A few diesels shooting sparks here and there isnt worth fussing over.

[@kittty2005]

@ wamx 3511 we get rid of brush the old fashioned way we burn it LOL

[@devtrash]

Why are there people on the highway in revelstoke at 2 am?

[@EliWCoyote]

And running AT the bear, no less...

[@christinatweet6580]

drunken sots??? 🍺🍻🍺🍹

[@rogertemple7193]

People with nothing better to do than run around in cold weather and cause trouble.

[@Shuttletrain]

Proper headline …Watco engines start another fire.

[@TinkerTailor4303]

Hesperia: Here kitty, kitty ...🙂😺🤎

[@lydiapayne5903]

What!😬 That's near my favorite restaurant in the area!

[@cimplungmunthulenak7876]

It's interesting that train is called "kereta api" (kereta =car. api=fire) in Indonesia.

[@matthewdempsey6583]

18:501069 reminds me of our Australian version of that paint work southern short haul railroad

[@bobernst8826]

That’s the second time you showed those old WAMX locos starting a fire …. When is the DOT GOING TO FINE THEM OR PULL THEM FROM SERVICE !

[@sterlingodeaghaidh5086]

Its Kansas, its not gonna be until someones injured most likely. The Goverments been on Watco for years about that and its amounted to only them buying two electric switchers.

[@WestPac-ny9vi]

@@sterlingodeaghaidh5086 EX WP GP35, I lived along WP Tracks in Calif. Has dry grass along the tracks, sometimes had grass fires after train passed.

[@apz5167]

@30:37 ... Buffer car for the (Abrams) tank cars ;-)

[@mic3643]

Yea for the newly engaged couple! 🎉

[@MatecaCorp]

Anyone know where that F unit is headed?