Cool Pic Thread #2 (NO NSFW / NO POLITICS / NO PEOPLE)

The view from the "Office" today. It was a lovely spot to stop for lunch. I could hear a loon and a couple of Canadian Cobra Chickens ( Canada geese) in the distance.

Today's view from the "Office" is at the same spot as yesterday. What a difference a day makes! From sunny and 23*C (74*F) to fog and rain and 7*C (44*F). Needless to say I didn't sit out and eat my lunch today. The "Office" has a great heater.

Buug959 wrote

Today's view from the "Office" is at the same spot as yesterday. What a difference a day makes! Form sunny and 23*C (74*F) to fog and rain and 7*C (44*F). Needless to say I didn't sit out and eat my lunch today. The "Office" has a great heater.

Ah, the East Coast/Atlantic Canada.....if you don't like the weather then wait ten minutes. Cheers.

Today's view from the "Office". Looking upstream and downstream from the bridge.

Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014 seen today in Pennsylvania...It is the world's largest and most powerful operating steam locomotive. One of 26, it was built in 1941. This mammoth 4-8-8-4 articulated locomotive weighs 1.2 million pounds and is 133 feet long. Restored to working order in 2019, it is on its way to Philadelphia to commemorate America's 250th birthday.
Key SpecificationsWheel Arrangement: 4-8-8-4 (Articulated)Weight: 1.2 million pounds (including tender)Length: 133 feetTop Speed: Capable of up to 80 mph

The view from the "Office" this morning. My 8am got delayed until 9am so I took the long way. It was worth it.

The view from the "Office" today. The fog was oddly layered over the Narrows today.

Here's a bonus pic for today. I thought some people might find this interesting.
This is how blueberry farmers increase their crop of wild blueberries. Bees are brought in to help with the natural pollination. Bee keepers rent the hives to the farmers for a fee and all the honey that is produced. The beehives also need to be protected from bears that, just like Winnie the Pooh, love honey. If you look closely you'll see that there's an electric fence around the hives. The bears still get through sometimes but the fence does help protect the hives.

Buug959 wrote

...The beehives also need to be protected from bears that, just like Winnie the Pooh, love honey...

Buug959 wrote

Here's a bonus pic for today. I thought some people might find this interesting.
This is how blueberry farmers increase their crop of wild blueberries. Bees are brought in to help with the natural pollination. Bee keepers rent the hives to the farmers for a fee and all the honey that is produced. The beehives also need to be protected from bears that, just like Winnie the Pooh, love honey. If you look closely you'll see that there's an electric fence around the hives. The bears still get through sometimes but the fence does help protect the hives.

A common sight in rural Oregon as well, but I've not seen any measures used to protect the hives from bears. I'm not sure what crop the bees are used to pollinate.

Buug959 wrote

The view from the "Office" today. The fog was oddly layered over the Narrows today.

Bedford bassin from Dartmouth side?

JJ 911SC wrote

Bedford bassin from Dartmouth side?

From Dartmouth side but looking across toward Point Pleasant Park.

Big Boy crossing the Hometown Trestle...built 10 years before Big Boy was built (1931 vs 1941). Tamaqua, Pa.

3798j wrote

Big Boy crossing the Hometown Trestle...built 10 years before Big Boy was built (1931 vs 1941). Tamaqua, Pa.

Just in case anyone wants to see this thing live,

https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule

iminhell1 wrote

Just in case anyone wants to see this thing live,

https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule

Scheduled to cross on July 7th...What might become one of BigBoy's more interesting photo ops will be its crossing the Rockville Bridge (crossing the Susquehanna River just north of Harrisburg, Pa)..."it is the world's longest stone masonry arch railroad bridge, built by the Pennsylvania Railroad between 1900 and 1902 to replace earlier structures at the same location. The 3,820-foot-long, 48-arch structure is a National Historic Landmark and remains in active use today for Norfolk Southern and Amtrak trains."

Holy cow that would be awesome. Toss my drone up and get some great video.

Here in MN our history starts around 1860 and we don't have anything really that iconic.

view from the office yeasterday

I had a visitor at the "Office" today. He was perched about 50-60 ft away when I first noticed him. Just as I was about to click the photo he flew off to another tree about a hundred yards away. My phone really doesn't like getting in to the digital zoom and as a result the photo I did get is not the sharpest. The eagle-eyed among you will notice he has a fish in his grip. That's not something I personally see very often.

3798j wrote

Union Pacific's Big Boy No. 4014 seen today in Pennsylvania...It is the world's largest and most powerful operating steam locomotive. One of 26, it was built in 1941. This mammoth 4-8-8-4 articulated locomotive weighs 1.2 million pounds and is 133 feet long. Restored to working order in 2019, it is on its way to Philadelphia to commemorate America's 250th birthday.
Key SpecificationsWheel Arrangement: 4-8-8-4 (Articulated)Weight: 1.2 million pounds (including tender)Length: 133 feetTop Speed: Capable of up to 80 mph

Due to make a whistle stop over in our neck of the woods on the 12th. Planning on going over to see it.

My youngest son did get to see is also, made a pass through the east suburbs of Cleveland. Passed right behind his work place.

3798j wrote

Scheduled to cross on July 7th...What might become one of BigBoy's more interesting photo ops will be its crossing the Rockville Bridge (crossing the Susquehanna River just north of Harrisburg, Pa)..."it is the world's longest stone masonry arch railroad bridge, built by the Pennsylvania Railroad between 1900 and 1902 to replace earlier structures at the same location. The 3,820-foot-long, 48-arch structure is a National Historic Landmark and remains in active use today for Norfolk Southern and Amtrak trains."

Spent a bit of time pushing an 18 wheeler around that area. Loved that drive along the Susquehanna, beautiful area. I always remember that bridge as it was a land mark that the eastbound (return home) portion of my trip was just around the corner. Camp Hill to I-76 east for Youngstown

Operation Crossroads...July 1, 1946...80 years ago the first nuclear test (Able) was conducted near the Bikini Atoll. First the inhabitants were evacuated (167). Then a bunch of ships (no longer deemed needed) were brought in and positioned. Finally a B29 was used to drop the bomb.
Shipwrecks in the lagoon include:
USS Saratoga (CV-3) —aircraft carrier
USS Arkansas (BB-33) —battleship
USS Gilliam (APA-57) —attack transport
USS Carlisle (APA-69) —attack transport
USS Lamson (DD-367) —destroyer
USS Anderson (DD-411) —destroyer
USS Apogon (SS-308) —submarine
USS Pilotfish (SS-386) —submarine
Japanese battleship Nagato —battleship
Japanese cruiser Sakawa —light cruiser
German cruiser Prinz Eugen —heavy cruiser