That's a nice video as I live in Utah too and sometimes when I record Frontrunner trains I hear their horns I always wished it wasn't a no horn zone throughout the entire line but when you did the horn through the construction zone it sounded like the best horn. I have see Frontrunner Cab Car 118 lead a train before but I doubt it was around the time when you where driving it. I also like how the Cab car has white stripes and not yellow ones like most of them. I hope that trip from Ogden to Provo was nice as I have been that far before and I liked it.
I am always concerned for the train engineer's mental health, after seeing so many dumb drivers near train tracks. I do try to wave or give a thumbs up to them near railroad crossings. Sometimes I can see them, with a big 'ol grin. :-)
I think the Front Runner runs on their own set of tracks and is more or less a self contained system. Although its track is often next to and is connected to the UP tracks that Amtrak and freight trains use at places. This is probably because during the work week, especially during the time frame of the morning and evening commute, the Front Runner runs pretty frequently for a Diesel locomotive hauled commuter train. Another thing to note is that the Front Runner route is single tracked along many parts of its route. It's got some double tracked sections which include the stations, where the trains heading towards the opposite directions can pass each other.
Very nice video. Some observations: Very surprised that there was no horn blowing at grade crossings; very few freight trains seen; very rough ride at higher speeds. European cab ride videos I've watched are smooth as glass at any speed.
"very rough ride at higher speeds", I think it's the way the camera is mounted, I've ridden the FrontRunner, and it's smooth as glass. The switches are a little bumpy, but that's mainly downtown. It's a continuous rail track.
@@jameswest8280 The other BiLevel coaches I've ridden in actually had significantly better ride than the one I ended up on board when I shot this video. I was surpirsed but decided to keep and post the video I shot. The front bogie of the cab car/coach I was on board made a lot of wobbly noise and vibrated at speed. I don't know for sure but suspect maybe the wheels or other components on it need maintenance. For comparison purposes, I also shot a POV video on board a Bombardier BiLevel cab car/coach in service with Sounder commuter rail in the Seattle area, with the camera mounted at essentially the same position using the same mount. ruclips.net/video/Wl3ovQfOeSQ/видео.html In comparison, there's hardly much vibration on board the sounder train at all, with the same camera, same mount, same mounting position, same rolling stock model.
The Salt Lake Valley is designated as a quiet zone, so horns are for warning only, no sequence 7 over crossings. And CC118 and 105 are some of the roughest CC's in the fleet lol
I haven't visited Minnesota in years but will surely shoot a video on board the Northstar in time. I do have a POV video shot on board the CalTrain coming up. If you like I can have that video up by next week. :)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_BiLevel_Coach#/media/File:Rear_of_FrontRunner_train_at_American_Fork_Station.JPG This is how the front end of the Bombardier BiLevel cab car looks like. It's pretty flat and boxy, easily as flat and boxy as some traditional subway cars, except it's taller and bigger. So the aerodynamics of it probably aren't great. At 0:15 you can see just how flat and boxy it is also. Another thing to consider is the fact that the engineers in the cab did leave the sliding windows on the side of the cab open the entire time when the train was in operation. That probably made more noise on top of what's already there.
I'm watching this and I see that the platforms don't require an ADA ramp, so like, why the hell do they need to spot the cab at the same exact spot every time? Then it hit me, looking at the goofy wayside signals, the track infrastructure, and the separate ROW, this train is like a giant Light Rail System. I've heard that UTA calls their Engineers "operators" which, is in line with the whole LRV culture, and that begs the question: How's the pay? is it light rail pay? or actual RR pay? I've never seen a commuter system done like that before. They're usually contracted out to a third-party contractor or Amtrak begrudgingly does it. This seems like it's all in-house and I'd also assume they promote their light rail guys to Frontrunner eventually.
It seems that the UTA does things their own way. A streetcar operator I chatted with in this video ruclips.net/video/i_Tz-kLLH9g/видео.html actually told me that he has operated TRAX, the streetcar, and the FrontRunner. It's implied that they can operate in all 3 systems and it's more of a matter of a horizontal transfer and resource sharing scheme than anything. I guess since he had already operated all 3 yet was back on the streetcar, I suspect UTA isn't really treating the FrontRunner as the top tier of their hierarchy to which operators would take time to be promoted to.
@@Shuotography That's interesting. I'm sure once one is qualified on all of the modes, it becomes a matter of seniority. That is definitely something I hadn't known or considered before.
The reason we spot for the ADA mark is because the platform is high block and low block. We don't want to put the Billevels on the low block because it's quite the drop. It also helps wheelchair users know where to stage because the ADA ramp is located on the B end of the cab car (with a mandatory host or attendant in the CC) so we don't have to flag them down to the correct car. Other than that it doesn't really matter where we stop. As long as all bilevels are on the high block we can stop wherever
@@michlo3393 Yeah it's really not bad, only takes a second to put the bridge plate out so it doesn't affect our timepoints at all. In fact the thing that affects the time points the most is people not knowing how to open the doors 😂 PSA for my SLC commuters. Give the sensor a subtle wack rather than a gentle knock. Opens every time
I simply rode in the first row of the passenger cab and there's a tinted glass window on the partition between the front end of the train and where I was. I shot the video through that.
The best POV on this line is on the top floor looking west. Watching the sunset over the valley 😍
That's a nice video as I live in Utah too and sometimes when I record Frontrunner trains I hear their horns I always wished it wasn't a no horn zone throughout the entire line but when you did the horn through the construction zone it sounded like the best horn. I have see Frontrunner Cab Car 118 lead a train before but I doubt it was around the time when you where driving it. I also like how the Cab car has white stripes and not yellow ones like most of them. I hope that trip from Ogden to Provo was nice as I have been that far before and I liked it.
I am always concerned for the train engineer's mental health, after seeing so many dumb drivers near train tracks. I do try to wave or give a thumbs up to them near railroad crossings. Sometimes I can see them, with a big 'ol grin. :-)
After a while we get used to it lol
You did a fantastic job on the timestamps. Thanks for the upload.
very nice track. nice and smooth.
Does Amtrak Uses These Tracks Between Provo Central and Salt Lake Central. I love it also
I think the Front Runner runs on their own set of tracks and is more or less a self contained system. Although its track is often next to and is connected to the UP tracks that Amtrak and freight trains use at places. This is probably because during the work week, especially during the time frame of the morning and evening commute, the Front Runner runs pretty frequently for a Diesel locomotive hauled commuter train. Another thing to note is that the Front Runner route is single tracked along many parts of its route. It's got some double tracked sections which include the stations, where the trains heading towards the opposite directions can pass each other.
There's no way for the California zephyr to get on these tracks in Provo.
Very nice video. Some observations: Very surprised that there was no horn blowing at grade crossings; very few freight trains seen; very rough ride at higher speeds. European cab ride videos I've watched are smooth as glass at any speed.
"very rough ride at higher speeds", I think it's the way the camera is mounted, I've ridden the FrontRunner, and it's smooth as glass. The switches are a little bumpy, but that's mainly downtown. It's a continuous rail track.
@@jameswest8280 The other BiLevel coaches I've ridden in actually had significantly better ride than the one I ended up on board when I shot this video. I was surpirsed but decided to keep and post the video I shot. The front bogie of the cab car/coach I was on board made a lot of wobbly noise and vibrated at speed. I don't know for sure but suspect maybe the wheels or other components on it need maintenance.
For comparison purposes, I also shot a POV video on board a Bombardier BiLevel cab car/coach in service with Sounder commuter rail in the Seattle area, with the camera mounted at essentially the same position using the same mount.
ruclips.net/video/Wl3ovQfOeSQ/видео.html
In comparison, there's hardly much vibration on board the sounder train at all, with the same camera, same mount, same mounting position, same rolling stock model.
@@Shuotography thanks. 👍 on the video 👍 on the reply. Still a nice train, and very affordable.
@@jameswest8280 I thought it could be the way the camera was mounted.
The Salt Lake Valley is designated as a quiet zone, so horns are for warning only, no sequence 7 over crossings. And CC118 and 105 are some of the roughest CC's in the fleet lol
I found your channel with the sounder pov and now the FrontRunner I would to see the northstar if that's possible thanks
I haven't visited Minnesota in years but will surely shoot a video on board the Northstar in time. I do have a POV video shot on board the CalTrain coming up. If you like I can have that video up by next week. :)
@@Shuotography can you pls do tri rail
@@StudioSA15 I haven't been in Florida recently but if I'm in the area I will try to cover TriRail.
@@Shuotography ok thanks it may be the glorias 501! Or 507 with is 2nd best
I could hear the wind. Train doesn’t seem to have very good aerodynamics.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_BiLevel_Coach#/media/File:Rear_of_FrontRunner_train_at_American_Fork_Station.JPG
This is how the front end of the Bombardier BiLevel cab car looks like. It's pretty flat and boxy, easily as flat and boxy as some traditional subway cars, except it's taller and bigger. So the aerodynamics of it probably aren't great.
At 0:15 you can see just how flat and boxy it is also.
Another thing to consider is the fact that the engineers in the cab did leave the sliding windows on the side of the cab open the entire time when the train was in operation. That probably made more noise on top of what's already there.
4:53
Train engineer swapped with Brian Johnson from ACDC.
I'm watching this and I see that the platforms don't require an ADA ramp, so like, why the hell do they need to spot the cab at the same exact spot every time? Then it hit me, looking at the goofy wayside signals, the track infrastructure, and the separate ROW, this train is like a giant Light Rail System. I've heard that UTA calls their Engineers "operators" which, is in line with the whole LRV culture, and that begs the question: How's the pay? is it light rail pay? or actual RR pay? I've never seen a commuter system done like that before. They're usually contracted out to a third-party contractor or Amtrak begrudgingly does it. This seems like it's all in-house and I'd also assume they promote their light rail guys to Frontrunner eventually.
It seems that the UTA does things their own way. A streetcar operator I chatted with in this video ruclips.net/video/i_Tz-kLLH9g/видео.html actually told me that he has operated TRAX, the streetcar, and the FrontRunner. It's implied that they can operate in all 3 systems and it's more of a matter of a horizontal transfer and resource sharing scheme than anything. I guess since he had already operated all 3 yet was back on the streetcar, I suspect UTA isn't really treating the FrontRunner as the top tier of their hierarchy to which operators would take time to be promoted to.
@@Shuotography That's interesting. I'm sure once one is qualified on all of the modes, it becomes a matter of seniority. That is definitely something I hadn't known or considered before.
The reason we spot for the ADA mark is because the platform is high block and low block. We don't want to put the Billevels on the low block because it's quite the drop. It also helps wheelchair users know where to stage because the ADA ramp is located on the B end of the cab car (with a mandatory host or attendant in the CC) so we don't have to flag them down to the correct car. Other than that it doesn't really matter where we stop. As long as all bilevels are on the high block we can stop wherever
@@DecemDierum that's pretty slick. More commuter operations need to do that. Spotting up to a ADA ramp is annoying lol
@@michlo3393 Yeah it's really not bad, only takes a second to put the bridge plate out so it doesn't affect our timepoints at all. In fact the thing that affects the time points the most is people not knowing how to open the doors 😂 PSA for my SLC commuters. Give the sensor a subtle wack rather than a gentle knock. Opens every time
Can you do a shorelines cab ride POV
I assume you're referring to Shore Line East in Connecticut? I will probably get there and shoot a video eventually, just not in the near future.
I do have a new video going live today. It's a POV video shot on the CalTrain in California. I hope you'd like it. Stay tuned.
How u get a cabride
I simply rode in the first row of the passenger cab and there's a tinted glass window on the partition between the front end of the train and where I was. I shot the video through that.
@@Shuotography ohso ur not in the cab