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Re: Trains

Subject: Re: Trains
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 17:50:20 -0500
Vicki Powys wrote:
> Rich and All,
> 
> Wow Rich, I love your train recording!  Took a while to download but it was
> worth it.  Also the Quicktime player wouldn't play it, I had to drag the mp3
> file into iTunes, then it did play.  Is this an example of your 'block-head'
> stereo with the two ME 64s?  Presumably to Sharp minidisc?  It's lovely,
> very "airy" and spacious!  Now I'm going to listen again....
> 
> Vicki Powys
> Australia
> 
> 
> 
> 
> on 24/1/03 9:16 AM, Rich Peet <> at 
> wrote:
> 
> 
>>"Amtrak said on Wednesday it would need up to $10 billion in federal
>>subsidies over the next five years to run its network of trains and
>>repair its crumbling infrastructure."  Having spent much time and
>>effort listening and trying to keep a distance from this endangered
>>creature I thought I would share it.  Maybe this will help us avoid
>>the highspeed trains that the birds don't have a chance of
>>outflying.  My GPS recorded the highspeed train in Spain this month
>>at a max of 170 mph.
>>
>>Recorded without the use of playback and from a safe 1 mile distance
>>to not effect its behavior as it worked its way up the Mississippi
>>river valley in MN. latenight 8/02.

There are a few tourist steam trains left around here. I should get out 
and try recording this even more endangered species with the 
SASS/MKH-110. Especially if I can find a vantage point for a climbing grade.

One of my early memories is flying out the back of my Grandparents door, 
down the garden path, past the chicken house and out the back gate. All 
to watch, listen to and feel the passage of the steam freight trains. 
 From close range, less than 20' from the tracks, they were not shy or 
easily scared. A diesel just does not have the impressiveness of a big 
steam freight loco pulling a grade under load. These days we have to 
settle for the small steam loco's pulling tourists. I don't think steam 
was necessarily louder, or shook the ground more than diesel, but there 
was the smoke, cinders, and clouds of steam. And a steam whistle. At my 
grandparents, we were in town, so the trains were not moving fast 
because of all the rail crossings. They were also in a cut that 
concentrated their sound and fury. From my Grandparents house you would 
only see the smoke blasting up. Sometimes as many as three linked locos. 
To get the full effect you had to make it out there. I started making 
that trip as soon as I could toddle, often my grandfather scooping me up 
to make it.

It's more than animals going extinct.

Walt





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>From   Tue Mar  8 18:23:14 2005
Message: 13
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 16:21:56 -0500
From: Walter Knapp <>
Subject: Re: Tree hole frog calls in Borneo

Wild Sanctuary wrote:
> For those into frogs, check this URL out. Scroll down the page until 
> you get to Tree Hole frogs from Borneo. It's a large MP3 file but 
> worth it.
> 
> Bernie Krause
> 
> http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/quirks/archives/02-03/dec07.html
>

This also was featured on PBS's "All things considered" several weeks ago.

I'm not sure it's as unique as they think. I've been observing Gray 
Treefrogs choosing calling sites, and they certainly choose 
acoustically. Though they don't tune their frequency.

There was another frog that I found even more interesting. A frog that 
can call for over 12 hours continuously without repeating his calls. And 
appears to do it partially by using two vocal sacs independently:
http://www.nature.com/nsu/020708/020708-2.html

Wish I had the resources to go and record him.

Walt




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