General Discussion

zardoz:

Were these loaded cars bottom-dump, or rotary dump?

If bottom, perhaps the mechanism does not work.

I'd say Zardoz is right on the money.  Every so often there will be a load in train that wasn't dumped.  

Usually though they are left wherever they are in the train.  Two like that make me think they were switched out rather than two on one end both developing trouble.

Jeff   

Willy2:

Staying on the topic of interesting coal trains, yesterday I went train watching and saw a westbound empty coal train with two loaded coal cars at the front of the train. I can't say that I've ever seen that before. My guess is that they were headed to a small customer along the route that needs only a few loads. That doesn't explain why they were coming from the east though. Anyone have some thoughts on what might have been up?

A wiId guess here, but possible, maybe even plausible: 

Rejected by the power plant due to being out-of-spec in some way, such as too much dirt, rock, sulfur or other no-no's, maybe not up to snuff in BTU content, etc.  Just like a mail-order shirt that doesn't fit - send it back.

- Paul North.

I just took a look at one of the reports over on www.weather.com- WOW, what a catch.  I hope they can get good readings on a few more like that.

CShaveRR:

Willy, are you watching the escapades of Vortex 2 on The Weather Channel?

I actually haven't been watching it... not because I don't want to, but just because I never seem to have the time to sit down and watch TV. I did watch a clip of the tornado they got yesterday. Hopefully they were able to collect some good data.

Last night at my house we got 1.20" of rain. The airport got 2.11", which is surprising. Usually they get a lot less. More on the way tonight and again tomorrow evening.

Time to get ready for work. Curly fries and roast beef await me.

CShaveRR:

We've been busy with our own birthday plans (mentioned somewhere above, I'm sure), and forgot to make note of another significant birthday--until now:

 

Herewith, birthday greetings are extended to the guru of everything railroad outside the clearance diagrams, and a few things within. I give you...Mudchicken!

 

Many happy returns!

 

Now off to join Emily and Nico's party, already in progress...

Gads! - you're still allowed to rub it in (a little)....the tornadoes were east of us on the prairie....

Dinosaur Feathers

Prairie Chickens taking a big hit lately.  First Wyoming and then Colorado.  Are you even in tornado alley or just at the back window? 

Pssst - Sir C - I think I see a grey feather....

CShaveRR:

We've been busy with our own birthday plans (mentioned somewhere above, I'm sure), and forgot to make note of another significant birthday--until now:

 

Herewith, birthday greetings are extended to the guru of everything railroad outside the clearance diagrams, and a few things within. I give you...Mudchicken!

 

Many happy returns!

 

Now off to join Emily and Nico's party, already in progress...

Happy (belated) Birthday SirChicken.  I hope you stay in feathers for a while yet!

There's an interesting statement in the newspaper article: (emphasis added) "To me, that was one of the easiest and best things they could do," he says. "Railroads are pretty reluctant to change. From a quality of life perspective it would probably be something the city would have to bring to the railroad."

Ah, yes, as has been asked elsewhere, "Who was there first?" To me, another good question is, "How much are the complainers willing to pay to alleviate their distress?"

Johnny

If the rate of return on investment for installing a CTC island won't pay for itself, I'm sure the city will pay to make up the difference...

  MC!!

And congrats on graduation Willy !!

CShaveRR:

Quentin, I saw an interesting article about grade-crossing blockage in Muncie today (from your local paper

Carl....I commented on that over in the "Diner" section  a few days ago and suggested one could pull up "TheStarPress" to read about it.

One can form his own opinion of paper's article...Typical of such subjects.

We are completely aware of the situation mentioned and believe it to be just a bit different than most citizens were stating....

That is the area the east /south NS trains coming off the Frankfort line must stop and wait for clearance.  Ahead is a crossover the NS must pass over the CSX double main thru town to continue on.  If CSX has traffic, then the NS must wait.  The wait location is near Mc.D's...There is also switching done at that same location....A siding that consists of cars are set off and picked up almost daily.  One can draw his / her own conclusion of why trains stop in said area. But these are some of the facts that I've witnessed {often}, and also listened to DP communicate with said train crews, etc....