Trains.com

MALFUNCTION JCT

1035 views
11 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 437 posts
MALFUNCTION JCT
Posted by BNSFNUT on Thursday, August 5, 2004 3:26 PM
Malfuntion Jct A.K.A Binghamton NY on the NS lived up to its name.
The NS is replacing a bridge over one of the city street and started to do the job the night of 8/4. The plan was to start the job as soon as a last east bound train cleared the bridge. Well in came the train and it stoped at the yard office for a recrew and the tail end was still on the bridge so the contruction crew was going to wait intill the train was recrewed and left. Yep, you guessed it no new crew. I took several hours to get the train moved. Our local media had some fun reporting on the delay. The track will be insevice today but the final work will not be done intill this eviening causing some traffic delays on a very busy street.
The best layed plans of man...............................[banghead]

There is no such thing as a bad day of railfanning. So many trains, so little time.

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • From: Independence, MO
  • 1,570 posts
Posted by UPTRAIN on Thursday, August 5, 2004 6:25 PM
Like I said on the Saluda post, shame shame shame NS!!!

Pump

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 5, 2004 9:50 PM
MALFUNCTION JCT?

We have an interesting intersection of two minor state two-lane roads near here that I've heard called "Malfunction Junction." A convoluted composition of bends and intersections of divided lanes that can only make the occasional driver wonder "huh?"

It was built to handle the heavy traffic of the 1980 Winter Olympics here in Lake Placid, though for the last 24 years it could have been replaced with a single stop sign.

Wayne
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: St Paul, MN
  • 6,218 posts
Posted by Big_Boy_4005 on Friday, August 6, 2004 12:01 AM
There used to be an HO train display at the Minnesota State Fair called Malfunction Junction. Unfortunately they tore the building down about 4 years ago, it had been there for well over 30 years. I used to go in there every year. I was even able to take my kids in a few times before it was gone. Now some stupid [censored] car dealer throws up a tent, and has a makeshift showroom on the site. What a waste, but guess who pays more!!![:(][:(!][V]
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 437 posts
Posted by BNSFNUT on Friday, August 6, 2004 10:11 AM
Wayne, I think I was lost in that intersection the last time I was up to Lake Placid [:D]

There is no such thing as a bad day of railfanning. So many trains, so little time.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Louisville,Ky.
  • 5,077 posts
Posted by locomutt on Friday, August 6, 2004 10:24 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSFNUT

Malfuntion Jct A.K.A Binghamton NY on the NS lived up to its name.
The NS is replacing a bridge over one of the city street and started to do the job the night of 8/4. The plan was to start the job as soon as a last east bound train cleared the bridge. Well in came the train and it stoped at the yard office for a recrew and the tail end was still on the bridge so the contruction crew was going to wait intill the train was recrewed and left. Yep, you guessed it no new crew. I took several hours to get the train moved. Our local media had some fun reporting on the delay. The track will be insevice today but the final work will not be done intill this eviening causing some traffic delays on a very busy street.
The best layed plans of man...............................[banghead]


Oh,Gee,

I thought you were talking about our junction here in Louiville;
where Interstates I-64,I-65,&I-71 come together,it's been called many a name,
generally it's spaghetti junction;but Malfunction Junction does come to mind[:)]

Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 6, 2004 12:41 PM
It's amazing how despite all the best laid plans something like this can still end up happening.

It almost always boils down to poor communication between operating departments.
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: MP CF161.6 NS's New Castle District in NE Indiana
  • 2,148 posts
Posted by rrnut282 on Friday, August 6, 2004 12:48 PM
I wouldn't say poor communication. I would say it was more likely a case of poor cooperation among departments. "It doesn't affect me, so why should I care if it gets done?", is a wide-spread attitude in many RR's, especially NS.
Mike (2-8-2)
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 6, 2004 12:55 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by rrnut282

I wouldn't say poor communication. I would say it was more likely a case of poor cooperation among departments. "It doesn't affect me, so why should I care if it gets done?", is a wide-spread attitude in many RR's, especially NS.


That's pretty sad if that is the case in this instance, they are all working for the same company here, you would think they would put a little effort into working together. [B)]
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 6, 2004 9:57 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSFNUT

Malfuntion Jct A.K.A Binghamton NY on the NS lived up to its name.
The NS is replacing a bridge over one of the city street and started to do the job the night of 8/4. The plan was to start the job as soon as a last east bound train cleared the bridge. Well in came the train and it stoped at the yard office for a recrew and the tail end was still on the bridge so the contruction crew was going to wait intill the train was recrewed and left. Yep, you guessed it no new crew. I took several hours to get the train moved. Our local media had some fun reporting on the delay. The track will be insevice today but the final work will not be done intill this eviening causing some traffic delays on a very busy street.
The best layed plans of man...............................[banghead]


Why is Binghamton "Malfunction Junction"? I don't think it is any worse than anyplace else. Also, what is a BNSF Fan doing there?

LC
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 437 posts
Posted by BNSFNUT on Saturday, August 7, 2004 8:53 AM
Binghamton got its nickname during the EL days one day when a car derailed on the main and plug the EL main and blocked the EL yard leads holding up trains. 3 of the crews on the blocked trains finaly outlawed.
The was a bunch of railfans on the station platform watching the mess when the an RR worker said to JJ "Well JJ is this malfucntion jct or what?" and the name just some how stuck. With 3 railroads meeting and crossing now it gets pretty wild around here. Listening to the radio while they try to keep things moveing is fun. Most of the time things go smoothly but when the go wrong they seem to realy go wrong.
To answer the question about a BNSF fan in Binghanton he is wishing that he lived in BNSF territory[sigh]

There is no such thing as a bad day of railfanning. So many trains, so little time.

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Omaha,Nebr
  • 87 posts
Posted by chemung on Saturday, August 7, 2004 10:38 PM
BNSFNUT,we could trade places,born and raised in Elmira,hung around the DL&W yard,grandfather worked for the Erie.Now live in Omaha,Nebr.
A travling man AF&AM

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy