Convicted OneI was hoping that you might assume that responsibility for this thread alone, and be a little more permissive.
The only things I dislike about some arguments is name calling that refers to something the object of ridicule cannot do anything about, specifically ethnicity or physical characteristics. Opinions (even political) are fair game here; although be advised that the more onerous of moderators might have differing views.
Really? How fascinating!!
The arguments I dislike most tend more towards the ones where one member insults the other, and then plays "victim" when they get the response they deserve. But hey,...to each their own.
NKP guy tree68 Sounds like a chicken/egg thing. Which came first - the railroad, or that section of town being undesirable? In the United States railroad building (except on the East Coast) happened early enough (c1840-1865) that there were no "bad" sides of town. Towns were small but developing quickly. The simple fact is that railroads were noisy, smoky, not attractive to look at (except to pre-Civil War railfans?), and had workers who built small, inexpensive houses near the railroad shops and yards. In the Ohio town I live in, a fine old "railroad town," the managing class, so to speak, lived on the west side, the shops and yards were on the east side, so the smoke tended not to drift over the west side's residences, an added benefit to those who could build there.
tree68 Sounds like a chicken/egg thing. Which came first - the railroad, or that section of town being undesirable?
In the United States railroad building (except on the East Coast) happened early enough (c1840-1865) that there were no "bad" sides of town. Towns were small but developing quickly. The simple fact is that railroads were noisy, smoky, not attractive to look at (except to pre-Civil War railfans?), and had workers who built small, inexpensive houses near the railroad shops and yards.
In the Ohio town I live in, a fine old "railroad town," the managing class, so to speak, lived on the west side, the shops and yards were on the east side, so the smoke tended not to drift over the west side's residences, an added benefit to those who could build there.
And thus the phrase, "Wrong side of the tracks." It was a cheaper place to live and people built less expensive housing there. The cheaper housing and lower quality of life made it an even less desirable, but an even cheaper place to live.
Convicted OneThe arguments I dislike most tend more towards the ones where one member insults the other, and then plays "victim" when they get the response they deserve.
zardozYeah, that too
As the esteemed member of this forum that you are, I think you should petition Kalmbach to disable the [Report Abuse] feature for this thread, and then appoint you as it's moderator.
Only then can righteous justice be served.
Gramp I do wish railroads would be better stewards of what they own. So much of the rolling stock is rolling blight. It also indicates millions of dollars of equipment is not being used efficiently, and makes one wonder whether the goods in transit are being compromised.
I do wish railroads would be better stewards of what they own. So much of the rolling stock is rolling blight.
It also indicates millions of dollars of equipment is not being used efficiently, and makes one wonder whether the goods in transit are being compromised.
I know what you mean. Most freight trains look like slums on wheels.
I can understand the effect on the "bottom line" of trying to keep rolling stock looking "Lionel Perfect," for lack of a better term, and why freight cars are only repainted when absolutely necessary.
At least they should keep the locomotives clean and shiny. Those are the "corporate reps" when you come right down to it, the first things the public sees when a train rolls by.
The reason that railroad yards are in an undesirable part of town is that they were built to serve heavy industry. One hundred years ago, people liked living near heavy industry since they could walk to wellpaying jobs. In the last 50 years, that changed and people who could afford to move, did. That left the poorer people to live there. I've even heard it called "environmental racism" even though I don't agree with the term.
I don't think I'd say they liked living near heavy industry - more like they had to.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
No, but far too often the posts stray off topic into a political diatribe that usually includes "All Democrats..." or "All Republicans..." followed by standard stereotyping that contributes nothing of value to the discussion. So do it here instead of wasting space in other forums.
MikeInPlano No, but far too often the posts stray off topic into a political diatribe that usually includes "All Democrats..." or "All Republicans..." followed by standard stereotyping that contributes nothing of value to the discussion. So do it here instead of wasting space in other forums.
If there's an area that I think this forum does pretty well at, it's keeping politics at a minimum. Sometimes that can be tough, especially if discussing a topic (often regulatory) that has politics as it's root.
I recall reading once that the "wrong side of the tracks" came from the fact that said region was downwind from the tracks (and thus, the accompanying industry). Laundry hung out to dry might come down dirtier than before it was washed.
One might wonder if communities, which often went to great lengths to attract railroads, later realized what that truly entailed and regretted their decision.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68One might wonder if communities, which often went to great lengths to attract railroads, later realized what that truly entailed and regretted their decision.
Two phrases I heard a number of times in the early to mid-1960's:
1. Regarding towns with steel mills, like Johnstown, Pittsburgh, the Mahoning Valley, Cleveland, Gary, and so forth: "Where there's smoke, there's work."
and
2. Regarding the smell of rubber and sulfur in the Akron, Ohio air: "Smells like bacon and eggs to me." (translation: "That smell in the air means I make a living due to these factories.")
Towns in Ohio, anyway, never seem to have regretted attracting railroads or factories. In fact, I'm not the only one who wishes they'd return.
NKP guy tree68 One might wonder if communities, which often went to great lengths to attract railroads, later realized what that truly entailed and regretted their decision. Two phrases I heard a number of times in the early to mid-1960's: 1. Regarding towns with steel mills, like Johnstown, Pittsburgh, the Mahoning Valley, Cleveland, Gary, and so forth: "Where there's smoke, there's work." and 2. Regarding the smell of rubber and sulfur in the Akron, Ohio air: "Smells like bacon and eggs to me." (translation: "That smell in the air means I make a living due to these factories.") Towns in Ohio, anyway, never seem to have regretted attracting railroads or factories. In fact, I'm not the only one who wishes they'd return.
tree68 One might wonder if communities, which often went to great lengths to attract railroads, later realized what that truly entailed and regretted their decision.
Whenever I return to Akron and don't smell the smells of rubber manufacturing in South and East Akron, it doesn't seem right. The same thing driving through the Youngstown area and seeing the rusting remanent of the mills. Seeing pictures of the Center Street railroad crossing today and trying to recall what it was when I first went to the area to work at the B&O's Haselton tower, being totally lost and going to the P&LE's Gateway Yard tower to ask for directions. All gone!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Well, I was hoping that Brian & Co. would relax the 'subscriber-only' access to the Rochelle cam for at least the time necessary to watch 4014 pass. Or maybe I can't get it to stream properly.
I've never seen such a bunch of idiotic moronic people in my freaking life. Multiple people standing on the tracks while a freight train is trying to pass through Rochelle and they refused to get off the tracks. No wonder why no Class 1 railroads want to run excursions anymore with how the public behavior is now a days. Every single person had their head in their phone trying to take pictures instead of staying clear of railroad property.
Shadow the Cats owner Multiple people standing on the tracks while a freight train is trying to pass through Rochelle and they refused to get off the tracks.
I saw something very similar in Owosso in 2009. No one was on the tracks, but one fellow was very close, and no amount of increasingly strident whistling by 765 seemed to get his attention. Were it not for the probably resultant lawsuits, if I was the engineer I think I'd have opened the cylinder drain valves (I suspect I'd get in trouble if I used the real name) just before I passed him, to ruin his shot.
Very similar to the case with 844 recently when it struck a pedestrian.
tree68 (I suspect I'd get in trouble if I used the real name)
Maybe we could just call 'em roosters.
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
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