Fred M CainOne interesting feature, the CSS&SB had a gauntlet track over a bridge near Gary, IN, and back in 1993 there was a terrible wreck on the bridge which was basically the last bad wreck of the "Interurban Era". https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-01-18-9303163513-story.html Some claimed that the motorman/engineer had run through a stop signal and others suspected it was a signal failure that showed a "false clear". I’m not sure that that dispute was ever fully resolved. I do believe the bridge was later rebuilt and the gauntlet eliminated. Today, the South Shore (NICTD) uses some rather interesting gauntlets at passenger stations which handle traffic that all moves in the same direction. The reason is to shunt the CSS&SB’s freight trains out a safer distance away from the station platforms. But since there is a switch involved, I'm not sure if this can be accurately regarded as true gauntlet track. Nevertheless there are two sets of rails in a space that is only slightly wider than a single track. So, in a sense, it is a gauntlet.
https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/RAR9303.aspx
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Flintlock76 I found another video featuring the Poughkeepsie Bridge, it's an Alco-GE post-war promotional film showing the New Haven's route from Maybrook to points east. The bridge shows up at the 8:00 minute mark, the gantlet's mentioned but not shown. In color and of good quality, the film's a neat time capsule. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO_qDDoa6Cc
I found another video featuring the Poughkeepsie Bridge, it's an Alco-GE post-war promotional film showing the New Haven's route from Maybrook to points east. The bridge shows up at the 8:00 minute mark, the gantlet's mentioned but not shown.
In color and of good quality, the film's a neat time capsule.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO_qDDoa6Cc
That's a very cool video. Thanks for linking.
Man, I see all those graffiti-free cars, and it makes me sick (again) about today. What the hell is wrong with people who think it's okay to deface private property? As a photographer, getting a good shot is hard enough; but then you do get a good shot but all that crap ruins it.
So ....... I like gantlet track. I'm on topic.
Still in training.
Lithonia OperatorWhat the hell is wrong with people who think it's okay to deface private property?
No consequences to their actions, that's what's wrong.
I realize catching taggers is easier said than done, but there's an old maxim some people have seem to forgotten:
If you ignore, explain away, rationalize, or in a backhanded way condone or reward irresponsible behavior all you do is buy yourself more of it. Count on it.
Flintlock76 Lithonia Operator What the hell is wrong with people who think it's okay to deface private property? No consequences to their actions, that's what's wrong. I realize catching taggers is easier said than done, but there's an old maxim some people have seem to forgotten: If you ignore, explain away, rationalize, or in a backhanded way condone or reward irresponsible behavior all you do is buy yourself more of it. Count on it.
Lithonia Operator What the hell is wrong with people who think it's okay to deface private property?
Correct.
They need to make examples out of some of these kids.
Lithonia Operator Flintlock76 Lithonia Operator What the hell is wrong with people who think it's okay to deface private property? No consequences to their actions, that's what's wrong. I realize catching taggers is easier said than done, but there's an old maxim some people have seem to forgotten: If you ignore, explain away, rationalize, or in a backhanded way condone or reward irresponsible behavior all you do is buy yourself more of it. Count on it. Correct. They need to make examples out of some of these kids.
Of course with the age we are getting to be - anyone under 50 is a kid.
I strongly believe that in this era where operating ratio reigns supreme, if any railroad had adequate staff on hand to intercept graffiti artists, they would be laid off so that the money could be passed through to the stockholders, instead.
I basically agree with you, CO.
I'm just wishing out loud that so many people were not so irresponsible. You think that will do any good?
Well, it's nice to have dreams. But the turn this thread has taken inspired me to think. So many cars are owned by leasing outfits, so many cars are owned by shippers......that I'll bet the railroads themselves have little interest in paying the required cost of controling the problem. In fact they may see it as a problem only in the context of what if a tagger comes onto their property, is injured, and tries to sue?
I used to have to deal with taggers a lot in my real estate days. So I know well the exasperation you are feeling.
Some men aspire to leave their mark on the world, while others are content to leave a stain. That's my take on it.
Just out of curiosity, have you ever tried using photoshop or gimp to remove graffiti from a photo? Sometimes I amaze even myself the good results I get in altering reality.
BaltACDOf course with the age we are getting to be - anyone under 50 is a kid.
I read a report several years ago of a railcar tagger who WAS caught, and he was 24 years old! Pathetic. Old enough to know better, but didn't.
I've seen the Tropicana train come through Richmond with extensive tagging, I suppose the tagger "artists" find the white side of those cars an irresistable canvas. If I was Mr. Tropicana I'd scream bloody murder over my property being defaced like that with no apparant effort on the railroad's part to stop it, but maybe they've thrown their hands up over it as well.
The reporting marks seem to get cleaned off pretty quickly though.
Tank cars weren't much of a problem back when I was working but, the numb nuts loved our covered hoppers. i made it a standing instruction when a car was shopped that graffiti would either be removed or painted over. And many times a car would be tagged again coming "home" from the shop after having paid several thousand to address the earlier garbage.
Periodically I'd receive an email from customer service that a customer was complaining about offensive graffiti on one of our cars. My polite response was always that they should advise the customer to either take a can of spray paint and cover the offensive material themselves or, in a pinch, slap some duct tape over it.
We simply couldn't afford to remove cars from service solely to deal with graffiti - offensive or not.
I've shot a fair amount of train videos for personal enjoyment over the years. When I watch the older ones, it seems like graffiti began to be prevalent about 2004 or so. It seems like it's been around much longer though.
CW
Convicted OneSome men aspire to leave their mark on the world, while others are content to leave a stain.
Brilliant! I'll remember that one!
Convicted One Just out of curiosity, have you ever tried using photoshop or gimp to remove graffiti from a photo? Sometimes I amaze even myself the good results I get in altering reality.
Yes, definitely. And other offending things, too.
I want my photos to look real. But that doesn't mean I have to include everything that fell within the frame. If a power line, say, detracts from an image, I get rid of it. If someone threw their Big Mac box on the roadbed, I feel no compulsion to memorialize it. I zap it.
I want my pix to look real, but they are not always "accurate" in a literal sense. But they depict is true to the essence of what was there and what was going on. I would never, say, change a signal aspect, change an engine's color, add manuactured background items.
But say the background is beautiful expect for a bright white small plastic sign that says nothing that adds any character to the image. It likely gets zapped. Little zaps are easy. Big ones, naaah, too much work, and too much alteration.
Basically I'm at war with distracting elements. So I try hard not to include them in the first place.
Convicted OneJust out of curiosity, have you ever tried using photoshop or gimp to remove graffiti from a photo? Sometimes I amaze even myself the good results I get in altering reality.
Seems that the entire purpose of society in the 21st Century is altering reality.
BaltACD Convicted One Just out of curiosity, have you ever tried using photoshop or gimp to remove graffiti from a photo? Sometimes I amaze even myself the good results I get in altering reality. Seems that the entire purpose of society in the 21st Century is altering reality.
Man, that started in the 60's, have you forgotten?
Flintlock76 BaltACD Convicted One Just out of curiosity, have you ever tried using photoshop or gimp to remove graffiti from a photo? Sometimes I amaze even myself the good results I get in altering reality. Seems that the entire purpose of society in the 21st Century is altering reality. Man, that started in the 60's, have you forgotten?
In the 60's you had to get involved with recreational pharmaceuticals to create the altered reality. Now in some segments of society no pharmaceuticals seem to be required just watching certain TV networks.
I think tagging grew in popularity about the time Banksey became an international thing. The art world has elevated tagging into some form of urban art so now more people think it's the in-thing to do. Kinda like how riding freights has become a bigger thing with the spread of YouTube videos showing the activity.
I have also noticed that the taggers seem to take efforts to not cover over reporting marks, probably to reduce the chances of them being repainted quickly.
ClassAI have also noticed that the taggers seem to take efforts to not cover over reporting marks, probably to reduce the chances of them being repainted quickly.
I've always assumed it was the railroads that cleaned off the reporting marks as soon as the defacement was discovered, the taggers not being savvy enough to know what they are and what they're for. But I could be wrong. Someone inside the business would have to tell us.
The New Haven video shows the engineer was wearing a tie. How many times has that happened, lol?
Flintlock76I've always assumed it was the railroads that cleaned off the reporting marks as soon as the defacement was discovered, the taggers not being savvy enough to know what they are and what they're for. But I could be wrong. Someone inside the business would have to tell us.
Nah, there's a lot of taggers that avoid the reporting marks, data marks, and FRA reflective stripes.
Some will even repaint the marks on if they want to cover up the originals. *shrugs*
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Thanks Zug!
Seeing a lot of new cars with the reporting marks on the top half of the car.
rdamon Seeing a lot of new cars with the reporting marks on the top half of the car.
I like it when they paint the marks on the trucks. Annoying trying to play "find the marks" when they're 15' in the air and you're between cars in a yard.
zugmann rdamon Seeing a lot of new cars with the reporting marks on the top half of the car. I like it when they paint the marks on the trucks. Annoying trying to play "find the marks" when they're 15' in the air and you're between cars in a yard.
With just your brakeman's lantern at night trying to read the car initial and number at an acute angle in the rain.
BaltACDWith just your brakeman's lantern at night trying to read the car initial and number at an acute angle in the rain.
Our new lanterns are pretty good. Adjsutable LED beam. C-batteries barely last a shift (but its lightweight), and they like to completely explode when they wear out after so many months (think of the Bluesmobile ccene in Blues Brothers), but they are nice when they work.
Handheld RFID reader would probably impact earnings.
Moving way back to the discussion of spelling and pronounciation changes, I believe the original spelling of "Pittsburgh" was "Pittsburg," not the other way around. My pet mispronounciations are "nuclear," "jewelry," and "harass," the latter being commonly spoken with the accent on the last syllable, not the first.
GeoPRRI believe the original spelling of "Pittsburgh" was "Pittsburg," not the other way around.
As part of the transient simplified-spelling craze around the beginning of the 20th Century, the name was 'rationalized' in 1891 to match the general pattern of '-burg' names, following the lead of the Post Office which wanted to rationalize address spelling.
It was subsequently changed back, as early as 1911, and has remained with the 'h' ever since.
So what you'll find is an 'island' of time in which the name is officially spelled Pittsburg, although interestingly most historical references aren't consistent and spell it that way when referring to things in that era.
Pittsburg, Kansas, and Pittsburg, California, and Pittsburg Landing in Tennessee, were as far as I know always spelled that way.
Overmod GeoPRR I believe the original spelling of "Pittsburgh" was "Pittsburg," not the other way around. The original spelling was apparently supposed to be "Pittsbourgh" (and the official documents from 1816 apparently have printer's typos leaving the 'h' out...) As part of the transient simplified-spelling craze around the beginning of the 20th Century, the name was 'rationalized' in 1891 to match the general pattern of '-burg' names, following the lead of the Post Office which wanted to rationalize address spelling. It was subsequently changed back, as early as 1911, and has remained with the 'h' ever since. So what you'll find is an 'island' of time in which the name is officially spelled Pittsburg, although interestingly most historical references aren't consistent and spell it that way when referring to things in that era. Pittsburg, Kansas, and Pittsburg, California, and Pittsburg Landing in Tennessee, were as far as I know always spelled that way.
GeoPRR I believe the original spelling of "Pittsburgh" was "Pittsburg," not the other way around.
The original spelling was apparently supposed to be "Pittsbourgh" (and the official documents from 1816 apparently have printer's typos leaving the 'h' out...)
The way I was taught while attending elementary schools in Bethel Park, PA for the 2nd and 3rd grades was that there were numerous Pittsburg's around the country but there was only one Pittsburgh and it was in Pennsylvania.
And "cemetery" has no "a"s buried in it. Thank you, Miss Berry. My fourth grade teacher.
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