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Chatterbox Winter

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Posted by Mookie on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 6:00 PM

Joe - after what we had today, you are going to want to set fire to the truck to warm it up! 

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 6:49 PM

Wind chill was about minus 30 all day, as the temp never got up to zero.  I spoke with someone in North Dakota today.  He said wind chill there was 48 below.  Kinda made me feel warm all over.

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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 7:14 PM

Aww, complain, complain, complain!  

We were well below zero today--all day--too, and enough wind to ruin my shoveling efforts of yesterday.  But did I stay inside?  Nooo...I went out and trudged my errands for the historical society--all three or so miles' worth.  I'm layered up when I go out there, and it was just fine.  Saw a few trains, too, mostly stackers.

I witnessed a prlonged stop of a scoot in Lobard due to a "medical emergency".  I know nothing, except that the train was still in the station about fifteen minutes after its scheduled time, and the local paramedics were at the platform entrance with their ambulance and obligatory fire engine/crew transport, as well as a couple of police cars.  The train was the first to be able to leave the scene, followed by the cops, and finally the ambulance, siren blowing (fire engine probably went back to the barn).

Carl

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Posted by switch7frg on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 7:31 PM

SmileJoe thank you for the reply.All my folks that lived there have gone to the terminal in the sky. Many fond memories remain with me wandering along the switch yard from Findlay st.  to Irwin st. I found more than a few "treasures" -- 5minute fusees and "torpedoes". I also had afriendly " Bull" who told me a lot about what was going on the RR. I gave all my finds to Lawerence. He told me how dangerous they were. He never scolded me for being on the ROW, he said just be carefull. The memories of the 1940s engines and the  train loads of war materials never fade. Today I would be jailed or shot---- my how times have changed.

                                              Cannonball

Y6bs evergreen in my mind

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Posted by rvos1979 on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 9:41 PM
Sam: it's an adventure, especially today's little caper. Delivered to Menards in Plano, IL, then had to bobtail to Gary, IN to get a load off of a broken down truck. Let's just say that bobtailing and snow and ice don't go together very well. Wrecker had just finished hooking up the truck as I pulled in, he was headed to the Kenworth dealership to figure out why his truck wouldn't do a regeneration.........

-7 or so here in Richfield, WI, truck just finished a regeneration as I type this, everything under the truck is now nice and warm, including the snow pack........

Randy Vos

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 10:01 PM

We were looking at the regen stuff on our new fire truck the other day.  I gotta say I'm not up to snuff with it.  The fire service fought to keep that stuff off apparatus, albeit unsuccessfully.

The truck says -10F, my weather station shows -7F, and the sensor in the anemometer is showing -21F, with only a bit of wind.

Which is a lot less than we had to deal with at an accident today.  A young man got sideways on a snow-covered country road.  He'd likely have just slid into the adjoining field, and maybe even simply driven back out, except for that stump, which he hit broadside, just ahead of the driver's door.

We know he went airborne, but not if he flipped in the process.  The biggest problem was the fact that the collision with the stump collapsed the front right tire into the wheel well and firewall, trapping his foot (and therefore, him).  It took some extensive work with two sets of the "Jaws of Life" to finally get him out of the car (which is now a convertible, and sans one door).  On further examination, it appears the foot wasn't broken (we definitely thought it was).  Lucky boy.  If the tree that the stump came from was still there, he'd have been dead, or close to it.

Time for bed.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Mookie on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 10:20 PM

We had the most beautiful set of sun dogs this morning just after sunrise.  I have seen a lot of them over the years, but the right one was very much like a vertical rainbow while the left one was breathtaking.  It was the sun thru a very bright prism.  I have never seen one as brilliant as this one was.  Talk about "diamonds". 

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Posted by rvos1979 on Thursday, January 8, 2015 7:49 AM
Larry, from what I've seen out here, Cummins and Detroit seem to be the systems that have the least amount of problems, mine does everything by itself, have never had to do a manual regeneration. Just keep the engine temperatures up, that seems to be the key.

Had to take it easy yesterday on the roads here, especially when I was bobtailing, I know I slid at least twice, luckily, I was going slow........

Just got dispatched on a mail run to Pittsburgh, should be interesting with light snow forecast all the way........

Randy Vos

"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, January 8, 2015 10:58 AM

rvos1979
Larry, from what I've seen out here, Cummins and Detroit seem to be the systems that have the least amount of problems,...

I think the motor in the pumper is a Cummins.  We had to call the dealer to find out what the "hot exhaust" idiot light meant.  Turns out it's normal.  Still, when you get a warning light that says "hot" you tend to be concerned.

The whole truck has been a learning process.  Seems like every time we take it out we find something new.  And everything is electronic.  Not like our old pumper, which was four wheels, a motor, a pump, a tank, and some sheet metal.  

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Paul of Covington on Thursday, January 8, 2015 12:35 PM

   Well, I did it again.   December 2013 when all you northerners were talking about cold weather, I posted that our air conditioner was running around midnight, and a couple of weeks later we had record cold.   About a week and a half ago I posted that we were running our air conditioner, and today it was close to record cold (17 degrees).   I won't do that again.   At least we don't have to use + or - like some of you do.

_____________ 

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, January 8, 2015 2:24 PM

Paul of Covington

   Well, I did it again.   December 2013 when all you northerners were talking about cold weather, I posted that our air conditioner was running around midnight, and a couple of weeks later we had record cold.   About a week and a half ago I posted that we were running our air conditioner, and today it was close to record cold (17 degrees).   I won't do that again.   At least we don't have to use + or - like some of you do.

 

Yet!  Records are made to be broken!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, January 8, 2015 3:15 PM

staying frosty no problem today. Matt was closed due to the cold weather.ns had a frieght to go west in the siding.going to help bring the groceries in soon.Tomorrow is friday.

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Thursday, January 8, 2015 3:37 PM

Mookie

We had the most beautiful set of sun dogs this morning just after sunrise.  I have seen a lot of them over the years, but the right one was very much like a vertical rainbow while the left one was breathtaking.  It was the sun thru a very bright prism.  I have never seen one as brilliant as this one was.  Talk about "diamonds". 

 

  What's that old wive's tale?  Sundogs in Nebraska means blizzard in South Dakota the next day? Mischief

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Posted by narig01 on Thursday, January 8, 2015 5:56 PM
Posted by tree68 on Thursday, January 08, 2015 10:58 AM rvos1979 Larry, from what I've seen out here, Cummins and Detroit seem to be the systems that have the least amount of problems,... I think the motor in the pumper is a Cummins. We had to call the dealer to find out what the "hot exhaust" idiot light meant. Turns out it's normal. Still, when you get a warning light that says "hot" you tend to be concerned. Re The Hot Exhaust lite. On a Detroit engine It is a warning that you have very hit exhaust. What they are trying to keep you from doing is park under trees or anything else that will catch fire. One of the problems my company ran into was hot exhaust melting the plastic doors on trailer refridgeration units. Thx IGN
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Posted by Mookie on Thursday, January 8, 2015 6:08 PM

Murphy Siding
 
Mookie

We had the most beautiful set of sun dogs this morning just after sunrise.  I have seen a lot of them over the years, but the right one was very much like a vertical rainbow while the left one was breathtaking.  It was the sun thru a very bright prism.  I have never seen one as brilliant as this one was.  Talk about "diamonds". 

 

 

 

  What's that old wive's tale?  Sundogs in Nebraska means blizzrd in South Dakota the next day? Mischief

 

 

YESSSSSS! 

Yes

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Posted by Mookie on Thursday, January 8, 2015 6:11 PM

Paul of Covington

   Well, I did it again.   December 2013 when all you northerners were talking about cold weather, I posted that our air conditioner was running around midnight, and a couple of weeks later we had record cold.   About a week and a half ago I posted that we were running our air conditioner, and today it was close to record cold (17 degrees).   I won't do that again.   At least we don't have to use + or - like some of you do.

 

Maybe I should switch our heat over to air and see if that warms us up any.... Hmmm....You know that will probably greatly injure me if I do, cuz The Driver will throw me outside! 

Laugh

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Posted by Mookie on Thursday, January 8, 2015 8:33 PM

Police/fire scanner tonite:  Alphabet codes A-Adam, B-Boy, C-Charlie, D-David, E-Edward.

Tonite they went to **** "E" - (Elephant) Street...

She is fairly new and I am glad she couldn't hear me laughing in the background!  I think they should change that one! 

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, January 8, 2015 10:14 PM

IGN - Our exhaust is low - from the right side just ahead of the rear axle.  No problem with overheads...

If the weatherguessers are right, we may have a lot of snow available over the next couple of days.  Some areas are forecast at 4+ feet.  Looks like I could see a foot and a half here at the house.

After Wednesday's collision with a stump (not me, a youngster in a Saab), today (Thursday) we were out for another youngster who managed to take out a telephone pole with his truck.  The visibility was poor, and the back road was snow covered and slippery.  Both were due to "speed too fast for conditions..."

There was no place to turn around at the scene, so I had to back the pumper about 3/8 of a mile.  For most of that, I could simply follow tracks in the road, but then they started getting covered with snow...  

Before we got back to the station, we went on another call that was, fortunately, cancelled, but it still meant driving in near zero conditions.  Coming back into town afterwards I saw the flashing light at an intersection, but couldn't see the bridge 100 yards further down the road.  And I'm driving a half million dollar fire truck... Wheeeee!

LarryWhistling
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Posted by rvos1979 on Thursday, January 8, 2015 11:37 PM

tree68

 

 
rvos1979
Larry, from what I've seen out here, Cummins and Detroit seem to be the systems that have the least amount of problems,...

 

I think the motor in the pumper is a Cummins.  We had to call the dealer to find out what the "hot exhaust" idiot light meant.  Turns out it's normal.  Still, when you get a warning light that says "hot" you tend to be concerned.

The whole truck has been a learning process.  Seems like every time we take it out we find something new.  And everything is electronic.  Not like our old pumper, which was four wheels, a motor, a pump, a tank, and some sheet metal.  

 

I've got the weed burner exhaust on my truck, last night I ran all night at 900 rpm.  Went to leave this morning, had a three foot circle of dry pavement under the exhaust tip.  And it was -8 last night.......

When the hot exhaust light comes on, just keep the vehicle away from anything flammable, and your body away from the exhaust tip, that heats up to around 1500 degrees during a regeneration........

Randy Vos

"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, January 9, 2015 6:22 AM

rvos1979
I've got the weed burner exhaust on my truck,

It's something we'll have to keep in mind.  We don't spend much time on the road, or idling in lots, but at a fire, we're "working" and aren't in a position to move the truck at a moment's notice.  It's actually going to be more of a problem in the spring, when we might have to worry about already tinder-dry ground cover...  That's always been a problem, but could be even moreso now.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by mudchicken on Friday, January 9, 2015 9:03 AM

Witnessed Amtrak #6 (EB-CZ) on the wye at Dotsero yesterday. It shouldn't be there. The ex-DRGW Tennessee Pass line is only open Dotsero to Gypsum. With the strange weather here, wondering if we have hillslides or an avalanche somewhere in Gore Canyon on the Moffat line between Dotsero and the tunnel. As it was, UP was busy with the slide fences in Glenwood Canyon.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, January 9, 2015 10:43 AM

A. Randy, what is this regeneration with a diesel? At the moment, the only regeneration I can think of is regenerating ion exchange resins so they can continue to remove unwanted ions from your water (one of my classmates and I played with some ion exchange resins back when we were college freshmen--sixty years ago, and the semiconductor industry uses the resins to obtain ultra-pure water).

B. Larry, I hope that the  people who build fire engines with hot exhausts have the exhaust aimed in such a way that there not the danger of burning the road when the truck is in use.

C. MC, #6 arrived in Denver 23 minutes early yesterday, according to Amtrak's website--so there must not have been any trouble. It is strange to hear that the entire train was on the wye.  Was the train positioned to move east, or would it have to back before moving east? Several years ago, as I was coming home, I saw a Superliner car set out on the wye; apparently it had a problem. And, mentioning problems, when Ricki and I were on our way to Los Angeles seven years this spring, the lounge car had to be set out in Albuquerque because of a broken spring; apparently all sorts of permission had to be granted before the car could be set out, for we waited a long time before any move was made after it had been determined that the car should not proceed any farther.

Johnny

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Posted by rvos1979 on Friday, January 9, 2015 12:56 PM

Deggesty

A. Randy, what is this regeneration with a diesel? At the moment, the only regeneration I can think of is regenerating ion exchange resins so they can continue to remove unwanted ions from your water (one of my classmates and I played with some ion exchange resins back when we were college freshmen--sixty years ago, and the semiconductor industry uses the resins to obtain ultra-pure water).

John:  under all new diesel vehicles is what is called a Diesel Particulate Filter, this traps all the soot created in the combustion process.  When back pressure sensors indicate that this filter has caught enough soot, it signals the engine to begin the process of regeneration, by increasing the exhaust temperature to around 1500 degrees or so.  The intense heat, plus special materials in the filter, changes the soot into ash, which takes up less space in the filter.  After a period of time (Cummins specified a quarter million miles), the filter has to be removed and cleaned at a repair shop.  

The regeneration process usually involves dumping raw fuel into the exhaust system after the turbocharger, either while running down the road or by speeding up the engine when parked. 

Hope this makes it a little clearer for you, and everyone else..........

Randy Vos

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, January 9, 2015 3:52 PM

afternoon

Matt had a 2 hour delay today.

Ns had a freight to go west.Noticed a sand hopper.It was gray had bn markings but you could still see "frisco" in the middle of the car.They had a sante fe hopper to keep it company.Work decided they didn't need any extra help tomorrow.That's ok it's only going to be a balmy high of 9 anyway.Time to do some chores.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by Deggesty on Friday, January 9, 2015 4:01 PM

Thanks, Randy. The process sounds to me more like degradation than regeneration.

Johnny

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, January 9, 2015 8:07 PM

Tree:  snow fort & snow balls? 

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Posted by samfp1943 on Friday, January 9, 2015 8:29 PM

Deggesty

Thanks, Randy. The process sounds to me more like degradation than regeneration.

 

RandyVos' description was interesting as well ( to me a little scarey). Implementation of new technology, in the trucking industry, can be a thorney process...Learning Curves being what they are, and all. My guess is that they will be 'maintenance hogs'. Until the new gets worn off, and the field maintenance abilities pick up.  Invariably they are going to break in the most inoportune place and time.

I am wondering if this regenerative exhaust system breaks, can the truck still be driven? 

If it is problematic with trucks, can it also be problematic with much larger railroad locomotives, reqiring a shut donn of the afflicted unit? 

Weather around here is supposed to go down to about 13deg tonight, light wind so far. No snow or other uglyness in forcast til about this coming Tuesday evening...Everyone stay safe and warm...Smile, Wink & Grin

 

This is new technology, I am sure it was 'tested', but will it stand up day after day in real world situations?

 

 

 

 


 

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, January 9, 2015 8:54 PM

Mookie

Tree:  snow fort & snow balls? 

Only about 8 inches at the house.  Down on Tug Hill they're talking feet.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Murphy Siding on Saturday, January 10, 2015 5:00 PM

     Here's a claim not just anyone can make-  We took down our Christmas tree today, raked the living room carpet, and used the vacuum to make the whole house smell like a pine tree.

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 10, 2015 7:17 PM

Its 36 degrees with a cold rain falling...the freezing rain has stayed to the north of us...stahing nice and warm inside.  Cowboy

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