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UP local blocks grade crossing to get food

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UP local blocks grade crossing to get food
Posted by kingbee33 on Saturday, May 9, 2015 7:47 PM

The subject header basically sums up the situation.  I guess the crew couldn't wait to get some of Josie's tamales. 

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/05/08/only-on-2-angry-drivers-forced-to-wait-while-train-engineer-brakes-for-food/

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Posted by Wizlish on Saturday, May 9, 2015 8:07 PM

And look at the GRAFFITI... !

(ducks for cover)

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Posted by gardendance on Sunday, May 10, 2015 8:29 AM

We railroad experts would like to point out that the video shows the train starts moving before the "engineer" gets into the cab, so chances are he wasn't the engineer.

Patrick Boylan

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Posted by zardoz on Sunday, May 10, 2015 8:43 AM

Wizlish

And look at the GRAFFITI... !

(ducks for cover)

 

That IS one ugly locomotive. Has the UP no pride?

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Posted by Wizlish on Sunday, May 10, 2015 8:59 AM

gardendance
We railroad experts would like to point out that the video shows the train starts moving before the "engineer" gets into the cab, so chances are he wasn't the engineer.

My word, Sherlock, what an astounding deduction!

In all fairness, the person who actually did the story was careful to use the term 'employee', and whoever it was that titled the story for the Web evidently went by what they read in the optometrist's Facebook posting.  So much soft news, so little time.

I don't know if others on this forum are seeing the same annoying ads each time this content plays, but

Only On 2: Angry Viewers Forced To Wait While Commercial ‘Brakes’ For Not Ice Cream.

It has cured me of any desire I might ever have had to try Dreyer's frozen yogurt or whatever the product was.  And I encourage you all to boycott it and perhaps send a message to Nestle and others that we aren't going to stand for long, 'clever' commercials just to get to on-air content.  Adding insult to injury: on my Internet connection the news video content stutters and blurs until it (slowly) buffers, and crashed my Flash plug-in, but how strange that the commercial plays perfectly every time...

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Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, May 10, 2015 9:02 AM

My understanding is the LA area is the grafitti capital - with all the gangs marking their territories.

Off of what was pictured in the clip - the reporter doesn't know how to read a 'CLOSED' sign.

I am going surmise, the employee that went to the food shop had gone several minutes before to pick up the order, pulled the engine down to the crossing to pick him up after the order had been obtained.

In any event, I am certain the crew will get a ear full, if not a disciplinary investigation out of the incident.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Wizlish on Sunday, May 10, 2015 9:15 AM

zardoz
Wizlish

And look at the GRAFFITI... !

 

 That IS one ugly locomotive. Has the UP no pride?

 

Take a look at this video to see the full extent of the damage (our media starlet is the second unit in the consist).

 

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Posted by wanswheel on Sunday, May 10, 2015 9:41 AM
Stahl said, “Should this guy get in trouble? At the time, yes. At this point, whatever. Life’s too short to be upset about something like this.”
Yeah right, have your cake and eat it, Dr. Nice Guy. Not your first video, is it?
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Posted by zugmann on Sunday, May 10, 2015 9:50 AM

zardoz
That IS one ugly locomotive. Has the UP no pride?

 

Clean it and they will just tag it again the next night. 

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

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Posted by MikeF90 on Sunday, May 10, 2015 5:22 PM

kingbee33
The subject header basically sums up the situation.  I guess the crew couldn't wait to get some of Josie's tamales. 

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/05/08/only-on-2-angry-drivers-forced-to-wait-while-train-engineer-brakes-for-food/

Before passing judgment on the crew, it would have been helpful to know how long they actually blocked Normandie. The train was probably returning from Crenshaw Lumber and could have stopped short first, just blocking a few residential side streets (with plentiful detours).

As a long time local I rarely see trains on this branch any more. The complaining motorist(s) should have taken a clue and played the lottery. Idea My other recommendation - stop further east at Pollo A La Brasa. Thumbs Up

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Posted by kingbee33 on Sunday, May 10, 2015 9:30 PM
I was thinking the same thing in regards to how long the crossing was blocked and stopping short of Normadie versus on it.
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Posted by zugmann on Sunday, May 10, 2015 11:35 PM

kingbee33
I was thinking the same thing in regards to how long the crossing was blocked and stopping short of Normadie versus on it.

 

 

 

Yeah, it's convenient how the video is really short.

 

Still, I hated blocking crossings when trying to serve a customer.  I wouldn't block one to go get beans.   Just common courtesy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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Posted by Ulrich on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 4:51 PM

A potential business opportunity for the restaurant..."call in your order and we'll hoop it up to you on your way by". Hey... could work. How many hungry crews go by there every day?

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Posted by dehusman on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 5:23 PM

At Spring, Texas when there was an operator there back in the late 70's and early 80's, the operator did indeed "hoop up" lunch from the Spring/Wunsche Cafe across the street.

PS:   Don't try to pass up a milk shake on the fly.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 6:17 PM

How would you call the order in?  Use of Cell phones is prohibited.  To place your order you'd have to block a grade crossing somewhere else to go use a pay phone! Devil

 

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by Ulrich on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 6:34 PM

Call it in to dispatch and have dispatch call the restaurant. Or call the restaurant prior to the start of your shift.. a little planning can take one a long way. 

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Posted by Ulrich on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 6:36 PM

dehusman

At Spring, Texas when there was an operator there back in the late 70's and early 80's, the operator did indeed "hoop up" lunch from the Spring/Wunsche Cafe across the street.

PS:   Don't try to pass up a milk shake on the fly.

 

Or piping hot coffee.. some foods and drinks are unhoopable..

 

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Posted by jeffhergert on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 9:46 AM

Back in the 1980s Trains had an issue about the MP and SSW joint track in the Arkansas area.  One side bar was about one of the railroads (I think SSW) had an agreement where in exchange for a longer crew district the railroad provided a meal. 

About midway was a railroad operated restaurant specifically for this purpose.  The crews phoned in their order at the initial terminal and picked up their meal on the fly.  (I don't believe it was at track speed.)  The food was placed in a heavy duty basket and if it wasn't ready, the train stopped and waited for it.  As I recall it said the restaurant staff listened to a scanner, so I don't know if they had any direct contact with the train or someone who could update when the train was expected to arrive.  Sure, the crew could give an ETA when placing their order, but who knows how often that could change.  I believe that provision was discontinued many years ago.      

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 9:12 PM
"River Wars 1: Life along the Mississippi - Competition and cooperation between UP and SP (MP and SSW)", by Frailey, Fred W., from Trains, May 1988, pg. 26 &etc.   
 
"River Wars 2: Of hares, tortoises, mules and Big Sweet MamaCompetition and cooperation along the Missouri River", by Frailey, Fred W.,
from Trains, June 1988, pg. 40 &etc. 

I'll hazard a guess that the side-bar story about the take-out beanery was in the 2nd article. 

There's a great story about Rob Krebs in one of those articles, too ("45 minutes").

- Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, May 14, 2015 6:09 AM

Currently being on my laptop, where I have the Train's 70 year collection installed, I looked it up.  It was in the first installment and it was the MP crews that got the benefit.

CNW crews used to be able to request a "meal enroute."  They would notify the dispatcher upon leaving the initial terminal.  If allowed, they would stop some place to eat.  If not allowed, they could put in a monetary claim for being refused.  The provision had been abolished in my area shortly before I hired out.  I believe the Twin City guys were the last to have the provision, it being abolished when they signed a new interdivisional agreement a few years ago.      

Jeff

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Posted by mudchicken on Saturday, May 16, 2015 12:45 PM

In the 1980's, Santa Fe's operating people (and their BN cronies) insisted that a passing siding be built at Orsa (for the geographically challeged, think Castle Rock North, in between Castle Rock and Sedalia) on the Pueblo-Denver Joint Line....well, it got built circa 1985 and never has been used much.

-No beanery or C-Store even vaguely close. If you escaped the black hole of a terminal called BN-Denver, why do you immediately go in the hole immediately after you get moving out of town?

-located on the wrong side of Plum Creek from civilization

-no access roads to speak of for the crew callers (serious 4WD & mudder country)

-it's still out there, unused.(and do the train crews howl & moan if they get pidgeon holed in thereHmm.)

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 rrnut282 on Thursday, May 28, 2015 11:34 AM

How would you call the order in?  Use of Cell phones is prohibited.  To place your order you'd have to block a grade crossing somewhere else to go use a pay phone!

Not sure about other railroads, but around here, NS has a channel where with the right radio you can "tone up" a connection to a land-line phone.   

Mike (2-8-2)

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