Tomorrow starts the first day of Fall.Going to Fostoria and to the trainshow.Tinora won by a whisker in tonight's football game.Wind has cooled us down.Time for bed.
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").
Good Evening
Trainshow in Fostoria was nice.Matt and I wanted to concentrate on the C&O.The signals will be coming down soon.Fostoria was busy.Stopped in Deshler on the way home.It was getting busy there too.Pen Pal had a good visit.Going to get some things around for him.
Good Morning
The Up special (by reports) should be to Garrett by now.I have pen pals items ready to go.Matt had a good time at the homecoming dance last night.Going to see what we can find on Csx.
Ns was clear when I left work.Rain is here.More for tomorrow.Going down I-75 to meet brother.Need to get cleaned up.
Went to see family yesterday.Got an Alaskan surprise.Nephew was in town as well.Had construction and bears on I-75.Time to get ready for work.
Will trains fez up to what happened to the web site yesterday ?
Could be for any of a number of reasons. I've run into similar issues with other websites every now and again.
Tells me they tried to do 'something' to the software - and it didn't work. BOLO!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
evening
Ns was clear when I got off work.Kept the engineers and the bosses busy today.Time to get cleaned up.More fun tomorrow.
Line of T'storms passing through - I have a 'Lightning Detector' counts the striks and calculates the distance from the detector in miles. I went from 0 to 99 stikes in about 3 minutes - 99 is the max number. Strikes varied between 12 miles and 1 mile from the detector.
BaltACD Line of T'storms passing through - I have a 'Lightning Detector' counts the striks and calculates the distance from the detector in miles. I went from 0 to 99 stikes in about 3 minutes - 99 is the max number. Strikes varied between 12 miles and 1 mile from the detector.
I keep "Blitzortung.org" on my bookmarks, and on my phone. I like it as it shows strikes over the past hour or two (aged by color).
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...
tree68 BaltACD Line of T'storms passing through - I have a 'Lightning Detector' counts the striks and calculates the distance from the detector in miles. I went from 0 to 99 stikes in about 3 minutes - 99 is the max number. Strikes varied between 12 miles and 1 mile from the detector. I keep "Blitzortung.org" on my bookmarks, and on my phone. I like it as it shows strikes over the past hour or two (aged by color).
I also have that site bookmarked - it proves there is a lightning discharge somewhere in the world all the time.
I guess the Earth spinning and slipping through it's own atmosphere at 25K MPH creates a level of 'static' build up that is always seeking discharge.
We had a line of storms move through. Working the yard, looking ahead out the window it was pitch black with an impressive light show. Looking in the mirror was a beautiful pink sunset.
It was surreal.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Ns was clear when I left work.Went into town to do yardwork.The ND&W and Csx local were busy moving cars.Csx also sent an eastbound stack train.Wished neighbor happy 21st(again!!) birthday.Glad tomorrow is Friday.
A few days ago, at the away from home terminal, I was called for a coal train. When we got to the depot, our train was third out west of town. It was behind a coal train that was going to deliver to the municipal power plant and another thru coal train. The other thru coal train crew was also still at the depot waiting. There was some kind of congestion going on down around Omaha, so they wanted to send our train and the one ahead the short way, avoiding the congestion.
It was around 60 minutes (I wasn't paying attention to the actual time line as it was playing out.) before the first train pulled into town and out of the way. The second followed about 15 minutes later and ours about another 15 minutes. We aren't allowed to change out in front of the depot. So all crews must be taken by van to the change points. The crew ahead of us had to wait for the van to show up, there being only one van in town at that time. Shortly after they left to go to their train, ours went by. They cut the number of yard vans a few years ago. I believe we used to have 4, but now have 2. They like to send the yard vans out of town; assisting a local or taking crews to Council Bluffs. Something they really should use road vans for. So waiting for a ride is almost a daily occurance. Anyway, after our train went by, we probably waited for another 15 or 20 minutes for the van to show back up and we loaded up. On the way to the train, we stopped at a convience store which we are allowed to do, adding 5 to 10 minutes to getting to the train. (We are on the verge of losing this priviledge, but haven't yet.)
Upon arrival at the train, the inbound engineer said the PTC doesn't work and the DP, a BNSF unit, would often drop it's load (produce power) to about half of what it should be doing, but it would come back after a minute or two. I said I'd try to get the PTC working, a requirement if the paperwork says it's operational but I guessed we would probably have to run ATC/cab signals. The inbound mentioned the ATC wasn't cut in. We got on and I tried the PTC. It would not allow me to select location and the speedometer was stars instead of a 0. I rang up the dispatcher and told him the news. He immediately gave me permission to soft-cut out the PTC and run with ATC. I went and cut in the ATC. I then tried to use the self-testing feature and it wouldn't work, not an unusual occurance. I rang up the dispatcher and told him the self tester didn't work and there was no test loop at Missouri Valley anymore. (It was removed some time back.) He immediately said to get a van, have the conductor go the the rear end and we would shove the train back over the junction switch and go the long way, where there is a test loop down in Council Bluffs. We called for a van right away.
A manager was out and about and came out to us. He said to wait, that he would call and see if we could just go the short way and have a mechancial guy from CB meet us over by Mo Valley and get the ATC tested. I had gone back to the second unit and when I came back, the conductor was on the ground talking to the manager. He then got in the manager's vehicle and they drove off. I guessed he was overruled and we were going to shove back. Which is what happened.
Once we were stopped, the manager had us stay where we were and would have the conductor back up to the head end in a few minutes. The conductor got on the engine and said, "They want to take us Out of Service." I asked why? Because it took us so long to get to our train, over 20 minutes from the on-duty time and we didn't call anyone. The conductor and manager had been on a phone call with the corridor manager on the way back to the head end. The CM felt we were deliberately stalling, dragging our feet. It didn't matter that our train wasn't there (the CM wanted the terminating coal train's crew pulled, too.) or that there wasn't a van available. The CM told the conductor that they'll start using managers to take crews to the train if there's no available van. (Good luck, usually they aren't around in their offices either.) The CM went on to tell the condr that if we don't want to work, they can find others to work, that anyone can do our jobs. That the competition is starting to catch up to us and the reason the railroad's service is poor is because of the TE&Y employees. After the call the manager said this attitude is part of the PSR implementation coming down from the new VP of Operations. He also said we did a good job in shoving back.
So far, neither of us have been pulled out of service. Sorry for the long post, but it's been on my mind.
Jeff
PS. Upon arrival at our home terminal we had to wait about 30 minutes for our crew to come on duty. They were spacing crew calls for trains one hour apart. So much for wanting to move trains in a timely manner.
Bull *** is a top down experience. Not a bottom up malady.
Management can't accept just how incompetent they have become.
Balt,
I'm MGMT. and very miuch agree with your statement, "Management can't accept just how incompetent they have become".
Being the obvious exception, I think it's become a requirement for advancement.
Having been on both sides of labor and management, the skills needed to be a first-rate engineer or conductor are not the same set of skills needed to be a competent road foreman of engines or trainmaster. A top-notch engineer could be a terrible RFE.
BOB WITHORNBalt, I'm MGMT. and very miuch agree with your statement, "Management can't accept just how incompetent they have become". Being the obvious exception, I think it's become a requirement for advancement.
I have also spent signifigant parts of my total career on both sides of the labor/management divide. Having been in managament before my swap to the labor side truly highlighted the flaws of managements practices and procedures.
Had to stay a little longer tonight at work.Ns was clear.Stacey found her favorite coupon for supper.It's old hometown vs new hometown again tonight in football.Have some things put away in the shed.Too early to put the mower away.Tomorrow we have more chores here then off to G+G house for a birthday.
During our second trip today, we were stopped at the "out" point to do our usual runaround. There's a house next to the tracks where we usually stop, and one of our passengers spotted something there she liked - thin cross cuts of some pretty impressive logs (think of the pieces that get cut off in sawing competitions).
There was no one home, but an unfortunate lad was about to dump a load of mulch in the yard. Turns out he knew where the woman could acquire some of those "round things," as he worked for a logging company (which may have provided them to this homeowner in the first place).
He filled her in, but it wasn't quite over. The name on the side of the truck, and on his shirt, was the same as her last name. I think she could have gone on for an hour on that topic, but we were ready to leave, so I gave the engineer a highball and off we went, breaking off the conversation.
When we arrived at the station, she immediately asked me for directions to the place of business involved, which I was able to do.
I happened to run into the young man at a store later this evening, and he said she bought two of those "round things..."
Just another day on the railroad.
After alighting from the train after this same trip, a mother (from Toronto) asked if her boys could go up to look at the engine. They ended up getting a ride while we did our last runaround of the day. I didn't see them afterwards, but I imagine they were ecstatic.
And on our second trip today (Saturday) we had a couple of special guests in the form of BLHANEL and his bride, who had ridden up from Utica in the morning. When the finished enjoying downtown Old Forge, they returned to the station in time for me to get them on our second trip of the day, which they thoroughly enjoyed, by all accounts. Got them back on their train back to Utica, then later enjoyed dinner with them in the Syracuse area. Very nice day!
Larry, it was great meeting you, and they were fantastic rides! Slept in this morning, now it's off to Niagara! Will post pics when we get home...
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
BaltACD Bull *** is a top down experience. Not a bottom up malady. Management can't accept just how incompetent they have become.
Would you want our resident retired NH traiman supervising you?
Ns had a train in the siding when I left work.Came home and took care of yardwork.More to do tomorrow.
blhanelLarry, it was great meeting you...
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
CShaveRR blhanel Larry, it was great meeting you... Finally, somebody on your own level! Who's taller?
blhanel Larry, it was great meeting you...
Finally, somebody on your own level! Who's taller?
We didn't compare - but it's pretty much a wash.
afternoon
Little warm this afternoon.Chores to do.Waiting to hear when the 765 is going back home to New Haven.Got the new "Trains" in the mail today.Like the Cincinnati pictures.
Got something to look forward to when the glacial post arrives here. Another connection and another forum loop closed.
Weirdness Dept.: BNSF hits oilfield truck at crossing and derails engine (onewheel on the ground). 12 hours later BNSF hits another oilfield truck at the same crossing and derails 23 cars and two engines. Does PTC know where all of JoeBob's oilfield trucks are? Now you know the rest of the story.
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