Pat and I have never been to Frankenmuth; I have a high-school friend who desperately wants to take us there sometime. And I think we have to be in Michigan around that time, so who knows...
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)
Milford Memories is usually the second weekend in August.
The big muster in Frankenmuth is the last weekend in July.
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...
When's that festival, Larry?
Since Milford Memories got cancelled this year, I'm looking at a trip to Frankenmuth, MI for their big antique fire truck event. With at stop at Deshler on the way.
Our chapter president will be there with his truck and his new book, so I'll probably have a ride in the parade and will help sell some books...
evening
Ns sent a stack train westbound after work.Matt is doing dishes again tonight.Local article in the paper says Csx is closing the viaduct on Jefferson ave.This is a cousin to the clinton st can opener.Glad tomorrow is Friday.Then the quest for "50" begins.
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").
Ns was clear after work today.Matt had to dishes tonight.Got the yardwork done today going to be warmer tomorrow.Csx was having many problems last night.Train q 016(Intermodal) couldn't keep his air up.Csx also brought in a 11000 ft auto rack train to sort in North Baltimore.J 716 picked the switch on the east yard lead in Garrett as well.Going to relax.
joe
Ns was clear after work.Went to a meeting in Deshler.Saw some csx trains including a rail train.On the way home looked like 2 eb intermodals were stopped.Not sure what the problem was there.Projects to work on.
Have been across the bridge to the viewing platform in Ludlow.The day after birthday boy is doing dishes tonight.G+G stopped by today as well.Ns was clear after work.Have a meeting tomorrow night in Deshler.
CShaveRR And a young friend in Defiance has gotten a year older today (probably the first person to have been active in the Forum for his entire life, even if it was just to eat your fries!). I give you the gentle giant, Matt! Happy birthday!
And a young friend in Defiance has gotten a year older today (probably the first person to have been active in the Forum for his entire life, even if it was just to eat your fries!). I give you the gentle giant, Matt! Happy birthday!
Indeed! I've had the pleasure to meet Matt a couple of times. Great kid! Destined for great things!
I just got a card for his graduation. Think I'll throw in a couple of bucks so I can keep my fries...
Rats!: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/kentoncounty/2020/06/13/ludlow-police-charge-juveniles-fires-destroyed-two-buildings/5343053002/
An old friend at the bottom of Ludlow Hill is now gone.
good morning
Flag is out today.Also Matt's birthday today.He gets to do dishes tonight.Back to work for us tomorrow.
Saturday Morning: up early...a couple of easbounds very early; they must have been pretty heavy? They really 'hammered' when they went thru at full throttle? Not sure what the grade is here going eastbound, but at times, it sounds like full throttle, and westbounds seem to 'drift' thru, or a'light' throttle, noiselessly.
While having coffee, A westbnd pulled up to the switch and stopped. An unusual consist; an autorack behiid the engines, followed by about 10 cars of what looked to be 24' pipe, followed by a string of autoracks, guessing about 5k feet of them? Have a good day, all.
Was able to go to Bucyrus after Matt's meetings online.Ns sent a new crew to move the 2156.Matt was able to get them crossing the W&LE diamond at Chatfield.Then we waited in Fostoria.Matt then again got them crossing the C&O/NKp diamond as well.Matt is sleeping in.Mother nature sent some rain overnight as well.Going to say hi to our new great nephew this afternoon.
afternoon
Matt's going through his orientation right now.Seems N&W 2156 is stuck at Bucyrus.Going to check it out when Matt is done.
zugmann blue streak 1 That should really help the OR ? Scheduled train? power is probably needed to turn or go on something else.
blue streak 1 That should really help the OR ?
Scheduled train? power is probably needed to turn or go on something else.
On two separate occasions I saw a lone locomotive with a three-well car go east through Utica, NY. This was during the period when CSX had added a pair of IM trains to the mix out of their new IM yard in Valleyfield (now closed). It was opined at the time that this was a train run to meet a contract requirement or something like that.
Have seen q 009 with its full set of 3 engines and 1 well car go west before at Deshler.Ns sent a stack train west after work.Came home and did yardwork.Mother nature could have sent us some more rain last night.Cottonwoods are out in full force.Went into town on an errand.Stopped at a rootbeer stand for supper.Saw a green for Csx but nothing came east.Need to get Stacey back in training for riding and trainwatching when Matt goes to college.No work tomorrow but chores here.Will see if we can catch the N&W Y locomotive when it comes by on the NKP.
blue streak 1That should really help the OR ?
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
This evening had a great example of CSX Precision scheduled railroading ( PSR ). 2 northbound CSX AC-44s both under power - two CSX hoppers in the 39xxxx series half loaded with what appeared as some very white sand - Followed by an EOT fully functional.
That should really help the OR ?
Ns sent a westbound stack train after work.Also a Mow truck was going EB.Mother nature sending us storms now.NS is taking the 2156 back to St.Louis.Will be in our area Friday.Might go see it when Matt is done with orientation.Chores to do.
tree68 jeffhergert and there were opportunities there to be had. Did they mention anything about taking advantage of those opportunities?
jeffhergert and there were opportunities there to be had.
Did they mention anything about taking advantage of those opportunities?
That's the thing. Supposedly, the railroad was moving people back to sales/marketing who used to work in that area but had gone on to other departments. That they were looking at things they had given up years ago. Like allowing two elevators to go in togther to build a single unit train.
It's happened before. They say they want business, but are still very selective in the business they take on.
I think the problem is, they are still more worried about lowering the operating ratio and raising the stock price. (The stock price hit, and for a while exceeded, the magic number that was rumored to be the target price for the people who pushed for the PSR bandwagon to sell off their remaining holdings.) I feel that they still are of the mind that it's better to squeeze out a few more pennies of the dollars they have, rather than try to bring in more dollars.
Jeff
jeffhergert A year or two, or three, time gets away from me, I posted about some business that the railroad could've had but didn't want. One of those was an ag processor that wanted to run 50 car shuttle trains from elevators in the north west grain lines to their facility. Also up on the grain lines. From what I understood, they would've supplied the cars. The railroad only locomotives and crews. I heard today that that ag processor is going to switch over to all truck for their needs. I've heard that they've been slowly pulling business from rail, but now it sounds like all their business is going away. It's ironic when the railroad's CEO in a recent interview said that grain was starting to improve and there were opprotunities there to be had. Jeff
A year or two, or three, time gets away from me, I posted about some business that the railroad could've had but didn't want. One of those was an ag processor that wanted to run 50 car shuttle trains from elevators in the north west grain lines to their facility. Also up on the grain lines. From what I understood, they would've supplied the cars. The railroad only locomotives and crews.
I heard today that that ag processor is going to switch over to all truck for their needs. I've heard that they've been slowly pulling business from rail, but now it sounds like all their business is going away.
It's ironic when the railroad's CEO in a recent interview said that grain was starting to improve and there were opprotunities there to be had.
Sounds like there is some sort of a 'Failure to Communicate' there.
Maybe the 'Boss' need to take the Sales Dept to the wood shead, and 'splain to them; if there is no freight, there is no money! Almost sounds like our current national political environment. Different agendas ?
Just got back from taking the dog out for her evening 'stroll'... Just as a TOFC eastbnd was rolling by...5 units in full throat on the little grade by the back; what was different with this one was the lioad!
Practically, all trailers were 53' FedEx boxes, about 10 UPS pup trailers,with about 10 cans singled on flatcars; 1 Prime reefer, and bringing up the rear 3 Amazon Prime cans, and a single FedEx trailer. Have not seen that many FedEx trailers, since I worked at the Memphis Hub ; let alone on one train, here in Ks.!
jeffhergertand there were opportunities there to be had.
Getting warmer.Ns was clear after work.Yes Csx does plenty of moves around Deshler.They have problems haveing the power turned the right way when they go to our local elevator.So they use the wye tracks to turn the power.Chores to do here.Matt gets to go do dishes.
The last few weeks have started seeing a lot of TBOX and FBOX box cars being stored in the Missouri Valley-Omaha/Council Bluffs-Fremont triangle. Missouri Valley also has a couple of tracks of older reefers stored. I think those reefers aren't long for this world. Many look to be the type that are getting close to their age limit.
A conductor I worked with the other day said a local Fremont manager told him the railroad is thinking about storing cars on one of the main tracks between Fremont and Valley NE.
Nice sunshine today.Had some unexpected errands to do today. Saw a couple trains on Csx.Did get my toll paid from Illinois from Saturday.Back to work tomorrow.
Virtual Railfan Flagstaff cams caught a westbound BNSF worm train contacting a pedestrian at the station platform this morning (12:44 AM local time). Not sure from watching whether it was inebriation, suicide attempt or both. Pedestrian quite vocal up to point he was transported by medics. Train stopped for three and a half hours. Does not look like they've made Barstow at quarter to nine.
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