azrail How do you teleport grain? Minerals? Propane?
How do you teleport grain? Minerals? Propane?
If the Musk fanboys are to be believed, Elon can do anything. (Insert sarcasm emoticon here.)
Gramp There's a new auto transfer distribution site being built at New Richmond, WI, east of the Twin Cities, along the CN line there. Quite a commitment to the use of autoracks.
There's a new auto transfer distribution site being built at New Richmond, WI, east of the Twin Cities, along the CN line there. Quite a commitment to the use of autoracks.
CN is also expanding its autoramp in Flint, MI at GM’s Bus Truck plant. Yet according to OP autoracks will be gone because of Tesla....
Kalmbach IT - enemy of the Trains forum.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Hughes Net. Works ok but is a bit slow and if clouds arrive they block the signal. They are currently installing cable on our gravel road that only has 2 homes in a half mile. A bit rural. I changed my password but it rejects it yet today I tried my old one and got in to the NEWS but got booted when I clicked on the Forum. Re-entered the new one and double clicked and got in. So, I'll try again later after I get the 5 acres of green stuff mowed and see how it goes.
Overmod BOB WITHORN Only if I can get Trains to except my login, boy is that a project. Specifically what problem do you have? Are you required to use some weirdly-kludged or proprietary browser that does cookie support weirdly?
BOB WITHORN Only if I can get Trains to except my login, boy is that a project.
Specifically what problem do you have? Are you required to use some weirdly-kludged or proprietary browser that does cookie support weirdly?
A couple/few weeks ago, trains.com changed the Web site in some way and a lot of us were having trouble logging in.
You can contact trains.com for support, but what they told me at the time was to delete browsing history. You can figure out from doing a Web search on whatever kind of browser -- Edge, Chrome, Safari, Firefox -- you are using. Unfortunately, you may lose the shortcut to type in a couple letters and bring up your other Web sites you usually visit. That is, until you revisit those sites and it gets entered in the system.
I tried deleting browser history, and that didn't work for me either at the time, but if finally worked when the changes at trains.com finally settled down. So deleting at least some if not your whole browser history should bring you back.
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
BOB WITHORNOnly if I can get Trains to except my login, boy is that a project.
Maybe they can dredge the Welland canal so Detroit can direct load/unload the auto ships? Only need to maybe triple the size of the locks and dredge the Detroit River, raise the bridges, etc. then they won't need auto racks.
Only if I can get Trains to except my login, boy is that a project.
BOB WITHORNstuck using satellite for internet.
At least on the Forums it only takes a couple of minutes dodging attack ads to edit a typo when you see one.
Oh, and hello everyone, stuck using satellite for internet. Not on here much.
, if it thinks it might possibly rain maybe sometime sort-a, I have no internet. Positive side I can spend he time trackside in Elkhart or Granger or South Bend.
A bit late on this, but the 86' box did not go away because of the truck. Trucks gain is due to 'JUST IN TIME' delivery. Auto makers require suppliers to locate 'Next Door' now. Even Flint, Mi plants but trucks didn't get that. Metal Fab. plant stamps the parts and puts them on overhead conveyer that moves them to the metal prep plant then moves them to the paint plant before moving to the final assy plant, (crew cab GM pickups). Before that, box cars moved the body panels with in the several hundred acre complex, they even moved the V8 engines to the assembly plant and the were next to each other. When GM dumped what is now the Tesla calif. plant, the daily auto parts train from Flint to Calif. stopped and so did the 86' box which was created primarily for that business. As long as we import autos there will be auto racks. Sorry if I'm repeating what some of what you have already posted.
Backshop narig01 I'm kind of late to this and I'm throwing stuff out there. So: Some years back Swift was using 53' RoadRailers to deliver BMW's, 3 to a trailer. The revenue was high enough to only deliver 3 per. BMW as Self driving cars could potentially drive themselves around vehicle distribution centres. Right onto the car carrier. And as an added bonus could also drive themselves to the dealer from the factory. Carhaulers with sleeper cabs. There are many out there. Peterbilt IIRC sells them right out of the factory. A few points---Swift is the laughingstock of the trucking industry. Do a Youtube search using "Swift accidents". They have barely trained drivers. There are "some" sleeper cab trucks--not many. Peterbilt is a premium brand so aren't owned by a lot of trucking companies. The sleeper and long hood cut down on capacity.
narig01 I'm kind of late to this and I'm throwing stuff out there. So: Some years back Swift was using 53' RoadRailers to deliver BMW's, 3 to a trailer. The revenue was high enough to only deliver 3 per. BMW as Self driving cars could potentially drive themselves around vehicle distribution centres. Right onto the car carrier. And as an added bonus could also drive themselves to the dealer from the factory. Carhaulers with sleeper cabs. There are many out there. Peterbilt IIRC sells them right out of the factory.
I'm kind of late to this and I'm throwing stuff out there. So:
Some years back Swift was using 53' RoadRailers to deliver BMW's, 3 to a trailer. The revenue was high enough to only deliver 3 per. BMW as
Self driving cars could potentially drive themselves around vehicle distribution centres. Right onto the car carrier. And as an added bonus could also drive themselves to the dealer from the factory.
Carhaulers with sleeper cabs. There are many out there. Peterbilt IIRC sells them right out of the factory.
A few points---Swift is the laughingstock of the trucking industry. Do a Youtube search using "Swift accidents". They have barely trained drivers.
There are "some" sleeper cab trucks--not many. Peterbilt is a premium brand so aren't owned by a lot of trucking companies. The sleeper and long hood cut down on capacity.
Swift has a better than average safety rating..check it out for yourself at the FMCSA website, safersys. They run 16000 trucks and 20000 drivers.. given those numbers they're bound to have some youtube hits. To a large extent, Swift, Werner, and a few others have become the de facto training schools of the industry..
RKFarmsSo when we have self driving cars there will be a car pulling out of SIA onto Indiana 38 every 30 seconds or so and taking itself somewhere?
Remember that most of this is not only hypothetical, it is in the spirit (and making the assumptions) of the original troll.
These cars will do short-headway drafting (what 'platooning' is for trucks) and hence traffic will move in the traffic-light cycle or ramp exit of the plant or storage lot(s) concerned. I don't really expect mass moves will be necessary except at new-model or promotion time, and I sincerely doubt traffic on 38 is extreme in the wee hours of the morning when 'dispatch happens'. Loading to bulk carrier, whether truck or rail, can happen asynchronously, too, with the vehicles not necessarily going direct in large numbers to staging points from which they more conveniently JIT converge for quick loading and securement.
What about plants with much higher output?[/quote]Presumably by the time you get to that point the economics for shuttle, and probably block rail, are effective even if the plant is not designed with close or direct rail access. I don't see development of autonomous cars ramping up that quickly until the current 'crossover' and other alternative to sedan craze is over... does Musk's electric Hummer even fit in a regular autorack?
Maybe in urban areas cars might be able to be dispatched from dealers to customers but even that seems unlikely..
... and I don't think I will live to see the day that a self driving vehicle will be able to get to my home far back off a gravel road.
Remember, only the first half of the autorack-replacement scenario involved the familiar-by-now electric drive. Autonomous control is the "game-changer" and you don't need a sleeper... in fact, you don't need any projection in front of the trailer bays at all... for an autonomous tractor, whether electric or hybrid. Heck, even Kneiling put his little gas turbines under the floor...
Backshop1. I'm not "older" and 2. that just the way it's always been around here.
"older" is subjective.
Some new cars used to have "full tank of gas" listed on their window sticker. Don't know how many do anymore.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
So when we have self driving cars there will be a car pulling out of SIA onto Indiana 38 every 30 seconds or so and taking itself somewhere? That doesn't sound too great. And what about plants with much higher output? I can't really see self driving cars changing delivery that much. Maybe in urban areas cars might be able to be dispatched from dealers to customers but even that seems unlikely, and I don't think I will live to see the day that a self driving vehicle will be able to get to my home far back off a gravel road.
There will be evolution in how cars and parts are moved, but rail will be a part of that for a long time.
PR
BaltACDI have 'thought' I knew what I wanted - however, once I put my ass in the seat and put the vehicle through its paces my mind was changed, it was time to move on and devise another selection.
Always true - trial and error. But it looked good on paper!
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...
zugmann I read that a lot of salespeople will fill the new cars up on their dime - esp for older buyers, just because they'll never hear the end of it if they don't. My used truck had brand new tires - so I was happy with that.
I read that a lot of salespeople will fill the new cars up on their dime - esp for older buyers, just because they'll never hear the end of it if they don't.
My used truck had brand new tires - so I was happy with that.
Always full on mine in the Detroit area.
I've purchased nine new cars of several marques over the years in several states, and all had full fuel tanks.
Paul of Covington BaltACD zugmann Paul of Covington But who refuels them when the trip is over about 300 miles? Lots of places don't fill the tanks when you buy a car anymore. Don't think I ever got a full tank in any of the cars I have bought for over 50 years. I bought a new Toyota two years ago and was very surprised to find that it had a full tank. (First time ever!)
BaltACD zugmann Paul of Covington But who refuels them when the trip is over about 300 miles? Lots of places don't fill the tanks when you buy a car anymore. Don't think I ever got a full tank in any of the cars I have bought for over 50 years.
zugmann Paul of Covington But who refuels them when the trip is over about 300 miles? Lots of places don't fill the tanks when you buy a car anymore.
Paul of Covington But who refuels them when the trip is over about 300 miles?
Lots of places don't fill the tanks when you buy a car anymore.
Don't think I ever got a full tank in any of the cars I have bought for over 50 years.
I bought a new Toyota two years ago and was very surprised to find that it had a full tank. (First time ever!)
Interesting. Have bought six new and one used vehicles over the years and every one had a full tank of gas when I picked it up. Maybe its a regional thing.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
tree68 Backshop It takes me less than an hour to buy a car. Nowadays you can do a lot of research before you get to the dealer.
Backshop It takes me less than an hour to buy a car.
Nowadays you can do a lot of research before you get to the dealer.
I have 'thought' I knew what I wanted - however, once I put my ass in the seat and put the vehicle through its paces my mind was changed, it was time to move on and devise another selection.
BackshopIt takes me less than an hour to buy a car.
zugmann Backshop What I don't understand is all the people who supposedly don't have the time to go and buy a new car. If you can't take a few hours to make your second biggest purchase, you either have screwed up priorities or are working way too many hours. Or the car buying process sucks. And if you know what you want - why bother with the hassle?
Backshop What I don't understand is all the people who supposedly don't have the time to go and buy a new car. If you can't take a few hours to make your second biggest purchase, you either have screwed up priorities or are working way too many hours.
Or the car buying process sucks. And if you know what you want - why bother with the hassle?
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.