Midnight Railroader wrote: Soo 6604 wrote: I caught 9 trains and instead of waving, I gave them all the "One Finger Salute", and you know what? You guessed it. Every engineer and conductor (on the southbounds) gave me the finger back. They even opened the window to make sure that I saw them saluting me back. What? They even opened the window? But the A/C was on! They said they don't do that--it lets out the cool air and messes up all their paperwork. And weren't they busy running the train, talking to the dispatcher, watching for obstacles on the track, scanning for terrorists, and all the other tasks they have to do? I guess flipping someone off takes priority over safety.
Soo 6604 wrote: I caught 9 trains and instead of waving, I gave them all the "One Finger Salute", and you know what? You guessed it. Every engineer and conductor (on the southbounds) gave me the finger back. They even opened the window to make sure that I saw them saluting me back.
I guess flipping someone off takes priority over safety.
Dan
lol..that clip of the crew taking pics of the person taking pics reminds me of a friend of mine that works for amtrak... years ago befor i hired out on the railroad.. he snuck me aboard the engin for a cab ride.. i took a cam with me to take pics..but i didnt check the battery and it was dead.. anyways.. no pics for me..but as we went around the horse shoe curve.. he said..quick..give me the cameara.. he opened the window and pretended to take pics of the people takeing pics of our train... one of the many highpoints of that ride.... but had to be funniest part...
csx engineer
Soo 6604 wrote:Now with the study. I caught 9 trains and instead of waving, I gave them all the "One Finger Salute", and you know what? You guessed it. Every engineer and conductor (on the southbounds) gave me the finger back. They even opened the window to make sure that I saw them saluting me back. Two of them even blew the horn to make sure that they had my attention. They had a meet down south of me a few miles and the southbound even gave the northbound a heads-up on a potential bird. Sure enough, when the northbound came, I saw a double bird a good 1/4 mile away. Now if the engineers/conductors are so busy to wave, why arent they soooo busy to flip me off? Just wonderingPaul
Now with the study. I caught 9 trains and instead of waving, I gave them all the "One Finger Salute", and you know what? You guessed it. Every engineer and conductor (on the southbounds) gave me the finger back. They even opened the window to make sure that I saw them saluting me back. Two of them even blew the horn to make sure that they had my attention. They had a meet down south of me a few miles and the southbound even gave the northbound a heads-up on a potential bird. Sure enough, when the northbound came, I saw a double bird a good 1/4 mile away. Now if the engineers/conductors are so busy to wave, why arent they soooo busy to flip me off? Just wondering
Paul
That's some funny ***, man.
DeSkaterGurl wrote:Back to our regularly scheduled thread.....I wave when I'm stuck at a crossing waiting for the train to pass. They always wave back!Once I was really stuck while they were switching cars...it was hot and so I was out of my truck....waiting....the engineer stuck his head out and waved, hooted and hollered and asked to see my boobs.as if switching cars wasn't distracting enough???
Back to our regularly scheduled thread.....
I wave when I'm stuck at a crossing waiting for the train to pass. They always wave back!
Once I was really stuck while they were switching cars...it was hot and so I was out of my truck....waiting....the engineer stuck his head out and waved, hooted and hollered and asked to see my boobs.
as if switching cars wasn't distracting enough???
If I were a female railfan I'd be flashin' trains all the time.
snagletooth wrote: Harry_Runyon wrote:You're not sitting there and waving at your phone waiting for the crew caller to ring you up are you?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV22LIRzFQ8Anyone notice the waiving engineer on the left side of the locos?I was waiting the whole time to see if a conductor would asked Bob if he liked movies about gladiators. Where's scrappy when you need him?
Harry_Runyon wrote:You're not sitting there and waving at your phone waiting for the crew caller to ring you up are you?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV22LIRzFQ8
You're not sitting there and waving at your phone waiting for the crew caller to ring you up are you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV22LIRzFQ8
Anyone notice the waiving engineer on the left side of the locos?
I was waiting the whole time to see if a conductor would asked Bob if he liked movies about gladiators. Where's scrappy when you need him?
I was thinking something similar with Bob saw his "neighbor" opening up the wash basin. "Bob, have you ever seen a grown man naked?"
Mark R. wrote: FWIW - Atlas' new H.O. Alco C420 includes a waving engineer !!! Mark.
FWIW - Atlas' new H.O. Alco C420 includes a waving engineer !!!
Mark.
Are you sure that is a "wave"?
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Midnight Railroader wrote: RRSloth wrote: Their jaws dropped and they just stood there, aghast, as I jumped up and down on the front deck, hooping and hollering, scattering Cheetos everywhere.Tends to put the kibosh on all those earlier "we're too busy doing our jobs to wave" posts, though, if you had enough time to do that.
RRSloth wrote: Their jaws dropped and they just stood there, aghast, as I jumped up and down on the front deck, hooping and hollering, scattering Cheetos everywhere.
Tends to put the kibosh on all those earlier "we're too busy doing our jobs to wave" posts, though, if you had enough time to do that.
I believe the question was "What happened to the lost art of ENGINEERS waving?".
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
blhanel wrote: It's all because of the new crossovers between the mains and new connections to the sidings east of Edgewood- I have no clue when they'll be operational, I guess we'll all find out when the signals get turned on! I usually don't park off of Edgewood, as I figure it's all private UP property through there. I like to park underneath US 30 on 21st St., or up on the west end of Beverly near the nursery. A few months ago when I gave Carl a whirlwind tour, he had me drive into the UP office parking lot, something I wouldn't even consider doing by myself!
It's all because of the new crossovers between the mains and new connections to the sidings east of Edgewood- I have no clue when they'll be operational, I guess we'll all find out when the signals get turned on! I usually don't park off of Edgewood, as I figure it's all private UP property through there. I like to park underneath US 30 on 21st St., or up on the west end of Beverly near the nursery. A few months ago when I gave Carl a whirlwind tour, he had me drive into the UP office parking lot, something I wouldn't even consider doing by myself!
I always park on the street side of the No Trespassing sign, unless that space is already occupied, then I go to Old Bridge Rd in hopes of watching some flat switching.
To get this back to closer to on-topic... that last time I was down at Old Bridge Rd. there was another fellow there. When he left, I heard over the radio a comment to the yardman that "half your fan club just left."
Actually, a note to you Railroaders out there... when I am watching trains, I am NOT really "seeing" the people... I am usually looking AT the Diesel locomotive, but I am "SEEING" a Steam Locomotive and thinking about the people I saw, years ago, doing then, what you are doing, now.
Don't worry about making a mistake in my view... for the most part I would not recognize anything you do as being a mistake or something you are supposed to do.
I did, one time see a yardman trip and fall. But it was not a "funny" thing to me, I did not laugh at him. I had sympathy for him and was concerned that he was okay. Thankfully, he took a quick roll and came right back to his feet and continued on his way. I smiled at his well executed "recovery" and thought well of him.
I have seen some "bad" situations, but never has that caused me to have adverse thoughts about the people involved; rather, I know that difficulties arise and can cause bad situations, but I always admire the person that knows what they are doing (even if I don't) and can work to correct the situation. I remember one extraordinary situation when an employee came out of the office building and blocked the grade crossing intersection with the yard vehicle (a "Trouper" I think it was), when a train split being pulled from the yard and left a gap in the train that some (idiot) motorist might have attempted to cross between! Quick, decisive, thinking on his part... well done! Made me proud to know he was on the job.
CNW 6000 wrote:On a similar (perhaps-correct me if I'm wrong) note I was out of town and had to wear a suit/tie for a convention I was attending. On the way I swung by a siding where some MoW guys were milling around their equipment. Some were not wearing hard hats, reflective vests open/off, riders on equipment, etc. I stopped the car and got out setting camera on tripod and started to take a couple of pics to get a feel for the light so as to be ready for the train that was a couple of mileposts down the track. They all stopped and quickly remedied the aforementioned issues. After 3 pictures I got back in the car to make notes. The foreman walked over and started to explain why people were doing what they were. I asked why he was telling me this info as I am merely taking a pic to get ready for the train. He sure looked embarrased and maybe a bit upset. I wonder if he thought I was someone from the company sent to inspect them.
Nine years ago, I was up in Spokane, Washington on business and had a couple hours between meetings. I headed over to the BNSF yard at Yardley and sat in my rent-a-car taking pictures of the cascade green SD9s. I was in a suit, and the ground was muddy, and I had a dinner meeting I knew I had to go straight to, so I really didn't think it a good idea to get out of the car. Besides, I was able to get a good view from the driver's seat.
All of a sudden, two (or three) ATVs with at least two guys each on them, come racing towards me from the yard. They want to know what I'm taking pictures for and who am I. I explain I'm a train fan from out of town. They don't believe me. I show them my business card. They all relax, and one of the ATVs even takes off. The guy who was left tells me that they thought I was a Santa Fe exec... that now that (and this is in this guy's words, not mine) the Santa Fe took over... they get spied on all the time, not like the old Northern Pacific days when they were trusted.
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alec
Semper Vaporo wrote: blhanel wrote:When did that happen, Charlie? The downtown spur hasn't been connected to the main east of Edgewood for quite some time, although they're just about done installing a new remote controlled interlocking there now...That was about 2 years ago... well, maybe 3. That was only the second time I have seen a train come apart.Do you know when they are going to be done down there? Now that I am retired, I can go watch trains more often during the day, but I don't like parking there while they are working (don't think they like it either!)When they started that work, I thought they were putting a 4th track across Edgewood Rd., but then all they did was move track 2 about 3 ft south! An awful lot of work just to separate the tracks by an additional few ft! I am guessing it was so that they could put that signal tower between the mains farther to the west... but then why did they put in 4 signal towers?... seems like one is outside of one of the yard leads and it just doesn't make sense to me.
blhanel wrote:When did that happen, Charlie? The downtown spur hasn't been connected to the main east of Edgewood for quite some time, although they're just about done installing a new remote controlled interlocking there now...
That was about 2 years ago... well, maybe 3. That was only the second time I have seen a train come apart.
Do you know when they are going to be done down there? Now that I am retired, I can go watch trains more often during the day, but I don't like parking there while they are working (don't think they like it either!)
When they started that work, I thought they were putting a 4th track across Edgewood Rd., but then all they did was move track 2 about 3 ft south! An awful lot of work just to separate the tracks by an additional few ft! I am guessing it was so that they could put that signal tower between the mains farther to the west... but then why did they put in 4 signal towers?... seems like one is outside of one of the yard leads and it just doesn't make sense to me.
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
Obviously a Parody.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV7TTQGpCdY
Can he Smile? Wave? Give the Bird? Spell?
I was told by a MoW worker on Sunday that the "Big Wigs" have been "hiding in the brush" to catch people slacking off, not being safety conscience, ect......
Back to the topic of waving, I did another study and a bigger thanks to the taxpayers of Wisconsin. Today (monday the 30th), I had the day off so I went out to catch trains. The temp was in the high 80's to the lower 90's. Warm enough to warrant the car staying on along with the AC. Now with the study. I caught 9 trains and instead of waving, I gave them all the "One Finger Salute", and you know what? You guessed it. Every engineer and conductor (on the southbounds) gave me the finger back. They even opened the window to make sure that I saw them saluting me back. Two of them even blew the horn to make sure that they had my attention. They had a meet down south of me a few miles and the southbound even gave the northbound a heads-up on a potential bird. Sure enough, when the northbound came, I saw a double bird a good 1/4 mile away. Now if the engineers/conductors are so busy to wave, why arent they soooo busy to flip me off? Just wondering
http://www.youtube.com/user/pavabo
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulvbox
jeffhergert wrote: Semper Vaporo wrote: ---Now, as to waving at trains. I used to wave at every train; I'd just hold my arm up and give a bit of a "boyscout" salute of sorts. About 2 years ago I noticed that EVERY time I waved, the train came to an emergency stop, right in front of me! I cannot tell if it was "my" wave that caused the engineer to pull the plug, or if maybe I woke him up and he saw a red light in front of him, or some car dynamited. Then never walked the train to look at anything. I'd just hear the brakes being pumped up for a couple of minutes and they would leave. Sometimes I would hear on my scanner that they had stopped and were going to proceed. No other explanation.Maybe this will push it to another page.I see you are from CR, were you by chance waving to trains along the UP? It sounds like you might be at a spot where the trains were having their cab signal/ATC go from clear to restricting. If they are going faster than 40mph when this happens, they have to put the automatic air brake valve into suppression. The rules require the train to come to a stop before releasing the air brakes under this circumstance. It may seem like an emergency stop, but isn't.If certain conditions are met, some trains on the UP don't have to be inspected after being stopped by an emergency application.Jeff
Semper Vaporo wrote: ---Now, as to waving at trains. I used to wave at every train; I'd just hold my arm up and give a bit of a "boyscout" salute of sorts. About 2 years ago I noticed that EVERY time I waved, the train came to an emergency stop, right in front of me! I cannot tell if it was "my" wave that caused the engineer to pull the plug, or if maybe I woke him up and he saw a red light in front of him, or some car dynamited. Then never walked the train to look at anything. I'd just hear the brakes being pumped up for a couple of minutes and they would leave. Sometimes I would hear on my scanner that they had stopped and were going to proceed. No other explanation.
---
Now, as to waving at trains. I used to wave at every train; I'd just hold my arm up and give a bit of a "boyscout" salute of sorts. About 2 years ago I noticed that EVERY time I waved, the train came to an emergency stop, right in front of me! I cannot tell if it was "my" wave that caused the engineer to pull the plug, or if maybe I woke him up and he saw a red light in front of him, or some car dynamited. Then never walked the train to look at anything. I'd just hear the brakes being pumped up for a couple of minutes and they would leave. Sometimes I would hear on my scanner that they had stopped and were going to proceed. No other explanation.
Maybe this will push it to another page.
I see you are from CR, were you by chance waving to trains along the UP? It sounds like you might be at a spot where the trains were having their cab signal/ATC go from clear to restricting. If they are going faster than 40mph when this happens, they have to put the automatic air brake valve into suppression. The rules require the train to come to a stop before releasing the air brakes under this circumstance. It may seem like an emergency stop, but isn't.
If certain conditions are met, some trains on the UP don't have to be inspected after being stopped by an emergency application.
Jeff
Yep, U.P. line, east end of the Beverly Yards. I have no idea where control transitions occur.
I realize that my waving and the train stopping was probably coincidence, but 4 or 5 trains in a row over a couple of days, was just disturbing! I will say that the trains stopped in a big hurry, amidst lots of squeeling wheels. Lots quicker stop than a train I actually saw lose the last car one time.
That was scary... I noticed a train coming from the spur to downtown and heard them on the radio ask for permission to take the main line. They were told to wait for a certain train and then they could have it. Along comes the east bound REALLY MOVING! It was all empty automobile carriers and they were rattling and swaying something fierce.
I noticed that the cars were becoming airborne as they went over the Edgewood Rd grade crossing like a skijump. I heard the engineer of the waiting train say in a low voice, (as though speaking in a low tone he would be heard only by the train near him and not anybody else,)
"Keep 'em on the rails."
He had no sooner said that and the last car separated from the train because the second to last car had landed so hard that the coupler was low and the last car was still airborne and the coupler was high. The last car came down on the rails but was no longer attached by anything other than the airhose. The gladhands separated and all the brakes came on. Almost immediately the waiting train said over the radio, "Your train has separated!".
I assummed they had heard the brakes apply and knew what had happened. They were waiting a good 1/2 mile from the grade crossing and could not have seen it all that easily.
The now lone car was throwing sparks from the wheels and I am sure got some new flat spots on the wheels.
The train continued on for quite a ways, maybe not quite a mile. The waiting train crew went out to flag for the train that split. I heard over the radio that the couplers were still closed and there was discussion about the coupler on one having been trouble and was wired shut... the crew on the train that spit asked if the bailing wire was still there holding the pin in. (I felt that was a bit of a "face saving" ruse.)
I don't know the actual speed of the train, but it was moving about as fast as any I have ever seen at that place. I do feel that it was moving too fast for the weight of the consist and angle of that ski-jump, I mean, the variation in elevation of that grade crossing.
The east-bound backed-up, coupled to the loose car, and left. Then the other train left west-bound. (And I went home.)
I like to wave when someone lets me know I am #1, actually had a situation where a guy in a truck let me know I was #1 so I waved back at him, and the girl next to him started laughing!
I try to wave, but sometimes other things might be going on at that time, dispatcher giving us a directive over the radio, something a miss in the cab, looking at paperwork, remember there are far fewer people on the train today so more and more time is spent doing more jobs!
***Bucyrus, nice video clip. At first glance I thought he was pulling out a rifle.
Question: What regulations apply to engineers or other train personnel and firearms?
***Dan, that's a funny story. So, are you going to don that suit again and see how far the "image" will get you? Perhaps you can bluff your way into a free train ride somewhere.
Rob
RRSloth wrote: Well, it's official...a wave really is the most powerful and awesome gesture a train crewman can give. Just got back in from an FIHK, and going through Tacoma we encountered a bunch of phoamerz on a grassy knoll near the rail. I jumped up, told my engineer not to worry about a thing he was about to see, and scrambled down the steps into the nose and out the front door. As soon as the door swung open and daylight poured into my little cave, up came the heads from the cameras. (I didn't ruin any shots, did I? >.> ) Their jaws dropped and they just stood there, aghast, as I jumped up and down on the front deck, hooping and hollering, scattering Cheetos everywhere. Not once did I wave though, and I think that's why all I got as they disappeared from view were a bunch of retarded "You did NOT just ruin my shot!" expressions. Had I simply waved from my window, there may have been a mass orgasm. Didn't really care to see that, mmmkay?Anyone have pics of a guy in an Exxon Valdez shirt and blue baseball hat going batshit on the front of a GE in Tacoma?
Well, it's official...a wave really is the most powerful and awesome gesture a train crewman can give. Just got back in from an FIHK, and going through Tacoma we encountered a bunch of phoamerz on a grassy knoll near the rail. I jumped up, told my engineer not to worry about a thing he was about to see, and scrambled down the steps into the nose and out the front door. As soon as the door swung open and daylight poured into my little cave, up came the heads from the cameras. (I didn't ruin any shots, did I? >.> ) Their jaws dropped and they just stood there, aghast, as I jumped up and down on the front deck, hooping and hollering, scattering Cheetos everywhere. Not once did I wave though, and I think that's why all I got as they disappeared from view were a bunch of retarded "You did NOT just ruin my shot!" expressions. Had I simply waved from my window, there may have been a mass orgasm. Didn't really care to see that, mmmkay?
Anyone have pics of a guy in an Exxon Valdez shirt and blue baseball hat going batshit on the front of a GE in Tacoma?
I bet they stood there for a good 5 minutes not moving, frozen in thought. That had to be the funnies thing I've read in a long time. They'll never forget it and I'm sure you can take that story and keep passing it on for a while to come.
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
Mookie wrote: Gary Larson (Far Side)
Gary Larson (Far Side)
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Sir Chicken - they see El Gato and start backing up with great fear in their eyes (a MOW official that I just wanted to ask a few questions....)
So doubt they will let me into any yards - including a few back ones....
I live vicariously through Houston Ed....
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
MOOKSTER WROTE: That Conrail had only spine cars. Uncle Ed in Houston assures me that sometimes those low profile cars are very hard to see. Anyone actually know of an instance where someone just plain didn't see them at a crossing and run into them?
ANS- It would seem that El Gato Mookster has never been in an intermodal yard. It happens there with frightening regularity (along with collisions with empty chassis - thus the protective cages around yard vehicles in intermodal yards). I've done two accident surveys where empty spine cars (5-packers and 10-packer Fuel Foilers have been nailed by inattentive motorists, unfortunately with fatal outcomes....Another was a fatality with a bare table move on BNSF near Granada, CO that was a thread on here last year...
Larson's best is Engineer Mathew's "Trackulence Ahead" panels....
2 points - one on either side of my head....
That Conrail had only spine cars. Uncle Ed in Houston assures me that sometimes those low profile cars are very hard to see. Anyone actually know of an instance where someone just plain didn't see them at a crossing and run into them?
And
Gary Larson (Far Side) on my calendar for last week - had a cheetah in a tree with several cameras hanging from branches, one with an arm still attached and an animal foamer snapping pictures of him/her only a little way off.
How appropos.....
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