Weather (whether you like it or not...)

[Anonymous]

I'll ask a weather/train related question just so the train diehards won't get too worked up about this thread.

When severe weather is forcast, especially high winds, what precautions (if any) do the rr take? Are there slow orders, or forced delays of any trains? Are high winds etc. even a concern given the weight of many freight car types?

Jeff

[zardoz]

vsmith & Willy2,

Usually, tornadoes that appear in California & other states west of the Rockies are of the weaker F1 or F0 type. That is mosly due to the lack of deep moisture and/or cold arctic air mixing. That is not to say an F1 should be taken lightly, however. 100 mph is still a decent breeze.

valleytenderfoot,
During my years on the CNW, we never had wind warnings in Wisconsin. Perhaps other railraods issue them, though.

TOFC, COFC, and autoracks would be the most likely to have wind problems.

And the safest place I can think of to be caught in a tornado (other that a specially built safe-house in a basement) would be in a [not moving] locomotive: thick, steel sides, massive weight, structual integrity. Even in the unlikely event that it should be blown over, the structure would not be greatly compromised. Just stay away from the windows.

[vsmith]

I was watching a documentary on tornados and they pointed out an object swirling high up in the twister , they said it was a loaded railroad car and was thrown a mile from it origin, has anyone else ever heard of this happening?

[dharmon]

Well, having grown up in Texas the concept of tornados is all too familiar since the only cellars most folks have there is for storing canned stuff and hiding from twisters.

Now for the seafaring sort the water spout or its latin name .... swirlus aqua aroundus is basically the same concept and equally as fun to deal with......

One night we were flying of the coast of Spain dodging thunderstorms and generally getting pretty beat up by turbulence while tracking a Soviet (yes Soviet..not Russian) submarine...(a Victor II to be exact Jim & Pops). We we young and stupid and bulletproof, so being the macho fools we were we stayed out and didn't go home like we should have.......anyway......around daybreak and appraoching the Straights of Gibraltar, our radar operator starting telling us he had a small radar contact were the sub was supposed to be.......so naturally we had him fly us in on it to grab some photos of this guy's periscope or conning tower to wrap ourselves in self induced glory .............so we drop down in altitude and come booming in ...and we're going "where is it, we don't see anything?" and the radar operator is going " it's straight ahead and only a couple of miles....I can't believe you don't see it"

About then the water spout he had been tracking touched the surface and kicked up a spray of water. We just about ripped the wings off as both the senior pilot and myself both manhandled the plane to avoid it..we probably came no more than a mile from it and got thumped pretty hard......it was kind of like one of those movie scenes where the guys look out the window and scream and then look at each other and scream and then back out the window and scream some more. Fortunately our relief was already inbound so we could go home and clean up.

[zardoz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I was watching a documentary on tornados and they pointed out an object swirling high up in the twister , they said it was a loaded railroad car and was thrown a mile from it origin, has anyone else ever heard of this happening?

Rather doubtful. Blown over, yes. Maybe tumbled some distance, sure, maybe an empty boxcar with one side door open. But pickup & carried for a mile? If that's true, lunch is on me.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

Well, having grown up in Texas the concept of tornados is all too familiar since the only cellars most folks have there is for storing canned stuff and hiding from twisters.

Now for the seafaring sort the water spout or its latin name .... swirlus aqua aroundus is basically the same concept and equally as fun to deal with......

One night we were flying of the coast of Spain dodging thunderstorms and generally getting pretty beat up by turbulence while tracking a Soviet (yes Soviet..not Russian) submarine...(a Victor II to be exact Jim & Pops). We we young and stupid and bulletproof, so being the macho fools we were we stayed out and didn't go home like we should have.......anyway......around daybreak and appraoching the Straights of Gibraltar, our radar operator starting telling us he had a small radar contact were the sub was supposed to be.......so naturally we had him fly us in on it to grab some photos of this guy's periscope or conning tower to wrap ourselves in self induced glory .............so we drop down in altitude and come booming in ...and we're going "where is it, we don't see anything?" and the radar operator is going " it's straight ahead and only a couple of miles....I can't believe you don't see it"

About then the water spout he had been tracking touched the surface and kicked up a spray of water. We just about ripped the wings off as both the senior pilot and myself both manhandled the plane to avoid it..we probably came no more than a mile from it and got thumped pretty hard......it was kind of like one of those movie scenes where the guys look out the window and scream and then look at each other and scream and then back out the window and scream some more. Fortunately our relief was already inbound so we could go home and clean up.

When you got back to base I'll bet that shower and fresh underwear felt REAL GOOD![:D]

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I was watching a documentary on tornados and they pointed out an object swirling high up in the twister , they said it was a loaded railroad car and was thrown a mile from it origin, has anyone else ever heard of this happening?

Rather doubtful. Blown over, yes. Maybe tumbled some distance, sure, maybe an empty boxcar with one side door open. But pickup & carried for a mile? If that's true, lunch is on me.

It was a TV show so I too was doubtful, I've seen video of a semi and trailer flying thru the air with the greatest of ease in a big tornado. The only time I've ever seen a frieght car fly was during a trainwreck where a large LPG train derialed, caught fire, then exploded, all caught on video. You can clearly see when they enlarge the shot of the big blast, flying into the air, an LPG tank car rocketing away like a Polaris missle. It landed 1/2 a mile away.

[zardoz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I was watching a documentary on tornados and they pointed out an object swirling high up in the twister , they said it was a loaded railroad car and was thrown a mile from it origin, has anyone else ever heard of this happening?

Rather doubtful. Blown over, yes. Maybe tumbled some distance, sure, maybe an empty boxcar with one side door open. But pickup & carried for a mile? If that's true, lunch is on me.

It was a TV show so I too was doubtful, I've seen video of a semi and trailer flying thru the air with the greatest of ease in a big tornado. The only time I've ever seen a frieght car fly was during a trainwreck where a large LPG train derialed, caught fire, then exploded, all caught on video. You can clearly see when they enlarge the shot of the big blast, flying into the air, an LPG tank car rocketing away like a Polaris missle. It landed 1/2 a mile away.

I also saw that video. Rather impressive!

[Willy2]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

QUOTE: Originally posted by zardoz

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I was watching a documentary on tornados and they pointed out an object swirling high up in the twister , they said it was a loaded railroad car and was thrown a mile from it origin, has anyone else ever heard of this happening?

Rather doubtful. Blown over, yes. Maybe tumbled some distance, sure, maybe an empty boxcar with one side door open. But pickup & carried for a mile? If that's true, lunch is on me.

It was a TV show so I too was doubtful, I've seen video of a semi and trailer flying thru the air with the greatest of ease in a big tornado. The only time I've ever seen a frieght car fly was during a trainwreck where a large LPG train derialed, caught fire, then exploded, all caught on video. You can clearly see when they enlarge the shot of the big blast, flying into the air, an LPG tank car rocketing away like a Polaris missle. It landed 1/2 a mile away.

I also saw that video. Rather impressive!

During the Pampa Texas tornado lots of cars and pickups were thrown in the air about a couple hundred feet and dropped probably about 150 feet away from where they were picked up. So if an automobile in an F4 tornado flies about 150 feet, I doubt that a train car would go an entire mile. On another tornado video an F4 tornado hit a moving freight train and only 6 cars were derailed, not even picked up. So I think that the documentary may have been a bit overdone with the railcar that was supposedly picked up and thrown 1 mile.

And Zardoz, congratulations on three stars!

Willy

[vsmith]

Hey Z-man Congrates on the promotion!

[Modelcar]

...I know weather can be very different just a few miles away and perhaps something in specific areas does attract or cause weather patterns to repeat their actions. Through here there are specific areas that seem prone for tornado touch downs...and other areas that generally aren't bothered. But still it is not very predictable, the storm that is once it is on the ground....It might meander or go in a beline....

[Modelcar]

....A rather large path of rain sweeping across central Indiana today....So far it doesn't seem to have any severe storms with it. One thing it is doing is making my yard green and it's only a matter of days until mowing.

[Anonymous]

All of this Rule G and Canadian prision nonsense has angered us at Central Weather Control......rain for everyone this weekend!...now behave or we'll make it next weekend too. [:(!]

[dharmon]

Yikes!

[tree68]

Sprinkling on and off in Northern NY today. Helps keep all that dust from the sand they put on the roads all winter in control...

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by WeatherGod

All of this Rule G and Canadian prision nonsense has angered us at Central Weather Control......rain for everyone this weekend!...now behave or we'll make it next weekend too. [:(!]

Go for it!!!! I love rain and storms. Would rather have cloudy days than sunny during warm weather. And........I don't freckle in the rain!

[Modelcar]

...We must be imune as it is to be nice here this week end and about 70 degrees.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by WeatherGod

All of this Rule G and Canadian prision nonsense has angered us at Central Weather Control......rain for everyone this weekend!...now behave or we'll make it next weekend too. [:(!]

Well you may be a Rain God but some have called me a Sun God, cause everywhere i go it stops raining and its always hot and sunny! So we'll see who's more powerfull this weekend....send your puny clouds to L.A. A little UV 10 sunshine and I'll just burn them off![(-D][:-,][(-D][:-,]

[espeefoamer]

Here in LA-LA land,there is no weather.When I lived in Portland,we had a joke that ran,What do you call it after two days of rain in Portland? A: Monday.

[Willy2]

Finally, after a whole week of thunderstorm chances, we are finally getting the rain and thunder. A lot of it too. It's been raining since about 4:00 AM and is still raining not at 8:40 AM and it is expected to rain throughout the day into tonight. There may be a break this afternoon before a cold front moves in. This could trigger a squall line if the atmosphere remains unstable.

Willy

[Modelcar]

Saturday morning weather in central Indiana: Early heavy fog and it is now burning off and getting bright...Temps. very mild.

[mudchicken]

Dear WeatherGod at Weather Central Control:

Consider yourself on "double secret probation"! ......If you do not hurry up and start providing moisture to us here in the dustbowl known as the eastern half of Colorado, we will start shipping dirt en-masse via the jet stream to mookie, willy2 , modelcar and Tree68 in very short order. Besides massive quantities of sand & ashes in your shorts, we'll throw in all the sand burs and russian thistle seeds that haven't burned yet.....

Heading south in search of moisture.....

smoked dusty feathers
[banghead][banghead][banghead][censored][censored][censored]

[Modelcar]

...Gee aren't you fellows getting any moisture from the mountain melting snow....? Boy those sand burs and thistle seeds might be pretty rough...

[mudchicken]

I've been working along the South Plate River between Fort Morgan and The Nebraska Line at Julesburg (Runs alongside the UP or BNSF all the way into Denver, BNSF's coal main line from thePowder River Basin to Texas, basically parallels I-76 most of the way)...In many places the river is only five or six feet wide and a few inches deep (You have creeks running more water than this!).The state has already declared a draught emergency in many places...

Prairies that are green this time of year most of the time are now still brown and crunchy. (Or [/img]after a couple thousand acres of rangeland goes up in smoke)

[banghead][banghead][banghead]

[Modelcar]

...Did you not get your normal winter snow fall this season....?

[mudchicken]

About 2/3rds of an average year. And the prairies got less than half of what they normally get...March/April are supposed to be our snowiest (word?) month, but we have seen less than an inch so far....kinda scary

Ever herd of "Virga"? That's when you have rain showers that evaporate before hitting the ground.....very common around here right now....Cattle ranchers are gonna be in deep trouble unless we get some rain to grow new grass and hay.

[Modelcar]

...Yes, I've heard our weather people say already..."light rain over here but it's not hitting the ground"...and so on. And your snowiest "word" is a word according to my Franklin Spelling Ace....So there, you're right. On the snow totals. Our annual avg. snow fall in central Indiana is about 27" and right here at our home I've measured about 8 1/2" total this season....and it is very doubtful if we'll get any more that will accumulate on the ground this season. Our elevation here is 937' at our Muncie airport. Our season is hurring past as I most likely will need to mow the yard tomorrow or Monday.

[mudchicken]

Here at 6000 feet, the bulbs came out, but we are weeks away from mowing grass. if we can't water the grass,due to watering restrictions... we won't need to cut it - The yard will remain brown....Xeriscape landscaping is just plain ugly to this midwestern kid, can't see me caving in to rocks and cactus.

[Modelcar]

Understand elevation has a lot to do with climate condition....Back in 1965 I was on an engineering road trip with some of our next years product and we stopped in Denver for a day or so and then did some testing running up to Berthhoud [sp?], Pass etc. I remember the horsepower sure seemed to get smaller as we went up....Much colder up there too....
This morning I'm seeing little leaves around home here on some bushes and reddish buds on trees. Bring on Spring....

[Willy2]

In Omaha we got about 46" of snow this winter. About a foot over the average amount. For the year 2004, so far we have received about 7" of rain in Omaha (That includes the equivalent of all of the snow we got in liquid form). That 7" is about 3.50" above normal. In Omaha we are officially out of the drought, but I know that just west of us the drought is still very severe. Near Louisville, Nebraska (just south of Omaha) the Platter River is about 4 feet deep. I am really praying that our total precip for 2004 will remain above average.

Willy