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)
And a quick true story:
We have a couple of "slow order" bridges on our regular route - more so the passengers can enjoy the view than anything else, but I digress.
Usually practice is to let the engineer know that the last car is clear of the bridge, even though most know exactly where that is.
My student conductor was busy reviewing the timetable in his quest to better know the territory as we approached the largest trestle, and I was discussing that with him. Noting where we were, I rose and started to the rear of the train, informing him that I was going back to "call the bridge."
Apparently he misunderstood me, or maybe some of his youthful enthusiasm (of which he sometimes has too much) kicked in, for he immediately keyed his radio and announced that we were "clear of the bridge."
The engineer, clearly knowing that we weren't even there yet, came back with "what bridge?"
I did go to where I could see to make the call, and made the call at the appropriate time - "Now we're clear of the bridge..."
The student conductor will be a long time living that one down.
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...
Here's an Eighth Grade Final Exam from Salina, KS from 1895. Let's see how well you can do.
(For some background on the source, visit the linked page)
8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, Kansas - 1895
This is the eighth-grade final exam* from 1895 from Salina, Kansas. It was taken from the original document on file at the Smoky Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, Kansas and reprinted by the Salina Journal.
Grammar (Time, one hour)1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.2. Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no modifications. 3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of do, lie, lay and run.5. Define Case, Illustrate each Case.6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of Punctuation. 7-10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.
Arithmetic (Time, 1.25 hours)1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts. per bu, deducting 1050 lbs. for tare? 4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?5. Find cost of 6720 lbs. coal at $6.00 per ton.6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at $.20 per inch?8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent. 9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance around which is 640 rods? 10.Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.
U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided.2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus.3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.4. Show the territorial growth of the United States.5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas.6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion. 7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and Howe?8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, and 1865?
Orthography (Time, one hour)1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic orthography, etymology, syllabication?2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?3. What are the following, and give examples of each: Trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals?4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u'.5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e'. Name two exceptions under each rule.6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each. 7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: Bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, super. 8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: Card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.9. Use the following correctly in sentences, Cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.10.Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.
Geography (Time, one hour)1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas?3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?4. Describe the mountains of N.A.5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver, Manitoba, Hecla, Yukon, St. Helena, Juan Fermandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco.6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.7. Name all the republics of Europe and give capital of each. 8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.10.Describe the movements of the earth. Give inclination of the earth.
Very nice, Kootenay Central! Apparently this young man was willing to learn from the crews who had been working for the railroad since before he was born.
Johnny
.
From the real world:
My son works for the call center in a hospital. He takes after hours calls from people wishing to have a call back from the doctor on call.
Caller: I'm pregnant, and very nauseous. I think I'm going to .....(Loud wretching sounds).......
(A really small voice): Honey?.......I think I got some on the dog.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
I like it!
An "Oldie but Goldie"........
CShaveRRThis is LaGrange, Illinois, where the BN crossed the IHB. When I used to print out narratives for my area train-watching trips, I wrote the following about this (be thankful you didn't take your trip thirty-some years ago, Johnny!):
Carl is referring to a trip which my wife I and took this spring, leaving Salt Lake City on the westbound CZ on 3-28, and leaving Chicago, returning home, 4-24. Yes, I am glad that there was nothing even approaching what is seen in the picture. Indeed, in all of my rail travels, a derailment has affected my travel only twice--both times on the Southern's Knoxville division--and the trains I was riding were detoured (adding new route mileage, some of which I never again rode). The first one was in Riceville, Tenn., in 1957, and my train was detoured over the CNO&TP from Chattanooga to Oakdale, and then into Knoxville. The second derailment was at Bluff City, Tenn., in 1958, and we were detoured over the Clinchfield from Johnson City to Frisco, where we took the Southern first through Moccasin Gap into Gate City where the engine was put back on the head end (the interchange in Johnson City made it necessary to run the engine around the train), and then on to Bristol.
Carl - Thank you ! for the supplemental information. I can see where it was a girder bridge - they're just generally not quite as susceptible to that kind of collapse from derailments. Not immune - just not usually as vulnerable.
Can you imagine the response to the following inquiry from "the wife", when any of the many involved railroaders - train crews, wreck crews, B&B gangs, track gangs, C&S people, operating and engineering officials, etc., etc. finally made it home - either much later that day, or after several continuous days, more likely:
"How was your day, honey ?"
How would you respond ? What can you say ? Who would believe that chain of events ?
Certainly an object lesson in why trains should be inspected as often as possible, and any emergency application of the brakes should trigger notifying any other trains in the vicinity.
Thanks again.
- Paul North.
Paul_D_North_Jr Link to humorous "framed" photo (of the "Despair, Inc. / Demotivation" style) of a HUGE pile-up type derailment, most likely on the Burlington Northern, labled as "EPIC FAIL": http://media.photobucket.com/image/fail/frosteees/fail.jpg?o=20 I observe a stone bridge pier to the left of the mainline tracks in the foreground, and a similar stone bridge abutment to the left. Looking at it carefully, I see what appears to be the remains of a black steel truss bridge above and in between several of the cars - i.e., on top of the stone pier to the left of the main, below the green BN covered hopper, above the yellow BN refrigerator car or box, and to the left of the 2 crumpled silver cars (also BN reefers ?). So I'm thinking this is the derailment in the Chicago area from like 10 or 15 years ago, when something knocked down a truss bridge as a train was going across it ? Anyway, quite the dramatic photo, don't you agree ? - Paul North.
Link to humorous "framed" photo (of the "Despair, Inc. / Demotivation" style) of a HUGE pile-up type derailment, most likely on the Burlington Northern, labled as "EPIC FAIL":
http://media.photobucket.com/image/fail/frosteees/fail.jpg?o=20
I observe a stone bridge pier to the left of the mainline tracks in the foreground, and a similar stone bridge abutment to the left. Looking at it carefully, I see what appears to be the remains of a black steel truss bridge above and in between several of the cars - i.e., on top of the stone pier to the left of the main, below the green BN covered hopper, above the yellow BN refrigerator car or box, and to the left of the 2 crumpled silver cars (also BN reefers ?). So I'm thinking this is the derailment in the Chicago area from like 10 or 15 years ago, when something knocked down a truss bridge as a train was going across it ?
Anyway, quite the dramatic photo, don't you agree ?
spokyonelocomutt Q. What is the definition of a fixed signal?A Mexican man that had a vascectomy. Oh. I thought you asked "A fixed Senor"
locomutt Q. What is the definition of a fixed signal?
Q. What is the definition of a fixed signal?
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!
Q. What is the definition of a fixed signal? A. A cub brakeman on a windy night, on top of a boxcar, with a cigarette in his mouth, a cinder in his eye and his lantern out.
If you put a container in a Thrall container car, is it enthralled?
Is flew the correct term for a dead fly?
"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)
Three men from Texas were sitting together one day, bragging about how they had given their new wives duties. All of the women were hearty stock from the upper midwest.
The first man had married a woman from Des Moines, Iowa had had told her that she was going to have to do the dishes and the house cleaning. It took a couple days, but on the third day he came home to see a clean house and the dishes washed and put away.
The second man had married a woman from Chicago. He had given his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes and the cooking. The first day he didn't see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was clean, the dishes were done, and there was a huge dinner on the table.
The third man had married a gal from International Falls, Minnesota. He told her that her duties were to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see anything, but by the third day some of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little bit out of his left eye, enough to fix himself a sandwhich and load the dishwasher.
A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables, when a voice in the dark said, 'Jesus is watching you.' He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze. When he heard nothing more, afer a bit, he shook his head and continued. Just as he pulled the plasma TV out so he could disconnect it, clear as a bell, he heard, 'Jesus is watching you."
Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the corner of the room the light beam came to rest on a parrot. 'Did you say that?' he hissed at the parrot.
'Jesus really IS watching you, said the parrot..'
The burglar relaxed. 'So you are warning me, huh? Who in the world are you?' 'Moses', replied the bird. 'Moses?' the burglar laughed. What kind of people would name a bird Moses?' Replied the parrot, 'The same kind of people who would name a Pit Bull Jesus.'
Mookie's question about flat wheels on locomotives reminded me of the engineer who was a little unwise in his use of the independent brake, and ground flat spots on all his engine's wheels. He was, of course, called in to give an account of his misdeed. His response to the question as to how long he thought the flats on the drivers were was, "About a dollar." The man who was interrogating him responded, "A dollar?! They are six inches long!" The engineer then said, "You didn't let me finish; I was going to say a dollar bill."
tree68 INTRODUCING THE NEW BIO-OPTIC ORGANIZED KNOWLEDGE DEVICE, TRADE NAMED “BOOK” BOOK is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology. No wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. Only an external light source is needed. Any lamp, normal daylight, or evan a flashlight will suffice. BOOK is so easy to use, even a child can operate it. Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere – even sitting in an armchair by the fire or on the deck next to the pool – yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM disk. Here’s how it works: BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information. The pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence. Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows the manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs. Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now, BOOKs with more information simply use more pages. Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. BOOK may be taken up at any time and used merely by opening it. BOOK never crashes or requires rebooting, though like other display devices it can become unusable if dropped overboard. The “browse” feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward or backward as you wish. Many come with an “index” feature, which pinpoints the exact location of any selected information for instant retrieval. An optional “BOOKmark” accessory allows you to open BOOK to the exact play you left it in a previous session – even if BOOK has been closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers. Conversely, numerous BOOKmarks can be used in a single BOOK if the user wants to store numerous views at once. The number is limited only by the number of pages in the BOOK. You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with optional programming tools – the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus (PENCILS) or the Permanent Encryption Nib Stylus (PENS). Portable, durable, and affordable, BOOK is being hailed as a precursor of a new entertainment wave. Also, BOOK’s appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and investors are reportedly flocking as well. Look for a flood of new titles soon!
There is older man that walk into a dinner.He is from one of the southern states, so he hase that southern draw. An older lady is sitting behind him eating a burger and fries. She starts to choke, and the dinner staff are like "oh no what do we do?" The older southern man lifts up her skirt and licks her butt. She coughs up the food and slaps the guy in the face and says "how dare you!!!" He said "but mam, I was just doin' the hind-lick manuver!"
INTRODUCING THE NEW BIO-OPTIC ORGANIZED KNOWLEDGE DEVICE, TRADE NAMED “BOOK”
BOOK is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology. No wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. Only an external light source is needed. Any lamp, normal daylight, or evan a flashlight will suffice. BOOK is so easy to use, even a child can operate it.
Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere – even sitting in an armchair by the fire or on the deck next to the pool – yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM disk. Here’s how it works:
BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information.
The pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence. Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows the manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs. Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now, BOOKs with more information simply use more pages.
Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. BOOK may be taken up at any time and used merely by opening it. BOOK never crashes or requires rebooting, though like other display devices it can become unusable if dropped overboard. The “browse” feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward or backward as you wish. Many come with an “index” feature, which pinpoints the exact location of any selected information for instant retrieval.
An optional “BOOKmark” accessory allows you to open BOOK to the exact play you left it in a previous session – even if BOOK has been closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers. Conversely, numerous BOOKmarks can be used in a single BOOK if the user wants to store numerous views at once. The number is limited only by the number of pages in the BOOK.
You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with optional programming tools – the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus (PENCILS) or the Permanent Encryption Nib Stylus (PENS).
Portable, durable, and affordable, BOOK is being hailed as a precursor of a new entertainment wave. Also, BOOK’s appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and investors are reportedly flocking as well. Look for a flood of new titles soon!
The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation. It concerns transit (bus and trolley) companies. This was serious and was written for male supervisors of women in the work force during WWII. For those of you with efficiency issues, pay attention to #8.
Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees
There’s no longer any question whether transit companies should hire women for jobs formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has settled that point. The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and how to use them to the best advantage. Here are eleven helpful tips o the subject from Western Properties.
1. Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they’re less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn’t be doing it, they still have pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently.
2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in the lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It’s well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.
3. General experience indicates that “husky” girls – those who just a a little on the heavy side – are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.
4. Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination – one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of a lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.
5. Stress at the outset the importance of time – the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.
6. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they’ll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have the jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.
7. Whenever possible, let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change.
8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and was her hands several times a day.
9. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can’t shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman – it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.
10. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl’s husband or father may swear vociferously, she’ll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.
11. Get enough size variety in operator’s uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can’t be stressed too much in keeping women happy.
TWENTY-FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD HAVE LEARNED..1. If you're too open-minded, your brains will fall out.2. Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often.3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.8. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.14. Men are from Earth. Women are from Earth. Deal with it.15. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.16. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.25. It ain't the jeans that make your derriere look fat.
But Minnesota public schools will still start on time!!!
For those of you who like wildlife - here's a link to a short and funny video from the USGS Northern Divide Grizzly Bear Project, taken by a "critter cam" = controlled by motion detecting sensor. My daughter forwarded it to me as she received it under the intriguing (but misleading) caption of "poledancer". This bear is better than most people - don't worry, it's not offensive in any way. The version she sent to me had a disco music track, but I don't know how to post a link to that one here (yet). Anyway, enjoy !
http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/video/Kendall_RTgrizrub2006
Video Description: Grizzly bear vigorously rubbing on a tree regularly used by other bears in Glacier National Park.
USGS Northern Divide Bear Project
Remote video by J.Stetz / A.Macleod. August 12, 2006.
Length: 33 seconds, File Size: 589 KB. Clip: RB03v
If you roam around this site - http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/KendallRemoteCamera.htm - there seem to be several other videos of like kind - including a bear taking a swipe at the camera, and even one of the elusive wolverine walking past a "bear hair trap" ! at: http://www.nrmsc.usgs.gov/research/video/Kendall_HT2005wolverine
As folks get older, they begin to take more naps and take up bird watching ---- kinda like turning into cats.
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