CShaveRR (For example, we block cars for Selkirk--I happen to know what Selkirk is, and where it is, and what traffic should be routed through it from here, but a lot of my co-workers don't have a clue to any of that, and some don't even know what "SELK" on the hump list stands for!)
I know what it means - If I'm in Syracuse or Utica I'm going to see it going by!
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...
tree68 I no longer live in Michigan, meaning my kids didn't do seventh grade there, so I don't know if they still teach "Michigan History & Government" like they did when I was in seventh grade. If they don't (and if they don't teach stuff like this) one wonders if they realize that nearly 50 years later, we're discussing something like this, and know more or less from whence we speak... I'm sure the argument would be that it's not stuff kids today need to know...
I no longer live in Michigan, meaning my kids didn't do seventh grade there, so I don't know if they still teach "Michigan History & Government" like they did when I was in seventh grade.
If they don't (and if they don't teach stuff like this) one wonders if they realize that nearly 50 years later, we're discussing something like this, and know more or less from whence we speak...
I'm sure the argument would be that it's not stuff kids today need to know...
I wonder if state history is taught in public schools now. I had South Carolina history when I was in the sixth grade–and I do not remember much of the details. When I moved to Mississippi, I found two histories of Mississippi that had been used as texts in the public school, and I read them, wanting to know more about the state than I did. However, when I moved to Alabama, I did not find any schoolbook history, so I was unable to add to my knowledge.
Justin, have you studied the history of Indiana in school?
CNW6000 : "Hmph...there was actually a BOE member who suggested removing Civics/History classes from HS curriculum on grounds of 'waste'. For some odd reason...he wasn't re-elected, I wonder why."
He didn’t want the people who went through the school system to learn from errors made in the past but to repeat them? I’m glad that this person was removed from the board.
Mudchicken: "Then there's the lawyers that can't write a legal description (metes and bounds or otherwise... some of the latent and patent ambiguities are a mess, not to mention the math errors ) who now want the term changed to property descriptions."
Can they write anything, even in legalese, that can be understood? I have my doubts that the current "education" system makes any attempt to teach real communication in any way, whether oral or written.
Justin again: we have been talking about two systems of accurately describing large plots of land so that they can be legally defined and located. As you probably have seen, one system, "Metes and Bounds," starts by locating a particular well-known spot or item, and describes in what direction and how far you move to the next determining point, and so on, until you come back to the origin. The other system, "PLLS," starts from a point that has been determined by the basic geography of the earth, using a particular, named meridian (an imaginary {imaginary in that it is not marked on the land} line that runs from one pole to the other) and a particular, named base line (an imaginary line that is parallel to the equator) as the references for the land description. If you looked at the site that Larry posted for us, it may seem at first that the PLLS system is hard to follow, but it is, within its own limitations, superior to the Metes and Bounds for describing much of the land in our country.
Now, when you come to town lots, the PLLS system is cumbersome, for town lots are usually quite small. So, there will often be a plat (yes, that’s the word, "plat" and not "plot"), which makes reference to the larger surveying system to show just where it is, drawn up to show all the lots in the town, with each lot identified, often by a number. These lots, even though they are particularly identified by a different system, are tied, legally, to the overall system that is used in the area. Thus, you can be certain about the legal description of the property you own. I hope I haven’t confused any more than you were.
Johnny
CShaveRR(For example, we block cars for Selkirk--I happen to know what Selkirk is, and where it is, and what traffic should be routed through it from here, but a lot of my co-workers don't have a clue to any of that, and some don't even know what "SELK" on the hump list stands for!)
Shucks, I'm not a railroader, and I know what "Selkirk" is. I know that this usage does not refer to a CP steam engine nor to a mountain range in Western Canada, but it does refer to the CSX (former NYC) yard at Albany, New York. Carl, could these co-workers of yours handle anything like a mule leg that is hanging out a car? Or does a loose or missing slat bring them to a standstill? I'm sure that they are good in what they are paid to do, else they would not still be working.
DeggestyNow, when you come to town lots, the PLLS system is cumbersome, for town lots are usually quite small. So, there will often be a plat (yes, that’s the word, "plat" and not "plot"), which makes reference to the larger surveying system to show just where it is, drawn up to show all the lots in the town, with each lot identified, often by a number. These lots, even though they are particularly identified by a different system, are tied, legally, to the overall system that is used in the area.
I had a chance to think about this since my last post. I incorrectly used the term baseline in my last post. The prime meridian for the western Canadian system is the line running north/south east of the Manitoba/Ontario border. The baseline for our system is the Canada/US border (49 degrees N. Latitude)
But to continue on with what Johnny has said I will give a more complete example of how we use this system: LSD *, ** 1/4, Sec **, TWP ***, Range **, West of the * Meridian. The asterisks are LSD (1-9) (NW, NE, SW, SE) 1/4, SEC (1-36) TWP (1-126), Range (1-30) West of the (1-6) Meridian. As mentioned earlier the miles get smaller, as it were, the farther north you go. There are 30 Ranges at the 49th degree of latitude, but only 23 Ranges at the 60th degree of latitude, the north boundary of the 126th TWP and the border between the prairie provinces and the Northwest Territories.
So the length of an LSD on one side is 1/3 of 1/2 of a mile, or 880 feet, which is pretty precise for the middle of the Canadian prairie. City house lots like in Calgary are then numbered as part of an LSD (I forgot to explain, Legal Subdivision) So that is how 123 Main Street is tied into the overall survey system.
LSD's are the common way of locating wells in the petroleum business, but I'm not sure when the concept was developed. I never knew if it was part of the system set up in the ninetieth century or added later for the benefit of the oil business. But if that were the case, when did they become part of the city lot descriptions like my parents house has.
Thats all for now, and when it comes to the week I just had, as David Letterman says "If that isn't enough, it should be!"
AgentKid
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
Morning all!
4 trash barrels in our yard this mornig. Will need to go out there and place for sale sighns on them... Also lots of shigles from other neibghors houses in our yard to pick up. That stinks. I will just throw them in my nebighors yard and say it was the wind. Well, now on to more serious issues. Oh Dad just got home from work, and he says the rivers are way out of their banks.
Going to be another scorcher today. Be safe,
Justin
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
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)
Had a bit of excitement right outside my living room window last night. I live in a second storey apartment and not 25 feet away from my place, in the building parking lot the police arrested some bad guys driving a beautiful white Nissan 350Z. The bad guys seem to be driving nicer cars than the law abiding citizens, that was one pretty car. Fortunately, there was no gun play and surprisingly little discussion.
They took these guys away and a tow truck arrived right away to take the car away. Now that was interesting to watch. It seems when one is pulled over by the police one doesn't take care to make sure the car is parked correctly between the white lines. So the car was stopped with the front left tire in a dip where the storm drain is. Those cars seem to ride about a 1/3 of an inch above the ground as it is, and watching the tow truck driver try to get the bar under the car to hold the little dolly wheels on was something. Then because the dolly wheels are wider than the car he had to try get the car and the dolly wheels past a power pole at the edge of the lot. I thought at the time this whole thing would have made a good exam test for tow truck driver school. If only he had known the bad guys came in from the west, he could have simply replicated their route into the lot in reverse, instead of towing the car out going east. And as per usual in a thing like this, a couple of drunks wandered over from the bar across the road and wanted to know what was going on. The tow truck driver said he was taking away a drug dealers car.
All in all it was more interesting than the TV show I was half watching at the time.
AgentKid If only he had known the bad guys came in from the west, he could have simply replicated their route into the lot in reverse, instead of towing the car out going east. And as per usual in a thing like this, a couple of drunks wandered over from the bar across the road and wanted to know what was going on. The tow truck driver said he was taking away a drug dealers car.
Or he simply could have taken his grapple (if so equipped) and yanked it (via nice, expensive rims) out into an easy to access spot.
Dan
DeggestyCShaveRR(For example, we block cars for Selkirk--I happen to know what Selkirk is, and where it is, and what traffic should be routed through it from here, but a lot of my co-workers don't have a clue to any of that, and some don't even know what "SELK" on the hump list stands for!) Carl, could these co-workers of yours handle anything like a mule leg that is hanging out a car? Or does a loose or missing slat bring them to a standstill? I'm sure that they are good in what they are paid to do, else they would not still be working. Johnny
Carl, could these co-workers of yours handle anything like a mule leg that is hanging out a car? Or does a loose or missing slat bring them to a standstill? I'm sure that they are good in what they are paid to do, else they would not still be working.
CNW 6000Or he simply could have taken his grapple (if so equipped) and yanked it (via nice, expensive rims) out into an easy to access spot.
I like your thinking!
It might have been the only justice these guys see. The reason I mentioned that there was so little discussion during the arrest relates to what a local newspaper columnist had to say about how the justice system is working lately. These guys couldn't seem to wait for the arrest process to be over so they could get bail and get back to their "job". The columnist said it's like they open the back door of the Crown Vic themselves and say "Let's go!"
For some reason, I can't get photos to post on here now, so here is a link to one of my latest.....
http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=1151603
TimChgo9 http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=1151603
Beautiful silhouette train / signal bridge photo....crisp and clear....
Quentin
Modelcar TimChgo9 http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=1151603 Beautiful silhouette train / signal bridge photo....crisp and clear....
+1 on that Tim. Nice shots in that album.
I had always thought coal trucks were made by Komatsu, like the ore trucks we see on the History Channel. This is in North Dakota somewhere. The photographer has forgotten which mine. Any ideas?
I know you grandkids had fun. Barbara & I ride it every year in September. Here is a video I shot with my little point & shoot Canon. Barbara did the unrehearsed play by play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SC1lu-f3Y8&feature=channel_page
CShaveRR they put out an extremely informative booklet on the line's history, including that of all of their locomotives and passenger equipment
I put together several brochures about our operation - one for each of the two out and back trips we do, one for kids, and one for railfans. They don't last long in the rack. The fan version has info on all of our locos as well as some operations notes. The two trip versions give landmarks and limited history.
We try to narrate the trips, but if we can't get to it (short crew, etc) they sure come in handy.
Great minds think alike!
TimChgo9 For some reason, I can't get photos to post on here now, so here is a link to one of my latest..... http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=1151603
Tim,
That's a lovely image. If it were mine, I think I'd probably clone out the flare ghost on the left side of the signal bridge, though.
Very nicely done, though!
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
CShaveRRWelcome "home", Chris--you've been missed!
Thanks, Carl. Been a busy spring/summer. I haven't done a lot of shooting, and almost no train shooting. Here's a couple non-train things that I like, though:
Some orchids at one of the local greenhouses. A friend and I will be chronicling the greenhouse throughout the season. Should be a fun project! - K20D, FA 50mm f1.4
My cousin, Courtney, has been swimming competitively all summer. I used to swim a lot when I was younger, so I've been attending some of her meets. Unlike last year, she's been at a lot of outdoor pools this year! That's been key for me, because I've finally been able to get some decent light on her. Here she is in the 'Fly, which is one of her specialties (the other being the backstroke). - K20D, Tamron SP 300mm f2.8
I've been doing some storm chasing lately. I haven't had a lot of success, but I did find a couple funnel clouds a few weeks back. I had to chase more than halfway to Kansas to find them, though. It was also late at night when I found them, and couldn't get enough light to get any decent shots. Little did I know that I could've just stayed in town. The storm before the one pictured here dropped a funnel very near Union Station! I was a little too late for that, but I found these dramatic clouds and the it was kind of amusing to see blue skies reflected in the building. K20D, DA 21mm f3.2
I've got some shots waiting to be ULed from an outing this past weekend to Roxborough Park on the SW side of the Denver Metro area. Alas! the video card died on my laptop. It's integral to the motherboard, so I've got a used MoBo coming and hopefully I can get the stuff post-processed and ULed soon.
One other interesting little tidbit. I've started shooting 35mm film again. I figured that every good Pentaxian needs to have a K1000 in his or her arsenal, so I added that fabled body. There's something supremely satisfying about the simplicity of the camera, and the lovely sound of that mechanical shutter. Music to my ears!
I put a roll of the new Kodak Ektar 100 through it this past weekend at Roxborough. I have divided feelings on the film. It's really nice, and the grain is really, really fine. I'm hating the cyan skies I'm getting from it, though. It doesn't matter, though. I'll probably be shooting Kodachrome almost exclusively for the next 18 months. I had been considering shooting some anyways. Kodak's discontinuance notice just reinforced my desire.
Speaking of which, anybody got any Kodachrome laying around that they don't want to use? I'll gladly buy it from you! Ever since Kodak's announcement, it's been hard to find. Catch me off list if you have any!
Thanks!
EDIT: Since this is a railroad forum, I should probably add at least one railroad shot. Here's a sunset as seen from Tennyson St. (the street I live on):
K20D, FA 50mm f1.4
Carl: Joint line where he's at (busy). I could throw a rock at him as many times as I've been by concrete madness lately. At least we know he's still here and OK (he was too quiet)...
Carl,
Thanks for the kind words! I'm not sure what the deal with the windows in the building is. I know it's under construction, but I don't know why they'd install almost all the windows in save those few.
The line is part of the Moffat Sub as it heads west through Arvada and then up into the Rockies. It sees a fair amount of traffic. Lots of coal, a couple manifests, a couple BNSF trackage rights trains and the CZ every day. Sometimes if I'm not looking to get pictures but just watch trains, I'll head down there with the scanner and just watch what happens by.
Just out of the frame to my left is the line out to Golden. The Beer Runs usually sit at Tennyson St. waiting to go through C&S Junction, so I see them quite often. Unfortunately, there wasn't one there on that evening with that spectacular sky. Oh well, sometimes a railroad shot doesn't need a train.
Anyways, back to the salt mines. Because of the economy, we've expanded our territory a bit! I'm bidding jobs in places like Vail, Hayden and even Rawlins, WY now!
Thanks Chris....
I just noted that "flare ghost" that you mentioned. I'll see if I can clone that out.
I haven't been doing much shooting lately, busy summer with the kids being out of school, that coupled with a computer problem that resulted in the purchase of a new motherboard, I am hoping to get out and get a few shots in the coming weeks......
Welcome back, you haven't been around for a while....(Frankly, neither have I....)
CShaveRRAll that's necessary is for the engine to clear that speed restriction around the yard--he opened up east of the station, and the hind end could have been up to 70 when it got by us.
And that's a sensation, being relatively close to a train moving that fast...
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