Trackside Lounge: 1Q 2010 Edition

[The Butler]

Deggesty

Going back to the subject of flour, do NOT put grain of wheat light bulbs through your wheat grinder when you want to bake light bread.

Ain't that where light wheat flour comes from?

[CShaveRR]

I have the feeling our PR person was either misquoted, or possibly was talking down to somebody who still didn't get it right. Johnny, I was smelling the flours because they had freight cars "stocked" with flower. And maybe if you put those light bulbs in the flour it would flouresce! (Yes, the misspelling was intentional!)

Speaking of misspellings, smart***es, and such, I used to serve as an editor for a certain historical society that would from time to time publish books on various aspects of the railroad in question. I went through one manuscript with my usual thoroughness, and totally ticked off the author. He refused to work with me, and gave me the scathing insult: "You are super critical of everything!" One of the best compliments I ever got. Needless to say, somebody else did his book, and it was an embarrassment.

(I was also called a "syntax guru" by another author in his acknowledgements.)

Quentin, I saw a series of pictures of the Sand Patch wreck--you could put four or five different teams to work clearing that up and they wouldn't have to interfere with each other! The most sobering shot was the one of the wheelset in the picnic area. The ones posted on our own thread are different, but just as telling.

James, NICTD is the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, operator of the passenger service on the Chicago South Shore & South Bend right-of-way. I could have called it a South Shore passenger train, but that's no longer accurate. It will become even less accurate when NICTD expands to other routes serving Lowell and Valparaiso (I may not live to see it, but it's been talked about for years).

And, yes, there is no comma in "Chicago South Shore & South Bend". Nor was there one in "Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee".

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

CShaveRR

  [snip]  I went through one manuscript with my usual thoroughness, and totally ticked off the author. He refused to work with me, and gave me the scathing insult: "You are super critical of everything!" One of the best compliments I ever got. Needless to say, somebody else did his book, and it was an embarrassment.

(I was also called a "syntax guru" by another author in his acknowledgements.) [snip] 

  ''Been there, done that'', and am still here, doing that, too - not as editor for a group, but merely as writing my own stuff and as an in-house reviewer of various documents.  I've been told - as recently as yesterday - that we don't want to embarrass someone during my review, because we need to stay on good terms with them.  I don't hold myself out as any great maven of the English language, because I'm just not into the details of the rules and articles of speech, etc. - but I usually recognize spelling and synonym problems, and the worst of the convoluted phrases.  Which is also to say that my own writing isn't perfect, and I won't get bent out of shape if someone calls me on something. 

  I suppose said author wouldn't mind too much if his doctor was equally lackadaisical in writing out prescriptions, treatments, and the like ?

Carl - maybe you've heard this already, but - in another life, I believe you'd have done just fine writing computer code/ programs.  It's just like reporting marks and car numbers - if they ain't right, the machine doesn't care - it just isn't going to process it correctly. 

- Paul North.

[CShaveRR]

Paul, interesting that you should say that--the author in question was a doctor! I kid you not.

The best compliment an editor can receive from an author is that he doesn't notice what you've done. The author still has to shine through in the final publication. Pat is currently editing the publication of our local historical society (often with help from Yours Truly), and both of the regular authors of major articles like the way things look in the newsletter--but Pat has often had to rearrange, reorganize, and other "re-" jobs just to make them coherent. And they claim they can't see what she's done!

I was once selected (possibly based on my writing) to work on computer programs for the C&NW. They actually took me out to lunch in their recruitment effort. I had to tell them I wasn't interested.

[zardoz]

CShaveRR

How do things like that get by everyone before the article gets out? Oh, well, I may be in the minority when I react to typos (or I might be a "smart***", as somebody on the Forum called me today for jumping on a typo). So should I just leave these alone, go out, and smell the flours?

FWIW, and IMHO, typo's and misspellings reflect poorly on the writer.  If one chooses to use the written word as a means of communicating, then the tools used to express the thoughts and feelings of the writer should be the correct tools. One wouldn't use a hammer to change a light bulb (well, one could try, but likely would not be very successful). Same goes for words.  If the reason for arranging letters in a particular sequence is to convey a thought or feeling, wouldn't it be desirable to want the communication to be as precise as possible?

The (dis)advantage of speaking instead of writing is that one can be sloppy in usage without anyone noticing. When the thoughts are in print, errors are much more apparrent.

As to whether those of us that value accuracy and clarity should (unrequested) publicly point out flaws in other's writings, I usually refrain (although sometimes I just can't help NOT doing it).

[Deggesty]

zardoz

CShaveRR

How do things like that get by everyone before the article gets out? Oh, well, I may be in the minority when I react to typos (or I might be a "smart***", as somebody on the Forum called me today for jumping on a typo). So should I just leave these alone, go out, and smell the flours?

FWIW, and IMHO, typo's and misspellings reflect poorly on the writer.  If one chooses to use the written word as a means of communicating, then the tools used to express the thoughts and feelings of the writer should be the correct tools. One wouldn't use a hammer to change a light bulb (well, one could try, but likely would not be very successful). Same goes for words.  If the reason for arranging letters in a particular sequence is to convey a thought or feeling, wouldn't it be desirable to want the communication to be as precise as possible?

The (dis)advantage of speaking instead of writing is that one can be sloppy in usage without anyone noticing. When the thoughts are in print, errors are much more apparrent.

As to whether those of us that value accuracy and clarity should (unrequested) publicly point out flaws in other's writings, I usually refrain (although sometimes I just can't help NOT doing it).

How do bad syntax (should there be a sin tax on bad syntax?), misspelled words, etc. get by? There are few, if any proofreaders these days at newspapers. Zardoz, Ricki and I agree with you, Carl, and Paul North. These errors leap out at us when we see them in the newspaper and other places. (I have forwarded your notes to her, and she appreciates them.)

Ricki has had the same problem that Carl mentioned--her corrections in style were rejected by at least one author; I like Paul's comment about a doctor's being inaccurate in writing a prescription or describing treatment. Ricki came up with a new problem with one author after she edited a book--the author made changes, and did not give any documentation. After the corrected manuscript was returned to her, she had to spend much time in re-preparing the book for publication. She was paid more than the usual amount for her editing because of the additional labor.

And, on the subject of education, I saw an item this morning that indicated that less than half of the math teachers in British schools understand simple mathematics. http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=18998&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Apparently, after we older people finished our public education, the education system collapsed.

[The Butler]

zardoz

CShaveRR

How do things like that get by everyone before the article gets out? Oh, well, I may be in the minority when I react to typos (or I might be a "smart***", as somebody on the Forum called me today for jumping on a typo). So should I just leave these alone, go out, and smell the flours?

FWIW, and IMHO, typo's and misspellings reflect poorly on the writer.  If one chooses to use the written word as a means of communicating, then the tools used to express the thoughts and feelings of the writer should be the correct tools. One wouldn't use a hammer to change a light bulb (well, one could try, but likely would not be very successful). Same goes for words.  If the reason for arranging letters in a particular sequence is to convey a thought or feeling, wouldn't it be desirable to want the communication to be as precise as possible?

The (dis)advantage of speaking instead of writing is that one can be sloppy in usage without anyone noticing. When the thoughts are in print, errors are much more apparrent.

As to whether those of us that value accuracy and clarity should (unrequested) publicly point out flaws in other's writings, I usually refrain (although sometimes I just can't help NOT doing it).

I am guilty of making spelling errors, ending sentences with prepositions, and the like.  English, Spelling and Grammar were not my strong subjects.  I do do my best to get things correct.  I do not mind being corrected, just do it with some tact, please.  Since I am a two finger typist, my brain runs faster than my fingers and I have been known to type the wrong word while in a hurry to get my thoughts out (break instead of brake).  Then, I was ridiculed on the Forum for said mistake.  I can be thick skinned but it still hurts.

My take on the error in the quote is that the journalist didn't know what the spokesperson meant and felt quoting her with flower instead of flowers would show the possible contempt or dislike the writer has for the spokesperson to the readers.

[CShaveRR]

I never intend to ridicule the person whose post contains the typo. And I won't usually say anything, unless I can find a smile hidden somewhere in there. I appreciate wordplay, and am a sucker for puns. When the mistake is something patently ridiculous (I haven't seen a load of flowers at all in my experience, and I'm sure the spokesperson meant "flour"), I try to have fun with it. That's just me. (And if that makes me a smart***, I can live with that; I've been called worse.) But ordinary typos, or use of the improper word (such as your brake vs. break, James) usually won't get a reaction from me--I sometimes do the same thing, and this keyboard is known for making mistakes as well (seriously--it doesn't think I strike the "o" hard enough, among other things).

If I somehow were given the job of making everyone's posts presentable, I could do it--but it would be a task that I'd take no pleasure in. So I just do what I can to eliminate mistakes in my own posts, and make sure I'm saying what I want to without encouraging misunderstanding (I rearranged the structure of the preceding paragraph to make more sense one time). Sometimes I fail. I'd like to think that I'd appreciate the joke as much as the person who is laughing--not at me, but at my failure.

[The Butler]

CShaveRR

I never intend to ridicule the person whose post contains the typo. And I won't usually say anything, unless I can find a smile hidden somewhere in there. I appreciate wordplay, and am a sucker for puns. When the mistake is something patently ridiculous (I haven't seen a load of flowers at all in my experience, and I'm sure the spokesperson meant "flour"), I try to have fun with it. ...snip

With lurking on this site for two years before joining, I know that you, Carl, would never ridicule a person over a typo.

I grew up in a household where wordplay and puns were enjoyed and common place.  Scrabble and later UpWords were (and still are when I visit) some of the games we enjoyed playing.

I try to take the time to read my posts before posting.  That way I can catch a missing "s" or rearrange a sentence or two so my thoughts are presented more clearly.

So, those of you who have felt the need to correct a Forum member, do y'all do it in a PM or in a regular post? 

If the need ever arises with concern to me, I gladly accept helpful criticism, just keep it polite. 

[CNW 6000]

I will chime in that I'm definately not perfect, grammatically speaking.  My keyboard & fingers constantly conspire to trip me up with "taht" and "teh" in lieu of the proper arrangement.  I have sent PMs to folks on occasion in a friendly attempt to help out.  Sometimes it works...sometimes maybe not.

I've been able to get out a little lately...saw a few trains and a remnant of the past.
Heading south through Neenah after chasing errands on Friday (last week) I took the 'scenic' route to see what was happenin' at the yard.  I ended up catching "The J" working as a switcher: EJE 665

CN's East RTC was talking to a few trains and one seemed to be heading out of the yard so I headed south on Harrison St and caught one already heading down Dixie Siding (near US41) so I boogied to get ahead of it and find a decent vantage point.  It was 'just a manifest train' but better than no train to see and shoot:

The reason the manifest train was taking the siding was some MoW work going on near "South Neenah":

It was getting late and I had to get home so I headed south taking my time (cuz I could hear RTC talking to a SB stacker) and I was hoping to get it in decent light.  Things worked out this time.

On the "homestretch" near the house there's a field where I've wanted to try an artsy shot like the one I'm going to share.  It's not the best shot I'll admit...but a decent first attempt I think.

I was driving through Neenah yesterday and spotted a familiar color.  Sure enough...

A CNW hopper.  Not that common around here with CNW reporting marks yet. 

On to the important stuff.  Aedan is getting bigger and stronger (7 months and change).  Just the other day...he was trying to do pushups!

That'll do for now.  Off for a short stint at work this morning.

[The Butler]

CNW 6000

snip... It was 'just a manifest train' but better than no train to see and shoot: ...snip

 

[CShaveRR]

"Just a manifest train"?

Those are the best trains to look at, and they're what's keeping me gainfully employed. It would be a lot easier to hump unit trains, but that wouldn't be very productive.

I trust you have Aedan swimming by now as well, Dan, My grandkids have all been in swimming lessons already (the oldest is five). Considering that they spend a lot of their summers on Green Lake (not that far from you!), it's probably wise.

[CShaveRR]

Now this is more like it!

http://www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cfm?ArticleID=50805

The most interesting thing is that this $100 million is going to provide impetus for a lot of projects around Chicago (I wish I knew what some of the others are), for one third of the cost of one expressway interchange. (And I am one of the people who sees the value of that particular interchange as a timesaver, but wow!)

[CNW 6000]

CShaveRR

"Just a manifest train"?

Did I just "miff the Carl"?  LOL!  I meant no harm...I know there're the most interesting to look at and serve a very important purpose.

CShaveRR

I trust you have Aedan swimming by now as well, Dan, My grandkids have all been in swimming lessons already (the oldest is five). Considering that they spend a lot of their summers on Green Lake (not that far from you!), it's probably wise.

He's been in the pool a little more than 12 times to date and he loves it!  Heck, you should see him kick and splash at bath time!  Having taught swim lessons for 16 years, Aedan has a pretty good teacher...IMNSHO anyway.

[tree68]

I'm active (a moderator no less) on a local forum.   Since there is no real focus such as we have here, the topics are all over the place, and so is the scholarly quality of the writers.  Some are apologetic, some haven't a clue.

NY recently mandated CO (carbon monoxide) detectors in residences.  The title one poster used when starting a thread on the topic was "Carbine dioxide detecters."  Three words, three completely different errors (well, two and one-half).  

Dan - enjoy Aedan's limited mobility while you can.  Granddaughter took some of her first sure steps on her first birthday (and now, at almost 2, is a whirlwind).  Grandson is crawling with great abandon, and would be walking at 10 months if he could just work out the details.  He sure wants to.  I'm not sure either grandchild has been in "open water."  Granddaughter might have been, though.   I'll have to check with the daughter on my grandson.

[CShaveRR]

Beautiful day today--sunny and near 40 degrees out there. Today was nice, and interesting on several counts.

At our Ash Wednesday service last night (joint between the two local churches from our denomination), I ran into an old friend and bicycling buddy who retired from work last September. He is loving the heck out of retirement, and says that I have a lot to look forward to--and none of the worries that have scared me. He offered to bike to work with me when the weather improves--just so he can turn around at the property line and go back home!

Very good day at work today. No mistakes, I did a few of the clever things I'm notorious for, we kept up with the business, and even got a couple of breaks. And no problems with retarders or switches!

A sister of mine has put me on Cloud Nine this evening. I can't say any more.

[CShaveRR]

Today we actually hit 40, in spite of starting out lower in the morning. I've now seen the moon two nights in a row, possibly a record for 2010. Snow is likely for the next several days, though the current forecasts disagree on whether it will amount to anything.

Two error-free days in a row. Should have been watching more closely, though--I might have been able to prevent an error or two in the lower towers, had I been able to let them know.

I had thought that the issuance of the TIGER grants would be more of a story around here than it seems to have been. According to the Trains Newswire, funding for the grade separation by the West Colton Yard has also been secured, thanks to the TIGER.

Local news, too: the bike trail on the former Chicago Great Western Railway will get its own right-of-way through the most complex (and tricky for bikes!) intersections in town. This involves three new overpasses--two over busy streets and one over the UP main line. The old CGW bridge over the CNW disappeared very quickly after the line was abandoned, because it posed close clearance problems to the then-new double-stack trains. The tracks, which had dipped to go under the CGW bridge, were leveled at this point, so a bike bridge is going to have to be a lot taller than the railroad bridge ever was. UP seems to have a standard design for bicycle/pedestrian overpasses, visible in many towns along the Overland Route in Nebraska. Wonder whether we'll see an adaptation of that design here.

[CNW 6000]

I hope the overpass will be good for pictures Carl.  We hit 37 today...felt like a heat wave!  I confess...I did spend most of my day at work in shorts and a t-shirt.  If I'm lucky this weekend I'll be able to stay away from work.  OT is nice...but so is time off!

[CShaveRR]

One of my cohorts is taking a vacation day today, Dan. Guess he knows something about the weather that I don't. Right now we have a little snow out there; the sidewalk contains something under an inch of it. But there's a Winter Storm Watch out there for tomorrow night into Tuesday, for which they're predicting up to six inches of the stuff, mostly on Monday. Warmer temperatures will make this the heavy stuff.

I'm sure the bridge, wherever it's located, will make some good new photo opportunities. I doubt that I'd ever use it to get a look at the trains, though, as I'm perfectly happy with locations that get me close to them at ground level.

[CShaveRR]

The winter storm watch is still in effect, but now they're saying 8-10 inches of the stuff, starting tonight. Once I get home, we might just stay in for a day or so (today is my "Friday").

Finally got to read some interesting details about the CREATE project nearest Proviso--where the third main line will go in, how some trains will "fly over" the main line to get to the IHB, and so on. The TIGER grants mean that this will be reality. I don't see it affecting my work this year, so whether I work or not will have no effect on my keeping tabs on this project. I suspect there will be a few added scoot trips into Chicago for us when things start to get interesting.

http://www.createprogram.org/PDF/NEW%20PAGE%20PDFS/Stimulus%20Project%20Descriptions%20FINAL.pdf

The Proviso-area project is Project B2 ("B" for "Beltway", suggesting that most of this work is really in connection with the IHB enhancement).

As an aside, I have to laugh at the comment someone made about buying the UP to make them expand trackage. Look at this, look at the work at Houston mentioned in another thread, K.P. Harrier's long-running thread about expansion on the Sunset, and the recently-completed High Bridge in Iowa last year, as well as the added track on St. Louis to Kansas City and the new intermodal terminal going in near Joliet. Doesn't sound like UP is doing too badly in a recession economy!

[Modelcar]

Carl....when arriving home from work today, possibly ahead of the oncoming snow, perhaps you can make it be just a nice relaxing day or two by your fireplace and watch it pass from that vantage point.

It does look like we are going to luck out rather well, being on the southern fringe at best......and we've been melting snow here for several days now.  Hope it continues.   As I mentioned in the Diner this morning, Jean saw a Robin outside here under a nearby evergreen tree where the ground is bare.

[CShaveRR]

Hey, Quentin! I also see from the Diner that today's your birthday. Hope you've gotten an enjoyable day in, and have many happy returns.

No fireplace here--but I arrived home ahead of the snow (which is still not falling) with a full tank of gas. Unless we go visit grandchildren, we'll be home all day tomorrow.

We're on the southern edge of the snow line, but there will be rain south of us. It's possible, with the temperatures close to freezing, that we may get some stuff worse than snow. Should be really pleasant for the signal department at work tomorrow--they have a retarder beam to replace.

Seems a little early for robins in these parts, but thanks for the "warning"--we'll be on the lookout!

[CShaveRR]

Pat and I shoveled three inches of heavy, wet snow (no doubt it settled and compressed from the ten inches or so that actually fell!) off our driveway, sidewalks, and neighbor's sidewalk. I think more fell on the street than on our surfaces, judging from what the plow deposited in our apron (knocked over our trash bin, and practically buried the recycling bin). On more than one occasion while shoveling this stuff I thought about offering it to the tunnel relining crews at Tehachapi.

[The Butler]

Well, yesterday I saw a flock of Robins in my yard when I got home from work.  That was around noon.  This morning, I saw a small flock of Wood Ducks in the pond here.  These are all good signs, I think.

[CShaveRR]

We stayed indoors (except to clear away snow) yesterday, so nothing to report on area railroads. All I know is what I read in the "papers". And this morning I happened across two gems:

First, yet another plan about what to do with Chicago's Union Station. I hadn't known that the other plan had fallen through:

http://www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cfm?ArticleID=50882

And then, a neat place to stay, if you have the fortitude and the funds:

http://www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cfm?ArticleID=50869

Now we'll be off for shopping and grandchildren (not necessarily in that order). See what gems we can buy, see, and hear.

[tree68]

I recall seeing the story about the locomotive/hotel room a while back.  IIRC, it's painted in the Big Sky Blue scheme.

Last night we got about an inch of snow, nice and fluffy, which I cleared off the driveway before I called it a night.  Overnight we probably got another inch, but by the time I got to it, it was mush and heavy as all get out.  Had to switch to the "little" snow shovel - it was too much to push with the big one.

[CShaveRR]

It might be nice for a second stay at Essex. I haven't been anywhere near there yet (another post-retirement bucket-list thing), but would actually want to see the locomotive before I committed to it for a couple of nights. Maybe one of the cabooses would do us.

We're getting some big, fluffy flakes right now, but the roads and sidewalks are wet and the temperatures above freezing, so no real worries there (as long as it falls at this nice, lazy rate).

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Website for the ''GN 441 Luxury Locomotive Lodging'' [an ex-ATSF F45, extensively refurbished] -

http://www.izaakwaltoninn.com/gn441.html 

At $299 per night, 2-night minimum - nicely done, and a novelty, but I think I'll pass - too much 'lodging' for just the 2 of us anyway.  Also, not authentic at all, other than the cab.  I'd prefer one of the 4 cabeese, which are about $230 per night, 2-night minimum, though again more than we need - which I've done elsewhere a couple of times - or better yet, a Pullman of some type at the site.  But hey - they deserve kudos for a novel idea, and successfully pulling it off.    Hope it works out for them financially, too.

- Paul North. 

 

[Modelcar]

....Interesting article on Chicago's Union Station.....Hope success will be forthcoming to do appropriate renovations. 

[Deggesty]

Paul_D_North_Jr

Website for the ''GN 441 Luxury Locomotive Lodging'' [an ex-ATSF F45, extensively refurbished] -

http://www.izaakwaltoninn.com/gn441.html 

At $299 per night, 2-night minimum - nicely done, and a novelty, but I think I'll pass - too much 'lodging' for just the 2 of us anyway.  Also, not authentic at all, other than the cab.  I'd prefer one of the 4 cabeese, which are about $230 per night, 2-night minimum, though again more than we need - which I've done elsewhere a couple of times - or better yet, a Pullman of some type at the site.  But hey - they deserve kudos for a novel idea, and successfully pulling it off.    Hope it works out for them financially, too.

- Paul North. 

 

Paul, I agree with you. Now, if we were offered a night or two in a Pullman, with the Pullman berths, we would be interested. Indeed, Ricki wishes that we had a Pullman to put in our backyard (the fact that our backyard is not long enough to hold the car does not deter the wish).

Right after a hotel was opened in the Chattanooga Terminal Station, I was interested in the possibility of spending a night in one of the cars--until I learned that the berths had been taken out and replaced by beds.

It is another matter to stay in a well-established hotel such as the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island or the Del Coronado in Coronado, Cal., the Palmer House in Chicago, the Brown Palace in Denver, or the various former CP and CN hotels in Canada.