Trackside Lounge: 1Q 2010 Edition

[CShaveRR]

James, the same report was on the NBC Nightly News. Of course, it wasn't pretty--but for most of the time the train was making progress, rather than passengers being stuck at an airport going nowhere. And what happens if a plane can't finish a trip it starts out on? Only one way to go...

As for the Texas Eagle, that was the second derailment in two days.

___________________

Condolences to Chris ("CopCarSS") May, who just lost his grandfather.

[The Butler]

CShaveRR

... We just had a report on the local TV news about the California Zephyr arriving in Chicago after its ordeal in Nebraska. ...

OK...I missed that one, but I did catch a portion of a report that the Texas Eagle had a derailment outside of St. Louis.

[CShaveRR]

It would have to be the budgetary thing--cutting back to save the money. There are enough cars to keep them busy, and they might not have to put an extra job on first shift. There hasn't been a third shift on Thursdays or Fridays for several months now.

Last night might have been a good time to put on a night shift, just to keep the place busy during rough weather. We didn't have retarder or switch problems to begin with (some developed later), but there were some tracks that were completely buried under snow. We knew the cars wouldn't roll very well; we just hoped they'd stay on the rail (our first train was practically all empties).

Pat shoveled our driveway again today; I did the sidewalk after I got home. I think we've had our storm for the week now; anything that falls tonight or tomorrow should be inconsequential.

We just had a report on the local TV news about the California Zephyr arriving in Chicago after its ordeal in Nebraska. Lots of angry, frustrated riders.

[CNW 6000]

CShaveRR

Now the fun begins--there was no third shift working last night, so we get to see what at least four hours of non-activity has done to our switches and retarders before we start humping.

No 3rd shift due to:
-Lack of cars to hump?
-Budgetary concern (cost cutting)?
-New operation strategy?
-Some combination?

Twice in the last week I've had occasion to drive past Neenah and North Fond du Lac.  Both times both yards were completely empty, save for bad order cars and power waiting for work.  Last week there was a plethora of traffic...we'll see what this weekend brings I guess.

[CShaveRR]

Pat shoveled the driveway while I was at work yesterday (nothing unusual happened at work--in this weather, that's unusual in itself!). She says there was about five inches' worth.

It looks like we got more snow overnight, and the wind has smoothed off the piles that were already there. From the looks of things, it's out of the east, which means the lake is affecting us. It's not snowing at the moment, though.

Now the fun begins--there was no third shift working last night, so we get to see what at least four hours of non-activity has done to our switches and retarders before we start humping.

[blhanel]

Light snow is falling here now- we've gotten about 1 to 2 inches since 5 PM.  Supposed to get anywhere from 4 to 8 inches, possibly more.

[CShaveRR]

You're right, Larry, the one we're getting is fairly fresh. Now they're saying ten inches max. If the wind shifts to straight northerly or anywhere east of due north, lake effect might dump a little more on us. The warning goes up the coast at least as far as Milwaukee. So far, nothing has fallen here, but I expect the fun to begin before I leave for work tomorrow.

Elder daughter and her husband are taking the kids to Disney World next week. I hope it warms up in Florida before then!

[tree68]

CShaveRR

Are they the ones that ordered this weather?

The northeast suffered from a coastal storm that stalled over Maine - I don't think that storm  would have reached you.  I wasn't really tracking it, though, so you might have sent it to us....

 

[CShaveRR]

Larry, I admired your pictures this morning on my way out the door, but had to wait until now to thank you for posting. "Steam in the snow", huh? Are they the ones that ordered this weather?

Our watch has been changed into a warning across northern Illinois; we're supposed to get six to nine inches' total accumulation between tonight and Friday morning, with the worst coming tomorrow afternoon (about the time my relief is trying to get to work). That's also when it's supposed to get windy, and this stuff will be dry enough to drift. I hope they have extra jobs on, and enough section men and signal maintainers to keep the switches functional.

Speaking of that, I guess they were having problems over my days off with switches throwing at inopportune times. There were plenty of Cat tracks around my tower when I got to work this morning, as well as plenty of rehump tracks to straighten out.

[The Butler]

Thanks for sharing.  The pictures remind me of a trip on the "Snow Train" years ago, in North Freedom, Wisconsin.

[tree68]

Well, bringing photography back into the realm of the lounge - a few pictures from my visit to North Conway, NH New Years Weekend.

Please note that it was a poor day for photography - dark, overcast, snowy - but most folks were recording memories, not entries for a photo contest.  I managed a couple of "keepers," but I was also trying to manage my video camera.  Ironically, the one video I got that's any good occured when I just set the camera and let it run.  If I can get it off the camera with sound intact, I'll put it up here later.

We'll start with the star of the day:

After pulling out of the roundhouse, 7470 went down the hill a little way then backed up to the train.  After coupling on, the occasional chuff of the air pump and whine of the turbogenerator was nearly drowned out by the roar of camera shutters:

After CSRR's GP7 pulled us up to Notchland and cut off, we got down to steam running.   The first runby was interrupted when the train had to be stopped to let a medical emergency across the crossing, but they finally came through, full steam ahead:

Several photo/runby stops later, we were at Bartlett.  With a couple hundred folks on the train, space on the photo line was at a premium, but I thought that "arty" might work here:

A bonus stop at an underpass yielded a great 'coming out of a tunnel" photo op, but I was shooting cell phone video to send to my kids.  Another rider got a good shot and has offered to share it with me.  Hopefully it'll be forthcoming soon.

The next scheduled stop was at a through truss bridge.  My this is where I got the good video, however my stills still had to include some "foliage..."

The final photo op for the day (aside from things like putting the locomotives back in the roundhouse) was a "second coming" at the North Conway station.  After they unloaded all of the passengers, they backed the train out and came back into the station:

It was a cold, but thoroughly enjoyable day. 

The trip (entitled "Steam in the Snow) was chartered by the Mass Bay Railroad Enthusiasts, and is apparently an annual event.  While many of the riders were part of the club (and some rode a bus up from Boston, rather than drive), the trip was also open to the public. 

[CShaveRR]

Got skunked in the train department today when we went to Glen Ellyn for lunch. A nurse with excellent artistic talents drew some of my blood. Looked all right to me.

We have about one more day of passable weather here--then, from Wednesday night through Friday morning, we could get between seven and nine inches of dry snow that will be excellent for drifting. The watch has been issued.

Just found out that an old friend of my daughter's (and of ours) will be starring in "Too Hot to Handel" in downtown Chicago next weekend. I'll be on recuperation from work, so we're going to see her!

[CNW 6000]

CShaveRR

I would hope that this Lounge could become a refuge from all of that--kind of flying above the radar, as it were.

 

(What do I know about flying?[%])

I'll buy that. 

[CShaveRR]

I would hope that this Lounge could become a refuge from all of that--kind of flying above the radar, as it were.

(What do I know about flying?[%])

________________________

Facebook now has a group for Railfans of the Cajon Pass:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=264297480621

I'm in.

[blhanel]

That they have- I'll join you, except for contributing to answering railfan questions concerning my neck of the woods...

[CNW 6000]

blhanel

I'm sure we're doing the same things as everyone else to keep warm, Dan, but I wanted to make it clear that I wasn't the one broaching the subject for discussion in the Lounge.

For the record...I was referring to car handling in the cold weather!    I will now resume lurking.  Things have gotten "interesting" around here...

[espeefoamer]

I resolve to ride as many trains as I can, as often as I can.

This is the same resolution I make every year.

[CShaveRR]

Sorry about that, both of you...the mind is the second thing to go at my age. Maybe "Brian" and "Braun" are too close for me.

[blhanel]

I'm sure we're doing the same things as everyone else to keep warm, Dan, but I wanted to make it clear that I wasn't the one broaching the subject for discussion in the Lounge.

[CNW 6000]

blhanel

CShaveRR

Brian, whatever you're incineratin' there, keep in mind that I personally stay toasty warm and have no problems!

Hey, don't drag me into this!  (He's Dan, I'm Brian)

I had to read his post twice and go back a page just to make sure...lol.  So what do you do in IA then to stay warm? 

[blhanel]

CShaveRR

Brian, whatever you're incineratin' there, keep in mind that I personally stay toasty warm and have no problems!

Hey, don't drag me into this!  (He's Dan, I'm Brian)

[CShaveRR]

I really don't know what they use, but the spatula sounds familiar. (I'm not seeing red!)

Used to be, in CNW days, the signal guys found a certain type of waste oil that did better than anything else they ever had, and was cheap (free!) and easy to obtain. However, it "wasn't approved", so it's no longer used.

[mudchicken]

Carl:

IF your yard is like most yards, that switch lubricant is an organic red or white grease instead of the black/grey graphite & petroleum based stuff? The organic stuff is lousy near zero (hardly viscous) and turns to an ucky gel that mixes with engine sand and dirt to become reddish asphalt. The manufacturers claim you can put the stuff on with a paint brush, but a stick or spatula is a more appropriate tool even in warm weather. 

Used to be I would see ground monkeys sneaking around this time of year with carman's long-neck journal oil cans in the yard because the track department refused to oil switch plates acct. threats from the environmental engineers and upper level supervisors on inspection trips.

[CShaveRR]

Cold weather (exclusive of any additional problems caused by snow and ice) definitely makes the cars roll more slowly. Things that normally slow cars down (such as track curvature and brakes not fully released) can conspire to stop a car, sometimes even on the leads. Everything seems stiffer, so we try and compensate to a degree by less retarding of the cars. Nonetheless, we still have to kick a few of them down into the track.

Retarder function isn't impaired by the cold so much, because a retarder in regular use gets warm in a hurry. As mentioned in previous posts, though, mechanical and hydraulic functions of the retarders can be affected. And, of course, ice on the retarders or the cars going through them can affect their ability to hold the cars.

[The Butler]

Carl, you hinted at an answer to my question for you.  How do the sub-freezing temps. make your job harder?  The switch lubricants thicken (right?).  What else?  Do cars roll faster or slower?  How about slowing the cars?

Just curious! 

[CShaveRR]

Brian, I mean, Dan!, whatever you're incineratin' there, keep in mind that I personally stay toasty warm and have no problems!

My theory is that the worst problems may be caused by the switch lubricants, that seem to impede the movement of the points to a degree (sorry!) during cold weather. (Understand that no snow has fallen for several days now.) If it gets really bad, the points remain open, and we don't get the indication we require. One good reason why we are watching both the switches and our control panels very closely. We had several failures today, but no further incidents.

So far, I haven't seen any stark evidence of a business upturn, such as blocks of once-stored empties on the move to appropriate locations. But rumors persist that some of our yard jobs will be coming back soon.

[CNW 6000]

CShaveRR

Very rough day at work yesterday--I'm almost scared to go back there! We're starting out with a temperature of zero here, which won't make things easier. I'm so glad it's "Friday"--would have been worse if I'd had a full week!

So....

UP can't hump well when it's cold?    Sorry, couldn't resist! LOL!

I wonder if the lumber business may be picking up.  The last couple of days on CN I've seen lots of empty centerbeam cars headed north.  We'll see if they start coming south again.  I'll send 'em to Murphy.

[CNW 6000]

CShaveRR

Very rough day at work yesterday--I'm almost scared to go back there! We're starting out with a temperature of zero here, which won't make things easier. I'm so glad it's "Friday"--would have been worse if I'd had a full week!

So....

UP can't hump well when it's cold?    Sorry, couldn't resist! LOL!

I wonder if the lumber business may be picking up.  The last couple of days on CN I've seen lots of empty centerbeam cars headed north.  We'll see if they start coming south again.  I'll send 'em to Murphy.

[CNW 6000]

CShaveRR

Very rough day at work yesterday--I'm almost scared to go back there! We're starting out with a temperature of zero here, which won't make things easier. I'm so glad it's "Friday"--would have been worse if I'd had a full week!

So....

UP can't hump well when it's cold?    Sorry, couldn't resist! LOL!

I wonder if the lumber business may be picking up.  The last couple of days on CN I've seen lots of empty centerbeam cars headed north.  We'll see if they start coming south again.  I'll send 'em to Murphy.

[CShaveRR]

Thanks, Bob! I wish I could say that it was original (it was forwarded to me by my sister).

Very rough day at work yesterday--I'm almost scared to go back there! We're starting out with a temperature of zero here, which won't make things easier. I'm so glad it's "Friday"--would have been worse if I'd had a full week!