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)
I had way too much weather excitement here yesterday. Not long after I had made my last post here yesterday, I was in another part of my apartment(Ahem) and I could hear banging on the outside wall of the building. It was hail. I figured lightning would be next, so I went over to the computer, in the living room, to shut it down and all of a sudden hail started hitting the window harder than I have ever heard it in the twenty years I have lived here. I chickened out and left the computer running, and ran and hid behind some counters in the kitchen. After a couple of minutes the hail stopped and I shut the computer down.
I then had to leave, and on my way back home about supper time, I went to the Safeway up the street. The clerk was telling me that cars in the area parked away from buildings and out from under tree's had their windows broken. I saw on the news that house's in other areas of the city had their windows broken, but I haven't heard of any damage to our building. The news was talking about quarter sized hail, but I don't know about that. What astonished me, besides the noise, was how fast the hailstones were traveling. As I turned to run to the kitchen, I could see hailstones hitting my brick window sill on the second story here, and bouncing way out across the parking lot.
Before all this started yesterday it was about 70 degrees F, and when I turned on the computer now, the little weather box said it only about 48 F. And this is the week of the Calgary Stampede. Folks won't be happy down there. Now I have to go catch up on about 22 hours of e-mail.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
CShaveRR Lake Michigan is a wonderful weather-modifier around here.
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 CShaveRR Lake Michigan is a wonderful weather-modifier around here.We get the same thing from Lake Ontario - it can be a rip-roaring storm around Buffalo and Toronto, but by the time it gets to the east end of the lake, and us, we're lucky if we get some rain. Most of our nasty summer weather comes out of the northwest (Canada) or hard by southwest, in both cases missing the lake entirely.
Parts A and B of my field trips are done now waiting for an email or a phone call.
Carl,Do you "get" about 60 miles a day?
Dan
CShaveRRWorked with Tweedle-Dumb today
Tweedle-Dumb or Tweedle Doesn't Want To? Many years ago, we were moving the Stock Room stock from one location to another. A young fellow was supposed to be helping me, but I was having to tell him, "Now take that carton off the pallet and put it on the shelf," over and over. At the first break, I told our supervisor that I needed someone to work with me. I do not know what the boy did after that break.
Another interesting character was one I was attempting to train when I was working the second shift. He essentially had two speeds: slow and snail. One evening he came to me and told me he had flaps of skin on his feet and would like to go home. I sent him to the man who did have such authority as to let him go. He did not come in the next day, so I duly added another comment to the list I had been keeping. The following morning, the Stores supervisor called me after he thought I would be up and confirmed what I had written. The boy came in that afternoon, a few minutes late. I was out on the Manufacturing floor and he came up to me, told that he had been to a doctor, who cut the flaps off and told him to go home and not go to work. I told him, "Ed (the supervisor) wants to see you." I never saw the boy again.
In general, the people who could not make use of what they were told did not last long.
Johnny
I once worked with a woman whose speed was "if I leave some, they won't give me as much to do tomorrow." Training her was a total waste of time. Unfortunately, getting rid of her was very difficult (despite several attempts). Nobody missed her when she retired.
We may see some of what SE Michigan saw this afternoon later tonight or early tomorrow, if the lake doesn't kill it off. We can use some rain. Quarter sized hail not so much.
CShaveRR [snip] . . . in the eight days I have left before vacation, all I could possibly teach him/her would be attitude...
But that's the most important part - with the right one, a person can do almost anything; with the wrong one, they can't do a lot - it's very much a self-inflicted condition.
One of the standing jokes and banter between me and my wife relates to a dinner stop at a Burger King in Newburgh, NY about 12 years ago, on our way to ride Amtrak's Adirondack to Montreal the next day and then VIA's Ocean to Halifax, N.S. that night and the following day. The service was exceeding slow for simple basic and 'brand' menu items - "Whoppers" as I recall. Even the manager noticed and told the teenager who was gathering our order together, "Pick your feet up, Kenny !"
I also recall an article in Trains many years ago about a new fellow's experienceS aboard a dining car, and with the head chef. The boss said something like, "I don't mind telling you once how to do something. But if I have to tell you twice - change you when we get to Chicago !". Fair enough to my mind - and fair warning, too.
- Paul North.
Carl:
How often, big and close to schedule are the Rail Ex perishable trains running these days? What route do they take to get through Chicago?
Bill McDonald
Maybe the order has to do with 'better train handling' Carl, but that's from an "outsider". Eager 'beaver' though I am.
Congrats again Carl.
CShaveRRPat and I drove to the Farmers' Market today after work (would have been a bike trip, 10 or 15 degrees lower), and acquired some juicy peaches and some sweet corn for tonight. Oh, and some asparagus.
Great minds think alike. We visited the Cedar Rapids Farmer's Market this morning downtown, and picked up a few fresh items, including sweet corn which we just finished enjoying for dinner. I took a few pictures while down there, will post them later. I also got down to the transcon this afternoon for a bit, and got somwhat lucky- caught two coalies meeting each other on the Cedar River bridge. One was loaded and the other empty, of course. Pictures to follow,,,
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
OK, pictures as promised... first, a couple of shots from the Farmer's Market here:
We've developed the habit of parking in a ramp near Quaker Oats and walking along the tracks down to the market area- the city has done a nice job of sprucing up the ROW:
Finally, here's a couple of shots from the ped bridge overlooking the UP Transcon near C Ave. SW this afternoon- caught two coal trains meeting each other while crossing the Cedar River.
Brian, you got more in that shot (of the two trains meeting) than you think. You can't really tell, but the engineer of the westbound was wearing a Kromer, red with white polka dots.
I saw you up on the bridge, but wasn't sure if it was you or not.
Jeff
ALRIGHT!!! GOTCHA!
EDIT: Hey, this is a unique situation- I can actually ask the engineer a question about what I observed today. After you passed C St. SW, you had a flashing yellow ahead, and there hadn't been another train through there in at least half an hour. What was up? Did you have to stop at Beverly for some reason?
blhanel ALRIGHT!!! GOTCHA! EDIT: Hey, this is a unique situation- I can actually ask the engineer a question about what I observed today. After you passed C St. SW, you had a flashing yellow ahead, and there hadn't been another train through there in at least half an hour. What was up? Did you have to stop at Beverly for some reason?
We never actually stopped, we just slowed down. A train that was two ahead of us had to set out a car with a warm bearing at the west end of Beverly. Those trains ahead of us were starting to move again and we were just catching up to them.
Congrats again Carl. Where's Ed and his story about the long time hogger on the last day? That may fit well (slightly different craft tho)...
EDIT:Found it. ( http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/63562/782393.aspx#782393 )
edblysardGot to watch it happen just a few weeks ago... Old timer engineer, number 1 on the roster, who had more than enough years in gave it up, his wife was ill and needed him home full time. From what I understand, he used to come to work with his uncle back when he was a teenager, and this is the only place he has ever worked, at all. He showed up, just like every other day, readied his motor, and did his job. No noise, no complaining, no griping and, at his request, no ceremony from the brass. They did give him get a quit that day. He tied the motor down when they were done, came in, tied up at the computer, went back and took the few things left in his locker, dumped them in a grocery bag...came back and left the bag and his grip outside the front door to the locker room...went back out to the yard, shook a few hands, then climbed back up on his motor, sat down on the engineers seat, put his hand on the controls one last time, and just sat there for a few minutes... He finally shook his head a little, checked to make sure he had it all tied down right, and climbed back down. He stood there a few seconds, then, of all things, patted the side of the motor, like you would pat a good horse on the flank, then he stepped out into the yard for one last look at the place he had spent so much time. It took him a few seconds to realize everyone had stopped working...we were all watching him. Someone, (I'm not telling him who, ever) started to clap...then one of the yard engineers started to sound off a grade crossing signal, and then the rest of them followed suit, and laid on with the horns and bells...the guys in the tower hit the big warning air horn on the side of the tower... He grinned, shot us all the bird, walked over, picked up his grocery bag and grip, threw them in the back of his car, and drove off property. Hope I am that lucky when I give it up... Ed
CShaveRRAnd when I get done today, come what may, I go down the stairs for the final time in a professional capacity!
Oh....what a personal final statement....!
For someone who has enjoyed his work and responsibility thru the years, that can be a very emotional final step.....But the future can be enlightening too.
Have been retired now in the 17th year, and for the most part, it's been comfortable and being enjoyed. Feel fortunate. Now our best wishes to you, Carl & Pat....Enjoy.
Quentin
CShaveRR And when I get done today, come what may, I go down the stairs for the final time in a professional capacity!.
Wow Carl, A BIG congratulations !!!!!!
The railroad will be without a VERY valuable asset from here on . I wish you and Pat a very blessed retired life from this day forward.
CShaveRRBoy, I hope today lives up to the hype! I go to work and relieve one of my favorite CROs (the Princess Bride). Then I get to work with a fantastic student, the two regulars in the lower towers, and my favorite (and therefore arguably the best) hump conductor. And when I get done today, come what may, I go down the stairs for the final time in a professional capacity! It should also be the day that I qualify for next year's vacation. I need 85 miles; should receive 160.
I trust you had a good "let's-get-rid-of-him" party (that is how I referred to the party held for me the day I retired; I did no work that day except clean my office out).
I'm curious: how do you take vacation from work that you no longer have?
Carl - Congrats! Isn't it a grand feeling? Now about all that spare time you thought you'd have.
Forget it. It doesn't exist (although it is nice to be able to just say "not today...")
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