Watcha talkin' about, Nance, the sun's shining here!
Seriously, we're in "brace" mode here. In spite of payday not being here yet, we're probably doing our shopping tonight. There isn't much else we can do except let the stuff fall. Tuesday would have been my day off anyway, but it's times like these when I'll be glad I can just stay inside. (And I certainly wouldn't have to want to deal with what they're going to find at work after the maintenance shutdown on Tuesday morning!)
The bridge at Burlington has been repaired; no detour moves for us today.
As for employee timetables, I doubt that it has become a federal offense to own a current one. They're nice pieces of information to have, but these days there's not much "timetable" to them--no schedules for anything except passenger trains. Your best bet for getting information about shortlines or even the busier lines in your area is to own a scanner, or to tap into web sites for fans of the given railroad, or maybe the railroad itself.
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 agree on the scanner & website/chat site for a particular area. Those two things have saved me countless wasted hours.
Carl & Jim,One of my sources informed me that the train departed Shops at 2:29 PM yesterday...so I hope you could've caught it. It's down in Kirk Yard now I believe. Here's my shots of it:
Dan
Well, that made me feel better, Dan--I was afraid I'd left West Chicago just a little too early, but since we had to be somewhere else at 5:00, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have made it by then.
Great pictures, by the way!
Thanks Carl. For some reason things have been getting snarled at Shops - more than usual - during the last couple of weeks. I'd bet that on Wed or Thur (unless the snow gets too crazy-then Thur or Fri) you could catch a NB empty run back up from Kirk Yard, IN.
Good morning all. How goes it so far? We're getting steady snow but we only expect 1-3" today. It's tonight and tomorrow that's gonna knock some socks off, maybe. Really though, as long as we don't lose power, we'll be just fine. Take care; stay warm and safe.
Nance-CCABW/LEI
“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” --Will Rogers
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right! --unknown
We've got our 1-3 inches on the ground right now. The plow went through a couple of times overnight, apparently to spread salt and/or keep ahead of things (our street gets cleared because it's used by school buses--the school across the street is in session.
We're going to head out soon and do all of the necessary payday errands--three or four stores, two banks, one post office (maybe a hobby shop!), and perhaps lunch. It won't be the most pleasurable trip out, but the nasty stuff isn't supposed to come until late afternoon. The blizzard warning starts at 3:00, and the latest prediction is 12-20 inches, with locally heavier amounts.
Pat just went out to shovel the walk--I haven't done all of my usual stuff on the computer yet this morning, but that can wait until the snow starts to pile up--our errands can't!
Be safe when out 'n about Carl. My flight to Austin via Minneapolis leaves tomorrow at 0640 from Appleton...so I should be avoiding most of the crappy weather. My 2nd time flying...unless you count driving fast!
Gee, Dan, I hope you do get to go. Often, it's not the actual path you want to travel that's a problem so much as the planes aren't line up properly. If 'your' plane gets grounded in a stormy city today, you won't have it for tomorrow. Good luck!!
We're back in, and it seems like a white curtain has dropped on us within the past few minutes. But everything's done--we've got food, TV, Wii, and Internet--that will last us until the power goes!
Al's in Elmhurst (hobby shop) is closing early this afternoon, and won't open tomorrow. Metra has announced that it will run some pre-rush-hour trains on certain routes to handle people whose jobs in the city will end early today. While we were out, we saw a few Metra scoots--on our line, anyway, things are pretty much on time so far. BNSF has had one delay due to switch problems so far.
Dan, I think my daughter flew out of Appleton a time or two when she was at Lawrence U. Assuming you make this flight, you'll have a lifetime total that's two higher than mine (and Pat's)! Have a safe, comfortable trip, and see lots down in Texas!
Good morning all. I hope everyone is safe and has not lost power. We're fine. We actually got much less snow than predicted but I feel guilty posting that bc I know so many are in bad situations. Take good care and be careful.
We have power, but no way is this groundhog going outside to look for his shadow! As of this morning, the official snowfall was 17 inches (the area away from the lake generally has 17-19 inches_, with 3-5 more expected). The lower half of our front fence is buried--we haven't attempted to get the door open. I think we'll make an attempt at shoveling later today, but it has to be after the wind dies down and before the temp goes down below zero.
We did have one or two thunderclaps last night after we went to bed, but the lightning was underwhelming, probably diffused by all of the snow.
Metra is running its trains on a Sunday schedule today, but not having much luck at keeping even to that (that basically entails trains every two hours throughout the day). Everyone's been urged to stay at home, but that didn't stop one car from finding itself in the path of a Metra train in Elmhurst. In fact, my latest service report announced that a UP train has departed Ogilvie and is running on time. Guess that's unusual enough to merit attention--we'll see how long it lasts.
They've downgraded our "winter storm warning" to an "advisory" now. Not much snow (maybe a few inches) but still a fair amount of wind, which is causing drifting. Good reason to stay in.
I did fire up the snowblower to clear the driveway - that drifted stuff is heavier than the fluff we've been getting. Then again, due to the way the wind is blowing, part of the driveway was actually bare.
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...
OK, question. I noticed on UP8122 loco that its numbers are down low, not up high near the top of the front. Anyone know: is this common? Is it bc it's a certain make/model? I don't recall ever having seen this before.
Also, can anyone please tell me why, that quite often when trying to type, my font flips over to tiny and I have to go back up and reset it or at least back up and retype?
Thanks, on both counts.
24" of the white crap here in Kenosha a few miles from the lake. Highest wind gust last night around midnite was 59mhp on my anemometer. In front of my house drifts across the road measure 44" high; in my back yard some of the drifts are above the gutters. YUK!
Bad stuff here in Muncie........But the sun actually peeked out a few minutes, an hour or so ago.
We have a few inches of snow on the ground, but from what passed thru yesterday / last night, everything is coated with a hard crust of ice.
I just {in the past hour}, took a nasty fall on my back / head, trying to go down our slight incline on our 70' drive way on my way to the mail box....It was a nasty fall, and believe the hard coating of ice on some snow broke my contact as my head hit,,,,hopefully saved me from major damage.
Mail and paper still in the mailbox.
We have continued to have power, thankfully. Wind gusts pretty high today with times of snow...{Just looked out my window here and to my {great}, surprise.....Blue sky...!
Hopefully by tomorrow more sunshine will prevail....But we're to have a very cold morning...low single digits. Then conditions should slowly improve the next day or so.
No way could I keep my balance when I didn't get my foot stomped down thru the ice and....bang the nasty fall.
Must remember we're not a teenager anymore.
Quentin
25 degrees and partly sunny in Austin, TX currently. Everything is brown...ugh. I miss snow already! I hope everyone who doesn't like the snow stays safe and warm until they can dig out.
Supposedly there's a pretty active UP line down here, and not far from my 10-20. I'll have to go "walkabout" and see if I can see anything.
Oh no, Quentin! I'm very sorry to hear about your accident. I hope you are OK. Please let us know how you are doing, OK? I'll keep you in my prayers.
Dan, I'm glad you got to go and got there safely w/o incident. Have a good time, hopefully with lots of pics, too!!
Gotta be careful Q...we'd miss you too much!
Thanks Nance. I may have a small amount of time for checking things out...but we'll see.
Last time I cracked my head on concrete, the daughter checked the concrete for damages!
(She's become more of a sweetheart since then, by giving us grandchildren and calling us today to make sure everything was all right.)
Quentin, I hope you don't suffer any long-term effects from that tumble!
Here, Metra's been struggling to maintain even a Sunday schedule. At least out west of town here, the conditions have been improving, so the evening should go more smoothly for them. I have a friend by the tracks in Villa Park; he reports that no freights have gone by.
The official total for this blizzard (yes, it officially qualified as one) was 20.3 inches, at O'Hare. It's securely in third place in Chicago history, behind 1967 and 1999. The sun has been shining for about four hours now, but the Village hasn't made its way to our street with the plows. The school parking lot is open--they had to use end-loaders for that. We broke out of our house after lunch, and shoveled a path down our front walk to the driveway, thence three separate paths to the neighbor's house, the street, and the garage door.
Nance, I can't help with your font/size problem. I just type mine out, then change the type face and kick it up one size before posting.
I think most, if not all, of UP's SD70MAC units (Including UP 8122) have their number boards on the nose. Most of UP's C44AC and C45AC units (their classification--models are AC4400CW and ES44AC, but not the same break-points as our classes) have their headlights and number boards above the cab, but they're down low on some of them. Low lights give less glare to the engineer in bad weather (such as falling rain or snow), but on the nose they're in a position where employees could get burned by brushing up against them. I'm probably wrong about which are more common, but that's just my fault for not paying enough attention.
Just took a look at the Rochelle Webcam--it looks like nothing's gone through there today, at least on the UP side (I could see rails on BNSF, but those could have been blown clear).
We aren't out of the woods yet--tonight the temperature will fall to double-digits below zero, so that wet snow that we haven't gotten to will solidify. Maybe we can order some dynamite from Burlington!
Thanks for the tip Carl. That was an amazing sight. I hope Jim Wrinn sees it, as he was on another thread looking for snow pictures.
What would be even neater though, would be to know when UP will run the plow through. That might make a great picture.
Stay safe and warm.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
Well, my oh my! Lots to respond to here! Dan, hope you can get at least a few good shots.
Carl, your daughter sounds like what my family would've said! Thanks, I'm testing out your 'font,' etc method. (Well, that doesn't work for me; guess I didn't 'talk to it nice' like you did??!! --another grandma-ism!!) And yes, I'll bet Burlington is NOT using ANY of theirs at the moment!! HA!!! Probably lots available for the time being. Thanks for the loco info, as always. I'd never seen that before.
So, I've completed 'E' and 'F' so far today of the Glossary and the resultant questions are:
1. After a flat spot forms, does that wheel have to be replaced?
2. It said they are caused by a wheelset locking up; what would cause one to lock up, other than an emergency brake application?
3. Under 'Flexicoil truck,' it takes about a bolster. What's a bolster?
4. This came to me while learning about 'frogs' but is really about switches proper, I guess. I think, IIRC, they taught me never to back through a switch you've gone through improperly (is that called 'run through?') Why is that, assuming I'm correct?
What is going to be the procedure opening up the Rochelle Diamond? Will they send a Section Man (MOW worker) out in a truck with a broom and a shovel to clear out the diamond by hand, or will the RR's just pay their money and take their chances running trains over it as hard as they can go?
I'm just not familiar with the modern way of doing things.
Nancy, I don't think we've spoken before, but your font is working fine now and very readable.
I spoke too soon about Metra service on UP West improving as the weather did...it's done for the day now. Nuttin' running!
Nance, I know that there are standards for when a wheelset has to be condemned because of flat spots. Sometimes the flat spots sound pretty horrendous going by you but those are okay. They're measured--anything over a given size is changed out, or there could be two adjacent flat spots of a smaller size that would also require changing out.
Not all routine brake applications release in order--the entire train might be able to roll after brakes have been released, but there might be a couple of hangers-on that slide a bit before beginning to roll. Hand brakes left on are responsible for quite a few slid-flat wheels. Defective bearings might also cause a wheelset to lock up, but if you have one of those, flat spots are probably the least of your worries!
A bolster is the metal cross-beam that holds the side frames of the truck the proper distance apart.
Going through a switch that hasn't been lined is called "trailing through" it. If the switch isn't meant to be trailed through, your doing it will damage it--you've forced a point open, but there's no assurance that it will stay in any position. Back through it, and you're as likely as not to get both flanges between the points and the stock rails--and from there it's just a short drop to the ground.
(After you finish typing your post, choose "select all"--usually "command" and "A" at the same time. Then change your font; you'll have to Select All again to change the size. Another possibility is to make your changes after you've typed only a word or two, and just continue typing the rest of the post after that.)
CShaveRR Nance, I know that there are standards for when a wheelset has to be condemned because of flat spots. Sometimes the flat spots sound pretty horrendous going by you but those are okay. They're measured--anything over a given size is changed out, or there could be two adjacent flat spots of a smaller size that would also require changing out.
How much can be a wheel be turned down before it has to be discarded?
Johnny
Johnny, One operation I know of has the following rules, but I have seen the same ones published elsewhere:
Proceed at normal speed if: flat spot is 2 1/2" or less or there are 2 adjoining spots, each one is 2" or less in length.
You may continue at 5mph if they are in excess of above but less than 4" and no other defect is found.
You may not proceed if: defect is over 4".
I hope this helps. (Finally, I got to answer instead of ask! YIPEE!!)
PS Shoot, I just re-read and it looks like I spoke too soon. This probably doesn't help you; sorry.
Not bad, Nance--those do sound like the numbers I was trying to remember for condemning wheels.
Johnny, I'm not sure that flat spots actually grow in size once they've formed--maybe the conductor was simply annoyed at that one, or knew that the car would have to be set out at a location where something could be done. I believe most wheelsets have one or two turns in them, but don't know whether that applies to passenger wheels.
We're still effectively snowed in here, in that our driveway isn't clear. I do have a path out to the street (which finally got plowed a little before dark last night), so I can take a trip to the store after lunch. I think our official low was -3 this morning. One of my "trackside reporters" on Facebook says that no freights have gone through yet, and Track 2 remains unused here. It looks like something has broken open the UP tracks at Rochelle. Metra has attempted to run a normal schedule today, and seem to be fairly successful so far, at least on the lines for which I get service alerts.
Yea, my PS was bc I thought I couldn't answer Johnny's exact question, but, once again, you took care of that!
Thanks guys, for all the help. Glad everyone sounds OK.
Off to study in the key of G , oh I mean, in the letter G in the Glossary.
Nance:
I'm holding off on answering #4 until you get a little more comfortable with switches and turnouts. Us folk who wind up fixing the track damage have a slightly different perspective.
Eventually we will talk about rigid and variable switch stands. When you run backwards through a switch, the following tend to get "bent": (1) The switch rod (from the switch stand to the switch point #1 rod), (2) the #1 and #3 rods, (3) sometimes the switch stand or the (4) Switch points/ (4a) Alligator Clips (transit clips)...
The following tend to get "broken": (1) Switch stands, (2) track & switch bolts and the tips of switch points.
For certain, the switch mechanism is now out of adjustment. Nobody, not even Arnold Shwartzenswitcher is going to throw the switch. The next train through that switch is a derailment waiting to happen and a section gang is in for hours of fun. (Hope you have some track folks that know what they are doing, repairing damaged switches back to proper adjustment is an art.)
If that flat spot is not addressed mui-pronto, the track folks get more unplanned work.
(Depending on who wrote the Glossary, you probably got a bunch of new terms to deal with)
Ooo, thank you, MC. That gives me something to 'chew' on for a while.
Speaking of which, I have some letter 'G' questions: (Sesame Street anyone? sorry, couldn't resist! )
1. from this site, "Railroading Glossary"
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