No further word from Nance to report.
Today dawned clear up here, just like it did ten years ago.
My afternoon was spent mostly trackside.
At the bottom of every hour, an announcement was made and repeated over the "Voice of Metra" (with pauses in the wrong places, as usual): "Although it has been ten years today since the horrific events of September 11, 2001, we will never forget..." It wound up with the usual "If you see something, say something."
Okay...in a little over an hour I saw one train. It was a westbound stacker, led by four units. A new ES44AC was on the point. (Over the past few weeks, a very nice percentage of UP freights have been headed by one of the 60 new ES44ACs or 40 SD70ACEs now arriving.)
As I was headed back home, an eastbound scoot came through, followed very closely (on a different track) by a six-unit light-engine consist.
That's all I saw, so that's all I'm sayin'--for right now.
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)
Our thoughts are with Nance, who's currently in the hospital with a potentially serious blood infection. Hoping for a swift recovery!
Listening to plenty of music by Antonin Dvorak today, the 170th anniversary of his birth. Although it doesn't show in his music, he was probably the most avid train enthusiast among the well-known composers. Maybe I should take some of his "American" music trackside to celebrate that.
I'm hoping you're right, Quentin. I'm in a t-shirt and white shorts today for the trimmin' of the green.
_________________________
From Railway Track and Structures:
Chicago's Regional Transportation Authority received a $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration Transit Asset Management (TAM) Pilot program.The grant will allow the RTA to move forward with existing plans to develop a Capital Program Prioritization Decision Tool that will utilize its newly developed assessment and inventory of the region's transportation assets, including infrastructure and equipment, to prioritize future expenditures, in order to best achieve a state of good repair for transportation assets over the next 10 years. The regional Service Boards CTA, Metra and Pace have collaboratively participated with RTA in the process."Our proactive efforts to conduct the asset condition evaluation favorably positioned our region to receive the FTA grant that will be of tremendous help toward maintaining a state of good repair and aiding us with making strategic capital investments," said Grace Gallucci, RTA senior deputy executive director, finance and performance management and CFO.
Do people really have to talk like that when they're dealing with big money figures? Thankfully, I'm never going there...
.....Not yet Carl. I plan to continue with my shorts some time yet. Yea, I know Labor Day has passed. But these days...Dress code tradition..?? Phoey.
In fact, mowed the yard late this afternoon with shorts and shoes with no socks. Did have a light sweat shirt on though. 67 degrees when I started. Had to have my sunshade {hat}, fit on pretty tight, as we were getting a few wind gusts.
Quentin
I think nearly everyone would like to send some water to Texas these days. Sad place, both because of the famine and the fires.
But I'm glad you weathered the storm, and now it appears that Katia is going to steer itself clear.
Our weather has been downright chilly. Might be enough to put me into long pants, shoes, and socks by next week. We got out to lunch today (on our bikes) after doing some necessary domestic projects. No trains to speak of. Much as I like the color green, I don't like it when it's showing on all three westward block signals at Finley Road! (Especially when I can see nothing coming from the east, either!) Then, after we're safely home and busy doing something else, we hear the trains...
almost final tally of rain 1.25" here. Northwest Ga had up to 9". Only 3 tornadoes documented [ F0 }. Only 1 person injured when house fell in on him in basement. Temp last night 61 and high today 68.9. What a change. wish I could have shipped some rain to Texas.
most of the storms went past us here SW of Atlanta. My rain guage just passed 1" from yesterday which I desperately needed. However in Atlanta and e and w of ATL many heavy rains [training ] and too many tornado warnings to count. Almost one every 10 minutes. Fortunately they are minor [ oxymoron ] tornados. quite a few trees down north of us and about 30,000 persons out of power. Just minor injuries so far.
Well the weather guessers got some of it right and some wrong. High on my thermometer 79.9 and low last night 72.7. Still no cool nights.
TS Lee slower than anticipated so got just 5/100" rain from yesterday to this morning. Got 1/4" this morning but heavy rain predicted later [ 3 -5" ] . No wind yet. Radar showed a mini tornado west of here but no reported damage. [ usually minis from TSs. Predicting flash floods in western NC tomorrow but we will see.
I hope you planned too well! Good luck!
We're sitting here with 67 degrees outside. Since we have to make a special shopping run today or tomorrow, we choose today, with an increased chance of seeing some train action, perhaps along the BNSF.
Speaking of which, it appears that increased train action is being provided by Metra! Look at this service update from a little while ago:
Train #1310 scheduled to arrive Chicago at 11:42am will express into Chicago from Downers Grove Main street due to heavy passenger loading. This train will express back to Downers Grove Main Street from Chicago and pick up all passengers waiting at intermediate stations between Downers Grove Main Street and Western Avenue into Chicago.
Weather guessers now say the we will have 1-1/2 to 2-1/2" of rain. We will see. Last night temp stayed above 76 and not forecast to go above 82. Will be lowest high since early MAY. Just started having very light sprinkles. all flood work completed this morning.
Our September heat wave has been broken by a line of rain--nothing of tropical-storm magnitude, just enough to be welcomed. And not enough to interfere with the two picnics we attended today. The second was a small family affair, but the first was the Unity Picnic, sponsored by my old UTU local, two other UTU locals, and a Carmen's local. Lots of good food, stuff to drink, and entertainment for the kids. I was a little disappointed at the low number of people that I remembered from work (and I don't think it's my memory that's fading, thank you very much!). Anyway, by Labor Day the high temperature won't even reach the lows we've been having.
TS Lee here may finally break the heat wave and drought at our location. Since June 1 only 2 days of highs below 90 degrees. Also lows of 70 +. However the soil is so hard that this morning I will be doing some flood prevention work. 2 - 6" of rain is not welcome. I cannot imagine what it has been like in Texas this year.
Deggesty Not in Great Britain, where cars are never switched, but shunted.
Not in Great Britain, where cars are never switched, but shunted.
Both weird terms to describe shifting cars....,
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
zugmann WMNB4THRTL: Oh no, another new term. What is 'shunting?' TIA I'm battin' 1000 today, huh?! GEESCH!!! KNEW I shouldda stayed in bed this a.m.!! Shunting the track circuit..
WMNB4THRTL: Oh no, another new term. What is 'shunting?' TIA I'm battin' 1000 today, huh?! GEESCH!!! KNEW I shouldda stayed in bed this a.m.!!
Oh no, another new term. What is 'shunting?' TIA
I'm battin' 1000 today, huh?! GEESCH!!! KNEW I shouldda stayed in bed this a.m.!!
Shunting the track circuit..
Johnny
WMNB4THRTL Oh no, another new term. What is 'shunting?' TIA I'm battin' 1000 today, huh?! GEESCH!!! KNEW I shouldda stayed in bed this a.m.!!
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
tree68 WMNB4THRTL: Thanks! I guess I should have known/remembered that, but I didn't! Check your rule book - there is usually specific guidance regarding light engine moves (aside from yard work and the like).
WMNB4THRTL: Thanks! I guess I should have known/remembered that, but I didn't!
Thanks! I guess I should have known/remembered that, but I didn't!
Check your rule book - there is usually specific guidance regarding light engine moves (aside from yard work and the like).
We use the term lite for both one engine, or more than one engine without cars. Using a single lite engine has a couple more restrictions... usually in regards to braking and shunting (or not shunting).
WMNB4THRTL Thanks! I guess I should have known/remembered that, but I didn't!
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...
Now the million dollar question: is it running "light", or running "lite"?
WMNB4THRTL Wow--be careful in that heat, for sure. OK, apologies in advance, but what's a 'light engine?' Thx!
Wow--be careful in that heat, for sure.
OK, apologies in advance, but what's a 'light engine?' Thx!
CShaveRR Sorry to hear that, Tom. Were any of the problems related to Irene? There definitely were days when I was glad to see my relief come up the stairs, too--and some of those days my relief would feel the need to try and calm me down.
Sorry to hear that, Tom. Were any of the problems related to Irene?
There definitely were days when I was glad to see my relief come up the stairs, too--and some of those days my relief would feel the need to try and calm me down.
Nah, we didn't get much from Irene. Just other stuff lately. Used be good days and bad days. Then good days and bad weeks. Now we're working on good days and bad months. Just not getting any easier lately, and I'm pondering my options.
Today is a scorcher--the "Bug" is saying 92 degrees right now, which is earlier in the afternoon than we broke 90 yesterday (Arthur, bless his batteries, says 92.6, with a falling barometer...looks like rain may dampen the UTU picnic tomorrow).
Before the temperature broke 90 today, I made a bill-paying bike trip to Elmhurst (about 15 miles when all was said and done). Along with a lighter wallet (at least figuratively), I had sightings of three stack trains, two manifests, an auto train, and a light-engine movement. I timed my errands so I wouldn't be in the station area when the two scoots stopped there. Very little was interesting or unusual, except that I saw a nearly-new UP covered hopper built in Mexico by Greenbrier (the series is 93900-94099, 200 cars; the build date I saw was from June).
Both the light-engine movement and the second manifest were westbound on Track 1, which is normally the track for eastbound trains in suburban territory (we're talking tradition here, not CTC technicalities). They were running during the hour that there's no eastbound scoot. It turns out that Tracks 2 and 3 were occupied by a hy-rail truck and construction equipment doing cable-laying work in Lombard when I returned home. I should have hung around to see how the next scoots were handled, but it was warming up by then.
Yup, Paul--it's the reel deal!
And today a dog-walking neighbor was very complimentary toward me for using the "antique" (both he and I know that it's a modern version). I didn't know who he was, but he's obviously observant, as he commented on our biking to do errands as well.
Got both passes of the front lawn done, and some small juniper trees transplanted, so I can feel good about doing freight-car records tomorrow. Five new files were added over the past couple of days, and I'm using Jim Kinkaid's (Morning Sun) books on tank cars to confirm a few things and elaborate on lettering descriptions now. What a blast from the past for me!
A reel ("real") mower, eh ?
Lawn took a little longer than expected, because it developed into a little bush-whacking, too. I have to finish with the front yard today, as in right now. The good news is that we use no gasoline or diesel on this lawn. (I used to ask the PE teacher at the school across the way if she'd like to give her kids the chance to do just one row behind the Lawn Mower of Doom. I don't think that's allowed, though.)
Out the door...
Every once in a while, I have one of those days that I ask myself "why the -blank- am I working this job and doing this to myself??"
Today was one of those days. That is all.
rvos1979Restored lawn order this past Friday, realized that I should not have bought a 2-gallon gas can, I filled it up in May, and still have half the contents left. May have to dump what's left after mowing season is over into my parent's car, as my truck runs on good ole #2 diesel.......
From what I'm hearing about gas these days, it may not be much good any more....
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