....Well...I won't dwell on the subject. I've just been thinking those thoughts for some length of time now, and just had to say it.
Quentin
ModelcarEach time I read, hear of this silliness, I'm taken back to what was NOT a funny time with people and box cars...!...Just my
On the one hand, they occasionally offer some convincing arguments. On the other, they offer little (if any) hard evidence to back up their claims. The whole "boxcars with shackles" thing is just our particular piece of the pie.
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...
Sobering thought, Quentin...we know that it's silliness now, but your memories are just as valid. If you were one of those people who fought for an end to such things (as was my father), our deepest gratitude.
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)
.....What keeps this subject alive....??? "Shackles...Skeletons", how crazy can one get. Guess it fits in with Halloween coming up fast.
Each time I read, hear of this silliness, I'm taken back to what was NOT a funny time with people and box cars...!...Just my
Happy Birthday, Pat! I hope it's a real nice day for you and yours. Enjoy!
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
Happy birthday to Pat!
No, not my Pat (hers will be here soon enough). This Pat is better known around here as "Boss Hen". Hope it's a great one for you!
Paul_D_North_Jr zardoz - That's a really neat photo and caption, and well-composed with the signal as a photo 'prop' on the right side to balance it. The conductor down in that crouching pose adds a human element and some 'action' to an otherwise (unavoidable) 'still-life' type of view. Much as I like the 'pictures of trains in pretty settings" genre of photgraphy, I like this kind of illustrative and explanatory photo - complete with a little story and some drama (only 8" !, so the 5 MPH) to enliven it. Thanks for sharing ! Got any more like it ? As an ex-rail, you may know of or get to see place the rest of us don't or can't. (More's the loss of those educational opportunities, what with the heightened homeland security concerns and paranoia . . . ). - Paul North.
zardoz - That's a really neat photo and caption, and well-composed with the signal as a photo 'prop' on the right side to balance it. The conductor down in that crouching pose adds a human element and some 'action' to an otherwise (unavoidable) 'still-life' type of view.
Much as I like the 'pictures of trains in pretty settings" genre of photgraphy, I like this kind of illustrative and explanatory photo - complete with a little story and some drama (only 8" !, so the 5 MPH) to enliven it. Thanks for sharing !
Got any more like it ? As an ex-rail, you may know of or get to see place the rest of us don't or can't. (More's the loss of those educational opportunities, what with the heightened homeland security concerns and paranoia . . . ).
- Paul North.
Actually, I don't have as many unique photos as one would think (stories, yes; photos, no), considering my 20 years in the cab. Of course, during that time I kept my FRN-ishness secret, so as not to invoke the wrath of the disgruntled. And as I have been away for 18 years, I have lost contact with most of the people I knew; indeed, when trains go by on my old division, I rarely recognize anyone, but I suppose those with that much seniority are working regular jobs such as suburban, so I wouldn't see them out on the freight lines.
I'll post a few more photos soon.
I spent nearly 30 years working on a federal facility that reportedly has not one, but two such "internment camps." Having covered most of the installation during those years, I can't remember seeing anything that fits the bill.
On the other hand, there are plenty of fenced-in areas (a la Beech Grove) with security lighting, and in one instance, guards at the gates. I've been inside those gates and didn't see any "prisoners..."
These folks are strange....
tree68 CShaveRR: That "FEMA" thing is a running gag around here thanks to that article that Larry posted (and a number of others). Preposterous on so many levels, yet it refuses to die. Mention "shackles" on the Forum and you'll get the same reaction. That particular conspiracy theory is pretty broad - including not just Beech Grove, but a number of other 'interment camps' spread throughout the US. Of course, nobody has actually seen one, although a number of other fenced in areas look "awfully suspicious."
CShaveRR: That "FEMA" thing is a running gag around here thanks to that article that Larry posted (and a number of others). Preposterous on so many levels, yet it refuses to die. Mention "shackles" on the Forum and you'll get the same reaction.
That particular conspiracy theory is pretty broad - including not just Beech Grove, but a number of other 'interment camps' spread throughout the US. Of course, nobody has actually seen one, although a number of other fenced in areas look "awfully suspicious."
Of course nobody has actually seen one. Once you're in you never come out again. Just ask my friend who has a friend who knows a guy who has heard of a guy who's second cousin's barber's son went missing after posting on a railroad forum about box cars with shackles.
Jeff
(OK, I made it up. It was actually the guy's first cousin.)
I'm surprised that he didn't think that the red, white, and blue shield on some of those FEMA carriers was for a new government agency. Just how ignorant of reality can one be?
Had a visitor to my regular train-watching site at the Elizabeth Street crossing today; he was a retired IC dispatcher who currently lives in northwestern Indiana. We managed to keep him occupied for about twenty minutes with no fewer than five freight trains (three manifest, one westbound FEMA-carrier train, and a wreck train). It was clever how somebody out east repurposed those carriers to handle cars and trucks, which could be seen through the "louvers". I'm not sure where the "wreck train" was going; it had about ten of the CNW 791000-series ballast cars with covers to keep the ballast dry during long-term storage, and two or three flat cars with panel track. It was headed east, toward Proviso (which should have one of these trains at the ready, too).
Pat and I had lunch after this activity, during which we were treated to only one scoot and a westbound train of "chemical thermas bottles" (ethanol tanks). On our way back home we were blocked by a westbound train of WEPX empty gons (if that guy knew about rotary couplers, I'm sure there would be a mass-grave explanation for that train!).
zugmann You just can't help but to feel sorry for this guy.
You just can't help but to feel sorry for this guy.
zugmann I did get a chuckle about the "skeleton cars". Have to tell the lumberyard they are using them wrong...
I did get a chuckle about the "skeleton cars". Have to tell the lumberyard they are using them wrong...
http://youtu.be/v7zR7NEzopw
* One could hope that the creator of that video was just doing it as a joke, but if you look at his youtube profile, well, I think he truly believes the crap he posts.
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
CShaveRRThat "FEMA" thing is a running gag around here thanks to that article that Larry posted (and a number of others). Preposterous on so many levels, yet it refuses to die. Mention "shackles" on the Forum and you'll get the same reaction.
I remember finding a video on-line of a guy walking around a single head searchlight signal, musing on how it would be used to guide the trains of boxcars with shackles to said camps. It was hilarious.
Boxcars with shackles even got a mention here.
You will recognize some of the "characters." Others are folks who have come and (in some cases, thankfully) gone.
There; thank you, Carl!!
That "FEMA" thing is a running gag around here thanks to that article that Larry posted (and a number of others). Preposterous on so many levels, yet it refuses to die. Mention "shackles" on the Forum and you'll get the same reaction.
The cars are in fact two-unit articulated auto racks built by Gunderson (and other Greenbrier Companies affiliates). Their trade name is "Auto-Max", regardless of configuration, but most of them began life as trilevels, and you'll find a few converted cars that are now labeled "Bi-Max". The extra height allows them to carry two levels of minivans or pickups and a level of standard autos. Not sure what type of vehicles the Bi-Max modification carries.
Most of these cars are painted white. The "windows", if you get close enough, are just patterns of holes drilled into the solid sides. CSX does have some of these cars, as do just about all of the major railroads (with the exception of NS and CN), and a few minor ones (a lot of cars are lettered AOK, but I think the Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad is also somehow affiliated with Greenbrier). UP's cars are lettered CMO.
In a way, I'm surprised that these cars have steel sides instead of aluminum, but auto racks in general come nowhere close to running afoul of gross rail loads, so the weight factor isn't important.
Oh, thanks...I think.
WMNB4THRTL (Ya lost me on the FEMA thing tho')
(Ya lost me on the FEMA thing tho')
This might help you understand. Be sure to put on your tinfoil hat first, though...
mudchicken BNSF/ATSF INSTRUCTIONS on Form "C" for extra dimentional loads was "SAPOHS" (Stop And Proceed On Hand Signals) driven by milepost location and what the obstruction was.
BNSF/ATSF INSTRUCTIONS on Form "C" for extra dimentional loads was "SAPOHS" (Stop And Proceed On Hand Signals) driven by milepost location and what the obstruction was.
Flickr link
You can see the conductor of the freight on the flatcar watching #8 approaching (at 5mph); he told the dispatcher that there was all of 8" clearance.
Thanks, zug!! I thought they might be but they looked so different than the others. Prob. just a diff. manufacturer.
WMNB4THRTL Hey Carl, and/or anyone else in the know, today I saw some RR cars for the first time. They were cream and had lots of gray squares that looked from afar like they would/could be windows (they are not, of course, but...). Are they Auto Racks? I think most of the rest of the train (that I saw) was. They might have been carrying CSX markings but I am not sure. There were 3-4 horizontal rows of those gray squares. Thx.
Hey Carl, and/or anyone else in the know, today I saw some RR cars for the first time. They were cream and had lots of gray squares that looked from afar like they would/could be windows (they are not, of course, but...).
Are they Auto Racks? I think most of the rest of the train (that I saw) was. They might have been carrying CSX markings but I am not sure. There were 3-4 horizontal rows of those gray squares. Thx.
FEMA CARS!!!!
They're autoracks, unless you subscribe to the conspiracy theory that we are hauling UN prisoners to a prison camp in Beech Grove. I think if we did do that, we'd qualify for a penalty day.
Early computer line modelling was a pain as Diningcar can attest. Fortunately the computers, measuring tools and software are much better. I can still remember coding the old ENCLOG and ENCLEP parameters in the old mainframe IBM 360 computer
Thanks for the comments Carl, Jim, Nance & Paul. Jim - I got some similar advice from a pro photographer who's a client of mine. They are different animals but fun ones nonetheless.
Carl I've been shooting that bridge because the project to replace it is finally getting started. Nothing's down yet but material and equipment is staging. Yes, I'm going to shoot it. I'm no KP but I'll try.
Dan
That's what I'm used to seeing...that phosphorescent red paint on the corners of those slabs. I don't remember humping any of the loads that wore flags.
Great shots, Dan'l! You spend so much time around that bridge that we're going to have to start calling you "MP173"! , guess that name's already taken!
Nice photos, Dan ! I like the 2nd one, too, as you do, for the same reasons.
Note also in that one the pink or red paint that's been applied generously on the portions of the steel slabs that extend out beyond the car sides.
Got it; thanks! I had an idea it was something like that, but no time like the present to find out. Those 2 photos show them much better. Thanks again!
Nance,
Dimensionals are loads that are high, wide or both. CN calls these particular loads "D5R" for their type and width. Different classes of "dimensional" will have different rules for meeting/passing other trains, speed restrictions or other train handling issues. D5Rs are common on this train. The flags are to mark the outside edge. Different roads will have different terminology for them but they are all similar.
Here are two other views of that train...you can see better what they look like in this particular instance.http://flic.kr/p/asDsy8
http://flic.kr/p/asG6PY
Make sense?
[quote user="CNW 6000"]
Sunday October 2's A446 shows just how close the "dimensional" load flags are to the sides of the bridge (Link: http://flic.kr/p/asDsdX)
/quote]
OK, 'dumb question' alert here:
What are "dimensional" load flags? Why are they there? Are they common? Thanks.
CNW 6000 Jim,I love reading about the "good old days" so if you feel like sharing more...I'm all ears (or in this case, eyes).
Jim,I love reading about the "good old days" so if you feel like sharing more...I'm all ears (or in this case, eyes).
CNW 6000As always, C&C welcome. I'm still getting used to changing lenses for shots but I love having more than a 4x optical zoom.
One thing I discovered early on with DSLR shooting was that when you change lens you invariably get some dust on the sensor, especially if you are outside when you do the swap. If you do start noticing dust on the sensor (little tiny grey dots or blobs in the image), might I suggest at the very least you do the lens swap inside your closed vehicle, and always make sure the camera body is pointed down (so the dust cannot settle in the open camera). I was amazed to learn just how much dust is in the air, especially near the tracks.
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