Paul_D_North_Jr Don't know that I'd of made the connection without the hint - but you've either got a good ear for sound patterns, you listen to certain music too much, or "You need to get a life" . . . You do that often ? Ever with US railroad sounds ? What similarities might you hear in a GE loco's burbling ? The clatter of wheels over rail joints ? Did you ever play the drums or study percussion instruments in school ? - Paul North.
Don't know that I'd of made the connection without the hint - but you've either got a good ear for sound patterns, you listen to certain music too much, or "You need to get a life" . . .
You do that often ? Ever with US railroad sounds ? What similarities might you hear in a GE loco's burbling ? The clatter of wheels over rail joints ? Did you ever play the drums or study percussion instruments in school ?
- Paul North.
Good ear? Don't know.
Listen to certain types of music too much? Yep. I listen to just about anything and everything.
I need a life? Hell yeah.
I don't really notice too many similarities with the work I do. And I couldn't carry a tune with a gondola and a SD40-2, so I never played an instrument. Although I would like to learn a little guitar.. on the bucket list, I guess.
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
Paul_D_North_Jr Don't know that I'd of made the connection without the hint - but you've either got a good ear for sound patterns, you listen to certain music too much, or "You need to get a life" . . . You do that often ? Ever with US railroad sounds ? What similarities might you hear in a GE loco's burbling ? The clatter of wheels over rail joints ? Did you ever play the drums or study percussion instruments in school ?
Little Richard said the sound of the snare drum all the way through his song Lucille is the sound L&N steam engines made running past his family's farm at 40 mph. Z isn't the only one with a good ear.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
VMAX=e((Ea + 3)/ 0.0007D)= SQRT((Crosslevel Elevation)+ Unbalance) 0.0007 D
Hope Bill Gates has friends in Witness Protection
mudchicken VMAX=e((Ea + 3)/ 0.0007D)= SQRT((Crosslevel Elevation)+ Unbalance) 0.0007 D Hope Bill Gates has friends in Witness Protection
umm... is the answer 1-800-Hulchers?
zugmann First, check out this crossing video from the Netherlands. You only have to watch the first 10 seconds or so: http://youtu.be/LRmV9V1EKt0 Is it just me, or does it sound awfully familiar? http://youtu.be/gqg3l3r_DRI I think it's kind of cool....
First, check out this crossing video from the Netherlands. You only have to watch the first 10 seconds or so:
http://youtu.be/LRmV9V1EKt0
Is it just me, or does it sound awfully familiar?
http://youtu.be/gqg3l3r_DRI
I think it's kind of cool....
This is a strange one....Don't know if I should even comment, but what the heck....
I listened to both: If I have to make a comparison to the two sounds....I'd say this: if I try hard, I see..{hear}, a similarity to the "beat" of the sounds....Or I might say the: "Timing".
Quentin
I watched the whole train video. Did any one else notice the drivers did not proceed until the gates were fully up and the lights stopped flashing?
James
....I've watched the Netherland's cam now for several years and the auto drivers pay strict attention to those crossing gates. Trains fly thru there and occasionally, one going each way.
Pedestrians, and bike riders do the same....Strictly.
That is the law here in Illinois as well. It could be better enforced than it is. Quite often we have people starting across as soon as the gates start to go up. Actually, that's not unsafe...if another train were coming the gates would drop again and give 20 or so seconds' worth of protection. But it is the law. I'm not sure if respect for railroads will ever be successfully legislated.
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)
OK, so with all the advancements in technology, I find it quite surprising that they have not yet come up with switches that can be thrown from inside the loco.
I can see there might (probably would?) be a cost issue, yet possibly somewhat offset by some other factors. Security would also need to be considered, as we don't want the local hoodlums tampering with them.
Does anyone know of any attempts at this? Are they in the works? Thanks!
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
They exist and are in use. I don't have any on my territory, but from what others that do tell me, you use the radio to "tone" the switch and it throws (And announces whether it is normal or diverging over the radio).
Same technology is also employed on some drawbridges.
Oh OK, great; thanks!
Are they in fairly widespread use or limited? Are they growing in popularity or their use is limited by _____? Thanks again.
I know the WSOR uses a couple around Horicon and on some of their branchlines. It saves a crew a little time when switching. I know BNSF, CN, CP have a couple around in WI.
I can think that the usage may be limited as anyone in range can "accidentally" tone the switch so in a busy area it may not be advisable. There are probably a few specific instances where they're very useful which someone who has more insight than I can share.
I recall the first time I heard one 'talking' over my scanner...I was confused thinking I misheard a detector...then I realized what I did hear. Kinda neat IMO.
Dan
Proviso had nine of them by the time I left, so there's the "busy area".
Each switch has an assigned number, so to throw it you needed to tone four digits. A different code will just inform you as to the position of the switch. Or switches...some of these switches, at crossovers, are tied together. Presence-detection circuits prevent throwing a switch underneath a locomotive or car, and the switch will let you know if it can't throw for whatever reason (e.g., ice or rocks in the point) and advise you to stop and inspect the points.
The biggest complaint I heard about them was the increase in radio traffic that they caused.
Great; thanks again to you all!!
Make it a great week!!
They are generally hydraulic switches and are using "garage door opener" technology pioneered by Charlie Barenfanger on the Vandalia RR (part of old IC original land grant rr) to control crossing protection. (ATSF used the same thing to control a private crossing for UPS at Hobart Tower in LA).
The BNSF Boise City Sub (Las Animas to Amarillo portion ) has several of the tone controlled switches whose operating instructions also apppear in the employee timetable.
zugmann mudchicken: VMAX=e((Ea + 3)/ 0.0007D)= SQRT((Crosslevel Elevation)+ Unbalance) 0.0007 D Hope Bill Gates has friends in Witness Protection Zugs: trying to begin to answer the rationale to the curve/speed thing, but can't get past trying to figure out why competing software butchers the results when you try to cut and paste....didn't even get to the wonky part of looking at the 3" unbalance assumption used by passenger trains vs the 1.75-2 inch used for freight trains.... umm... is the answer 1-800-Hulchers?
mudchicken: VMAX=e((Ea + 3)/ 0.0007D)= SQRT((Crosslevel Elevation)+ Unbalance) 0.0007 D Hope Bill Gates has friends in Witness Protection
Zugs: trying to begin to answer the rationale to the curve/speed thing, but can't get past trying to figure out why competing software butchers the results when you try to cut and paste....didn't even get to the wonky part of looking at the 3" unbalance assumption used by passenger trains vs the 1.75-2 inch used for freight trains....
CShaveRR Proviso had nine of them by the time I left, so there's the "busy area". Each switch has an assigned number, so to throw it you needed to tone four digits. A different code will just inform you as to the position of the switch. Or switches...some of these switches, at crossovers, are tied together. Presence-detection circuits prevent throwing a switch underneath a locomotive or car, and the switch will let you know if it can't throw for whatever reason (e.g., ice or rocks in the point) and advise you to stop and inspect the points. The biggest complaint I heard about them was the increase in radio traffic that they caused.
Johnny
I can only imagine how complicated the air waves got (and get) at times down there Carl.
Up here, in the land of CN...someone complained at Neenah about crowded airwaves...with three crews in the yard! There are still a few "old heads" that use bell/whistle/hand signals at times. Saw one such crew today, in fact...they were faster than the guys on the radio.
We try to use hand signals where possible for our run-arounds, etc. Frustrates the dickens out of the folks who like to hear themselves talk on the radio...
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 We try to use hand signals where possible for our run-arounds, etc. Frustrates the dickens out of the folks who like to hear themselves talk on the radio...
I just got an e-mail advising me to Order my FRA Regulations Today!
Oh, goody! Can I pick out the ones I like?
Carl: Did railroad safety training with some of our folks. Amazing what some understand and scarilly what some do not (assumed to be true)....
MC, I was actually making more fun of the way that was worded in the ad. I never had to study these things, beyond how they translated into operating rules. I hope the training sessions left your folks better off than they had (apparently) been.
It's shaping up to be another day of no trains but plenty of research for me. Since the weekend I've been working on transcribing information about UTCX covered hoppers relettered PLCX in 1988. One of the affected PLCX files was expanded by over 3000 words (from four pages to 14). So far, three brand-new UTCX files have been generated, and two others updated, with probably a dozen to go.
Just saw a report on the local TV news about the CP's Christmas train, and how it stopped to perform a concert and raise money for charities, complete with comments on how neat that was. Problem is, the train was in Minnesota, presumably headed away from Chicago. Wouldn't it have been neater to have publicity before the train had come here?
We have been finding here that our local news has been covering more and more events after the fact and very few of up-and-coming; therefore, we have been missing out on a lot. One very important, recent example was a collection of electronic waste, such as old computers, TV's etc--very important stuff to keep out of the landfills, but we can't if we don't know about such events. UGH--it's very frustrating!!!
OK, off my soapbox now. Thanks.
mudchicken Carl: Did railroad safety training with some of our folks. Amazing what some understand and scarilly what some do not (assumed to be true)....
We have that here, too. Some people 'get it,' some don't.
In NY we're required to have an annual OSHA refresher (8 hours). It's like pulling teeth to get people to attend.
I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to Sister Jen (a.k.a. Mookie) on her birthday. One hopes that she will stay warm and comfortable on her special day, or that perhaps some train-watching at Camp Mookie would not be out of the question.
Later today we will hoist a mug of hot chocolate in your honor, SJ!
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