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Posted by samfp1943 on Friday, June 27, 2014 10:29 AM

Norm48327

Our local fish wrapper is not fit to read. Smile, Wink & Grin

Norm:

    Feel your pain, out here in Fly-over Country!Bang Head

     We are gifted with what amounts to an expensive bird cage liner [You know what builds up in the bottom of bird cages?]  But can also substitute for a fish wrapper.  ne can read a couple of other ones from within about 300 miles, and they are almost identical in content.    Better and more current news on-line, in TRAINS and radio....  SoapBox     

 

 


 

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Posted by Norm48327 on Friday, June 27, 2014 9:46 AM

tree68

Did the driving portion of our Emergency Vehicle Operator's course last night and didn't knock over a single cone.  My partner (a former state trooper) did take one out...

Larry,

Cones were meant to be run down. Wink OTOH, the drivers who don't yield to emergency vehicles at intersections get downright irate. Learned that lesson back in the sixties. One even broadsided one of our trucks and beat the ticket in court.

Norm


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Posted by tree68 on Friday, June 27, 2014 9:38 AM

Mookie
Brian: I checked local radar & we had the infamous yellow/red slash race right up to Lincoln & split to go around us.  Little rain & noise.  That's all folks!

Ms Mook - we have the same "problem," albeit for a known reason - Lake Ontario.

Glanced at the Weather Channel this AM and noticed the line headed for Lincoln and environs, and that it appeared to be weakening as where it approached Lincoln.

Did the driving portion of our Emergency Vehicle Operator's course last night and didn't knock over a single cone.  My partner (a former state trooper) did take one out...

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, June 27, 2014 8:33 AM

Brian: I checked local radar & we had the infamous yellow/red slash race right up to Lincoln & split to go around us.  Little rain & noise.  That's all folks!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, June 27, 2014 8:24 AM

blhanel

Based on the latest from Tree's recently posted link, I bet your toes will be getting wet and tingly real soon... Big Smile

right now they are wet.  However, mah hair is electrified!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by blhanel on Friday, June 27, 2014 7:39 AM

Based on the latest from Tree's recently posted link, I bet your toes will be getting wet and tingly real soon... Big Smile

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Posted by Mookie on Thursday, June 26, 2014 1:18 PM

Sunny, humid, no wind - but nice!  My toes aren't the least bit cold! Cool

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 5:21 PM

Our local daily is still printed right here, but it's slowly wasting away to nothing, and they raised the price to boot.  I usually pick it up for the stuff that doesn't show up on the local news aggregator's site.  Especially the funnies.

There's a project for myself - build a little HTML file with links to all my favorite cartoons!

The daily paper in Syracuse now only prints three days a week.  They, too, have gone heavily digital.

LarryWhistling
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...

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Posted by Norm48327 on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 4:31 PM

Our local fish wrapper is not fit to read. Smile, Wink & Grin

Norm


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Posted by Mookie on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 4:19 PM

Our paper has gone digital.  Older people have one delivered.  Our paper's policy has always been on your porch before 7 am! (Flower beds, sidewalks and driveways were never mentioned!)

 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 2:57 PM

our local paper is now printed out of town.carriers have to wait for the truck to come. I delivered the "Toledo Blade" when I was younger.Had 45 regular customers and about 200 Sunday customers.Finding people home to collect was a problem back then.Ns had 2 trains waiting to go west.The local was also uptown dropping off cars.Was going to mow but mother nature had us at the 30 percent chance of rain today.Still have other chores to do.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 8:06 PM

zugmann
And you newspaper example, there's fewer routes, and many of them are motorized (around here).  Yeah, it would be nice if they got out at each house to endure proper porch delivery, but then the morning edition would become the afternoon press real quick.

My Sunday route for the Detroit Free Press only had about 50-55 customers - up from around 35-40 for the weekday paper.  I'm sure today's motor routes have a lot more than that now.

On a different note, I happened on a cool weather site (I knew of it, but not of the near real-time feature).

I can bring it down to mostly NY state.  I'm sure it will center on most of the other states.

LarryWhistling
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...

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 7:33 PM

Don't forget, many places are running with as few as people as possible, yet the workloads are still high. 

I had to go to an occupational health place for a physical, and they only had 2 people working there when they should have had 8.  And barely a rest day goes by anymore without my phone ringing looking for someone to take an extra call. 

I think that has a lot to do with it.

And you newspaper example, there's fewer routes, and many of them are motorized (around here).  Yeah, it would be nice if they got out at each house to endure proper porch delivery, but then the morning edition would become the afternoon press real quick.

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

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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 7:16 PM

zugmann

Mookie
What has happened to pride in your job, no matter the pay?

Is it easy to have pride when one can barely afford to put food on the table after working all day? 

Or if they are treated like dirt, respect-wise, at their low-paying jobs.

One should have pride, yes, but only if there is something to be proud of.

Maybe you can help me see what you are saying.  I have a list of businesses, 2 of them are fast-food, so I think possibly this may apply, altho they do have reasonably nice working conditions, most make above minimum wage in this city, and usually always pleasant.  The rest of my list includes an actual pharmacist, 2 managers at a well-known shoe store (2 locations), our local newspaper delivery (these people usually do this as a 2nd job) and the courtesy counter @ a local grocery store. 

These jobs have always been handled very professionally up to this point.  Now all of a sudden, no one can seem to get an order straight, get your prescription right, the same shoe sizes, porch delivery and stand in a group and totally ignore a customer waiting for service.  Some more than once. 

Incompetence?  Lack of pride?  Lazy?  Distracted/inattention?  Or the new way of doing business? 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 4:05 PM

Mookie
What has happened to pride in your job, no matter the pay?

Is it easy to have pride when one can barely afford to put food on the table after working all day? 

Or if they are treated like dirt, respect-wise, at their low-paying jobs.

One should have pride, yes, but only if there is something to be proud of.

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

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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 3:51 PM

evening

some raindrops here in Nw Ohio.Might have some thunderboomers pop up.Indianapolis area had some bad weather.Hope MR Q is ok.NS had empties in the siding when we left work.Time for chores.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 12:13 PM

Paul of Covington

Mookie

Is it just me and where I live or is the service industry going straight down the tubes?  Not only in courtesy, but in mistakes overall.  Pick an industry - seems like they are all lacking! Dumbing down? 

    What Zug said.    People who get their hands dirty are looked down on.   There is little appreciation for the intellect required to diagnose a problem.  (Any idiot can turn a screw.)

What has happened to pride in your job, no matter the pay?

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Paul of Covington on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 10:43 AM

Mookie

Is it just me and where I live or is the service industry going straight down the tubes?  Not only in courtesy, but in mistakes overall.  Pick an industry - seems like they are all lacking! Dumbing down? 

    What Zug said.    People who get their hands dirty are looked down on.   There is little appreciation for the intellect required to diagnose a problem.  (Any idiot can turn a screw.)

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

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Posted by CShaveRR on Monday, June 23, 2014 7:50 PM

Joe, I hope you had a happy birthday yesterday!  We were on the road, so I didn't get much time here.  As it is, I'm on the McWifi, nine miles from nowhere (our cottage, with no internet, no TV, and no cell service, qualifies as "nowhere"!).

On the way up, I walked an entire train of ISGX coal gons, and got their original numbers by reading the ACI labels (at lest the labels of the 60 or so cars that had been relettered and renumbered).  That was Sunday...I won't even see another track before Wednesday. 

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)

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Posted by JoeKoh on Monday, June 23, 2014 2:39 PM

even when the computer says the change to give back,people mess it up.

thunderboomers this afternoon.saw an ns frieght come out of the siding but he didn't get down the rails too far.the local was getting ready to switch uptown.Ns was mentioned on how they are trying to get the board to us in a more timely manner in our company newsletter.time for chores.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by Mookie on Monday, June 23, 2014 1:11 PM

Zug - they don't need to bend - just do their job properly.  Filling an order correctly isn't brain surgery.  Delivering a paper on a porch isn't difficult, but you probably do need to get out of  your car before you throw it.  Running a debit card and getting the correct "ticket" and amount.  Mistakes I understand.  Now it is becoming business as usual. 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by zugmann on Monday, June 23, 2014 12:47 PM

Mookie

Is it just me and where I live or is the service industry going straight down the tubes?  Not only in courtesy, but in mistakes overall.  Pick an industry - seems like they are all lacking! Dumbing down? 

You get what you pay for.  We, as a society, treat service personnel as the bottom rung of society (both in terms of respect and wages), then act shocked when they don't bend over backwards for us?   Why is this such a shock to anyone?

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

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, June 23, 2014 12:40 PM

Ms La Mook - I think it's the digitization of America that's partly responsible (or maybe heavily responsible).

Interpersonal communication is disappearing - witness any group of kids walking through the mall with their noses buried in their phones - probably texting each other.

And courtesy to customers thus becomes a lost art.

Then there's the cash registers that figure the change due - never offer to round your remittance to an even amount after the register is done computing - the clerk probably won't be able to figure it out.

And we can't forget "instant gratification."  Many folks don't have the patience to courteously handle your request - they just want you to pick something out and be done with it...

LarryWhistling
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...

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Posted by Mookie on Monday, June 23, 2014 12:09 PM

Is it just me and where I live or is the service industry going straight down the tubes?  Not only in courtesy, but in mistakes overall.  Pick an industry - seems like they are all lacking! Dumbing down? 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, June 22, 2014 7:20 PM

Decent weekend - good weather, reasonable ridership.  We were late getting on on the one scheduled trip due to a finicky 63YO RS3 (had to use a different loco), but picked up a half dozen riders in the half hour we were late.

After that we had a special "charter" for a bus group of 40.  Ended up with more like 55 passengers on that run.

Sunday I got to sit in the cab and pull levers...

LarryWhistling
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...

  • Member since
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  • From: Defiance Ohio
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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, June 21, 2014 5:11 AM

good morning

went and rallied the alley in Deshler last night. Dispatcher told crews they were in for a loooong night. We followed a 509 back to Defiance.Wonder how many of his 600+axels he dropped off at the Defiance yard.He was a one unit Mookie engine pulling the train.Chores to catch up on here.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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Posted by Mookie on Friday, June 20, 2014 7:04 AM

That service tech has many relatives all over our city.  Even in our pharmacy dept @ drug store!  Grumpy

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by rvos1979 on Thursday, June 19, 2014 10:50 PM
Evening all......

Interesting week so far, had a super single drive tire explode Tuesday, six hours later, road service had me up and running again. Them things make a heck of a racket when they blow......

Had our shop in Burleson, TX, change the rim out today, (different offset, only rim the guy had), shop now wants to do bodily injury to said road service tech. Rim fit so tightly on hub, took three guys a half hour to remove. Also noticed that road service put the tire on backwards. Hard to find good, trained help these days.....

Mud, usually when I hear a big cat roar, it's stuffed in a long nose Pete, and has 8 inch stacks with no mufflers. You still get the he!! out of the way........

Randy Vos

"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings

"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV

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Posted by Modelcar on Thursday, June 19, 2014 9:51 PM

....Our tornado sirens blasted mid afternoon.  Checked the TV and the emergency alert service was on, and we were under a tornado warning....One sited about 6 or 7 miles south west of here, and it showed amateur pic. on Indy TV stations.....Don't know if it got down to the ground or not....But the movement took it just under {south} of us.  Been very lucky here....

Quentin

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Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, June 19, 2014 4:52 PM

evening

got the swamp mowed today.Ns had an autorack and a coal train waiting to go in Archbold.Saw a train blocking the crossing near work.Heard that the train hit a car.Haven't heard any updates.Tomorrow is Friday.Ma nature will send us more rain.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

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