MC, I found it hard to read your remarks when I first saw your reply, in my Email. When I came to the site, they were easier to read (apparently larger font, perhaps?)--but, please, use a more contrasting color.
I saw nothing insulting or any contempt in your remarks; all I saw was information.
Johnny
Insulting remarks and showing utter contempt for others is not going to help you. Nor is highlighting your remarks in blood red.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
blue streak 1 The major RRs seem to be running full speed ahead in track capacity expansions. Even though CSX has announced a minor increase in CAPEX; are the RRs at a limit of work ? Our experts are invited to pitch in. Will try to cover various items in some kind of order. 1. More ballast. Appears to be a plentiful supply. The ballast dispensing cars also seem to be plentiful especially with Hertzog and new RR rapid dispensing cars ? BALLAST CAR FLEETS ARE STRETCHED TO THEIR LIMITS 2. Cross ties. It has been reported that cross tie manufacturing and orders are slightly down for the 1st quarter of this year. . This may be because for the last few years more Ballast has been dropped there by keep ties dryer so they last longer ? But in my corner of the world CSX has been timely in dropping regular wood ties just before track work. Hardwood crossing ties have been delivered quicker as a rule. This may be because for the last few years more Ballast has been dropped there by keep ties dryer so they last longer ?-Wishfull thinking? 3. Rail -- Have not observed much replacement rail on present routes but more resurfacing and rail grinding seems to have extended present rail life ? New rail especially premium may be at a supply limit ? Is CF&I ( new name escapes ) at its production limit ? Any other producers ? Is CSX, UP, NS, especially BNSF waiting for rail ? EVRAZ- Rocky Moubtain Steel Mills/PUEBLO - Running full out producing 115/132/136/141 Rail 4. Switch machines, frogs, and other equipment readily available ? See 5 5. Signals, - Bungalows, signals, masts, PTC and ABS equipment ? ? ....There is a little competition from the transit/ toy train side of the fence - RSSI is reporting a banner year. Just like everywhere else, qualified workforce has aged and next generation is late in arriving. Institutional memory is retiring faster than it can be replaced. 6. Is there enough specialized construction equipment? Never enough and how do you pay for it in the winter months when only about a third of it can work? 7. Capable management available to supervise proper construction techniques ?, See 5 - The brain drain is reaching critical mass. 8. Other items ? Any of these items might slow construction ? You have to have qualified people to do the work. They and their expertise just don't come off the shelf at a drop of the hat. Those damned shiny things that run on top of the rail interfere with production and eat into the track maintenance budget. The operating departments are slowly coming around to the fact that investing in physical plant is vital and just leaving the yellow machines in the hole is wasteful and counter-productive. (some never will get it, sadly - some never cooperate w/ M/W and it shows) The naiive comments that it somehow is a quick, easy fix ignores generations of deferred maintenance and failed government & corporate administration. Staggers happened at least 30 years too late. Preconceived notions die hard deaths and never go away ( seem to show up here daily on the forum as espoused by some of the legends in their own little minds). It's also plenty obvious that the public transit side wnting to use freight rail for their narrow minded purposes are clueless about corridor capacity and long term sustained maintenance. (Colorado is at the front of the pack there)
The major RRs seem to be running full speed ahead in track capacity expansions. Even though CSX has announced a minor increase in CAPEX; are the RRs at a limit of work ? Our experts are invited to pitch in. Will try to cover various items in some kind of order.
1. More ballast. Appears to be a plentiful supply. The ballast dispensing cars also seem to be plentiful especially with Hertzog and new RR rapid dispensing cars ?
BALLAST CAR FLEETS ARE STRETCHED TO THEIR LIMITS
2. Cross ties. It has been reported that cross tie manufacturing and orders are slightly down for the 1st quarter of this year. . This may be because for the last few years more Ballast has been dropped there by keep ties dryer so they last longer ? But in my corner of the world CSX has been timely in dropping regular wood ties just before track work. Hardwood crossing ties have been delivered quicker as a rule.
This may be because for the last few years more Ballast has been dropped there by keep ties dryer so they last longer ?-Wishfull thinking?
3. Rail -- Have not observed much replacement rail on present routes but more resurfacing and rail grinding seems to have extended present rail life ? New rail especially premium may be at a supply limit ? Is CF&I ( new name escapes ) at its production limit ? Any other producers ? Is CSX, UP, NS, especially BNSF waiting for rail ?
EVRAZ- Rocky Moubtain Steel Mills/PUEBLO - Running full out producing 115/132/136/141 Rail
4. Switch machines, frogs, and other equipment readily available ? See 5
5. Signals, - Bungalows, signals, masts, PTC and ABS equipment ? ? ....There is a little competition from the transit/ toy train side of the fence - RSSI is reporting a banner year. Just like everywhere else, qualified workforce has aged and next generation is late in arriving. Institutional memory is retiring faster than it can be replaced.
6. Is there enough specialized construction equipment? Never enough and how do you pay for it in the winter months when only about a third of it can work?
7. Capable management available to supervise proper construction techniques ?, See 5 - The brain drain is reaching critical mass.
8. Other items ? Any of these items might slow construction ?
You have to have qualified people to do the work. They and their expertise just don't come off the shelf at a drop of the hat. Those damned shiny things that run on top of the rail interfere with production and eat into the track maintenance budget. The operating departments are slowly coming around to the fact that investing in physical plant is vital and just leaving the yellow machines in the hole is wasteful and counter-productive. (some never will get it, sadly - some never cooperate w/ M/W and it shows) The naiive comments that it somehow is a quick, easy fix ignores generations of deferred maintenance and failed government & corporate administration. Staggers happened at least 30 years too late. Preconceived notions die hard deaths and never go away ( seem to show up here daily on the forum as espoused by some of the legends in their own little minds). It's also plenty obvious that the public transit side wnting to use freight rail for their narrow minded purposes are clueless about corridor capacity and long term sustained maintenance. (Colorado is at the front of the pack there)
4. Switch machines, frogs, and other equipment readily available ?
5. Signals, - Bungalows, signals, masts, PTC and ABS equipment ? ?
6. Is there enough specialized construction equipment?
7. Capable management available to supervise proper construction techniques ?,
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