BackshopAnother necro-thread risen from the dead for no reason.
Zombies need love too!
re: Jeffs van driver
Van drivers that CSX's contractor used for crew transportation were not known for their intellectual abilities. Am guessing UP's contracted van drivers are of the same ilk.
We did have one van driver that had retired from CSX as a tower operator - he did know where to go and how to get there, then his physical condition deteriorated and he had to move to a nursing home.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
and the GIS data entry people are no brighter bulbs in the box than the van drivers.
(The federal FRA GIS mapping is frequently wrong ... and I've encountered major OOPS with GIS from BNSF and CSX because the people doing the data input are not railroaders and are frequently guessing instead of verifying their work....button-pushers )
Comment confirmed here about FRA map inaccuracy.
At one time (think she is retired) I was friends w/FRA official. I informed of serious errors (FRA map) and she got it changed. Later she referred me to the "FRA map desk". No reply..... when errors are sent there.
My rationale for corrections to the FRA official: If an accident happens, data needs be correct to avoid waste of time for response to a wrong location.
Once a RR suicide: crew didn't know how to tell (except MP) EMT's did not know that lingo and both had a hard time finding each other. I carried the engine crew after the incident and they shared this fact of confusion.
Additionally the FRA map has OLD MoP MP's on current FRA maps. These MP's Don't Exist. UP ETT's do NOT list them. Again go to FRA map and call out the MoP MP listed on FRA map......nobody has a clue where that is. That track/MP# does not exist. Abandoned track and some locations are in farm fields are at MoP MP locations. endmrw0801231143
Cotton Belt MP104Comment confirmed here about FRA map inaccuracy. At one time (think she is retired) I was friends w/FRA official. I informed of serious errors (FRA map) and she got it changed. Later she referred me to the "FRA map desk". No reply..... when errors are sent there. My rationale for corrections to the FRA official: If an accident happens, data needs be correct to avoid waste of time for response to a wrong location. Once a RR suicide: crew didn't know how to tell (except MP) EMT's did not know that lingo and both had a hard time finding each other. I carried the engine crew after the incident and they shared this fact of confusion. Additionally the FRA map has OLD MoP MP's on current FRA maps. These MP's Don't Exist. UP ETT's do NOT list them. Again go to FRA map and call out the MoP MP listed on FRA map......nobody has a clue where that is. That track/MP# does not exist. Abandoned track and some locations are in farm fields are at MoP MP locations. endmrw0801231143
I was peripherally involved when CSX was creating the MilePost data base for the CSX System. Each railraod entity the was incorporated into CSX each had their own MilePost designations - that made sense to that Independent railroad.
In creating the CSX MilePost data base the Cardinal rule was that there COULD NOT BE IDENTICAL mile post designations within the data base. Every record in the data base had to be unique.
The pattern that was used, former B&O locations had mile posts that starte with the letter B and up to two qualifying letters and up to 3 numeric positions. Former ACL locations started with A and additional qualifiers. Former SAL locations started with S and a additional qualifier and upto four numerics. With the additional former railroads the alphabetics start going all over the place.
To the extents possible - previously existing railroad milepost numbers remained in the transition to CSX, with the letter prefixes creating the uniqueness where the numerics of different subdivisions conflicted.
I have no idea what form of constraints the FRA has on their mile post designations or how they manage things among all the existing carriers - both Class 1 and all the other classes of carriers.
Everybody has their own computer system - and computers do not handle duplicates very well.
Last time I rode our train to Tupper Lake (deadhead), I shot the mileposts with my tablet GPS. The readings need some refinement, but I'm hoping that the information will find its way into some documentation, as we are truly "in the middle of nowhere" sometimes.
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...
Long time ago this was posted: mudchicken, part of post “November 5, 2014”
BaltACD Backshop Another necro-thread risen from the dead for no reason. Zombies need love too! re: Jeffs van driver Van drivers that CSX's contractor used for crew transportation were not known for their intellectual abilities. Am guessing UP's contracted van drivers are of the same ilk. We did have one van driver that had retired from CSX as a tower operator - he did know where to go and how to get there, then his physical condition deteriorated and he had to move to a nursing home.
Backshop Another necro-thread risen from the dead for no reason.
They have some good drivers, and some not so good.
I haven't seen that driver since then. He had driven me on several occasions for the previous two or three weeks. His driving was OK. They don't seem to hold onto drivers, at least the new ones, for very long.
Jeff
jeffhergertThey have some good drivers, and some not so good. I haven't seen that driver since then. He had driven me on several occasions for the previous two or three weeks. His driving was OK. They don't seem to hold onto drivers, at least the new ones, for very long. Jeff
One thing I discovered - it is much easier getting contract van drivers to locations on single track subdivisions that it is on multiple track subdivisions.
On single track, the pick and/or drop off locations are normally well defined at either end of the passing sidings. On multiple track territory the specific location can be just about anywhere - normally with the head end at a road crossing but not always.
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