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Chatterbox Winter

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Posted by zugmann on Thursday, March 19, 2015 2:06 PM

on the other side of the coin, you have formen that may try to run the sPerry truck/car the entire length of the line and leave about 34,000 slow orders that will take weeks to fix.  A good DS will allow the inspections, but also have the MOW guys fix what is broken* as they go.  I mean, they already have the occupancy authority.

 *-within reason.

 

Paul_D_North_Jr
A classic tug-of-war: The track's not just a sandbox/ playground for us MOW folks - we know that trains do need to run on it to make money, otherwise it serves no useful purpose and is just an expensive hobby - but it does also need to be inspected and maintained well from time to time for the trains to be able to do their thing fast and safely.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Thursday, March 19, 2015 10:20 AM

Johnny (and others) - For more on the DS and wire lines, see also this article:

"Recollections of an Omaha brasspounder - learning and using the telegraph", by Brovald, Ken C., from Trains, June 1982, pg. 22 &etc. 

As an aside: That's where the "set-out any dead freight cars (except fence posts)" story is - I had thought it was in A Treasury of Railroad Folklore someplace. 

- Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Thursday, March 19, 2015 10:13 AM

A classic tug-of-war: The track's not just a sandbox/ playground for us MOW folks - we know that trains do need to run on it to make money, otherwise it serves no useful purpose and is just an expensive hobby - but it does also need to be inspected and maintained well from time to time for the trains to be able to do their thing fast and safely. 

One of those 'balancing acts' that looks easy in theory but can be tough to achieve sometimes in the real world. 

- Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, March 19, 2015 10:12 AM

Quoting MC: "Johnny: DS got a severe case of humble pie after that, but he got over it. The operating bubbas don't stay civil for long.(and he rubbed off on some of the newer trick dispatchers prior to consolidation)"

I have talked with two retired dispatchers (UP and CN), and enjoyed the conversations. I, of course, told them of the C&O DS and the conductor who was plagued by a carload of mules, and they appreciated the story--perhaps each one had known such conductors?

I never had any conversation with a working DS, but fifty and more years ago, I listened to the IC's Lousisana Division man's wire, and the man on the day trick sounded tired every time I heard him. Once, when I wanted to know how late #25 was running, I called the relief operator in Brookhaven and asked him what he had on the train; he told me he did not know--so I switched to the DS's line for I knew the operator would call him (the agent in Wesson had given me a key to the station so I would not have to wait outside). I do not remember noticing anything special about his voice. 

Johnny

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, March 19, 2015 10:02 AM

Nice and sunny this morning - but all of seven degrees above zero.  Spring, my foot.

The snow certainly isn't melting...

The truck started to lug a bit when starting earlier in the week.  Last night the battery decided it had done it's part (it's six years old, like the truck), so a trip into town for a new battery was in order this AM.  

It may not be spring, but I'm starting some spring cleaning...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by mudchicken on Thursday, March 19, 2015 9:49 AM

PDN: That same DE came to my rescue during the world series earthquake. I'd still work for him anywhere. DC and I were both around him at some point in our careers. (his management style was unique, but effective)

Johnny: DS got a severe case of humble pie after that, but he got over it. The operating bubbas don't stay civil for long.(and he rubbed off on some of the newer trick dispatchers prior to consolidation)

From sunshine and 60 degrees to heavy snow in 15 hours. Springtime in the Rockies! - gotta love it.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by rvos1979 on Thursday, March 19, 2015 7:22 AM

tree68

 Paul_D_North_Jr

The "Manifold Chef" - Laugh

I've since met "tar buggy" (paving sealant) and paving machine cooks, as well as a few guys with microwaves in their work trucks or vans . . . but it's just not the same !

-Paul North. 

 

Was he the one who had a can of Spaghettios explode in an F unit?

The trucking community has cookbooks for food prep on the manifold.  

We have diesel fired heaters in the sleeper, it's not uncommon to set something in front of the outlet and turn on the heater.  If it's hot enough to burn the hair off your legs, it'll heat up food........

Never cooked on the engine, but used a Burton oven many times. Also called a lunchbox oven, the nicer ones are thermostatically controlled, and work very well........

Randy Vos

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Posted by samfp1943 on Thursday, March 19, 2015 5:46 AM

I am sure there are a few of us around here who have (while in the Military) cooked our food in some strange ways,' C-ration cans tied to a vehicle manifold; used a 'steel pot'  to cook ramen noodles using C-4 to heat it up ( frowned upon, officially, but a field expedient). 

 

 


 

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Posted by jeffhergert on Thursday, March 19, 2015 2:55 AM

tree68
 
Paul_D_North_Jr

The "Manifold Chef" - Laugh

I've since met "tar buggy" (paving sealant) and paving machine cooks, as well as a few guys with microwaves in their work trucks or vans . . . but it's just not the same !

-Paul North. 

 

Was he the one who had a can of Spaghettios explode in an F unit?

The trucking community has cookbooks for food prep on the manifold.  

 

I think it was another railroad and on a F45.

Many years and a couple of computers back, I received an e-mail forwarded by a co-worker that was an extensive how-to cook on a locomotive.  Where and how on the locomotive to cook specific items, including pictures.  

All I've ever done is to warm a can or toast a sandwich on the side-wall heaters.  At times, some parts of the railroad have banned that practice.   If left heating too long, cans would sometimes get hot enough that when opened, the contents would 'explode' out, sometimes causing minor burns.  

Maybe they could have a show on one of the food networks on cooking in industrial settings.

Jeff   

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 7:57 PM

Paul_D_North_Jr

The "Manifold Chef" - Laugh

I've since met "tar buggy" (paving sealant) and paving machine cooks, as well as a few guys with microwaves in their work trucks or vans . . . but it's just not the same !

-Paul North. 

Was he the one who had a can of Spaghettios explode in an F unit?

The trucking community has cookbooks for food prep on the manifold.  

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 Deggesty on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 5:45 PM

I rode both Rockets in late February of 1972. I had gone up to Milwaukee from Chicago and then rode the Abraham Lincoln from there to Joliet. I regret that I atre a Hamburger for my supper while waiting for the Peoria Rocket, for I could have eaten dinner in the diner. I did have a seat in Golden Divan (no one else rode in there; all the other passengers were traveling coach). After spending the night in Peoria, I rode a bus to Rock Island--and the weather became colder and colder the farther we went. The next morning, I went back to Chicago, eating a good breakfast in the diner on the way.

Johnny

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 5:32 PM

The "Manifold Chef" - Laugh

I've since met "tar buggy" (paving sealant) and paving machine cooks, as well as a few guys with microwaves in their work trucks or vans . . . but it's just not the same !

-Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 2:57 PM

Paul_D_North_Jr

There's a Division Engineer who deserves a lot of respect (and whom I'd be willing to work for, no matter how tough he was). 

Reminds me of a line from the Trains article about 20 - 30 years ago about the Peoria Rocket - sometimes it takes an extraordinary (annoying/ show-stopping step or action) to get the attention of top management to fix a problem.  There - as I recall it - a train had to back up to pick-up a flagman who was inadvertently left behind after 'closing' a switch back to the 'Normal' (straight) position at the originating station.  That led to the train being reported by a 'diligent' (stubborn ?) substitute operator as OS ("On Sheet", or having departed) twice - an entry that was guaranteed to raise eyebrows and cause questions to be asked.  The 'fix' was to issue a bulletin or local rule or similar to the effect that departing passenger trains did not have to reline the switch - it could be left in the 'open' or 'Reverse' (curved or diverging) position, and the yard crews would deal with relining it. 

"Tales of the Peoria Rocket" by Brunner, Edward J. & Eidson, Stu

from Trains, December 1981, pg. 45 &etc.        

("Maagazine Index" 'keywords': humor passenger RI rocket)

- Paul North. 

 

Paul, I had to find that issue and re-read the article. The relation between the crews and the regular passengers on the Peoria Rocket in its last days was truly remarkable, especially as they shared their evening meal.

Johnny

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Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 2:33 PM

Csx Mow has had those (getting track time)issues as well. Sorry to hear about F tower closing in Fostoria.Matt is on spring break that week.(road trip) Work was better today.Ns had an eastbound in the siding.Tonight is lenten service.Will see if Dayton can go to the big dance.

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 Norm48327 on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 2:33 PM

Hey Mookie,

Chatterbox Spring begins in two days. If not the weather, the calendar says it will be Spring.

Norm


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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 1:45 PM

There's a Division Engineer who deserves a lot of respect (and whom I'd be willing to work for, no matter how tough he was). 

Reminds me of a line from the Trains article about 20 - 30 years ago about the Peoria Rocket - sometimes it takes an extraordinary (annoying/ show-stopping step or action) to get the attention of top management to fix a problem.  There - as I recall it - a train had to back up to pick-up a flagman who was inadvertently left behind after 'closing' a switch back to the 'Normal' (straight) position at the originating station.  That led to the train being reported by a 'diligent' (stubborn ?) substitute operator as OS ("On Sheet", or having departed) twice - an entry that was guaranteed to raise eyebrows and cause questions to be asked.  The 'fix' was to issue a bulletin or local rule or similar to the effect that departing passenger trains did not have to reline the switch - it could be left in the 'open' or 'Reverse' (curved or diverging) position, and the yard crews would deal with relining it. 

"Tales of the Peoria Rocket" by Brunner, Edward J. & Eidson, Stu

from Trains, December 1981, pg. 45 &etc.        

("Maagazine Index" 'keywords': humor passenger RI rocket)

- Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 9:36 AM

mudchicken

On us, the "ice cream truck" was the early form of corrugation analyzer.

"@#$%&* Sperry Car !" was always a "rail sniffer" from the early Dapco advertising. (ironic because Santa Fe (now Herzog, but pioneered by IC)  and Sperry had the honors, Dapco never got any major ATSF business)

In California, we had a dispatcher who would bury the Sperry car in the hole for hours because he didn't want to deal with it and hoped to dump it on the next trick. After four days of this, the Division Engineer took the main track out of service. That stunt ended the DS' manipulation of the D-car on the west end of the transcon after setting off alarm bells in Chicago (and reminding the operating department who the ultimate owner of the track was, and to play nice in the corporate sandbox).

 

Mc, did that DS shape up and not pile sand up in front of the Sperry car any more?

Johnny

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Posted by mudchicken on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 8:56 AM

On us, the "ice cream truck" was the early form of corrugation analyzer.

"@#$%&* Sperry Car !" was always a "rail sniffer" from the early Dapco advertising. (ironic because Santa Fe (now Herzog, but pioneered by IC)  and Sperry had the honors, Dapco never got any major ATSF business)

In California, we had a dispatcher who would bury the Sperry car in the hole for hours because he didn't want to deal with it and hoped to dump it on the next trick. After four days of this, the Division Engineer took the main track out of service. That stunt ended the DS' manipulation of the D-car on the west end of the transcon after setting off alarm bells in Chicago (and reminding the operating department who the ultimate owner of the track was, and to play nice in the corporate sandbox).

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 9:23 PM

Yet another reason to kill all vegetation within the track and subgrade section (10 to 15 ft. each side of the center of the track).

From Jeff's post on  the previous page: "ice cream truck" ?!? Smile, Wink & Grin

As Ed King once wrote a column, more like the "@#$%&* Sperry Car !".

- Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 4:57 PM

evening

work still busy.ns had a freight in the sidng,then it left.Also had a stack train and it left as well.The local came by and left as well.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 CShaveRR on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 9:02 AM

mudchicken
(and we are dealing with HUGE grass fires/ rage fires  gobbling-up hundreds of acres per hour right now.)

I know you meant "range fires", but somehow I got a scenario involving Irish eyes not smiling.

Carl

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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 8:46 AM

90 yesterday; 53 today.  

Fan on/fan off

Happy St Patrick's Day!Alien

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, March 16, 2015 10:08 PM

Murphy Siding

     If a grass fire over runs a railroad line, do the ties have to be replaced?  (Yes- I know, not so much with the concrete ones).

MC can certainly speak to it better than I, but I would opine that it depends on the grass fire.

After all, one method of expanding rail is to build a fire on both sides of it (using rags, (or rope?).  The relatively short exposure to the fire apparently isn't enough to cause all those ties to be replaced.

If the ground cover is heavy and the winds are moderate, allowing the fire to burn in one place longer, I would think it would have a greater effect on the track structure.  This would be especially true if the ground cover comes up close to the track.

If the ground cover is relatively light and the winds are high, there may be less danger to the ties.  Ditto if the ground cover is kept short any distance from the tracks.

A line with the ties "down in the mud" may or may not have issues.  Actually, these days, the ballast is usually dressed right to the top of the ties, and on the ends of the ties, which will help protect them.

Back in the day, it's my understanding that only about half the tie was covered, and the ends didn't need to be, as the jointed rail wasn't as susceptible to sun kinks, etc.

Wooden structures (bridges, etc) would definitely be a different story.

Back in solid bearing days, grass fires were common along the tracks due to hotboxes.   

Inspection after exposure is going to be the key.  

And I'll gladly stand corrected.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by mudchicken on Monday, March 16, 2015 9:34 PM

Murphy Siding

     If a grass fire over runs a railroad line, do the ties have to be replaced?  (Yes- I know, not so much with the concrete ones).

 

Cimmarron Valley Railway just got finished replacing 90 miles worth plus just a few bridges.

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, March 16, 2015 6:52 PM

     If a grass fire over runs a railroad line, do the ties have to be replaced?  (Yes- I know, not so much with the concrete ones).

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by mudchicken on Monday, March 16, 2015 6:09 PM

The slow order is put out for the class of track allowed. No roadmaster or foreman is gonna allow a train over a derailment waiting to happen. If it's a defective rail, you just don't go. Most of what Jeff was dealing with are surface defects where the ballast section did not thaw out evenly or subgrade related.

With the rapid rise in temperatures here over the last week, track inspectors are out looking for rail up in the plates caused by rail anchors and friction not behaving normally. (fun with steel and thermal expansion)

(and we are dealing with HUGE grass fires/ rage fires  gobbling-up hundreds of acres per hour right now.)

Mudchicken Nothing is worth taking the risk of losing a life over. Come home tonight in the same condition that you left home this morning in. Safety begins with ME.... cinscocom-west
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Posted by JoeKoh on Monday, March 16, 2015 6:09 PM

evening

work was busy so I stayed to help finish up.The local was using the siding to get around his train.Filled out my bracket for basketball.Tomorrow is green day.Need to get back to 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 Murphy Siding on Monday, March 16, 2015 4:35 PM

     When a section of track is put under a slow order, are things generaly OK until the track gets repaired, or are there still some derailments because of the bad track, but only at slower speeds?

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Posted by jeffhergert on Monday, March 16, 2015 12:52 PM

BaltACD
 
jeffhergert

I was on vacation last week.  On my last trip before, on the West Iowa we had about 7 slows, two were 40 mph. the rest 60 mph.  My first trip back, all of those 60s had been cleared, and one 40 remained.  It was joined by some new ones; a couple of 25s, some 40s, one 45 and one 60.  I think there will be a few more added in the next week or so.

That's still better than a few years ago.  I had the first two weeks in March off that year.  When I left there were only three 60 mph slows.  When I came back we had three pages of slows, divided almost evenly between 25 and 40 mph. 

Jeff

 

A lot depends on how closely your return followed the Sperry Rail Defect Detector Cars and the Track Geometry Measurement Car as well as the Gauge Restraint Measurement cars.  They all find defects that require slow orders until the defects are corrected.  In addition the local MofW personnel find defects in their required periodic inspections.

 

We do have the normal defects too, but most of the 25 and 40s are from the frost coming out of the ground.  The roadbed getting soft in spots.  (Which can lead to tie problems where there are concrete ties.)

When the ice cream truck is out, or they run their test cars, they sometimes will issue a blanket slow over the territory going to be tested.  They issue a speed that covers most defects they are likely to find so they don't have to constantly talk to the dispatcher about new slows.  Once the test vehicle is done, they issue any spot restrictions and void out the blanket slow. 

Jeff

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