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Chatterbox Winter

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Posted by zugmann on Friday, January 2, 2015 5:23 PM

With all the up stuff ns is buying, it may return in black paint.

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 Friday, January 2, 2015 8:15 PM

Hmmmm.  Better take the Christmas decorations down Saturday, before we get the freezing rain they're suggesting.  Hard to take the lights off the trees when they're frozen in place...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, January 3, 2015 6:51 AM

morning

Haven't looked outside yet.Mother nature is going to get nasty today and colder next week.Wemt over and looked at NS and CSX too.Both yards were active.Csx was working on switches at west garrett.Then everyone started to come for the crew changes.

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 blue streak 1 on Sunday, January 4, 2015 4:03 AM

Please take back your weather.  Wedensday night forecast for Atlanta is 15.  here in the outskirts will be 12.  Thanks mookie.

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Posted by Mookie on Sunday, January 4, 2015 5:33 AM

If misery loves company - our high Wed is 5 above. 

Doesn't this cold just stink!  Since we got some snow, I will send that along, too!  I think it is a dry snow, which won't do us much good other than being a pain. 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, January 4, 2015 7:45 AM

Thing quit freezing on around midnight.  But it's been pretty much raining ever since, to the tune of 3/4" so far.  Of course, that would translate into 7 or 8" of snow.

The problem is that now well-soaked inch and a half of snow on my driveway.  If I don't get it off I'll have a frozen mess when temperatures do drop.  The snowblower is useless with this heavy stuff, so it'll be push, lift little bits, toss, repeat.

Of course, there's that wind they're promising us, too...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by switch7frg on Sunday, January 4, 2015 10:24 AM

Smile  Morning Joe; read your latest post and wondered if there is any trains running through Dayton Ohio still. The Big four  used to run through  Dayton  to all points north and east. That was a long time ago.

                                                                         Respectfully, Cannonball

Y6bs evergreen in my mind

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Sunday, January 4, 2015 10:48 AM

blue streak 1

Please take back your weather.  Wedensday night forecast for Atlanta is 15.  here in the outskirts will be 12.  Thanks mookie.

 

 15 above zero?  Consider yourself lucky.

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Posted by Norm48327 on Sunday, January 4, 2015 1:16 PM

The bottom of the thermometer is going to fall out here tonight.

Norm


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Posted by Mookie on Sunday, January 4, 2015 1:54 PM

Maybe we could take "some" of the old forum posts, put them in a pile, light it and gather around it for warmth?   

Mischief

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Posted by rvos1979 on Sunday, January 4, 2015 7:10 PM
Had a four day vacation in Cartersville over New Years, freight was lousy. Finally got moving today, was 60 when I started, now 20 here in Mount Vernon, IL. Looks like winter is here...........

Randy Vos

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, January 4, 2015 7:42 PM

Mookie

Maybe we could take "some" of the old forum posts, put them in a pile, light it and gather around it for warmth?   

Some generate enough heat on their own.  No need to light them...

Called out tonight for a structure fire.  I was on the engine (pumper) as the driver - we ended up setting up a fill site to fill tankers.

The fire building was a trailer.  They apparently got a good stop on it, a lucky thing given the wind we're having.  

We knew we had a "worker" when the dispatcher came on the air and said the caller had said "I'm losing everything."  

So we went from +10F overnight Friday, to around +30F with freezing rain overnight Saturday, to +45F around noon on Sunday, and cold will be the order of the day very soon again.  Mother Nature is very fickle these days...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Norm48327 on Monday, January 5, 2015 7:11 AM

Two degrees here at 8:00 AM. It's headed your way Larry. Keep your turnout coat handy.

Norm


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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, January 5, 2015 7:14 AM

     If it's 10 below, it must be Monday.  Weather guessers keep saying this is nothing, wait until Wednesday. Dead

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, January 5, 2015 7:49 AM

Norm48327

Two degrees here at 8:00 AM. It's headed your way Larry. Keep your turnout coat handy.

High yesterday, +47F.  Current temp here at the house, +16F and still trending downward.  

I keep my gear at the station these days.  That way it's warmer than when I carried it in the truck...

Busy day to start out a busy week.  Better get to it...

LarryWhistling
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Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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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 CShaveRR on Monday, January 5, 2015 3:48 PM

Norris, we're not too far behind you, and Wednesday is supposed to be the cold day (or night) here as well.  This morning I woke up to 7 below, and it's clear up to two above now.  We've also got snow on the ground, and the promise of more for tonight.  Figures...it's over 70 degrees where the daughter and grandson are now, and we had no snow to show them at all when they were here.

Interesting thing, meteorogically speaking, today.  It was cooler along the lakefront in Chicagoland.  O'Hare (the official site for weather readings) is uaually more extreme in temperatures, but not this morning. 


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, January 5, 2015 5:42 PM

back to work today.Matt went back to school.Ns had a train in the siding and amtrak came by this morning.This afternoon the local was in town getting ready to go back west.Chores to work on.

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 BaltACD on Monday, January 5, 2015 6:27 PM

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 6:54 AM

It was about +5 degrees this morning when I got to the station (5:20 AM).  Train was on time and didn't encounter any additional delays.  Seeing lit switch heaters in the pre-dawn darkness is always an interesting sight.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
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Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 7:39 AM

(1) CBS News here this morning was showing switch heaters at work this morning like it was something new (and dangerous ***)...FOF/LMAO, fire sticks, salamanders, diesel soaked rope/rags, kindling and dragons have been around for over 100 years.

(2) Some of the comments about the school bus tragedy in ND have me seeing red. The bus driver, had he lived, should have been put on trial for murder and attempted murder. BNSF and OLI have every reason to be outraged.

(*) Never fails. Being sent to meetings in western CO right in between two snowstorms. More time spent being concerned about driving in winter conditions and ducking the clueless snow-bunnies with baloneyskins for tires than the meetings.

(**) Why is it that every time there is railroad or transportation spokesman  in an outdoor setting, the person is in brand new safety gear, most of the time w/o safety glasses and sometimes minus the hardhat. Would be a lot more credible/better/honest if you had real railroaders with scuffed and dirty hardhats, glasses, high-viz gear instead of some clown that almost couldn't find his/her way out of the office?

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 samfp1943 on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 8:46 AM

BaltACD

 

I hesitate to say much about this; Many here seem to have their feelings out on their fingertips these days [Cabin Feaver?]       That is a nice job on that hopper car...It would seem like that kind of talent would be better served in a differen venue...IMHO. Bang Head

I think it is a good job of railroad art...My 2 Cents

Temp around her is about 18 deg and the wind is about 22 mph. Carhartts to walk the dog this morning! Cold ! Cold!

Traffic on BNSF has been quiet so far, couple of fast moving westbounds very early (Usually a Container 'Z' and a mixed Container,w/ COFC and TOFC.  Captain

 

 

 


 

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 11:21 AM

mudchicken

(1) CBS News here this morning was showing switch heaters at work this morning like it was something new (and dangerous ***)...FOF/LMAO, fire sticks, salamanders, diesel soaked rope/rags, kindling and dragons have been around for over 100 years.

(2) Some of the comments about the school bus tragedy in ND have me seeing red. The bus driver, had he lived, should have been put on trial for murder and attempted murder. BNSF and OLI have every reason to be outraged.

(*) Never fails. Being sent to meetings in western CO right in between two snowstorms. More time spent being concerned about driving in winter conditions and ducking the clueless snow-bunnies with baloneyskins for tires than the meetings.

(**) Why is it that every time there is railroad or transportation spokesman  in an outdoor setting, the person is in brand new safety gear, most of the time w/o safety glasses and sometimes minus the hardhat. Would be a lot more credible/better/honest if you had real railroaders with scuffed and dirty hardhats, glasses, high-viz gear instead of some clown that almost couldn't find his/her way out of the office?

 

You make me wish I had watched the CBS news this morning--I think I was still enjoying the comforts of my bed, though. I wonder what was said about switch heaters. It certainly is true that the outside world knows little about all that it takes to keep the trains moving where they should be moving.

As to comment about the spokesmen, I think of some of the stories of greenhorn supervisory personnel found in A Treasury of Railroad Folklore; people haven't changed much, have they?

We are enjoying temperatures in the forties during the day now, with below freezing temperatures at night. I have to be careful when going out my door, because there is a low spot in the concrete floor just outside, which can hold runoff from the roof as the snow up there melts. We do have some buckets set out, but there are too many drip points for the buckets to catch it all. There's no ice this morning, though.

Johnny

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 2:07 PM

The lake effect machine has wandered north - we're seeing a little "action" right now.  At least it's warmed up a bit: now at +21F from a low around +10F overnight.

Had to thaw out the anemometer for my weather station.  Our rain of a couple days ago, coupled with the drop in temperatures, were enough to keep it from spinning freely.  Getting it freed up involves using an old hairdrier secured to a pole and leaning out an upstairs window in the garage to point the blower where it needs to be pointed.  You have to see it...

Better get my measuring tools ready - will have to record some snowfall amounts.

LarryWhistling
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Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 2:52 PM

had the snow.Now waiting for the wind and the cold.Matt had a 2 hour delay this morning.Neighbors are all ok and the plow didn't leave a big mess.Ns local was uptown dropping cars.They left a fussee at the crossing.Cannonball NS still has the show in Dayton Ohio.The yard at moraine isn't as busy though since they closed the GM plant.Time to do some 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 Tuesday, January 6, 2015 3:02 PM

tree68

Had to thaw out the anemometer for my weather station.  Our rain of a couple days ago, coupled with the drop in temperatures, were enough to keep it from spinning freely.  Getting it freed up involves using an old hairdrier secured to a pole and leaning out an upstairs window in the garage to point the blower where it needs to be pointed.  You have to see it...

Better get my measuring tools ready - will have to record some snowfall amounts.

 

   Now, I'm no weatherman..... but wouldn't the hair dryer skew the winds readings just a tad bit? Hmm

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 4:25 PM

Murphy Siding
Now, I'm no weatherman..... but wouldn't the hair dryer skew the winds readings just a tad bit?

Only briefly.  You don't think I'm going to hang out that window (on my back) for any length of time, do you?

There's a temperature sensor in there somewhere, too.  probably threw that off a bit, too...

Gee - you just helped me figure out what one of the readouts is on the software I just loaded on my computer.  The program that came with the weather station wouldn't link up, but I finally found a "universal" program that works.  One of the readouts is "Temperature Wind..."

That's one of the display items on the weather station console itself, albeit called "wind chill".  Sometimes it's curious how much difference there is between the top of the mast and the ground when there's no wind to cause a wind chill...

LarryWhistling
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Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 4:32 PM

Get your tickets here - see a Tree hanging out a garage window on its back with a hair dryer attached to a limb!  That has to be worth at least $5. per person!  $2.50?  OK - $.50 - to cover at least the announcement!  

  Cool

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Posted by rvos1979 on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 9:03 PM
I think somebody forgot to pay the heat bill........

Around 5 outside now in South Beloit, IL, was watching my fuel filter restriction gauge steadily climbing throughout today, but after 60 dollars worth of additives, I have it back down where it should be. Guess the terminal fuel wasn't treated enough.......

There should be no such thing as clean safety gear.........

Randy Vos

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

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Posted by samfp1943 on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 9:24 PM

rvos1979
I think somebody forgot to pay the heat bill........

Around 5 outside now in South Beloit, IL, was watching my fuel filter restriction gauge steadily climbing throughout today, but after 60 dollars worth of additives, I have it back down where it should be. Guess the terminal fuel wasn't treated enough.......

There should be no such thing as clean safety gear.........
 

Randy: Don't just love driving in this kind of cold? /SarcasmMischief

I've been so cold at times, that I had two pairs of socks on my hands, and every shirt I had in my bag, on.  The heater was about as useful as a candle. You could hold your hand in front of your face and feel the cold radiating off the inside of the windshield. Captain

Hope you can stay warm, at least you are not up in some Northeaster place, where about tht time you get comfortable and asleep, some cop wants to come by and beat on the truck, and bust you because they have a no-idle policy in that area; so shut off the engine or get a ticket....Love Mass. /not!

Stay WARM! Sigh

 

 


 

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Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 5:26 PM

ma nature getting ready to open the freezer tonight.nothing on ns when I left work.going to take matt to confirmation class.better go warm up the truck.

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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