Chatterbox Winter

[mudchicken]

Mud's old stomping grounds.

The truck that got nailed apeared to be coming back into CSX's Queensgate TOFC/COFC facility nearby to the west. J.B. Hunt has one lucky drayman.

Driven over/under the old Hopple Street Viaduct hundreds of time in the past en-route to school up Dixmith Ave. Ironically, it was a newer part of the viaduct that fell. (Vy a duct? Vy nots a cheeckens? - Marx Bros.)

[BaltACD]

CShaveRR

It's a bridge that's being demolished over I-75.  The report I saw says one construction worker killed, and 75 will be closed for a couple of days.

 

Found a article on it

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/01/20/major-i-75-bridge-collapse/22036893/

[CShaveRR]

Is that the one they're tearing down, the Hopple Street Viaduct?  It looked like a pretty spectacular bridge at one point, but was looking kind of ratty lately (we were through there last summer).  Or am I thinking of the Western Hills Viaduct?

[Mookie]

mudchicken

Mud's old stomping grounds.

(Vy a duct? Vy nots a cheeckens? - Marx Bros.)

 

Ah, Chicken has a wishbone AND a funny bone! 

[mudchicken]

CShaveRR

Is that the one they're tearing down, the Hopple Street Viaduct?  It looked like a pretty spectacular bridge at one point, but was looking kind of ratty lately (we were through there last summer).  Or am I thinking of the Western Hills Viaduct?

 

Western Hills (1932) is the really long dramatic rascal that got heavilly modified in the 80's with the concrete arch structures over Mill Creek...

Hopple (1914)was shorter and a little more ornate until highway construction chopped it up in the 60's...

And then there were the Ludlow  and Eighth Street/River Road viaducts also hopping over the Mill Creek.1914-1991

 

[ChuckCobleigh]

mudchicken

(Vy a duct? Vy nots a cheeckens? - Marx Bros.)

"The Cocoanuts" 1929, Groucho explaining the resort development plans on a chart to Chico.

Groucho: Now here is a little peninsula and here is a viaduct leading over to the mainland. 

Chico: Why a duck?  Why a no chicken?

 

Leading eventually to the duck on "You Bet Your Life" and the title of the Groucho book Why a Duck?

 

 

[Mookie]

Memo to Tree et al:  I know you look in on Overspoor.  They have a new camera #4.  And right below that a video on the new "dig". 

Moo...

[BaltACD]

Video of the collapse

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/2015/01/21/22112029/

[tree68]

Here's the spot:  N 39.13899 W 84.53460

[JoeKoh]

afternoon

icy this morning,foggy outside now.Matt was closed today.Also no confirmation class tonight.Time to do chores.Ns had a westbound in the siding and empty cars uptown.

stay safe

Joe

[Paul of Covington]

BaltACD

Video of the collapse

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/2015/01/21/22112029/

 

    Does anyone else think it unusual that they allowed traffic to continue to use the highway while they worked on removing the span?

[Norm48327]

A June 2014 view on Google Earth shows them building a new bridge just north of the old one. Perhaps it is open to traffic.

[BaltACD]

Paul of Covington

BaltACD

Video of the collapse

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/2015/01/21/22112029/

 

 

 

 

    Does anyone else think it unusual that they allowed traffic to continue to use the highway while they worked on removing the span?

 

No!  There are many bridges that get removed during reconstruction projects.  There is a tremendous amount of 'pre' removal work that takes place prior to actual removal of the beams that cross the highways.  Roads are shut down for the actual removal of the beams.  This appears to have been a result of the 'pre' removal work and the collapse was in no way thought possible prior to it's happening.

Looking at the video, it appears that the right hand side of the bridge comes down first and brings the rest of the bridge down with it.  What was taking place at the right hand side at the time?

[rvos1979]

All: What actually fell down in Cincinnati was the old off ramp bridge from I 75 north to Hopple St. They were getting ready to break up the concrete deck over the southbound lanes when the span dropped. Wild guess here, but I think somebody hit a part of the structure that they shouldn't have, and it gave way. The JB Hunt driver probably had to have the driver's seat surgically removed from his rear end, though. Went past the following afternoon, they were still investigating......

Taking my last trip to Texas for a while, I have decided to switch to a different trucking company. Starting in February, I'll be running a dedicated account for Schneider National, which means that I will be home more often, once a week instead of once a month.......

[samfp1943]

rvos1979

All: What actually fell down in Cincinnati was the old off ramp bridge from I 75 north to Hopple St. They were getting ready to break up the concrete deck over the southbound lanes when the span dropped. Wild guess here, but I think somebody hit a part of the structure that they shouldn't have, and it gave way. The JB Hunt driver probably had to have the driver's seat surgically removed from his rear end, though. Went past the following afternoon, they were still investigating......

Taking my last trip to Texas for a while, I have decided to switch to a different trucking company. Starting in February, I'll be running a dedicated account for Schneider National, which means that I will be home more often, once a week instead of once a month.......

 

First of all, Randy, Good luck with the Pumpkins. They can be a great outfit.

I am reminded of an experience on 28 June 1983, The North bound Lane of the Cos Cob- I-95 Bridge fell into the Mianus River.   I had been running with a team truck from KLM out of Jackson, Ms. They stoped at the Last toll plaza on the NYThruway to call in; They went into the river;  I kept rolling, and stopped at the second rest area in Conn. for a break.  With no CB radio and no AM radio, I did not find out about the bridge collapse,until I was at the CT/RI  line. The traffic for the middle of the wek was almost nil, and I stopped to ask why.

[tree68]

rvos1979

Wild guess here, but I think somebody hit a part of the structure that they shouldn't have, and it gave way.

I was thinking that, or someone miscalculated what could be taken out and what had to stay.  Or, as a third possibility, something unforeseen failed.  We'll know when they finish the investigation.

[Uncle Jake]

Since the post of chief lurker has been filled, I will settle for deputy to the chief lurker, unless that's been taken as well. Assistant to the deputy chief lurker? Zugman: my dad always said:"They told me to cheer up, things could be worse. So I cheered up and sure enough, things got worse. "

PS: I enjoy your stories Zugman, please keep them coming.

[switch7frg]

Randy, keep on truckin' , get it while you can, retirement and or disability comes all too soon.  Have pulled the pin now 8yrs.  Still hear the sound of singing tires on the roadway half mi. from home 20 ------ sheesh.   Respectfully, Cannonball

[JoeKoh]

ns still had a westbound in the siding at work when I left. My grandma blanket maker delivered another blanket for our new great niece or nephew coming.She also had some brownies as well.Time to get some chores done.Tomorrow is Friday.

stay safe

Joe

[zugmann]

Mookie

I am not sure whether you are engineer or conductor. Engineer I know about a smidge more than conductor. Do you have cab signals? Any information about them would be appreciated. Have you ever worked with cantenary? Joe's area is mostly freight and a lot of it. Here it is freight and unit trains and probably a lot of them, altho they move during the night, so I don't know how many for sure. Are you mainly freight in your area?

 

Eastern railroads are like western railroads.  Just different colored engines. 

 

To answer you rquestions in order: 

1. was a conductor/remote operator, now an engineer trainee.  Not too crazy about it, though.  I hate being couped up.

2. Yes, we run on lines with cab signals.  Wonderful devices that have been around 100 years.  Why they were never required in the past is beyond me. 

3. I don't work electrics, but some of our routes do involve running on railroads with catenary.

4.  All freight here.

 

I like old ladies, kids, and dogs.  Even though I'm single, no kids of my own, and have cats.

 

--zug

[Mookie]

Joe: Brownies...Captain Kangaroo sez share?  Yum!

Zug - thanx for info.  There will be more questions, I am sure. 

And in return - I am going to give you some information you probably don't have:  reporterette on radio - CN - Canadian Northern.  Or maybe railroad workers know something I had never heard.... 

[rvos1979]

Looked at the video that was linked here earlier, looks like the cantilevered part gave way first, so possibly the failure may have been caused by the excavator moving the span the wrong way, stressing the link bars on that end. Looking forward to hearing what exactly happened.......

Long day today, drove over 600 miles from Effingham, IL to Stringtown, OK. Figure I have about three hours of driving left to get to the final, more or less. Of course, the appointment is for 4 pm central, making life interesting........

[blue streak 1]

Interesting post on train orders.  BNSF has over 90+ locos stored laid up good order ( LUGO ).  Reported at Northtown, Topeka, Barstow.

[Mookie]

blue streak 1

Interesting post on train orders.  BNSF has over 90+ locos stored laid up good order ( LUGO ).  Reported at Northtown, Topeka, Barstow.

 

Are they the older models? 

During the recession a few years ago, we had a lot of tracks around the depot with shrink-wrapped locomotives.  They sat there for awhile and then were eventually put back in service. 

[tree68]

rvos1979

Long day today, drove over 600 miles from Effingham, IL to Stringtown, OK.

That's my Friday, and again Sunday night (unless jury duty gets cancelled Monday)

Headed for Springfield, MA for the big Amherst RR Club show.  It's a doozie.  I'll be working, though, trying to convince people to come ride our railroad.

[AgentKid]

Fifty Years Ago Today

 

On January 23, 1965 our family moved out of the CPR station at Irricana and into Calgary. My father had bid in to be the Agent at Crossfield, AB and he would be able to commute from Calgary. This would prove to be very fortuitous, because on February 1, 1965 the CPR served six months’ notice that all open stations on branch lines in Alberta served by Mixed Trains would be closed. So began what would end up being the closure of all open agencies in Canada by about 1970. Dad only worked as the Agent at Crossfield for the month of February, before he began training to be a Dispatcher. He was set up as a Dispatcher on August 1.

 

Growing up in a CPR station enabled me to see many things that today are only seen at museums or written about in books. Some of the many things I saw included:

 

• ·       Wood body boxcars – outside braced, outside sheathed, smooth ended, dreadnought ended, original steel ends, K and AB brakes, numerous different truck types including some with wood components, and both truss rod and steel underframes. Almost none of which would have been legal for interchange use by that time
• ·       Wood body hoppers and gondolas.
• ·       40’ flat cars with stem winder brakes.
• ·       Riveted body tank cars.
• ·       MOW cars of various descriptions that were considered too old for revenue service, making them older than anything mentioned above. Including wood body ballast cars about the size of modern dump truck bodies with the most astounding variety of Rube Goldberg type mechanisms made up of steel levers and rods held together with big nuts and bolts to direct the flow of ballast as required.
• ·       Combines converted form old colonist cars to provide the mixed train service.

Our station had coal heat and no running water. The company provided a forty ton boxcar of coal each fall, which was loaded down a coal chute under the platform. Water was provided once a week by a turn of the 20^th century riveted body tank car originally used in oil service. It was pressurised the same way as passenger car water supply systems, to prevent freezing in winter, but that didn’t always work.

 

In the freight shed were numerous lanterns and flags of many colours for all possible situations. There was both a two wheel and a four wheel baggage truck. Two different sized scales, and numerous other tools one needed to keep a station operating.

 

My brother and I got to ride in Geeps, and once I got to ride in a Switcher, when they were switching at the elevators.  My brother never did learn to like the noise the airbrake made in the cab. When I was very young, Dad explained to me the miracle of MU connections.  One Engineer could control two engines! I was actually a lot older before I realized those original style MU cables were not electrical connections. Even at a very young age I could have bought that those cables were electric cords.

Both of us got to ride in the cupola of the Caboose from Irricana, north five miles to Beiseker, once during the last summer we were there. Interestingly, that trip ended any desire I ever had to work for the railway. The Langdon Sub. had a 25 MPH maximum speed and I at once understood the hurry up and wait aspect of railroading, moments of deadly serious activity followed by hours of boredom.

Irricana also had a Water Tower, Coal Dock, Section Foreman’s residence, Roadmaster’s Office and residence, and sheds to keep their Motor Cars and supplies. I was just old enough to remember Dad taking me through the Coal Dock and Water Tower before they were demolished. The thing that sticks with me to this day about going through that Coal Dock is that there is nothing blacker than creosoted timbers coated with forty years of coal dust.

I got to see and handle all of the various components used in track work. The Section Foreman dealt with the other Motor Cars on the line. This was interesting because I got to see what I would call Two Man Motor Cars, Four Man Motor Cars, and an extremely rare Six Man Motor Car. This design was considered a failure because it proved to be too much car for too little an engine. Think of the classic Motor Car you see in pictures and at Speeder Events as a Four Man Motor Car.  My brother and I both got to ride the smaller Speeders.

The same day he brought in that big Speeder he also brought in a Hand Car. Funny thing is, compared to that big Speeder; Hand Cars are almost as common as dirt. I don’t think I have ever been to any museum worth its’ salt that didn’t have a Hand Car.

When we were first there, there were the scheduled Mixed Trains four days a week, and extra Coal Drags in season. The Mixed’s ran to about forty cars, and the Coal Drags up to about sixty cars with two Geeps. The last summer we were there, there hadn’t been extra coal drags for several years and some Mixed Trains had only seven to ten boxcars. At one time in Irricana there were five families supported by the CPR. Once the station closed there was only the Section Foreman and the Roadmaster left, and the track was pulled up about 1972. An era had ended.

Now, most days I pull up the Rochelle Web Cam and I get kind of bored seeing coal trains and double stack trains, but what keeps me coming back is the sound of trucks crossing those diamonds.

O.S. Irricana,

Bruce

 

 

 

[JoeKoh]

evening

errands are done.We got our taxes done as well.More errands and chores for tomorrow.Going to check on my brother and his rehab work for his knee.Truck also needs a bath before mother nature gives us more snow on Sunday.Ns had a westbound when I left work and the local picked up the empties.

stay safe

Joe

[rvos1979]

Huh, slow weekend..........

In Cairo, GA, today, waiting to get unloaded, then get a load headed home. Last day with Millis is Wednesday, then a few days off before going to Green Bay for orientation with Schneider that starts on the 2nd of February.........

Have a good one........

[AgentKid]

Best of luck to US forum members about to face this big blizzard. This coming from a guy who lives in the city that was the Canadian hotspot yesterday at 63º F. Oh well, I suppose our turn will come soon.

Bruce

 

[Norm48327]

Hey Bruce,

I have a friend who lives in Airdrie. He's not complaining about the weather. LOL