ALL:
I enjoy the "Alaska Railroad" series, but have many doubts about the dramatic events and conversations between crew members. In real life, they don't happen and I have ridden enough freight trains to know that. Also, I enjoy seeing the off gridders and how they fend for themselves.
Ed Burns
Happily retired NP-BN-BNSF from Minneapolis
The series needs better writers - there is nowhere near the drama in real life that the writers put into their 'reality' series.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I am amazed how the crew can change power three or four times on a run!
Yeah, and the same crew of engineer and brakeman go the entire 470 miles - in 10 hours or so. And no conductor? And the writers want you to believe that if the M/W machinery doesn't clear up in time, the train will just keep coming at them. There is SO much wrong with the way the situations are depicted.
trackjack Yeah, and the same crew of engineer and brakeman go the entire 470 miles - in 10 hours or so. And no conductor? And the writers want you to believe that if the M/W machinery doesn't clear up in time, the train will just keep coming at them. There is SO much wrong with the way the situations are depicted.
I find it amazing that every problem is a crisis. I also find it hard to believe that the ARR would put off clearing out any anticipated problems until the day they are critical to a movement.
JoeUmp I find it amazing that every problem is a crisis. I also find it hard to believe that the ARR would put off clearing out any anticipated problems until the day they are critical to a movement.
Not knowing the frequency of operation on any particular segment of the ARR system - if you are 'fixing' a weather caused problem, you don't want to fix it too far in advance of the train, or the situation may happen again before the train actually runs.
I can go along with Weather related, but cutting the rock walls back and not cutting the weeds until the day the train has to run is VERY POOR PLANNING indeed.
littlehobo74 I can go along with Weather related, but cutting the rock walls back and not cutting the weeds until the day the train has to run is VERY POOR PLANNING indeed.
Sure, the public generally has no idea how railroads operate, but the way the TV folks are doing it, just adds to the public's misunderstanding of the industry. They could, and should, have taken the opportunity to educate the public a little bit about how railroads actually go about their business. That bit about cutting the brush at the last minute appeared to be entirely contrived. If the brush was so bad, it would have been an FRA violation, and thus would have never been allowed to get so bad. And they were cutting a 30 foot swath, wanting us to believe a train couldn't get past if they didn't cut it. The ARR, as do most railroads, would have an annual M/W program which would include brush cutting. The TV folks could have had an M/W officer explain the ARR's maintenance programs and how they are planned and executed, instead of making everything seem like a dire, last minute emergency, just for drama's sake. My whole career was in the railroad business, so to see things distorted like this does irritate. Plus, there is no train crew anywhere that will operate a train 470 miles - union contracts and federal rules don't allow it. And every mainline train has a conductor, but apparently not on this show.
I agree that there is too much drama in the show. Maintenance is scheduled well in advance of a train's passage. Yes, MofW equipment does breakdown, but not at the frequence as indicated on the show. Granted, mechanics do respond quickly to repair equipment. I worked as Roadmaster's Clerk at Northtown (Twin Cities Terminal) for five years and am familiar with daily and AFE (Authorization For Expenditure) [authorized capital] maintenance.
In addition, I rode with enough train and engine crews to know that the conductor and engineer remind each other about slow orders and maybe a bit of chit chat, but the drama as shown on the show doesnot exist.
The ARR crews operate Anchorage to Seward and Anchorage to Fairbanks. Sometimes the crews have a brakeman, sometimes not, depending if there is switching on line. I suspect that we are seeing the same crew handling different train on different days using a variety of power.
Happily retired NP-BN-BNSF from Minneapolis.
NP Eddie The ARR crews operate Anchorage to Seward and Anchorage to Fairbanks. Sometimes the crews have a brakeman, sometimes not, depending if there is switching on line. I suspect that we are seeing the same crew handling different train on different days using a variety of power. Ed Burns Happily retired NP-BN-BNSF from Minneapolis.
Most likely because other crews felt the 'drama' being introduced was beneath their level of railroad dignity.
To what JoeUmp mentioned about the crisis and drama introduced into the program. Most of us here would be very satisfied to see the 'normal' daily operation of the ARR.
BUT what about the short attention span of the General Public? It seems that every TV program Must contain eklemets of 'reality' and consequently the writers feel complled to treat even the most mundane daliy task with a spellbinding level of crisis. HGTV even seems to want to hold their audiences with the drama of a crisis as houses are remodeled or 'flipped'.
Remember the drama filled TV programs, "Movin On"( the story of a long haul trucker team of Will & Sonny or the show) " BJ & The Bear" (The Bear being a truck riding chimp) ?
Thank God, for most of us the drama exists in our lives in the simple act of driving in traffic.
If you watched the live episode of Railroad Alaska you would have seen how much "drama" there really is.
Yep, ya gotta have the "drama" in life, otherwise it is just the "daily grind", and how interesting is that? Ya can't sell cars and Viagra on mundane life now, can ya?
What really irks me is the overall lack of safety awareness in all these spellbinding "reality" shows. I've been in the mining business for 38 years, and the lack of safety awareness is just amazing. I love the Gold Rush series, been there, done all that, burned the shirts long ago, but only one mine inspection in five years?? Something is up there, for sure, especially when you see that they roll a truck or dozer way too often.
And all the stupid sh . . that those guys do, especially contractors on some of those home reno and flipping shows. OMG!! Where are OSHA and MSHA???
I think the different engines is just the result of the filmmaker's mixing film of the train they're actually following in the episode with 'stock' footage of other trains going over the same line they had taken at some time in the past.
Not sure it would be impossible for one crew to go 470 miles (if that's the length of the run). It may be because the railroad is owned by the Alaska Railroad Corp., which is owned by the state of Alaska, that the work rules are different than a private company would have - or just that the union and management negotiated something allowing the longer trips in their contract.
I doubt that the people who put the show together have any idea as to what railroading reality is, and so present their idea--and the majority of the viewers are sucked into believing that REAL railroad operation is presented.
Johnny
wjstix I think the different engines is just the result of the filmmaker's mixing film of the train they're actually following in the episode with 'stock' footage of other trains going over the same line they had taken at some time in the past. Not sure it would be impossible for one crew to go 470 miles (if that's the length of the run). It may be because the railroad is owned by the Alaska Railroad Corp., which is owned by the state of Alaska, that the work rules are different than a private company would have - or just that the union and management negotiated something allowing the longer trips in their contract.
ARR is covered by the FRA and all applicable regulations, including Hours of Service; same as railroads in the lower 48.
When I rode the Anchorage-Fairbanks summer passenger train about 20 years ago, the trip took about 12 hours. The crews of the northbound and southbound traded trains at the midpoint siding, so they could return to their home terminal that day. The freights were somewhat slower. I took a Seward-Anchorage train a couple of years ago, and it was about 4 or 5 hours.
I don't get to see it because my Dish network package does not include this channel. But I know how they like to beef up drama to catch non-railroaders attention. Just like Unstoppable-which is a great movie and one of my favs. A buddy of mine saw it and liked it, but he said going around that curve would never have happened, physics would have taken over and the cars would have fell, never stayed on the track at that angle. But it made for a thrilling action shot.
Sunnyland I don't get to see it because my Dish network package does not include this channel. But I know how they like to beef up drama to catch non-railroaders attention. Just like Unstoppable-which is a great movie and one of my favs. A buddy of mine saw it and liked it, but he said going around that curve would never have happened, physics would have taken over and the cars would have fell, never stayed on the track at that angle. But it made for a thrilling action shot.
You must have meant to type 3000horse power.
Remember, the movie said it was 5000hp!
In the real life situation the air brakes probably would not have worked since the cars were not hooked up to the lead engine, hence the angle cock would most likely have been open.
10000 feet and no dynamics? Today is going to be a good day ...
I know,,, combine the series with "Finding Bigfoot" TV show to make it more exciting.
Matt: hey Bobo did you hear that Bigfoot scream?
Bobo: no Matt, the locomotive is making too much noise.
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
traisessive1 You must have meant to type 3000horse power. Remember, the movie said it was 5000hp! In the real life situation the air brakes probably would not have worked since the cars were not hooked up to the lead engine, hence the angle cock would most likely have been open.
I thought sd40-2s were rated at only 2000hp. Thanks for the correction
JOSEPH RENNER traisessive1 You must have meant to type 3000horse power. Remember, the movie said it was 5000hp! In the real life situation the air brakes probably would not have worked since the cars were not hooked up to the lead engine, hence the angle cock would most likely have been open. I thought sd40-2s were rated at only 2000hp. Thanks for the correction
SD-40's and GP 40's all varieties were 3000hp from EMD
I guess I'll add my two cents! Since when would a locomotive engineer blow the whistle in an avalanche zone? TV drama! Since when does an engineer tell the conductor what to do? I thought the conductor was in charge of the train? Finally, why did a railroad ground foreman have to tell a low-boy truck driver and his helper how to move a high-centered load at a crossing and why does the anouncer continue to talk about a 'sheet rock' train when the packaging on some of the cars clearly had 'Simpson Lumber' written across the wrapper? The writiers and producers ought to at least get the obvious correct.
What's wrong with letting your pre-conceived ideas and refusal to observe closely get in the way of reality?
"Steam1800's:
Having been a railroader for 38 years and worked mainly in the Operating Department, I know that some people are naturally born stupid! All railroad crossings have a crossing number and an emergency telephone number posted on that crossing. My guess is that the ARR police officer happened on that incident and quickly called the Anchorage Dispatcher to notify the train(s) in the area and dispatch a track department employee to help with the situation. Look at the many U-Tube videos of crossing accidents. When people are at a railroad crossing, they blank out reason. The BNSF emerency number is 1-800-832-5452. I a company make about 100 sticky labels for telephones at Northtown.
Happily retired NP-BN-BNSF from Minneapolis and a commercial driver.
Steam1800's I guess I'll add my two cents! ... Since when does an engineer tell the conductor what to do? I thought the conductor was in charge of the train?
I guess I'll add my two cents! ... Since when does an engineer tell the conductor what to do? I thought the conductor was in charge of the train?
In today's railroad, Conductor's are the employees that have been hired off the street, given a 'training program', given several months of OJT and then anointed 'Conductor'. Today's Engineers were previously Conductors, they mostly had a year or more of actively working as a Conductor before they were, in seniority order, put into Engineers Training. After succesfully completing the Engineers training cirriculum that centers on the mechanical and air brake aspects of locomotive operation, the Engineer trainees are then given several months of OJT to become qualified on how to operate trains on the territories they will be working.
So while the Conductor is 'in charge' of the train - todays engineers are the ones that have the knowledge of what 'in charge' means and how to apply it in most instances.
There are still some 'old head' Conductors that have seniority dates that prevented them from being required to get promoted to an Engineer and those men are truly Conductor in the fullest meaning of the word.
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