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Chatterbox winter 2015-2016

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  • From: Lombard (west of Chicago), Illinois
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Posted by CShaveRR on Monday, January 11, 2016 1:46 PM

Folks east of Rail Center, who have been basking in unseasonable January warmth, should expect to get some of what we're experiencing now.  We went below zero this morning (not as far below as Rochelle apparently did!), and are being snowed on.  We don't expect much snow (2-3 inches by tomorrow morning), but the previous snow fell on what was warm ground, so there is going to be some scraping involved to clear the walks.

No railroady stuff to report since my foray of last week.  I have another file that's being difficult, and I'm going to have to break it apart, assuming it will load again (if it doesn't, I may have to "wing it" for 45,000 words or so).

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 tree68 on Monday, January 11, 2016 11:11 AM

The sun is out at my house, although it's cold - about +26F with a touch of a wind chill.

Just to the south, however, the lake effect machine is in high gear.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, January 11, 2016 11:03 AM

    We're having a hard time staying above zero here.  Seems every time we get a blast of cold Canadian air, we have to wait for Nebraska to send us some warmer air to push it back out.  Nebraska seems to be holding back on us this time.Angry  

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, January 9, 2016 2:53 PM

Rain has arrived in Nw Ohio.Sun was out this morning.Matt and I took care of our recycling.Our normal place was closed so we improvised with a trip to Garrett.Csx was busy changing crews and getting the long distance trains around the big frieghts.Even had a local that picked up cars at the steel mill and came back to the yard.Brought home some of Indiana's dirt roads on the truck but the rain is going to wash most of it off.Tomorrow it's church and Sunday school.(if we aren't frozen!!)

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 JoeKoh on Friday, January 8, 2016 4:06 PM

evening

Ns still has the autorack train in the siding.Saw a track inspector go by today.Mamma says lets eat out for supper.Might turn white on Sunday.

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 tree68 on Thursday, January 7, 2016 11:09 PM

Mookie

Tree - did you monitor the Lansing Salt Mine problem?  That turned out great!  

Heard about it after the fact.  Sounds like they were never in great danger, but being stuck in an elevator 800 feet below the surface isn't really anything like being stuck in an elevator between the third and fourth floor, either...

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 mudchicken on Thursday, January 7, 2016 6:27 PM
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 Mookie on Thursday, January 7, 2016 5:54 PM

Tree - did you monitor the Lansing Salt Mine problem?  That turned out great!  

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Mookie on Thursday, January 7, 2016 5:49 PM

18 above on Sunday.  Might want to gather twigs and logs if you are east of us!

Plus high winds between now and Monday.  Ah winter has arrived!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, January 7, 2016 4:59 PM

Autorack train still in the siding at work.Took  co-worker out to the dealership so he could pick up his Jeep.Saw Csx running stacktrains.Need to do 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 rvos1979 on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 6:44 PM
How to shorten a car by four feet: Hit a bridge pier at 65 mph.......

The fact that there are guard rails for 200 feet in either direction makes it all the more interesting. I'd share a picture, but I was driving through Blacksburg/Christiansburg at the time.........

Randy Vos

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

"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV

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Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 5:11 PM

yep we have the mailbox cluster like the picture.Ns still has the autorack train in the siding.work still busy. Local youngster thought it was good to run from Police on the CSX railroad bridge here in town yesterday. He was taken into custody.Need to take Matt to confirmation class.

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 CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 7:09 AM

Postal regs preclude individual mailboxes at each door on apartment buildings with outside walkways.  He probably means the mailbox clusters similar to the one that the elk was checking out.

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 BaltACD on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 6:16 PM

JoeKoh

Messing with mailboxes is not fun.Grandma coming in with pooch got distracted and took out our mailboxes with vehicle.I had to go uptown for 2 months to get our mail while the post office got our mailboxes from a supplier in Indiana.Work still busy.Ns still has an autorack train in the siding.They took the up power away.Need to go eat supper.

stay safe

Joe

What kind of mailboxes?  Most hardware stores carry the normal rural style, or the attached to the house style.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 4:53 PM

Messing with mailboxes is not fun.Grandma coming in with pooch got distracted and took out our mailboxes with vehicle.I had to go uptown for 2 months to get our mail while the post office got our mailboxes from a supplier in Indiana.Work still busy.Ns still has an autorack train in the siding.They took the up power away.Need to go eat supper.

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 5, 2016 4:25 PM

mudchicken

An elk was rescued in Highlands Ranch after getting Just another day in the "hood". Son of Polar Vortex and snowmageddon haven't even arrived yet. Wondering if elk are like cats/ "If the head fits, the rest will too..."???

 

  Are you sure that's not a reindeer down on his luck?  I hear there were some layoffs after the holidays.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 4:24 PM

mudchicken

An elk was rescued in Highlands Ranch after getting Just another day in the "hood". Son of Polar Vortex and snowmageddon haven't even arrived yet. Wondering if elk are like cats/ "If the head fits, the rest will too..."???

 

Looking for mail? 

Ricki and I were glad that we could just reach out the front door and see if we had mail; the people on our street also had mail boxes at the house; the people on some other streets had to go out to the curb--and the people in newer developments had to go to boxes like the above. Where I live (when I am not in an institution) also has mail delivery to the door.

Johnny

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Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 4:02 PM

An elk was rescued in Highlands Ranch after getting Just another day in the "hood". Son of Polar Vortex and snowmageddon haven't even arrived yet. Wondering if elk are like cats/ "If the head fits, the rest will too..."???

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 tree68 on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 11:19 AM

The movie "Unbroken" is playing in the background, since I neglected to shut the TV off.

Of personal note, an aircrew in said movie has just been sent out to search for survivors of a plane headed for Canton (Island).  I spent a year on that atoll, supporting downrange operations of the Western Test Range.  During WWII, it served as a ferry base for planes (especially bombers) headed to Australia.

It made for some interesting off-duty time, exploring the old revetments and other facilities.

Canton was also a stop for the Pan-Am "Clipper" flying boats in their heyday.

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 tree68 on Monday, January 4, 2016 8:19 PM

Cold.  +4F first thing this morning, only up to +10F or so for a high.  And windy, with wind chills near -15F.

Getting Christmas decorations stored.  They're down - just got to get them organized and into the appropriate containers.

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...

  • Member since
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  • From: Defiance Ohio
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Posted by JoeKoh on Monday, January 4, 2016 4:52 PM

Back at it today.Work is busy.Ns has an eastbound auto rack train with up power in the siding.Csx was busy as well today.Had a car set off the defect detector west of town.Had to set the car off near FC.Csx will fix it tomorrow.Buddy said I need to quit this working buisness so I can watch trains.Told him sorry"Bill" and his cousins like to be paid.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").

 

  • Member since
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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, January 2, 2016 6:03 PM

evening

Csx was back up and running today.Had a salad shooter train with Up power and extra cars in front of the reefers.Q 369 westbound had 650 axles according to the Defect detector west of town.Church and Sunday school tomorrow.

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 switch7frg on Saturday, January 2, 2016 10:08 AM

Smile Oh my, there for a moment I thought  there was a group of middle aged ladies on a train  coming to town. Whew , that was a close one.

Y6bs evergreen in my mind

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, January 1, 2016 7:01 PM

Evening

Matt goes back Monday as well.We go back to work.Quiet on CSX today other than an R687(?) that was rerouted due to the flooding.Guessers say nothing major until maybe Friday??but it's NW Ohio.

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 Friday, January 1, 2016 4:43 PM

Happy 2016, everyone!  

It's a gray day here...no train noises to speak of, no willingness to go hunting for noiseless ones.  The weather has gotten seasonal, and should moderate just a bit in the coming days.  Meanwhile, I have plenty to do here in the office.  

Tomorrow's a birthday party, postponed from last week due to illness (what a way to spend part of one's winter break!).  Our senior grandchild has, probably of her own volition, 'cause that's the way she is, started a college fund for herself.  Grandpa will contribute a drop or two for the bucket.

No chance this break to take the kids train-hunting.  Mostly that's the fault of my bronchitis, but it's frustrating nonetheless.  They go back to school Monday.

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 tree68 on Friday, January 1, 2016 2:19 PM

I had all of our fire reports to date done on Wednesday, pending any more calls we got before midnight.  There were none.  

Plenty of lake effect just south of us - the police agencies are busy with cars off the road.  We get the occasional stray snowflake, but no accumulation.

We are getting the wind that's bringing the lake effect - just got a 17 MPH gust here at the house, and I'm in a valley.

Just killing time this afternoon...

 

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 The Butler on Friday, January 1, 2016 2:09 PM

Mookie

Almost 12 hours into 2016 and - so far, so good.  Really bright sunshine and while not warm, it looks quite nice outside!  And quiet.  Shy

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It is sunny for the first time in over a week here in Southeast Missouri.  There is a beautiful blue sky with a temperature near forty degrees.  The water north of us is recedeing, just not very fast.  The Mississippi River east and south of us should crest tommorow at the latest.  This might allow me to catch some rare trains on the Union Pacific's St. Genevieve Sub.  I hope everyone had a safe entrance in to the new year. 

James


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Posted by Mookie on Friday, January 1, 2016 11:16 AM

Almost 12 hours into 2016 and - so far, so good.  Really bright sunshine and while not warm, it looks quite nice outside!  And quiet.  Shy

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by edblysard on Friday, January 1, 2016 7:27 AM

tree68
 
NorthWest
...especially since it brings the cougars into town.

 

...

Nah.  Better not...

 

That would be best!

23 17 46 11

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Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Friday, January 1, 2016 1:26 AM

BaltACD
Back in 'the day' mid and higher level managers all had trained secretaries that handled their correspondence and made sure it used all the proper structures of communication.

Today, trained secretaries are few and far between.  Now mid and higher level managers do their own correspondence and e-mail . . . [snipped - PDN] 

"+1"

Mischief As a result, I'm the highest paid and least productive typist and file clerk I know.  Smile, Wink & Grin

But, the spelling and grammar darned well is as good as I can make it (wonder if that relates to the slower output . . . ?) Whistling

- Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)

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