Another "kick back" day - told daughter the other day that I needed a "reset" after being so busy for the past month or so. So that's what I'm doing.
Speaking of daughter - she called today to tell me that someone had called her to report the pup was out of my yard (her phone number is on a tag on the collar). Thought the dog was awfully quiet. A neighbor soon showed up with the pup in tow. It appears I neglected to latch the gate, so she just walked out. Thought she might have jumped the fence, but that's not looking so likely now.
Had to re-do my Pandora as I lost complete track of the UserID and password. So I'm having to retrain it as to what I like and don't like in my feeds...
A green Christmas is assured now. Today's high at the house was +60F. As for the "payback" when winter weather finally arrives - hmmmmm. Glad I've got a snowblower...
Larry 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...
CSX has had the sidewalk supt.s comment on bridge appearance before (Covington KY accross from Cincinnati comes to mind). Unless the bridge engineer or steel bridge inspector finds something, not much is gonna happen. Love to see what's in that old agreement that is such a hotbutton issue for CSX. Something in that agreement isn't normal.
Thanks for that update, Joe. (P.S. - Since 2014 is well past and we're almost into 2016, perhaps you might want to update or modify your 'tagline' in some way ?)
mudchicken - perhaps CSX is offering that funding just to avoid the nuisance and disruption to it that would be caused by replacement of the viaduct - such as 'slow orders' while passing the work area and/ or negotiating a curved 'shoo-fly' bypass, etc. - even if the actual construction work is at the City's sole expense. For example, I'm not aware of any state-level Public Service Commission-type decision that would compensate the railroad for added indirect expenses due to additional crew hours and overtime and other increased labor costs, more in-service operating hours for locomotives, additional car hire (per diem) costs, rebates/ refunds for late priority (e.g., UPS) trains, 'ripple effect' disruptions to other operations on the system/ network - nearby yards, other connecting trains, etc., etc. I believe there's another member here who is better qualified to comment on that aspect . . .
Plus, most of the necessary major components - underpinning the piers and abutments, excavating the street for additional vertical clearance, repaving it, installing a better pumping system, etc. - would either have to be done anyway, or other items would be even more expensive, with a total reconstruction of the viaduct. With modern construction equipment and methods, lowering the street is a more feasible proposition than in the past. An honest cost estimation/ value engineering would confirm that, I think.
- Paul North.
tree68 Speaking of daughter - she called today to tell me that someone had called her to report the pup was out of my yard (her phone number is on a tag on the collar). Thought the dog was awfully quiet. A neighbor soon showed up with the pup in tow. It appears I neglected to latch the gate, so she just walked out. Thought she might have jumped the fence, but that's not looking so likely now.
I can sympathize with trying to keep the pooch in the yard. We have two rather quiet chihuahuas and my son and I recently had to add some hardware cloth (wire mesh) to the back gate so they wouldn't escape.
CSSHEGEWISCH tree68 Speaking of daughter - she called today to tell me that someone had called her to report the pup was out of my yard (her phone number is on a tag on the collar). Thought the dog was awfully quiet. A neighbor soon showed up with the pup in tow. It appears I neglected to latch the gate, so she just walked out. Thought she might have jumped the fence, but that's not looking so likely now. I can sympathize with trying to keep the pooch in the yard. We have two rather quiet chihuahuas and my son and I recently had to add some hardware cloth (wire mesh) to the back gate so they wouldn't escape.
The streets are mostly clear and dry (at least what I can see out front), and we do expect more snow tonight and tomorrow. If MC does not have a white Christmas, he may well have a white Boxing Day.
Johnny
PDN: As old as the viaduct is, CSX's predecessor may have built the thing on its own dime to avoid surface running in a congested area. There are a good number of old bridges in the US that have contractual language that make current day railroad counsel cringe when they read it. The railroads are no longer the high and mighty and local government is no longer the omnipotent/benevolent folks they once thought they were. Still have a number of timber hump backed bridges in small towns out here that cannot take the current abuse, (there is one in Bellville, KS that is just plain frightening and another at Smith Center not much better) that are putting shortline railroads in a bind. Usually, most of these towns have forgotten and lost those earlier lopsided agreements, but some actually exercised some responsible recordkeeping. The budget knife can cut projects up many ways. I've dealt with some northern Indiana places that are absolutely clueless on what they agreed to, threw out any paper documents they had, failed to record much of anything and are now broke and in such a deep hole that the future is pretty bleak. (The current politicos can not BS their way out of the hole rtheir predecessors created. )
Suspect Joe's people managed to hang onto the agreement and that the trump card would make any arrangements with Ohio's PUC tough for a new structure or solution.
Paul sorry about that.Csx was being naughty today.They had x 324 come to the yard to drop off an engine.They stretched from West Standley(milepost82.2) just past west Defiance(85.2).They just blocked the hire road crossing.When they are that long they cross from track 2 back to track 1 at west standley and come into the yard.Need to get ready for Church tonight.Merry Christmas everyone.Guessers say Santa will have a full moon to guide the sleigh tonight.
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").
tree68Had to re-do my Pandora as I lost complete track of the UserID and password. So I'm having to retrain it as to what I like and don't like in my feeds...
Pandora: "You like that song? You will never hear it again!"
My truck has a Pandora app, so I listen to that a lot when in it. But SPotify has some soundtracks I like that are not on Pandora, so I listen to both as of now.
Was shifting the train last night in short sleeves. In December. That is just wrong.
Someone set up a Christmas tree in the yard office. It was without decorations, so we took the liberty of adorning it with various shop/engine tags. They were removed and proper holiday balls put in it. I guess it's more traditional, but the other way had a certain RR flare...
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
Why?
23 17 46 11
edblysard Why?
It'd be like you having to shift when it's -2 degrees. It just ain't right!
True...!
zugmann but the other way had a certain RR flare...
That would certainly make for a bright tree...
tree68 zugmann but the other way had a certain RR flare... That would certainly make for a bright tree...
It would give me a warm, fusee feeling!
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)
Merry Christmas to all.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD Merry Christmas to all.
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
Mookie BaltACD Merry Christmas to all. Thank you sir and same to you!
Thank you sir and same to you!
Merry Christmas. May the Belsnickel only bring you cakes and candies (and no whippings).
From https://www.byerschoice.com/christmas-traditions/pennsylvania-dutch:
...
But before children could receive any gifts, the children were visited by Belsnickel. He would arrive unannounced on an evening in December, usually portrayed by a masked uncle or grandfather clad all in furs and make himself known with a rap on the window pane with the wooden switch he used to beat naughty children. “Der Belsnickel!” screamed the children as they ran from the frightening creature, but soon enough, their parents would gather them up and sit them down in front of Belsnickel. In a rumbling voice, Belsnickel would ask each child if they had been naughty over the past year; an honest admission of guilt would earn you a rap on the knuckles, but lying resulted in an even worse punishment! Once every child had been judged, each was asked to recite a prayer or prove something they had learned in school to earn a small treat from Belsnickel’s bag.
Even after Belsnickel and the Christkindl were replaced by the Santa Claus we know today as Christmas gift-bringer, the tradition of “Belsnickling,” where groups of masked young people went door to door entertaining on the nights preceding Christmas, continued for many years.
Merry Christmas to one and all.
We have a white Christmas here with the temperature running just above 0º F. There is enough snow that you need to break out the shovel but not enough to cause any real difficulty walking around. Too many cars are operating in fender bender mode with the ditchfinders turned on however.
I will be heading up to my sisters place for Christmas dinner. Mom will be there, although it is a bit sad as she is only a shadow of her former self. I haven't worked out when I will see my brother yet.
Other than the Rochelle thread I haven't been posting much lately. This whole CP-NS business has me changing my mind on the subject a couple of times a day. If I were to post an opinion I would probably have changed it before I could finish typing.
Once again, Merry Christmas to everyone.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
zugmannMerry Christmas. May the Belsnickel only bring you cakes and candies (and no whippings).
And then there are these two fun Christmas guys. The second is Knecht Ruprecht, who gives out lumps of coal to naughty kids. The first is Krampus (from Alpine regions) who carries and uses either chains or a birch branch as a whip.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Merry Christmas
Santa was good to our cats. He brought a veriety of boxes for them to play in. 48 degrees and sunny here. They are calling for rain for Saturday 'til Monday. They say 3" to 6" could fall over the three days. I just say to the locals, be glad it isn't snow.
James
hope everyone is having a great day today.Off to G+G's house soon.40's and sunshine here.Saw a preview for next month's magazine.That hotspot looks rather familiar.
Well what a weird past few days. Temps were up to the 60s Monday. Rain started Tuesday and Wedensday with about 2.7". Not bad says spouse. Thursday morning Tree's fire hose came all the way here with about 3" rain in an hour and another inch later on. Had to do my civic duty by taking the lawn mower and a chain and pull a couple used cross ties out of street that floated out to a culvert that could not drain fast enough. Temps went up to 69.2 degrees.
OK enough is enough. Last night Tree used 2 fire hoses and when got up had to remove a few limbs and horrors more cross ties. Pulled 8 out of street and culvert. About 2-1/2 feet deep water at culvert. Note culvert is usually a dry creek if no rain for a week. Clearing took about 3/4 hour and the work was shirt sleeves and temp now 73.9 degrees and still going up as finally sun out. Rain ? best estimate 7.2" in about 4 hours. So total of 11.5" this past 2 days
Whole state under flash flood warnings and expect many wash outs both road and rail. MARTA rail (Atlanta) shut down for flooding for a few hours but did not here what time.
My sump pump auto failed so am trying to get the water out of basement but have to be careful as drain has some dirt blockage so only can run about 30 seconds at a time. Note sump is 400 gallon capacity.
Christmas, with the help of a couple of grinches disguised as cold germs, has wiped me out. I got through the celebrations on Wednesday (Pat's family) and Thursday (my family) evenings up in Michigan, slept in yestreday, got us back home here, then slept around the clock last night. I have no desire to go anywhere today.Our weather is supposed to get interesting now. It wasn't bad over the past few days, unless you're one of those who requires snow to have a good Christmas (give me grandchildren and little cousins, and I'm fine!). But now the wind is supposed to kick up, with a chance of rain today and tomorrow, and rain/snow/sleet on Monday. We have a birthday party to go to Sunday (my oldest grandchild--whom I mentioned excitedly in this Forum when she arrived--is turning eleven!), but I would love to be able to stay under a blanket or a hoodie until the sun reveals itself.Joe, that looks like a neat place in the next issue...maybe you'll have to take us there sometime! ;-) Did you have any input?
Rain has arrived here in Nw Ohio.Did check things out around Toledo and Mamma got some items she wanted.Csx and Ns seemed to be hungover from there Christmas break.Track inspector for CSX decided to go off the tracks and come back on instead of waiting for clearance from the NS dispatcher at Vickers.
Carl certain associate editor did the hot spot.No input from us.However if you come anytime soon you will need to come by boat.
Raining lightly here as well - just enough to get things wet.
Finally convinced the poodle to come inside. She's been outside for the past hour or more - in the rain - wanting for me to come out and play. Daughter said they're water dogs, and they seem to be. A lot of dogs will walk around a puddle, but not this one...
Last night another " rainy night in Georgia " . Mild as only1.6 " . The ground is so wet that any slight breeze is bringing down trees. One just missed a friends home. Chain saw time if ground ever gets dry enough. Right now footprints are 1 inch deep.
CSX and probably NS is doing a lot of exra patrols looking for trees.
tree68 A lot of dogs will walk around a puddle, but not this one...
All you folks wishing for a white Christmas should have been a little more specific about where the white stuff was to be deposited. Starting about 5:00 pm on Christmas day we got about 5-6" of the winter white stuff. Our TV weather dorks had a great Christmas.
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Snow just in time for Chistmas! Murphy, are you making a Hallmark or Lifetime channel Christmas movie?
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
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