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Chatterbox Spring -2016

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Posted by mudchicken on Thursday, March 31, 2016 10:32 AM

NorthWest

40 years ago today was the last day of operation for the LV, AA, EL, RDG, CNJ, LHR and PC. Conrail began 40 years ago tomorrow.

 

Solved one set of problems and created a new set of nightmares.

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 JoeKoh on Thursday, March 31, 2016 6:20 PM

evening

rain here in Nw Ohio.Going to get a cool down this weekend too.Ns local was moving around when I left work.Tomorrow is Friday and April 1st.Don't get fooled.

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, April 1, 2016 6:19 PM

evening

ns was clear when I left work.Going to be rainy and colder this weekend.Back to 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 BOB WITHORN on Saturday, April 2, 2016 1:19 PM

Mookie,

The effected portion of the city is much smaller than what you see on tv. But, those with the lead trouble have a major problem.    They dug up the lines for the home with the highest lead contamination to replace the lead pipes only to find the pipes were not lead!!  So there is a bit more panic trying to find the sources. The simple version is the local water people were not experienced enough and the Fed & Stae EPAs are so top heavy with mgmt. that it took MONTHS to get answers to the local people asking for help. 

A large part of the metro area isn't on the city system. They use Detroit or wells. It's really tough as most of those affected are in the innercity minority areas were they are unfortunately least equipped to respond.

Flint once have the second highest per capita income in the US, (behind Anchorage, Alaska), now they are just out of their second round of state emergency management.

Bob

 

 

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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, April 2, 2016 4:07 PM

Bob - appreciate the information.  It is hard to accept that anyone in this great US should be w/o the basics - food &/or water. Sigh 

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, April 2, 2016 6:13 PM

Mookie

Bob - appreciate the information.  It is hard to accept that anyone in this great US should be w/o the basics - food &/or water. Sigh

Except when you start mixing in local (or otherwise) politics of who matters and who doesn't.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, April 2, 2016 6:27 PM

BaltACD
Except when you start mixing in local (or otherwise) politics of who matters and who doesn't.

 I was thinking that, but didn't want to be made to stand in the corner by saying it out loud.  Sad, very sad...

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, April 3, 2016 6:53 AM

Brrrrrr.  Think I'll go back to bed and see if I wake up and it's spring...

All of +22F here - with a wind chill of +10F.  Snow to the south of us - Syracuse got a coating.  Evidence of snow here, but that's it - just a little here and there.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, April 3, 2016 7:41 AM

yeah Chatterbox SPRING ????--

Cold this week according to the guessers.Had a semi overturn in Napoleon plus other wind damage yesterday.Matt is off to Sunday school and will sing for his lunch.Need to get cleaned up for Church.

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 Mookie on Monday, April 4, 2016 4:33 AM

4:30 a - by doze isn't wuking.  

Trees, grass, Kansas dirt (sorry, Sam) - clouds, butterflies, flowers, sun, wind, no rain - yep - I am allergic to it all.  

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, April 4, 2016 8:04 AM

Snow this morning.  Light stuff - the wind (chill factor +8F) blew it off the driveway.

What is this "spring" stuff everybody is talking about, anyway?  Angry

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 Mookie on Monday, April 4, 2016 4:05 PM

Our trees budding & blooming today - very pretty!

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by JoeKoh on Monday, April 4, 2016 5:01 PM

evening

Ns was clear when I left work.Going to get down in the 20's tonight.Any flowering trees or plants are going to want some mittens.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").

 

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Posted by BOB WITHORN on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 9:55 AM
Sure glad I'm retiring south from Michigan to northern Indiana. It's at least 1 or 2 degrees warmer there,
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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 4:32 PM

afternoon

ns local was busy when I left work.Ran errands and CSX had 2 slow order approach signs near FC.Lots of slow orders to fix we heard.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").

 

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Posted by CShaveRR on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 12:00 AM

We're getting signs of spring--there's a bit of green in the brush, we've had daffodils, crocuses (about finished), forsythia, and myrtle blossoms.  It won't be long before it will be long ("it" meaning the grass, this time) and require mowing.

We took a trip out to Rochelle this afternoon (I'd wanted to watch trains in Elmhurst, but Pat had had her eyes dilated by the optometrist, and couldn't sew or read, so we took a ride).  Not much happening around the park.  The City's tracks had a lot of cars on them, mostly small-cube covered hoppers.  Unfortunately, that street that parallels the railroad has been improved a bit, with curbs, and there is no place to park out of the way and harvest data.  My solution, later this year, wlll be to bike the road.  In the good old days, this would have been a bike trip to or from home, but now it will be a round trip to and from the park.

We went to Elburn, too...I was surprised to see an entire new road connecting Route 38 with Keslinger Road, complete with an overpass over the main line and the coach yard.  Access to the Metra station is now off this road instead of off Keslinger.

There seems to be an influx of quiet zones along the line.  Both UP and BNSF have upgraded a number of crossings in Rochelle with medians at the grade crossing to prevent going into the wrong lane to cross (plenty of horns today, though), and LaFox has installed a stationary horn system at LaFox Road.  I was hoping to have a listen, but the approaching coal train stopped short.

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 Wednesday, April 6, 2016 2:43 PM

Ns clear when I left work.Chores to do.Matt needs to do homework.Confirmation class starts back again 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").

 

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Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, April 7, 2016 5:48 PM

evening

got report of a broken wheel on a stack train in Deshler.Deshler is down to one track right now for E/W traffic.Back to 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 Mookie on Thursday, April 7, 2016 8:06 PM

Had lunch trackside - sitting in full sun, getting vitamin D and watching a couple of trains.  

You just can't beat that with a stick!  

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, April 8, 2016 6:39 PM

Ns had an eastbound when I left work.mother nature sending us snow.I put the shovels away in the shed.Going to be a quiet night 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").

 

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Posted by tree68 on Friday, April 8, 2016 6:45 PM

Snowed off and on all day, but it all melted.  Temperature hovering above freezing.

Off to a seminar tomorrow by the former fire chief of Washington, DC.

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 JoeKoh on Saturday, April 9, 2016 4:11 PM

afternoon

Mother nature sent us snow and ice here in Nw Ohio.It melted off nicely.Csx has a grain train to pick up at the elevator west of town.Csx sent a westbound train with LP gas tank cars today too.Going to get some chores done.

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 Norm48327 on Saturday, April 9, 2016 4:19 PM

Yeah, Joe, we-uns up here in Wolverine land are still wondering what happened to Spring. I'm surprised the Robins haven't returned to the south.

Norm


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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, April 9, 2016 5:54 PM

What is this Springtime people are talking about?  Haven't seen it.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Deggesty on Saturday, April 9, 2016 6:26 PM

Yes, I am also wondering about spring. I saw practically no evidence it on this trip until I was in Maryland Thursday, when I saw redbud and some dogwood blossoms. Approaching Moffat Tuesday, we had falling snow on the western slope.

I saw quite a bit of redbud yesterday, on my way down to Bristol (by Dog), but very little greenery. 

Today, several outdoor activiites had been planned for the alumni gathering--and I received an email note a few days ago, informing the recipients that those activites would be indoors and not out in the cold. It was chilly when I arrived in Bristol yesterday, and it was chilly again today. I hope there will be little wind while I am waiting for the NE-bound Dog in the morning (there is no bus station here anymore; only a bus stop that is not open for half of the four (two each way) scheduled buses M-Sa--and not open at all on Sunday. Only one of the stations where stopped for any length of time had what approaches real food service--the stop in Wytheville, Va., is a McDonald's. Roanoke and Charlottesville had noting but machines. Way back when, there was a lunch counter in the Wytheville station and, I think, here (I never needed to eat in it). The station in Washington would not have served for a medium-sized town fifty years ago.

I enjoyed seeing seven of my classmates today--one I had not seen since graduation in 1958. There were a few of various classes who had been coming, but were not here this year. There are still two of the faculty/staff whom I knew way back when I was supposedly a student.

Mookie, I apologize for not informing you of my easternly trip; I expect to pass through this coming Friday night/Saturday morning, on my way home.

 

Johnny

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Posted by Mookie on Saturday, April 9, 2016 9:13 PM

Johnny - you should expect the same beautiful city as before - sans any snow/rain/sleet.  Possibly some dark and chilly - but nothing unusual.  We try to keep from doing "unusual".  Thumbs Up

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, April 10, 2016 9:31 AM

mother nature gave us some more white stuff this morning.Need to pick up Matt from sunday school.Tonight is church Ymca night.Free baptisims in the pool.Will be on the basketball court.Would they let me stay the night in the hot tub after the games are over? Going to be fun.

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 mudchicken on Sunday, April 10, 2016 3:41 PM

Spring hasn't shown-up in southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma along with parts of Arkansas because you can't see it because all you see and smell is smoke. It's still burning and parts of southern KS along US-160 and US-57 look like a war zone.

Staggered back into Denver last night after midnight. Got to look at the Amtrak derailment site in Cimarron KS again. (I still see the same disconnect. There is a steel & tie gang working east from Coolidge/Syracuse KS that ought to erase any sign of that derailment in less than a month. M/W budgets may be down, but UP and BNSF are still really busy in KS.

Had a good time visiting the 'ol stompin grounds west of Dodge. Not so much fun at Coffeyville. (Diningcar, I'za gotsome qwestions!)

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 Sunday, April 10, 2016 4:16 PM

Looks like more crud heading this way - and there is snow/ice in the forecast tonight.

Took advantage of above freezing temps (barely) to move the fire trucks out of the station and sweep the floor.  Needs a good vacuuming to get rid of the fine dust, though.  Or a pressure washing - but that's warmer weather stuff, and there's no sense even trying until we're sure the sand trucks are done for the season.

Did take the pumper for a ride.  We try to keep them filled above 3/4 tank of fuel and it was right on the line.  Wheeeee!  Joyride!

Excellent seminar yesterday with former DC fire chief Dennis Rubin.  Great speaker - lots of good information.

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 JoeKoh on Monday, April 11, 2016 5:01 PM

work busy.Ns had a short westbound and the local was going back for it's empty cars.Took some things out of the shed.Swamp(yard) is still squishy squishy.Will get things for the mower tomorrow after work.Hope to mow wed.

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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