Spring has been beautiful. A little cool, but all the trees and flowers seem to have survived. Little short on rain here, but just enough to green up everything.
Life is good.
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
evening
work busy.Ns was clear when I left work.Took care of the yardwork when I got home.Need to do some inside stuff.
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").
Wasn't a bad weekend - busy Saturday with four trains (two in the rain - did I already mention that), then down to daughter's house for the Easter service, dinner, and time with the grandkids (and the adults). Made for a long weekend, though...
Had a front come through Sunday afternoon. Dropped a little rain, but nothing significant. At least one county to the southeast of us ended up with a severe thunderstorm warning, as the system continued to develop as it moved east.
Time to check my "to do" list for the day...
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...
Be careful over 'dere...The darned twistie thingies came back to your state today.
Sounds like BNSF finally flushed the system over the weekend.
Sir C - saw the results of the construction you mentioned! About 45 locomotives thru our area (with trains attached) in about 3 hours, which included 2 Boeing bodies, the Hunt train, and 45 blades for wind turbines heading to the St Joe area. 5 motors were NS - we seem to be joined at the hip with NS right now. I had to write like mad while eating a scone and drinking a cup of very hot coffee. (Knees don't fail me now!)
Mooks
Seeing a rainbow after this mornings SONrise service was nice.Matt and kids did great.Off to G+G house.
Joe
Well, yesterday's Easter Bunny trains started out with beautiful, sunny skies, if a bit nippy, and ended up with everyone hustling out to the field of eggs dodging raindrops.
But it was a good day.
Off to spend the day with the daughter's family.
Helped nephew with his project.Checked Csx on the way home.Stacey has things ready for tomorrow.Have a Happy Easter.
Good day full of surprises.saw Amtrak's Lake Shore this morning.They were held up in Archbold due to MOW and traffic.Picked up brother and saw interesting trains in Leipsic and Deshler.Taking my brother back to his place we saw the D743(lima local) come north at XN.(Leipsic).Brother enjoyed his birthday present today.Helping nephew on a project tomorrow.
CShaveRRThey didn't completely run out of UP numbers...
It would be my impression that if the (fictional) "GP99's" are assigned in, say, the 6800 block, that would be all that would be assigned to that block. If UP only buys 75 "GP99's," ~25 numbers would go unused, especially if the 6900 block is already occupied.
Thus, although there are ~2000 unused numbers, they aren't in a contiguous series.
NYC numbered their RS-3's starting with 8223 (I've run it). It may sound like a random number, but I believe that 8222 was an RS-2, so they just continued the RS series.
I certainlly did not count all the engines I saw in Grand Junction, but if the "Y" indicates yard service, the system must be running little more than road engines in the yards.
Warm one day, cold the next, with no new precipitation for several days now.
Johnny
Been busy lately; not about to get less busy any time soon.As far as I know, UPY units, whether stored or not, are/were assigned to yard service. They didn't completely run out of UP numbers (you'd need 9999 units to do that, and UP has had somewhere in the vicinity of 7000-8000 units lately). Giving the yard units their own reporting mark freed up a few blocks of numbers when they did it, but those blocks are probably occupied by now. One suspects that a renumbering might be more practical at this point, if open blocks are needed.
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)
tree68 It was a long day, but we're done with rules, etc, for the year. Now we can go run trains!
It was a long day, but we're done with rules, etc, for the year. Now we can go run trains!
Gets longer every time. I think we are doing rules once every 3 years now (to coincide with recertification). Of course this year is my recertification year. But I did get re-promoted again. I'm hoping I can stay in the cab for the summer. But we'll see.
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
went along Ns after work today.They are doing trackwork along the line.They are also doing fill in work just west of Stryker.Found out they are going to re-tie our siding at work too.One of the crew said I needed a new jacket.He said he had a blue one.I thought it would be from TTUN but it was a Kentucky one instead.Chores to do.
ps Carl I'll try to keep an eye out for more cars.
Hey, Joe! I just got some documentation about a fleet of covered hoppers run by the MAW at one time. The cars (in MAW series 100-191) were previously JBRX 100-191, and most of them went back to JBRX. These originated as Norfolk & Western 172000-series covered hoppers, which probably snapped their share of the old rails in their time.
afternoon
Had errands to do today.Was able to catch some action at FC in Defiance.The ND&W's 1603 had a train to come across the diamond.Then CSX's y101 shows up.Then a trainmaster,union rep and Master trainmaster come by for CSX as well.Decided to come home.Chores to do here.
MC:
There are some eagle parents in Decorah Iowa who can give you some lessons in feather hygene. They are raising three young-uns and doing a beautiful job of it. All three are as clean as a whistle, well fed, and growing like weeds. Boss Hen would be proud of their efforts.
Norm
Johnny snuk through without saying "Hi!" again. gonna have to change soap, or deoderant or feathers or sumpthin....
Back home about 11:00 last night after my almost two week trip (not vacation; I'm on permanent vacation).
While we were in Denver yesterday morning, the train was subjected to several short moves to the rear and forward. When we were leaving Denver, I looked back and saw why--dome cars Puget Sound and Sierra Hotel were added (anybody know whose they are?). They have a nice band across the window line. Sierra Hotel has an extremely abbreviated platform with a railing around it on the rear. Apparently, whoever was in charge had trouble coupling the cars to the train. Of course, there was limited space for the work, since the platforms in Denver are high platforms. I told my car attendant that I might have been able to do a better job of coupling (though I don't think that I could have gotten down to the track level).
Altogether on my trip, all on board personnel were fully helpful.
I do like the new Metropolitan lounge in Chicago; it has much more room for travelers than the old one--and an hour or so before a train departure little snacks are provided (much more than the goldfish or mini-pretzels (these are still available)). There are also many 110 volt outlets scattered about the facility. It is, of course, much farther from the concourse than the old facility, but I had a ride each way.
Ns tonka toys were back today.A stack train took the siding through town as the Mow held the main.Chores to do.
But Joe - he is growing up to be a scholar and a gentleman!
Ns had it's tonka toys by my work today.A westbound stack train was making noise as it went by the crew.Had a few thunderboomers today as well.Ran errands this afternoon.Got an invitation for an honor student dinner at the school.This kid is growing up way too fast.
Sir C - we only saw one SB out of the yard (KPLX), but a lot of in and out NB to main and inbound to yard. And 99% of it was coal. Since Hunt was freight and heading west on Amtrak, I wonder if they ran over anyone?
They have ballast and rail ready to go around 3rd and J - so eventually I can watch Tonka toys in between the coal trains!
Thanx for the list - I can see how America can't live without any of those items!
The JB Hunt stuff can be anything tied to just-in time delivery. Auto parts, electronics, foodstuffs, you name it.
Mooks: you have two tie gangs/ surfacing gangs and a curve rail gang out west of you now that the ground isn't frozen, which is putting a little hurt on your viewing. It'll change back.
I hate to change the subject now that I know I live pretty close to the center of NA - that and a fistfull of $$ will get you a decent cup of coffee...
Saw hotshot "Hunt" train going thru as it does on Sundays -usually heading to St Joe/KC & usually with COFC. UPS I can understand, but Hunt - what do they haul that is so important and it qualifies for "get out of the way" status. Do they still do food items? And what else?
They had TOFC and COFC both today. And it bustled by our site at about 35-40 and 4 motors on point. This is pretty fast for going thru a populated part of our fair city, so I know it must be really, really important. (Sir C - it went down the Amtrak line and then headed west to GI, but usually it heads down the St Joe line)
Anyone feel brave enough to tackle this?
Murphy: http://www.amerisurv.com/content/view/13900/
http://www.penryfamily.com/surveying/meadesranch.html I can see SD as being halfway E-W but hardly N-S. Your northern neighbor been out drinkin firewater and smoking peyote again? Or did they annex Southern Canada?
Johnny: Smoky Hill Railroad still there at Abilene,KS with ATSF 3415 wishing it was on its own rails instead of the remnant of a CRIP Branch. (Abilene to the connection with the Cotton Rock at Herrington) http://asvrr.org/ (as for the one in Missouri: http://beltonrailroad.org/ (the name was changed to protect the guilty - but it survives)
Smoky Hills takes its name from the early morning haze that often gathers in the valleys, although lately the agri-dummies burning off ditches and fields in advance of spring growth season have gotten a little reckless. (Don't burn in the Chinook winds!)
DeggestyGoing back to Bedlam-on-the Potomac Friday, I noticed a car lettered CSXY along the way. Does "Y" indicate that the car is stored (like the many UP engines lettered "UPY" in Grand Junction)?
While UP may now be using the "Y" in relation to stored equipment, it was originally used because they ran out of four digit numbers. The computers were only set up for the four digits for motive power. By tacking on the "Y", that let them use four digit numbers again, and the computer could already handle the three letter RR symbol.
Nice day, today, and in a sign of the season, we responded to a motorcycle collision. Allegedly, a driver in a van pulled out in front of the cycle. Keep your eyes open!
A. Wasn't there a Smoky Hill Railroad in Kansas? What caused the burn?
B. Now that two of our posteres have Drivers, I have to be sure to read who is posteing so I will not be confused by the content.
C. I'm back in Chicago, on my way home, despite derailments in Penn Station. I enjoyed my round trip (D.C.-Beantown-D.C.) riding in luxury, despite the delay northbound last Monday (no such delay on the return trip.
Going back to Bedlam-on-the Potomac Friday, I noticed a car lettered CSXY along the way. Does "Y" indicate that the car is stored (like the many UP engines lettered "UPY" in Grand Junction)?
I wonder: after leaving Quantico Friday, we were held for: Autotrain, VRE, CSX freight, VRE, and CSX freight. It seemed that we were on a two-track stretch (we were on track three, and all that went by on track two; once we were moving again, I did not notice our going through any crossover.
Oh, well. I start my last leg about two this afternoon.
mudchicken They came from Colorado in the great migration. You can figure what they're smoking. (Nebrasky and KanzAss highway patrol bubbas were too busy watching the highways ) Note to self: Must visit Mt. Sunflower (Elevation 4039' (NGS 1927 datum) this year.)North of Weskan on the KP/UP and South of Kanorado on the CRIP/Kyle)...Took my greenhorn road-dogs from the mothership to Mead's Ranch last year (geographical center of the lower 48, LAT. 39°50' N; LONG. -98°35' W) near Smith Center/Lebanon KS....Still 39 ft lower than La Junta!
They came from Colorado in the great migration. You can figure what they're smoking.
(Nebrasky and KanzAss highway patrol bubbas were too busy watching the highways )
Note to self: Must visit Mt. Sunflower (Elevation 4039' (NGS 1927 datum) this year.)North of Weskan on the KP/UP and South of Kanorado on the CRIP/Kyle)...Took my greenhorn road-dogs from the mothership to Mead's Ranch last year (geographical center of the lower 48, LAT. 39°50' N; LONG. -98°35' W) near Smith Center/Lebanon KS....Still 39 ft lower than La Junta!
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
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