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Chatterbox Fall 2017

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Posted by mudchicken on Monday, October 2, 2017 7:25 AM

Tornadic twisty thingies out east on the prairie, snow in the high country (I-70 shut down because of multiple collisions & spinouts) plus rain and wind here. Fall in the rockies.Don't like the weather? - It'll change every few minutes.

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 Sunday, October 1, 2017 11:19 AM

afternoon

Csx was working at west Defiance again today.Track boss and dispatcher were getting along better.Matt is off to event with church group.

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 Saturday, September 30, 2017 7:05 PM

Wheeeee!  All sorts of testing done today.  I just love being management...

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, September 30, 2017 10:17 AM

good morning

Was able to get over to Fc and watch for a bit.The ND&W brought 15 cars from Ns and sent out 10 back to NS and 5 to CSX.Csx sent 2 trains by.Track inspector also put a speed restriction on track 2.Need to get ready to go to G+G's house.

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, September 29, 2017 2:37 PM

afternoon

Ns still had a coal train in the siding when I left work.Looked like an eastbound was going by when I left.Have deliveries to make.

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, September 28, 2017 8:10 PM

Had a good day on the railroad.  I was simply serving as instructor to an experience engineer who needs to qualify on our railroad.  He's got a couple of rough spots, and isn't used to our "hills," but he did very well.

He even got to run the locomotive he donated to us.  On the down side - it blew a fuel line just before we got back into the station...

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 Thursday, September 28, 2017 6:36 PM

evening

Ns had a westbound coal train in the siding when I left work.I ran errands in town and a CSX had an eastbound coming into Defiance.Also took care of yardwork when I got home.The guy that mowed our park area left a strap in our yard.Told the head maintenence guy about it.Glad tomorrow is Friday.

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 Deggesty on Thursday, September 28, 2017 8:03 AM

Oh, yes, there was snow here last week; Katie said that the temperature was in the forties. It's 52 right now.

Johnny

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, September 28, 2017 8:01 AM

CShaveRR

I'm glad you could keep cool, Johnny!  I had to venture out a couple of times today at the museum (I found something pressing to do across the street when a log manifest came past!), and pretty well baked.

Today was the seventh day of record-breaking--got up to 92 here, when the old record was 90.  Tomorrow promises to be closer to the normal highs in the lower 70s.

Johnny, what have you been avoiding on these routes that make you late?  I know we can do it on the regular routes, but we usually don't get advance notice like that!  Wink

 

Carl, if you had read Newswire, you would have seen some information on the route  dance that the UP had for the CZ (trackwork on the route through the Rockies). As it was, the only information I received from Amtrak was that I would leave Chicago 1:35 later, and arrive here 3:30 later. As it was, we left on the adjusted time, and arrived in Denver at 8:53 yesterday morning. My advance Newswire information indicated that we would leave Denver at 12:35; we left at 12:53. I did not note how long we waited at Gore for #6, and I went to bed before we reached Glenwood Springs. We arrive here at 4:30 this morning instead of at 3:35. 

As well as I could tell from piles of concrete ties along the way, the work was west of Gore.

Johnny

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 10:12 PM

mudchicken
. on the other hand, I think we are seeing the second coming of the old crossing watchmen. (the shanties for the crossing flagmen will be coming next?)

Loved the picture and the old-style sign, which reminded me of the old riddle: "Railroad crossing, look out for the cars, I can spell 'that' without any Rs.  Can you?"

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Posted by mudchicken on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 7:53 PM

More bad news for Denver RTD. The State PUC just put the kabosch on opening the commuter rail lines for normal operation. The professional railroaders questioned the toy train transit people over what they were trying to do at grade crossings and that getting FRA approval on un-proven (in the US) technology would be an uphill fight. Looks like the old head railroaders were right.

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/09/27/state-rejects-commuter-rail-safety-plan/  ... on the other hand, I think we are seeing the second coming of the old crossing watchmen. (the shanties for the crossing flagmen will be coming next?)

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 Wednesday, September 27, 2017 2:37 PM

afternoon

Ns was clear when I left work.Going to meet nephew and pick up our shirts.He complained that he had to drive to the north side of Van Wert.I told him to enjoy the traffic lights.

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 Tuesday, September 26, 2017 9:50 PM

I'm glad you could keep cool, Johnny!  I had to venture out a couple of times today at the museum (I found something pressing to do across the street when a log manifest came past!), and pretty well baked.

Today was the seventh day of record-breaking--got up to 92 here, when the old record was 90.  Tomorrow promises to be closer to the normal highs in the lower 70s.

Johnny, what have you been avoiding on these routes that make you late?  I know we can do it on the regular routes, but we usually don't get advance notice like that!  Wink

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 Paul of Covington on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 8:24 PM

   Almost funny--if you don't happen to be one of those caught in it.   Buckets of nails fell off a truck onto the interstate highway.

nails

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 6:46 PM

Update

765 was going home today.Matt got his homework done so we waited.After she passed we were coming home and a sperry doddlebug was going east on CSX.Time to wash off the cinders.

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 Tuesday, September 26, 2017 2:42 PM

afternoon

Ns was clear when I left work.Matt got his school pictures back today.Wasn't sure if the neighbor lady was having a birthday tomorrow or not.I dropped off some baked goodies and said thanks for the tomatoes.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 tree68 on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 12:40 PM

Murphy Siding
I was at our lake cabin an hour north of home yesterday and it was 56 degrees. Some friends were at a ball game 200 miles east and it was almost 90.

Currently +85F here, and the high yesterday was +90F, with similar temps for the past week or so.

While riding the train with Johnny (Deggesty) on Sunday, I stepped out of the air conditioned car we were riding to check on our arrival in Utica.  Thought I stepped into an oven...

At least the weather is fair - I have things to do outside.

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 Deggesty on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 11:42 AM

CShaveRR

If Willy were still poking around here (folks weren't very nice to him and meteorologists in general), I'd ask whether there is a record for number of consecutive days in which records were broken in a given location.

We're going for Number Six in a row, with record highs.  If it exceeds 90, we've done it.  It's already 91 here, but this isn't the observation location. 

 

Carl, I am quite comfortable in the lounge here, ctching up on my email, and waiting for my train (#5), which is scheduled to keave an hour and a half later than usual, and arrive at the Crossroads of the West four and a half hours later than usual, going through the Rockies and not around them (I went around the Rockies last week as I was coming east). I have no idea as to what our schedule to Denver is, except we are to lose three hours between Chicago and Denver.

Johnny

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, September 25, 2017 2:54 PM

CShaveRR

If Willy were still poking around here (folks weren't very nice to him and meteorologists in general), I'd ask whether there is a record for number of consecutive days in which records were broken in a given location.

We're going for Number Six in a row, with record highs.  If it exceeds 90, we've done it.  It's already 91 here, but this isn't the observation location. 

 

I was at our lake cabin an hour north of home yesterday and it was 56 degrees. Some friends were at a ball game 200 miles east and it was almost 90.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, September 25, 2017 2:52 PM

Mookie

I love memos!  I read them in the powder room!

My thinking is someone is going to get a whole lot of snow - for halloween, turkey eating, Santa Claus time, right thru May Day...  just a feeling...

 

Well, if you've got that kind of power thing going, put us down for the 4th of July as well.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by CShaveRR on Monday, September 25, 2017 2:40 PM

If Willy were still poking around here (folks weren't very nice to him and meteorologists in general), I'd ask whether there is a record for number of consecutive days in which records were broken in a given location.

We're going for Number Six in a row, with record highs.  If it exceeds 90, we've done it.  It's already 91 here, but this isn't the observation location. 

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 Monday, September 25, 2017 2:23 PM

afternoon

Another day of warmth today.Ns local was uptown when we left work.Chores to do here at home.

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, September 25, 2017 1:10 PM

I love memos!  I read them in the powder room!

My thinking is someone is going to get a whole lot of snow - for halloween, turkey eating, Santa Claus time, right thru May Day...  just a feeling...

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, September 25, 2017 10:02 AM

Murphy Siding
Oh, don't do that! She might just freeze the rains and send them back in a month. We had 11" of snow on Halloween one year. That's not how you want to kick off winter.

I've had to clean snow off the "Pumpkin Patch" in the Adirondacks several times - mid- to late-October...

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 Murphy Siding on Monday, September 25, 2017 9:49 AM

samfp1943
 
Murphy Siding

    If I did send the memo, it would say "knock it off!". Do you have an e-mail address for Mother Nature by chance?

 

 

 

          Send it to:   "MOOKIE" at www.mothernature @Linclon.org.Smile, Wink & Grin

 

Oh, don't do that! She might just freeze the rains and send them back in a month. We had 11" of snow on Halloween one year. That's not how you want to kick off winter.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by samfp1943 on Monday, September 25, 2017 9:03 AM

Murphy Siding

    If I did send the memo, it would say "knock it off!". Do you have an e-mail address for Mother Nature by chance?

 

          Send it to:   "MOOKIE" at www.mothernature @Linclon.org.Smile, Wink & Grin

 

 


 

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Monday, September 25, 2017 8:02 AM

CSSHEGEWISCH
 
CShaveRR

We just might be too dry.

 

 

 
That would be putting it mildly.  Tom Skilling mentioned that we've been way below average for September and my weed patch is showing it.
 

We're only about 475 miles west of you and our weather pattern has slipped into a Ground Hog's Day pattern- monsoon again, naturally.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Monday, September 25, 2017 7:40 AM

CShaveRR

We just might be too dry.

 
That would be putting it mildly.  Tom Skilling mentioned that we've been way below average for September and my weed patch is showing it.
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 Deggesty on Sunday, September 24, 2017 7:43 PM

As Larry said, I enjoyed the trip even though not many leaves had lost their chlorophyll.

We had some good conversation along the way and back Now, I have enjoyed meeting three posters in the flesh--Carl, KCSFan (who is now deceased); he contibuted mainly to the Classic Trains forum, and now, Larry.

Thursday evening, when I got into my email, I learned that my college history professor will soon tunr 90 years old, and the celebration will be in Bristol 16 October. Katie said I should go to it. I made my Amtrak reservation Thursday, and I made my hotel reservations a few minutes ago. I'll pass through Lincoln eastbound the morning of Friday the 13th, be in Chicago on the way back Thursday the 19th, and (I hope) pass through Lincoln early on Friday the 20th.

I still need to get with the Dog for getting between Charlottesville and Bristol. Maybe tomorrow morning.

Johnny

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, September 24, 2017 7:29 PM

CShaveRR
I take it your colors are worth seeing, Larry...

Debatable.  Quite dull this year.  It's been an odd summer, and fall has kicked off with temperatures in the 80's...

Johnny rode our "short turn" trip to Thendara with me today, and said he enjoyed the trip.  We followed that up with dinner, again, then I dropped him at his hotel.  He'll continue his trip tomorrow.

Picking him up at the hotel before the trip this morning turned into a challenge - the main street in Utica (Genesee) was closed for a foot race.  I ended up having to go through the parking garage to get to the front door of the hotel to meet him.

It was a busy weekend - four days, half a dozen tests of engineers and conductors, and a stint as conductor one day when I had to fill in for our mechanical department guy, who was running as the conductor that day and had a hot project come up.  Whew.

Monday, it's back to work installing radials (in the ground) for my "new" vertical HF antenna.

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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