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Chatterbox Fall 2017

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  • Member since
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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 7:07 AM

I've lived through more than a few aggressive snowstorms over the years, even a few that caused problems on the L.  Even the CTA has its own snowfighting equipment, on both the Surface and Rapid Transit divisions.

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 Murphy Siding on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 11:09 PM

Deggesty
 

 

 

I never saw any snow fighting equipment until I was driving through Morristown, Tennessee, on New Year's Day, 1962, and saw a snowplow. I did use a snow shovel from time to time at the college in Bristol--but that hardly counts, does it?

 

 

Snow fighting equipment? They must experience some pretty aggressive snow storms.

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 10:50 PM

Well the state of Georgia finally has most NW roads cleared.  The state DOT has absolute control on all interstate, US highways, and state routes.  They are the only ones who can even allow snowplows on their routes.  So some countys and cities got preferential treatment over others.  Don't let DOT catch you plowing one of their routes without permission.

 

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 5:06 PM

tree68

 

 
Norm48327
About four inches in SEM but the road commision finally got their act together. Roads sucked during the morning drive but did get cleared by ten.

 

While our county highway department does plow some roads, almost everything in the county is plowed by the towns, other than the state roads, which the state DOT does plow. 

Of course, the towns are responsible for the town roads, and the county contracts with the town highway departments for most of the county roads.

I know that in the county where Norm lives, the county covers pretty much everything but village/city streets and state highways.

I know most of the town highway folks here, including the superintendent.  Aside from denying that they operate any differently when the school district has a delay or a snow day, they're pretty good.  They probably have more snow fighting equipment than most southern cities...

 

I never saw any snow fighting equipment until I was driving through Morristown, Tennessee, on New Year's Day, 1962, and saw a snowplow. I did use a snow shovel from time to time at the college in Bristol--but that hardly counts, does it?

Johnny

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 4:59 PM

Norm48327
About four inches in SEM but the road commision finally got their act together. Roads sucked during the morning drive but did get cleared by ten.

While our county highway department does plow some roads, almost everything in the county is plowed by the towns, other than the state roads, which the state DOT does plow. 

Of course, the towns are responsible for the town roads, and the county contracts with the town highway departments for most of the county roads.

I know that in the county where Norm lives, the county covers pretty much everything but village/city streets and state highways.

I know most of the town highway folks here, including the superintendent.  Aside from denying that they operate any differently when the school district has a delay or a snow day, they're pretty good.  They probably have more snow fighting equipment than most southern cities...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Norm48327 on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 4:46 PM

About four inches in SEM but the road commision finally got their act together. Roads sucked during the morning drive but did get cleared by ten.

Norm


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Posted by blhanel on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 3:14 PM

We've got squat here.  It tried yesterday, but didn't stick.

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 2:55 PM

mudchicken
Quit hogging the snow. Share!

Over 18" on Tug Hill, so far.  About 3" so far here at the house from this storm.  Got about 5" the other day.

The snowmobilers are lovin' it.

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 Tuesday, December 12, 2017 2:50 PM

Quit hogging the snow. Share!

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 Tuesday, December 12, 2017 2:27 PM

afternoon

Ns has cars uptown.Chores to do.More snow on the way.

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 Monday, December 11, 2017 4:51 PM

evening

work busy.Ns was clear when I left work.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 Paul of Covington on Sunday, December 10, 2017 11:35 PM

Norm48327
We had just over an inch yesterday and the temperature never got above freezing but there was snow and ice on my car this morning. It's called the joys of Michigan winter.

   We beat that here in south Louisiana a couple of days ago.   We wound up with almost two inches, and a couple of towns within 30 miles of us got up to eight inches.   I talked to my sister in Indiana today and they haven't had any snow to speak of yet.

_____________ 

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

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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, December 10, 2017 10:46 PM

As noted on the snow thread, light snow - an inch or two - in Utica.  Better than a foot on the ground as I drove through a lake effect squall on the way home, and bare roads here at the house.  Wheee!

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 Norm48327 on Sunday, December 10, 2017 1:36 PM

Balt,

Wishful thinking on my part cause I know it ain't gonna happen.

We had just over an inch yesterday and the temperature never got above freezing but there was snow and ice on my car this morning. It's called the joys of Michigan winter.

Getting just old enough I would no longer enjoy walking my Norwegian Elkhound across the frozen lake.

Norm


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Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, December 10, 2017 1:24 PM

Yesterday's snow ended up being about 5 inches, however, with the warm roadways there was limited accumulation on the roads.  Today's mid 30's and sun is rapidly erasing yesterday's snow.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, December 9, 2017 1:59 PM

afternoon

Snow here in NW Ohio.Ns was clear when I left work today.People had their ditchfinders on too.Going to do chores 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 Paul_D_North_Jr on Saturday, December 9, 2017 11:42 AM

Stopped in at the Ligonier Valley RR Museum (~70 mi. ENE of Pittsburgh) over the Labor Day weekend.  They have their ROW/ Val Map of the downtown area mounted on a board and displayed.  Lots of fun to look at and see what's still there or not, and what traces still remain - more than you might think, even though it was abandoned 60+ years ago.  Notably, the HQ building - built like a large bank, with big limestone blocks and the like - still stands, and is now the school district's administrative building; look SW from this point: N 40.24623 W 79.24314   Better yet, the former platform shelter/ roofs have been repurposed to serve as covered parking for the staff!  Look NW from this point on Railroad Street: N 40.24563 W 79.24225 

I took photos of that ROW/ Val Map to send to you - some real neat track arrangements and geometry on it - but you might cry from the comparision . . . Crying  

- PDN. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
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Posted by mudchicken on Saturday, December 9, 2017 10:53 AM

The problem goes back to CR in Philadelphia. The NS folks, having worked for them many times, will make it right. While working for them in Des Moines, dealt with a piece of WAB that N&W wound up with; we recovered every scrap of mapping at ARCHIVES-2 for the defunct Des Moines Union and rebuilt a new map in an area without any present day coverage.

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 Norm48327 on Saturday, December 9, 2017 9:56 AM

BaltACD
the lowest paid, least caring 'hired help' was brought in to get everything done yesterday.

Balt,

Why does your statement remind me so much of Trains forum software? While I don't know exactly what the problem is this sot=ftware and the IT people responsible for maintaining it are still living in the stone age.

Norm


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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, December 9, 2017 9:43 AM

mudchicken
The NS great god Atlanta is getting frustrated with me and may be putting me in time out. I asked (and paid for) maps in CSSH's old turf. NS can't find these old PRR/SC&S branches and they run on them every day. Think I get a prize I really don't want.EmbarrassedEmbarrassedEmbarrassed

I'll just go stand in the corner now.

I suspect things were bad enough back in the old paper days, however, when the push came to convert things to a computer based system, the lowest paid, least caring 'hired help' was brought in to get everything done yesterday.  Suspect not much of a filing system was set up for the computer fileings and even that was beyond the ability of the 'hired help' to follow.

If you are standing in the corner - keep tapping your foot so they don't forget that you are still there and still waiting - IMPATIENTLY!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Norm48327 on Saturday, December 9, 2017 9:31 AM

mudchicken

The NS great god Atlanta is getting frustrated with me and may be putting me in time out. I asked (and paid for) maps in CSSH's old turf. NS can't find these old PRR/SC&S branches and they run on them every day. Think I get a prize I really don't want.EmbarrassedEmbarrassedEmbarrassed

I'll just go stand in the corner now.

MC,

I understand things get lost along the way or some idiot says 'we don't need this anymore' and it hits the trash can. But in view of almost unlimited hard drive storage I fail to understand why the records were not saved as searchable PDF files.

If they couldn't produce the maps you asked for demand a refund.

Norm


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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Saturday, December 9, 2017 6:49 AM

mudchicken

The NS great god Atlanta is getting frustrated with me and may be putting me in time out. I asked (and paid for) maps in CSSH's old turf. NS can't find these old PRR/SC&S branches and they run on them every day. Think I get a prize I really don't want.EmbarrassedEmbarrassedEmbarrassed

I'll just go stand in the corner now.

 
Since it is my old neighborhood, part of the problem may be over which lines are still in existence and who owns what.  Most of the SC&S from Colehour to Bernice Junction has been abandoned and the ownership of the other lines was pretty jumbled.
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 JoeKoh on Friday, December 8, 2017 3:49 PM

evening

Cars on Ns for uptown when I left work.People were bending fenders and trying to squeeze into one lane tonight.Mother nature is sending us snow according to the guessers.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 AgentKid on Friday, December 8, 2017 12:58 PM

mudchicken
NS can't find these old PRR/SC&S branches and they run on them every day.

Reminds me of a situation my brother, who is a Civil Engineer, found himself in. He started off with a summer job as a Draftsman at the Natural Gas utility company here.

There was a fire at a factory that had been built on a former WWI airfield. Gas heating had been used in this area since 1912 and the airfield had been equipped. Needless to say, in wartime neatness didn't count, and it seems accurate drawings of the piping had been overlooked.

Well, the Fire Dept. called the gas company, and the gas company called the Engineering Manager, and one thing led to another, so by the time my brother got to work he found hundreds if not thousands of drawings thrown all over the place by people looking for the locations of the gas shut off valves.

Then there was the story where I worked, when it was found out that all of the initial pipline pressure tests on a line built in 1960 had been recorded on the back of cigarette packages. If an oldtimer hadn't told me that story over coffee once, I don't know how that schmozzel would have turned out.

Bruce

 

So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.

"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere"  CP Rail Public Timetable

"O. S. Irricana"

. . . __ . ______

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Posted by mudchicken on Friday, December 8, 2017 12:09 PM

The NS great god Atlanta is getting frustrated with me and may be putting me in time out. I asked (and paid for) maps in CSSH's old turf. NS can't find these old PRR/SC&S branches and they run on them every day. Think I get a prize I really don't want.EmbarrassedEmbarrassedEmbarrassed

I'll just go stand in the corner now.

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 CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, December 8, 2017 6:46 AM

BaltACD
 
ChuckCobleigh
 
BaltACD
Maybe he wanted to stream the event live on YouTube! 

Reminds me of Jeff Foxworthy's response to the question of whether he videotaped the birth of one of his children: "No. I. Did. Not! .... Got some great footage of the conception, though."  Which concept the audience picks up on after about a two beat pause.

 

Videoing childbirth is not unheard of with the present generation, live streaming not so much.

 
Give it some time, somebody in the present generation will be tasteless (and clueless) enough to try that.  He just better have a good matrimonial lawyer on retainer.
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 Thursday, December 7, 2017 10:33 PM

ChuckCobleigh
 
BaltACD
Maybe he wanted to stream the event live on YouTube! 

Reminds me of Jeff Foxworthy's response to the question of whether he videotaped the birth of one of his children: "No. I. Did. Not! .... Got some great footage of the conception, though."  Which concept the audience picks up on after about a two beat pause.

Videoing childbirth is not unheard of with the present generation, live streaming not so much.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Thursday, December 7, 2017 9:11 PM

BaltACD
Maybe he wanted to stream the event live on YouTube!

Reminds me of Jeff Foxworthy's response to the question of whether he videotaped the birth of one of his children: "No. I. Did. Not! .... Got some great footage of the conception, though."  Which concept the audience picks up on after about a two beat pause.

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Posted by zugmann on Thursday, December 7, 2017 8:43 PM

Murphy Siding
For years we gave our bigger customers poinsettias at Christmas time. We hand delivered them the 2nd week in December. Poinsettias are the wimpiest plant ever. In our climate it takes about 10 minutes in the cold to kill one dead as a doornail. We knew a year in advance which week in December would be bitter cold.

Yeah, but seeing a greenhouse filled stem to stern with them is awesome.  My mom used to have a fit when grocery stores would put their poinsettia display right inside the front door so they'd be hit with cold air every time soemone walked in.

And of course happy birthday to our Mookie. (made it right under the buzzer).

Time to go play trains outside (I'm about as wimpy as poinsettias when it comes to working outside in this weather anymore).

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

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Posted by CShaveRR on Thursday, December 7, 2017 8:35 PM

Hope I'm not too late to the party--Happy birthday, SJ!

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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