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Chatterbox Winter 2017-2018

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Posted by narig01 on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 4:50 PM

xx

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Posted by Randy Stahl on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 3:31 PM

Frozen pipes in the enginehouse.. big mess, so far no engines were seriously damaged by the cold.

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 2:51 PM

Just barely made it to freezing today, but we'll take it.

Within certain parameters, on any given day, any one team can beat another team.

LarryWhistling
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Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 2:28 PM

afternoon

More snow melt today.Ns sent a westbound after work.Track Inspector was out and about too.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 Deggesty on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 2:02 PM

Deggesty
Apparently, the bad word detector does not know that c-h-i-n-k spells a word meaning a small opening. I hope this gets by the guardian.

 

 
BaltACD

 

 
tree68
 
CSSHEGEWISCH
How could yesterday's game be considered a college championship game when both schools were from the same conference?  Wire-service polls are not a very good way to decide which four schools get into a championship playoff.  It should be decided strictly on the field. 

A la basketball?  With a week between games, football season would last until June...  Not that some people would complain about that.

 

Of  course only one Division 1 team finished the season UNDEFEATED - Central Florida and they weren't deemed to have a sufficiently difficult schedule to warrant a position in the 'playoff'.  They only beat Auburn in the Peach Bowl, the team that had provided the single loss both Georgia and Alabama took into the 'Championship Game.

 

 

 

I wonder if the War Eagle boys failed to find a major *** in the Knights' armor because they had looked at the Knights' previous opponents and thought it would be easier than it turned out to be.

 

 

Johnny

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 1:47 PM

BaltACD

 

 
tree68
 
CSSHEGEWISCH
How could yesterday's game be considered a college championship game when both schools were from the same conference?  Wire-service polls are not a very good way to decide which four schools get into a championship playoff.  It should be decided strictly on the field. 

A la basketball?  With a week between games, football season would last until June...  Not that some people would complain about that.

 

Of  course only one Division 1 team finished the season UNDEFEATED - Central Florida and they weren't deemed to have a sufficiently difficult schedule to warrant a position in the 'playoff'.  They only beat Auburn in the Peach Bowl, the team that had provided the single loss both Georgia and Alabama took into the 'Championship Game.

 

I wonder if the War Eagle boys failed to find a major *** in the Knights' armor because they had looked at the Knights' previous opponents and thought it would be easier than it turned out to be.

Johnny

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 12:25 PM

tree68
 
CSSHEGEWISCH
How could yesterday's game be considered a college championship game when both schools were from the same conference?  Wire-service polls are not a very good way to decide which four schools get into a championship playoff.  It should be decided strictly on the field. 

A la basketball?  With a week between games, football season would last until June...  Not that some people would complain about that.

Of  course only one Division 1 team finished the season UNDEFEATED - Central Florida and they weren't deemed to have a sufficiently difficult schedule to warrant a position in the 'playoff'.  They only beat Auburn in the Peach Bowl, the team that had provided the single loss both Georgia and Alabama took into the 'Championship Game.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 12:13 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH
How could yesterday's game be considered a college championship game when both schools were from the same conference?  Wire-service polls are not a very good way to decide which four schools get into a championship playoff.  It should be decided strictly on the field.

A la basketball?  With a week between games, football season would last until June...  Not that some people would complain about that.

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 CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 12:02 PM

Deggesty

I don't remember the details at the moment, but our heat wave will wave good-by tomorrow.

What is more important as of the moment is that the Dawgs' seawall, after successfully resisting the Tide for sixty minutes, gave way to the Tide in the overtime period last night.

 
How could yesterday's game be considered a college championship game when both schools were from the same conference?  Wire-service polls are not a very good way to decide which four schools get into a championship playoff.  It should be decided strictly on the field.
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 Mookie on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 11:55 AM

Murphy Siding
Awe come on! +8 will seem awesome the next time it's -8..... or maybe it doesn't get that cold down there in Who-ville.

Hmm - geography not my strong suit, but I do know that No Dak and So Dak are between Canada and Nebraska - so maybe that is how that -8 gets here - quite a bit in fact...

Who-ter....

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 11:20 AM

I don't remember the details at the moment, but our heat wave will wave good-by tomorrow.

What is more important as of the moment is that the Dawgs' seawall, after successfully resisting the Tide for sixty minutes, gave way to the Tide in the overtime period last night.

Johnny

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 10:40 AM

Mookie
 
Deggesty

+42 here at 7:10 this morning.

 

 

 

Ditto here - until Thursday and then high of 8+ Sigh

 

 

Awe come on! +8 will seem awesome the next time it's -8..... or maybe it doesn't get that cold down there in Who-ville.Paradise

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by Mookie on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 9:44 AM

Deggesty

+42 here at 7:10 this morning.

 

Ditto here - until Thursday and then high of 8+ Sigh

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

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Posted by Deggesty on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 8:10 AM

+42 here at 7:10 this morning.

Johnny

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 6:46 AM

We're getting a short break from the extreme temperatures.  Yesterday got into the mid-30's and today should be more of the same.  40's and rain Umbrella are predicted for Wednesday.

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 Monday, January 8, 2018 3:24 PM

afternoon

Messy start this morning.Matt was closed today.After work Ns sent a westbound stack train and the local was uptown switching.Mother nature is thawing us out for now.Chores and projects 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 JoeKoh on Sunday, January 7, 2018 11:17 AM

afternoon

Csx was jammed up a bit this morning.Trains had broken hoses and stuck brakes.Things got rolling again.Guessers say a mess will be here in the morning.

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 Saturday, January 6, 2018 1:24 PM

afternoon

Took mamma and Matt and spent my gift card for a good lunch in Toledo.We followed the NYC back through to see if anything came by.Ns sent some frieghts and a stack train by.Also a very late lakeshore Amtrak came by as well.They have the new signal bridge up in Wauseon but the signals are still bagged.In Archbold they had a frieght in the siding with a cp leader.It had a former sd 80 mac as the 2nd unit and a rail train with frieght cars tacked on the back too.Going to get some snow tomorrow night.Then the guessers say 40's and rain on Thursday.Might need to build that ark yet.

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 Friday, January 5, 2018 7:13 PM

They are starting to push the drought panic button in Colorado. The molehills to the west of Denver are at only 25% of the average snow pack for this time of year. The grass is crunchy down here on the flats and range fires are getting to be a concern.

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 Friday, January 5, 2018 6:09 PM

The cold air (-3.5F) and and wind (7-15 MPH) are conspiring to drive me nuts.

The wind chill alarm on my home weather station is set for -15F.  The variable winds mean that said wind chill is also variable, and is occasionally dropping below the trigger point, at which time I have to go silence the alarm.  Again.

We're due to have this stuff for a while yet.

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 Miningman on Friday, January 5, 2018 5:57 PM

Geez that's really tough Balt. Just spent $130 bucks getting deep snow shovelled off my roof and garage roof and have 3 Mt. Everests on the ground corners now. 

A pile of marking to do as well from the goslings. I think you should come up here and help out as you are advertising yourself as being bored. I'll let you take one of my classics out on the lake and go nuts to sweeten the pot. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, January 5, 2018 5:41 PM

Currently at Homestead, FL - it got upto 62 today, supposed to be 68 Saturday and middle 70's on Sunday.  Then treking back to Jacksonville.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by switch7frg on Friday, January 5, 2018 4:44 PM

WhistlingBalt you should drift  over this way to Phx. AZ. 40 deg. in early morn. Then up to 88deg. by10am . nice sunny days in a row. Up in the mtns. where I am at 3:30mst. it is a balmy82deg. on the back porch. This is at 3800ft. elv.  up I17 past Sunset Point.

Y6bs evergreen in my mind

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, January 5, 2018 3:07 PM

afternoon

Ns had some cars uptown when I left work.Chores to do.Waiting for it to warm up.Maybe next week.

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 CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, January 5, 2018 12:07 PM

Carl, thanks for jogging my memories of my college days which included westbound freights behind SD45's crossing Lincoln Hwy/4th St at track speed and the last run of the "Kate Shelley" on April 30, 1971.

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 Lord Atmo on Friday, January 5, 2018 10:38 AM
Salutations, group! Been too long since I graced y'all with my presence! I'm not sure if we can post photos of our fanning adventures here nowadays, so I suppose I'll stick to text-only stories unless told otherwise. It was an excellent year for me, I'd have to say! My fanning accomplishments include visiting CNW 6847 at IRM twice (It's got a new green plow and rear number boards now. Looks great!), catching NS 1074 and UP 1983 in Altoona (Not the same train or the same day, mind you.), walking up and down along the CP holiday train in Golden Valley MN, riding the 261 North Pole Express in St Paul, unexpectedly catching a UP inspection train also in St Paul, and of course all the cool pictures I grabbed during my visits to Duluth MN. Not sure where we post photos these days, but I took plenty on all those adventures. Looking forward to having even more fanning trips in 2018! Gotta return to LaCrosse for sure, and some time in Iowa perhaps. I have a few ideas in mind

Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, January 4, 2018 8:53 PM

When I'm working on our trains in Utica, hard by the CSX Chicago Line, I'm always a bit awed by the "moving walls" the AutoMax cars present if you're near the tracks as they pass.  They are tall.

Beech Grove is only one of the many "camps" the REX84 conspiracy folks list.  Supposedly there are two of them at a military installation near here, but in my travels around the installation (and I covered most of it at one time or another) I never saw anything close.  

Probably my favorite video from that whole conspiracy theory was one of a fellow walking around a single head searchlight signal, explaining how it was hooked up to satellites to guide the trains with the shackle cars to the camps...  It was so idiotic as to be hilarious.  I called him on it in the comments on YouTube and the video soon disappeared...

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 Thursday, January 4, 2018 8:44 PM

Carl, you and Pat certainly had a lovely day. 

Pat now fully understands "security," I am sure. Incidentally, I have not seen anything lately about the "FEMA" cars.

We are having mild winter weather, without much snow--and, all too often, smog in the city. At times, I wish I were still living at "the top of the Avenues" for where Katie and I were living is above the smog level (a little over a mile high).

Johnny

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Posted by CShaveRR on Thursday, January 4, 2018 8:29 PM

We braved single-digit temperatures to go west again today.

After shopping for a while this morning in St. Charles, we headed west, with Rochelle as our destination.  We were going to do lunch there as well ("I'm thinking Arby's", Pat says.).  

Once we got on top of the Peck/Keslinger overpass (a road intersection on a bridge over the railroad--think the opposite of Deval!), I looked west and saw the headlight of an eastbound in the distance.  We went toward it on Keslinger, ready to dive in at whatever street worked for checking it out. That turned out to be LaFox Road, where we were first out at the grade crossing for an estbound train of auto racks.

In this train, there were two Auto-Max cars in the middle of more typical racks.  Pat hadn't remembered seeing anything like this before (trust me...she has!), and she asked whether these cars were for "maximum security" of the autos thereon.

She couldn't understand why I had a laughing fit then and there.  These Auto-Max cars were, of course, the "Shackle" cars of the good old days, intended to transport political prisoners to a concentration camp at Beech Grove (all according to conspiracy theorists).  

We had nearly gotten to DeKalb when we met an eastbound manifest train.  Since manifests are the trains I like best, I turned around and chased that guy back through Cortland before turning on a side road and letting it stop me at a grade crossing.  There were two sightings that I noted--I could have gotten more if the train were moving more slowly.  

When the train cleared, we took the back roads into Cortland.  Deciding that lunch in Rochelle was a pretty remote possibility, we opted instead for Sam's Restaurant in downtown Cortland.  Chris "CopCarSS" May introduced us to this place many years ago...it's an unpretentious place, popular with the locals, and serves good food.  We've been back a few times since Chris took us there.  It's about a half block from the tracks, but one can see the trains.

More fun:  the waitress came up and said, "Hi, my name is Barbara, and I'll be your waitress today."  So I said, "Hi!  My name is Carl, and this is my wife Pat." I don't think she was expecting that.  But she played right along--shook hands with both of us.  And she didn't forget our names, thanking me by name when we paid the bill.

This time we got through DeKalb and on to Rochelle.  Rochelle, I'm sad to report, was a disappointment to me today...no trains while we were there, the gas we were planning to buy wasn't as cheap as we found on the way out there (usually we can save quite a bit by filling up there), and the cars in the yard were somewhat monotonous, with nothing new or worth parking the car for.  There was a neat piece of on-track equipment at the diamonds (on UP), but we didn't investigate--it was still only about 1 above, according to a local time-and-temp.  So back toward home we went.

In downtown DeKalb we were stopped by a westbound intermodal train.  DeKalb is a good-sized city, but the railroad has no speed restriction whatsoever through there, and this guy was going every bit as fast as the timetable and cold-temperature restrictions allowed.

Leaving DeKalb, we caught up to another eastbound manifest (I don't know where he was when we were headed west...I should have seen him).  So once again I went through Cortland and got past his head end before turning into a side road to check him out.  This was a better train than the first for me.  After he cleared the crossing, we found a road that paralleled the tracks much closer than the highway, which we took into Maple Park.  Back on the highway (Illinois 38), we encountered two trains at Meredith (a short westbound with frac-sand cars, and a stationary eastbound with manifest on the hind end and stack cars on the point--at least I think that was only one train).  Next was a westbound train of empty coal cars seen in the distance east of Elburn.

We had some shopping to do in St. Charles again, and we got the relatively-inexpensive gas in Geneva.  Then we went into West Chicago, and out on the road along the tracks.  Right by the block signal I was able to pull off the road when we saw a westbound manifest.  This train was the best of the three I'd seen on this trip...good variety, and long, with two DPUs in the middle.  After that, I was ready to bring my findings home, and no more trains were encountered, despite our hugging the tracks pretty much all the way into Lombard.

Happy New Year!  Hope the other 99 percent of the year is as good to us as the culmination of the first 3.65 days!

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 Murphy Siding on Thursday, January 4, 2018 8:16 PM

Fun fact- you can write a post using the messages function in a reply box and get the use of spellcheck. Then, you can copy and paste that reply onto a thread and look smart...... Or, you can accidently hit the send button on the message page and send it to someone out of the blue and look like a total dummy. Embarrassed Don't ask how I know. Dunce

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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