Not yet - they are still dealing with reliability issues and now it's the State PUC, not the feds, that are having issues with the crossings. A hearing was to have happened Monday and I have not heard the outcome from that.
Denver RTD still has an institutional memory problem on top of the fact they think they can impose light rail FTA rules on a more rigid FRA controlled heavy rail operation. The results have been predictable. Having worked both places, I'd say LA got with the program a little quicker because they had to survive dealing with three Cls. 1's together constantly to get what they wanted in a bigger fishbowl with a larger fear of failure as incentive.
I also wonder if the differences in logic between ASCE and AREMA ways of doing things played into the troubles in Denver.
Has Denver figured out how to make grade crossing signals operate reliably? Other systems seem to be able to do it routinely. Why can't Denver. Hope the contract has penalties for whomever is responsible. Los Angeles seems to get it done.
RE: Light Rail; Heavy Rail ....Caption should be "Toy Train/REAL Train" ... you are at Military Junction, looking at the RTD Englewood Flyover (over BNSF and UP going south out of Denver). Nothing said about the monster errors by the toy train people that caused the bridge to be modified twice by the toy train people.
Reindeer in your 'hood skeered? (and Granny has crosshairs on that windshield...)
afternoon
Ns had a westbound frieght and cars to shuffle uptown when I left work.Another train(from yesterday?) was in the siding.More snow on the way.Had errands afetr work.A little grandma came out of the store and got into a truck bigger than mine.I said "well you're a grandma that won't get stuck in the snow." She said ,"you got that right".
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").
Thank you all for helping me settle my breakfast.
Johnny
jeffhergertNo, no one's ever mentioned using the reverser for that here. We both actually couldn't get the CSX MU cable to go into the CP receptacle.
Need a metric MU cable. Or maybe EHH fired a few of the 27 pins?
But yeah, use the reverser to hold open the MU cover. Tool end of it where the hinge is. Holds it open perfectly.
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
MookieMallet Steam Engine...
Those plugs can be pretty stubborn, but I'm not sure we'd need to go that far...
A croquet mallet, on the other hand...
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...
Mookie Deggesty Croquet mallet? Mallet Steam Engine... Must be bedtime....
Deggesty Croquet mallet?
Mallet Steam Engine...
Must be bedtime....
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
DeggestyCroquet mallet?
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
tree68 I'll see your MU cable (yes, I have hooked them up) and raise you an HEP cable. Some slip right in, others need a mallet...
I'll see your MU cable (yes, I have hooked them up) and raise you an HEP cable. Some slip right in, others need a mallet...
zugmann jeffhergert it was too much to hold the spring loaded cap open while trying to twist the frozen MU cable to line up with the receptacle. You don't use your reverser for that? One of the first things old heads taught me. My favorite are the old conrail engines with the MU under the anticlimber. Talk abotu a pain. Sometimes it's easier to hook them up/unhook them with the power uncoupled.
jeffhergert it was too much to hold the spring loaded cap open while trying to twist the frozen MU cable to line up with the receptacle.
You don't use your reverser for that? One of the first things old heads taught me.
My favorite are the old conrail engines with the MU under the anticlimber. Talk abotu a pain. Sometimes it's easier to hook them up/unhook them with the power uncoupled.
No, no one's ever mentioned using the reverser for that here. We both actually couldn't get the CSX MU cable to go into the CP receptacle. Fortunately, the CP also had MU cables and we used theirs instead. It was nice that both CSX and CP had them chained to the ends of their locomotives. For us, it seems finding an MU cable when you need one is an adventure in itself. I do see plenty of them (usually figure they're bad order) laying here and there.
Jeff
jeffhergertit was too much to hold the spring loaded cap open while trying to twist the frozen MU cable to line up with the receptacle.
Electroliner 1935And many railfans think all you Engineers have to do is sit in the warm cab and enjoy the ride. There are good days when every thing goes right but oh, those bad one's don't pay you enough. Trust you had good weather gear.
The days when everything goes right are the rare exception in the real world of Class 1 railroading.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
jeffhergertLast night I came home on a 2 1/2 mile long manifest. Got out to the crew change and the inbound engineer said the second unit died coming into town, but he didn't know why. By the time I went back to see if I could restart it, it had dumped it's water. Luckily I had 5 engines on the head end, although two (a CSX and a CP) weren't usable. The last one in the consist was usable, a CSX unit. Of course, since the paperwork only had the first and second engine on line, the North Platte diesel ramp didn't bother to hook the MU cable between the rest of the units. At least the foriegn units have MU cables attached at both ends. The bad part is those cables are stiff enough in warm weather. When the temp is about 5 degrees (F) they are a real PITA. I had to have my conductor help with one (the CP) because the receptacle was up high and it was too much to hold the spring loaded cap open while trying to twist the frozen MU cable to line up with the receptacle.
And many railfans think all you Engineers have to do is sit in the warm cab and enjoy the ride. There are good days when every thing goes right but oh, those bad one's don't pay you enough. Trust you had good weather gear.
Got home this morning about 3am. Cold, but no precipitation of any kind. Woke up about 11am with about 4 inches of snow on the ground and more falling. It's over with as I write this with a total around 6 inches. Now the sun's out.
Last night I came home on a 2 1/2 mile long manifest. Got out to the crew change and the inbound engineer said the second unit died coming into town, but he didn't know why. By the time I went back to see if I could restart it, it had dumped it's water. Luckily I had 5 engines on the head end, although two (a CSX and a CP) weren't usable. The last one in the consist was usable, a CSX unit. Of course, since the paperwork only had the first and second engine on line, the North Platte diesel ramp didn't bother to hook the MU cable between the rest of the units. At least the foriegn units have MU cables attached at both ends. The bad part is those cables are stiff enough in warm weather. When the temp is about 5 degrees (F) they are a real PITA. I had to have my conductor help with one (the CP) because the receptacle was up high and it was too much to hold the spring loaded cap open while trying to twist the frozen MU cable to line up with the receptacle.
The inbound told also told us how they went around another 2 1/2 mile manifest that was broke down at Grand Island. (I asked them if there were any cars left in the yard at North Platte.) They said it had 3 crossings blocked and I told them it had been there since 6am, it being 8pm when we changed out. It was having air problems and it looked like they were finally going to split the train into two sections. A little over half the train was scheduled to set out at Boone anyway. Whether they eventually did this I don't know.
Ns had a frieght in the siding when I left work.Picked up some new wiper blades for the truck.Mother nature is sending more snow.How much depends on which station you listen to.Working on a plan for a friend at work.She is going to go work in the mailroom.Chores to do here.
UP sent an 80-odd car 100% empty chassis on spine car train south on the Brooklyn Sub today. It felt kind of odd.
Tree - we had a whole lotta wind and just enough snow, I could have maybe found a marble or two on the driveway. That's about it. Just cold, cold, cold!
Snowing off and on here - currently "off." More coming soon by the looks of the radar.
Some areas have gotten a pretty good amount of the white stuff. NWS has asked for reports. Unfortunately, I haven't taken any measurements, so won't be sending in a report.
Walked to the store this morning to get the Sunday paper, after clearing the drive way. During the walk it was snowing the usual lake effect stuff - big, fluffy flakes. There was just enough wind that there was a snowball being created on the driveway, rolling along with the breeze. Kinda cool...
Snow and blowing here in Nw Ohio.Didn't see anyone in the ditches.Just before work NS sent an eastbound with a sd 70"Spartan cab" in the lead.More work tomorrow.
Joe
Miningman Just a passing observation from this Canucklehead in the Great white North: The Pats are good at football!
Just a passing observation from this Canucklehead in the Great white North:
The Pats are good at football!
I suspect the Pats may become to football what the Yankees are to baseball - "Who ya rootin' for?" "Whoever is playing against the Yankees..."
Started the day at "Super Science Saturday" at our local community college. Our amateur radio folks had a display that I helped out with. Left that to go dashing through the snow to daughter's house for granddaughters third birthday party. In the hour and a half the truck was parked at the college, it collected three inches of snow - which makes for pretty lousy visibility on the road.
But, about 20 miles south, I drove out of it and it was smooth sailing the rest of the way. No snow at all on the way home.
Daughter found a toybox/bookcase on Pinterest, which Papa gladly built for granddaughter. Even embellished it with some fancy moulding!
Now I've got to put together two presentations for some upcoming fire training. No rest...
Happy Saturday
Well not so much for CSX.Had a car with a bad coupler they had to deal with.Went to the store and helped get groceries.Projects to work on.Mother nature sending us some snow for tomorrow.
Ns had a lone boxcar uptown.Chores to do.Tomorrow is Friday.Also groundhog day.They don't show up around here unless they want lead for dinner.
mudchickenBoris? Is that you?
Plotting beeg trouble for moose and squirrel, no doubt!
Raccoons and squirrels known to eat holes in plastic garbage cans here. Understand the issue with spilled feeder volunteers in the yard come spring.
Boris? Is that you?
Import a flock of quail--they are good at cleaning such spills up. I enjoyed watching the quail families at such groundskeeping work when I was independent.
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