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Chatterbox Spring 2019

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Posted by JoeKoh on Monday, May 20, 2019 2:24 PM

afternoon

Ns had some cars to shuffle after work.Cooler and breezy today.Chores to do here.

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 Tuesday, May 21, 2019 8:04 AM

Cowabunga! - 6" of snow overnight here at 6000' elevation. Should all melt off by lunchtime. Springtime in the Rockies!

Lightrail was a little too "light" this morning. On the south end of the Denver RTD system, we have a derailment. (Gravity works!)

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 BOB WITHORN on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 1:00 PM
Seven more work days and my 43 1/3 years on this job are done, retirement? Maybe, sorta, kinda, I guess.
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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 3:07 PM

Currently in Kansas - 55 degrees and spitting rain on the 21st of May!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by CShaveRR on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 7:43 PM

Balt, I trust that you survived that storm system that seems to have crossed your entire state today.  

Our temps were slightly cooler than yours, and the rain quit about 1:00 p.m.  More rain due tonight, but then temperatures are set to rise overnight into the lower 80s tomorrow.  Right now we have gentle breezes interspersed with knock-you-over (unless you're MC) gusts.

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 Tuesday, May 21, 2019 8:47 PM

evening

Ns was clear when I left work.Mowed the swamp before I went to Deshler.Csx sent various trains.There was an eastbound with CN power that looked like a molten sulphur train.Meeting was good.More 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 BaltACD on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 10:00 PM

CShaveRR

Balt, I trust that you survived that storm system that seems to have crossed your entire state today.  

Tornado Warnings were sounded - the actual tornados were NE of where I am at, that being said you could see the Cumulonimbus Clouds of the T'storm line that was causing the tornados.  That line had passed our area before the Tornado Warnings were sounded - my son and I were making a dinner run and they sounded as we were returning to his house.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by diningcar on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 9:04 AM

Last night weather service from Kansas City showed vivid photos of tornado touchdowns and then lifting back up after two +- minutes. These were at Silver Lake, KS (just north of Topeka) and then in a rural area further north. No damage or injuries reported.

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Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 5:23 PM

Evening

Had some more rain today.Ns was clear when I left work.Got errands done.I got my truck back.Tomorrow is last day for this week.Please take time to remember this weekend.

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 Thursday, May 23, 2019 9:17 PM

Good evening

After mother natures wake up call this morning it was a nice afternoon.Ns sent an eastbound after work.I went and took brother out to trainwatch.We checked out Garrett(CSX) and watched some switching and crew changes.The best thing we saw was an NS grain train head for Ft.Wayne on the wabash long hood forward.Going to be a nice day tomorrow.We'll see if the swamp is dry.

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 jeffhergert on Thursday, May 23, 2019 9:59 PM

I had the UP 4141, the George Bush engine in my consist today.  It was trailing, dead - past due inspection on one item.  

Jeff

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Thursday, May 23, 2019 11:05 PM

BOB WITHORN
Seven more work days and my 43 1/3 years on this job are done, retirement? Maybe, sorta, kinda, I guess.
 

Good for you! I've got about 10 good years left in me, them it will get weird. I'm not one to sit around so retirement would be difficult. 43-1/3 at the same place?

Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, May 24, 2019 7:15 AM

Murphy Siding
 
BOB WITHORN
Seven more work days and my 43 1/3 years on this job are done, retirement? Maybe, sorta, kinda, I guess.
 

 

 

Good for you! I've got about 10 good years left in me, them it will get weird. I'm not one to sit around so retirement would be difficult. 43-1/3 at the same place?

Not that big a deal.  I'll have 40 years with the same agency in June.  I feel that I'm good for a few more years before hanging it up.

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 tree68 on Friday, May 24, 2019 7:22 AM

Well, I'm finally back.  The gremlins in the servers had me simultaneously as logged in, and as a newby.  Couldn't post, or much of anything else.  It's been fixed, and here I am.

 

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 BaltACD on Friday, May 24, 2019 8:54 AM

tree68
Well, I'm finally back.  The gremlins in the servers had me simultaneously as logged in, and as a newby.  Couldn't post, or much of anything else.  It's been fixed, and here I am.

The world of Kalmbach IT - mind numbing and baffling.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, May 24, 2019 2:44 PM

afternoon

Well mother nature sent some more rain today.Got errands done today.Things are ready for Deshler tomorrow.Guessers say "scattered showers".Matt is leaving to do dishes.

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 rvos1979 on Saturday, May 25, 2019 6:10 AM

Very strange to see so many fields around here not planted this late in the season. Talked with some farmer friends, if it doesn't dry up by end of May, corn won't be planted, and if this keeps up through the middle of June, soybeans won't go in either.........

I foresee a lot of farm auctions later this year.............

Randy Vos

"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings

"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, May 25, 2019 8:03 AM

rvos1979
Very strange to see so many fields around here not planted this late in the season. Talked with some farmer friends, if it doesn't dry up by end of May, corn won't be planted, and if this keeps up through the middle of June, soybeans won't go in either.........
I foresee a lot of farm auctions later this year.............

During my trek from Maryland to Kansas, saw many fields that looked like lakes.  

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, May 25, 2019 3:40 PM

BaltACD
During my trek from Maryland to Kansas, saw many fields that looked like lakes.  

We have the same problem here - and a small system just came through that dropped another half inch of rain in less than three hours.

We also have the issues with Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence River, which just hit record high levels.  This doesn't impact agriculture, as such, but raises Cain with tourism, as many docks are under water.  And tourism almost outranks agriculture as an economic driver here.

Tens of thousands of sandbags have already been distributed.

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 CShaveRR on Saturday, May 25, 2019 5:00 PM

Similar problems at my home town on Lake Michigan.  The levels aren't at their record highs, but the city is shutting down its docks, because they're unusable, if not completely submerged (we're talking along the Grand River and Spring Lake, close to the mouth of the river).  

My sister and family live several miles up the river, and the marshy areas around there are submerged, making the river really look wide at this point (it is still navigable; buoys are placed every year).  Their own dock floats above the water line, but I think it's reached its tethered limits.

As for the lake itself, it's become quite a dropoff to the Lake from where the waves have cut into the first row of dunes (up by our cottage in the Land of No Trains).

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 Sunday, May 26, 2019 6:01 AM

morning

Mother nature sent a wake up call.Deshler was fun yesterday.We did have a storm roll through.The bad stuff stayed to the south of Deshler.It delayed a local.Lima sent up a rescue train.It was 2 cn units but the back unit couldn't be a leader.They used they wyes in Deshler to turn it around.Going to be careful going to great nieces graduation today.Matt has to do dishes tonight.

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 Sunday, May 26, 2019 6:46 AM

There were certainly a lot of folks at the park in Deshler Saturday, judging by what I saw on the webcams.  I did see the CN units doing their dosido.

Rained here all afternoon - 0.67" with a little lightning to boot.  It's starting to hurt the farmers, and the lake and river are at record levels.  Maybe we'll see spring or summer one of these days.  Hope I'm not busy that day.

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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  • From: Defiance Ohio
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Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, May 26, 2019 9:38 PM

evening

Rain stopped this afternoon.Was able to get to the graduation party.The yard was a bit muddy and swampy but we all had a good time.Family was pointing at us for next year with Matt.Mamma was taking notes.

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 blue streak 1 on Sunday, May 26, 2019 11:12 PM

CSX has started what may be some strange signaling around here.  CSX here has had the usual siding exit signals at siding CPs. == The main line that leads to the single track at both ends of siding has a 4 light signal head with green/yellow/ red/ white.  The signaled siding exits both ends to the single track has a single head continous red head and below the same 4 light green/ yellow/ red/ white as the main line..  

Now CSX just installed single light heads below the 4 light signal head  for the main track which at present is turned away so have no idea what color this light will be or if it will be continous lit as the other heads.  This arrangement is at both ends of the siding. 

Any ideas?  PTC possibly although PTC is fully operation AFAIK.?   Also we now have some DPU trains usually 2 x 1 x 0

.Note the exit luna is a restricting aspect that only illuminates when there is a leading train clearring the CP and a following train will be going the same direction then W changes to Y once the end of leading train clears next block signal.

Another note:  CP displays for siding entrance signals has a G/Y/R head then Y/R head then G/R/L head.  The L is for restricting speed for either the main or siding occupancy. 

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Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 7:39 AM

As Carl will attest, rain has been an issue around here for the last few weeks.  I got out to Berwyn yesterday and had a good outing. Among other things, saw two unit trains, one EB Bakken crude and one WB coal empties.  I did cut the day a little short because of rain getting close.  It was short but heavy in our neck of the woods but some other areas got it worse (flooding and at least two tornados).

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 BOB WITHORN on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 9:35 AM
It was fascinating, last late evening, watching tornados start to form, than the funnel get maybe 1/3 of the way to the ground and then just simply disappear. . . In Southwest Michigan, northeast of Elkhart, In.
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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 4:45 PM

evening

Ns sent an eastbound autorack train after work.Not so good for my old hometown.(Celina) Tornadoes and plenty of damage.Family is ok as far as I know.Great Nephew got his CSX t shirt and hat.Someday he can go watch with Uncle Joe.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, May 28, 2019 6:54 PM

Watched it get very dark to the south of Deshler, but that cell stayed south with it's sizeable hail.

We got almost a half inch of rain this morning - not that we need it either.  At least the major stuff is staying south...

A major amateur radio event each year is the Dayton Hamfest.  It was moved to Xenia a couple of years ago.  Last night's storms took the roof off it's former home, the Hara Arena in Dayton.  

 

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 BaltACD on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 8:47 PM

tree68
Watched it get very dark to the south of Deshler, but that cell stayed south with it's sizeable hail.

We got almost a half inch of rain this morning - not that we need it either.  At least the major stuff is staying south...

A major amateur radio event each year is the Dayton Hamfest.  It was moved to Xenia a couple of years ago.  Last night's storms took the roof off it's former home, the Hara Arena in Dayton.  

Went through Dayton on I-70 about 0830 - didn't see any evidence of a tornado.  Hara Arena looks to be a couple of miles South of I-70.  Didn't see any wet pavement.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by mudchicken on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 9:51 PM

Balt: hope your family and DC were bypassed between Lawrence and KC,KS by Ma Nature on a bender. As I left work tonight at 7pm, the news feeds were going nuts about eastern Kansas. ( One of the local TV stations [CBS 4] had major issues for about an hour this morning with the weather warning tones going off without a valid message. Omen? Pushed the panic button too many times this last week? Weird - trained to look for the crawler at the bottom of the screen and ....nothing.)

T-Storms, rain and hail are rare after dark around here, but the last five days have been the exception to the rule.

Hara Arena (1964 - last night? ) was some 40 miles north of where Electroliner and I grew up .... an older facility compared to most, it was derelict and had a date with the wrecker's ball so it could join contemporary Cincinnati Garden (1949-2016) as a faded memory...One heckuva last dance for Hara that began life as a ballroom and morphed in size...

 

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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