GPS is for local applications when needed; otherwise, a trusty road atlas is just fine. My car is not equipped, so that's where the cell phone (and navigational assistant named Pat) come in handy.
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)
tree68Nowadays, the FRA frowns on electronics in the cab.
Unless it's PTC that won't work right and needs a lot of your attention...wait..
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
I'll use the GPS if the potential route has some "micro" moves that I don't want my face buried in a map for. If I'm running all main roads, no need.
I'll also use it to keep track of my arrival time, if that's a factor.
I have speedometer apps on my phone and tablet. That's how I know my truck speedometer reads 2 MPH high at 65 - a nice little safety cushion. Sometimes I'll run one of them just because.
I recall reading of a shortline in Florida that didn't have a conventional speedometer in one of their locomotives, so they ran a GPS. This was in the less sophisticated days of GPS. Nowadays, the FRA frowns on electronics in the cab.
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...
Deggesty CSSHEGEWISCH I've never bothered with GPS. I'm a firm believer in advance planning if I'm unfamiliar with the destination and actually check paper maps or a printout from Google maps to plan out my route. I've never used GPS, either. I depended upon Streets and Trips, printing the maps with my route marked on them. I did find some errors, such as the map showed an alley by a house where I lived while growing up as being a street--it started out, at a right angle turn in a U.S. highway (the turn was well-marked with signs and a flashing yellow light over the center), paved with cinders and became two ruts.
CSSHEGEWISCH I've never bothered with GPS. I'm a firm believer in advance planning if I'm unfamiliar with the destination and actually check paper maps or a printout from Google maps to plan out my route.
I've never bothered with GPS. I'm a firm believer in advance planning if I'm unfamiliar with the destination and actually check paper maps or a printout from Google maps to plan out my route.
I've never used GPS, either. I depended upon Streets and Trips, printing the maps with my route marked on them. I did find some errors, such as the map showed an alley by a house where I lived while growing up as being a street--it started out, at a right angle turn in a U.S. highway (the turn was well-marked with signs and a flashing yellow light over the center), paved with cinders and became two ruts.
GPS maps are only as good as the information being provided by the various governmental entities.
We all know mudchicken's view of the competency of the 'local bubbas' when it comes to the ins and outs of property definition and mapping.
My Triumph TR-7's speedometer bounces wildly. I got a GPS unit for it for the primary reason that the GPS displays a steady MPH number.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Johnny
I know how disruptive SCADA radio transmissions are and this is supposed to be considerably worse (I still have recurring headaches over what happened at the ethanol plant in Jeff H.'s backyard at Grand Junction IA.....including survey grade shots on control points that "moved" 70 feet at one point. )
mudchicken (2) Apparently, the FCC values $$$ over surveyors and railroad PTC. The Ligado/Light-Squared crap is about to surface again. Don't count on your phone navigation system to be as reliable as it is now either. GPS signal is about to get randomly & continously distorted in the name of 5G.
(2) Apparently, the FCC values $$$ over surveyors and railroad PTC. The Ligado/Light-Squared crap is about to surface again. Don't count on your phone navigation system to be as reliable as it is now either. GPS signal is about to get randomly & continously distorted in the name of 5G.
Ugh, not again...
Too many lawyers and economists and not enough engineers in the FCC.
Hi
Went over to Deshler.Csx sent some interesting trains.Found some specials for Carl.Went south along the NKP on the way home.Ns was sending a Carl special westbound too.Snow is gone from yesterday.Going to get cleaned up.
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").
Finally - It's the weekend.
(1) Did what limited work I could Friday and discovered a CSX/CR blooper the lawyers at the federal level ought to be ashamed over.
(3) Waiting for the Air Force Thunderbirds to do a fly-over in the Denver Area of all the hospitals and then south to the AF Academy graduation ceremonies on a very empty academy grounds....somewhere in the next hour
JoeKoh afternoon Coal train still in the Ns siding.Heard an "ACE" horn in the distance but no train.Mother nature has covered the outside with heavy wet snow.It is not sticking to the streets or sidewalks.Glad today is Friday.Going to enjoy things here at home. stay safe Joe
afternoon
Coal train still in the Ns siding.Heard an "ACE" horn in the distance but no train.Mother nature has covered the outside with heavy wet snow.It is not sticking to the streets or sidewalks.Glad today is Friday.Going to enjoy things here at home.
The morning paper reported that yesterday morning's shake was 4.2 on the Richter scale, just 3 hairs above Tuesday night's.
Murphy SidingI bought my crew at work masks today made by an upholstery shop. $5 is the going rate for washable cloth masks.
Good that you found some for sale. My SIL in Hawaii has two sewing machines and is making some, one should arrive in my mail soon.
Rural or small town residents should no longer feel smug, many meat processing plants are being forced to shut down (WSJ also has article but for paid subs). Farmers will also be hit since they may not have room for new baby animals. Some meat is already in the consumer pipeline, but looks like going vegetarian for a while will be necessary. Support your local egg and dairy producers!
Went to Grocery Outlet yesterday - no crowds of idiots like the previously mentioned clothing store. Pasta was available - yay. Also they supplied paper bags free.
Noticed that Amtrak now emulates flag stops - usually they will blow by La Plata, MO at track speed ....
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
tree68 Road trip today today to deliver some "ear savers" to a small local hospital. A number of folks with 3D printers have been turning them, as well as visor holders, out on home 3D printers for the medical community. With the governor's order that everyone not able to maintain 6 feet of separation must wear a mask, I'm sure I could make a killing selling the things...
Road trip today today to deliver some "ear savers" to a small local hospital. A number of folks with 3D printers have been turning them, as well as visor holders, out on home 3D printers for the medical community. With the governor's order that everyone not able to maintain 6 feet of separation must wear a mask, I'm sure I could make a killing selling the things...
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Denver Post and KCBS-4 photo
UP near Brighton, CO Siding/ Greeley Sub had a front row seat for this today....Imagine the trucker had to have the seat cover surgically extracted and find a change of clothes....Be careful out there Randy!
Quite a few folks out and about. the grocery store was busy, but not packed. Lots of "one way" signs in the aisles.
Got a book today about one of Henry Ford's "village industries," in this case the carburetor plant located in Milford, MI. Ironically, although it was built right next to the PM mainline between Plymouth and Saginaw, it was not rail served. So far that has not been mentioned in the book, although it was noted that everything moved in, and out, by truck. One might think that the casting sand and the metal that was cast could have come in by rail, anyhow, even if the finished carburetors did not leave by the same route.
Ns still has the coal train in the siding at work.A westbound passed it after work,plenty of power,not many cars.Went to get som essential pants for work.The store was crowded like it was"Black Friday."So much for social distancing.Was checked out by an employess with a portable scan gun.Stacey had cookies ready for when I got home.Guessers are still predicting a white Friday tomorrow.Got the shovels back out just in case.
mudchicken Johnny: Most of the white stuff went north of Denver. 1' of snow here and 7" up in Fort Collins...We might get another 2-3 inches by the end of the day for the scottie to go romp in. Started last night as snizzle. Seems ma nature is using the shakers as a pseudo- alarm clock? Track & Signal guys keep hoping for 4.9 or below.
Johnny: Most of the white stuff went north of Denver. 1' of snow here and 7" up in Fort Collins...We might get another 2-3 inches by the end of the day for the scottie to go romp in. Started last night as snizzle.
Seems ma nature is using the shakers as a pseudo- alarm clock?
Track & Signal guys keep hoping for 4.9 or below.
Unlike Balt, I try to follow Ben Franklin's advice, but I am not sure that it makes me healthy, wealthy, or wise.
Carl, thanks. I should've recognized that.
I've seen a lot fewer new Greenbrier reefers lately.
Well, that fault action just west of here seems to not be satisfied yet--there was another burp a little before seven this morning. My daughter, who lives five miles south and about a half mile east of me, sent me a note telling me she felt it (she did not feel the one a few nights ago).
The Easter cold snap is still gripping us; it is predicted to leave in another day or two. MC may still feel it. There was a time when I was working that I had business with a company in Colorado Springs; when I called the company, one man there would ask me abut our weather so he would know what to expect the next day.
Thanks for that, Colin!There are 25 of these cars, built by the Greenbrier Companies in March, numbers LFPX 861-885. LFPX is Lane Forest Products, Inc. (The only "Lane" I'm familiar with is the county in Oregon...my pen-pal in Eugene lives there.)Some of the lower-numbered LFPX cars are former UP woodchip cars.Probably not for rocks, given their size...more like woodchips.
Carl, a few brand new large-capacity rock hoppers came through today.
LFPX 873, 874 and 881 were the one numbers I could catch. No build dates but still quite clean, so no more than a couple months old.
Some of the newest cars don't have the black stencil with the build date, or at least not on both sides. I'm not sure why that is but I miss it.
Ns sent a stack train eastbound between a stopped westbound and the coal train today after work.The westbound got rolling after the eastbound past.Mother nature sent us some snow.Guessers say more to come on Friday.Park came and mowed the playgorund area today too.Chores to do.
We got snow this morning, too. However, almost all of it has melted by now.
I was sitting at the table eating lunch when I looked out the window and saw snowflakes in the air...
The earth around here is still a bit unsettled--just before nine last night, there was a magnitude 4.17 tremor out in the valley, lasting a few seconds. I have not yet seen any report on damage. This was #629 with a magnitude great than 1.0, and the fifth one with a magnitude greater than 4.0, since the recent big one.
Our Easter cold snap is still holding on; it's 44 outside now.
Ns still had the coal train in the siding after work.Came home and mowed the swamp.Matt's principal emailed and said Matt could still take his Ap course tests.He is taking his classes online now.Still not sure about graduation ceremony or party yet.I am leaning twoards a no.Going to get cleaned up.
Carl, best wishes to you and Pat for her quick recovery, and for you not to have anything worse or longer than you've just experienced.
Pennsylvania Governor Wolf concluded his speech tonight with this line: "By doing nothin' [sic], we are doing something truly extraordinary, and for that I thank you." A tip of the hat to anyone who can recognize the origins of that line.
My daughter says an internet meme a few weeks ago was like "For the first time in history, you can save lives by sitting around watching TV." (or something similar).
For those of us at home, it's either "Every day is Saturday" (credit to J. Gray Chandler of AREMA Committee 24), or "Groundhog Day".
Everyone, take care. As the Dos Equis beer "Most Interesting Man in the World" used to say, "Stay healthy, my friends."
- PDN.
Carl, good to hear that you and Pat apparently are holding your own against the virus, hopefully that trend will continue.
tree68Our grocery stores had just changed over to re-usable bags (or you could pay for paper) due to a state law. Now they're using plastic again.
We've had the reusable bag mandate here (and IMO stupid pay-for-paper) for a few years; ironically T.J.s has prohibited reusable temporarily and is providing their paper ones for free.
Went to the opthamologist for a few baseline tests and a doctor consult; he proclaimed my eyes 'good enough' and wants to see me back in 6 mo for a recheck. Since I'm in the 1% percentile with 11+ diopter correction, perhaps I should send my old glasses to NASA for the next HST repair.
Being a shelter-at-home veteran I've tried many things to keep my spirits up, just rediscovered barbershop 'a capella' singing. Hundreds of YT videos are available for the Barbershop Harmony Society, hope that you like some.
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