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Chatterbox Summer 2020

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, August 8, 2020 3:01 PM

ChuckCobleigh
 
BaltACD 
tree68
Tonnes.  Isn't that just a funny foreign way to spell tons?  You know, like color vs colour?   

{Sarcasm intended} 

tire v tyre
wrench v spanner
hood v bonnet
trunk v boot

The list goes on and on as the US and Great Britain are separated by a common language. 

Tonnes are 10 percent funnier than tons.

Many, many years ago, I bought a used MGB. At some point, I got a "workshop manual" for the machine, which was a thorough course in British automobile terminology. From that book (and a BMC trained mechanic) I learned how to synch the "carburettors," keep the "vibration dampers" properly filled with oil and how to deal with a "positive earth" electrical system. I already knew how to keep the windscreen clean, so there was that. I do miss that car.

Over the years I have owned a succession of Triumph's - TR-4A, TR250, TR-6 and TR-7 Convertible which is still my toy car.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Saturday, August 8, 2020 2:57 PM

BaltACD

 

 
tree68
Tonnes.  Isn't that just a funny foreign way to spell tons?  You know, like color vs colour?   

{Sarcasm intended}

 

tire v tyre
wrench v spanner
hood v bonnet
trunk v boot

The list goes on and on as the US and Great Britain are separated by a common language.

 

Tonnes are 10 percent funnier than tons.

Many, many years ago, I bought a used MGB. At some point, I got a "workshop manual" for the machine, which was a thorough course in British automobile terminology. From that book (and a BMC trained mechanic) I learned how to synch the "carburettors," keep the "vibration dampers" properly filled with oil and how to deal with a "positive earth" electrical system. I already knew how to keep the windscreen clean, so there was that. I do miss that car.

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Posted by mudchicken on Saturday, August 8, 2020 12:21 PM

-or they crash into Mars again.Oops

How fast does that racecar go in furlongs-per-fortnite?

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 BaltACD on Saturday, August 8, 2020 9:23 AM

tree68
Tonnes.  Isn't that just a funny foreign way to spell tons?  You know, like color vs colour?   

{Sarcasm intended}

tire v tyre
wrench v spanner
hood v bonnet
trunk v boot

The list goes on and on as the US and Great Britain are separated by a common language.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, August 8, 2020 9:17 AM

Tonnes.  Isn't that just a funny foreign way to spell tons?  You know, like color vs colour?   

{Sarcasm intended}

LarryWhistling
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Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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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, August 7, 2020 11:22 PM

blue streak 1
I just found something that once again makes our media friends show how sloppy they are.  I had wondered about this and here goes.  The reports were  2750 tons.  Guess what it was 2750 tonnes .  That is metric tonnes.  Approximately 2200 US pounds per tonne!  Comes out about 3025 US tons.  Sloppy - sloppy - sloppy.

I doubt that the functionaries supplying data to the media even know the difference between US tons and Metric tonnes - nor do they care, unless they get a freight bill for it.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Friday, August 7, 2020 10:46 PM

I just found something that once again makes our media friends show how sloppy they are.  I had wondered about this and here goes.  The reports were  2750 tons.  Guess what it was 2750 tonnes .  That is metric tonnes.  Approximately 2200 US pounds per tonne!  Comes out about 3025 US tons.  Sloppy - sloppy - sloppy.

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Posted by JoeKoh on Friday, August 7, 2020 4:36 PM

evening

Ns was clear after work.Matt is out with Stacey getting things for his dorm.Going to help neighbor tomorrow morning.He showed me the root of the problem.Matt and I should have no problems with it.

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 Friday, August 7, 2020 7:51 AM

Both Balt and Erik are correct, from my point of view.

The ANFO blasts I saw were in the early 1970's.  They were set off with blasting caps.

I, too, noticed the reddish color of the smoke in the Beirut event.  It was my impression that said color was likely due to the AN.

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 Erik_Mag on Thursday, August 6, 2020 11:39 PM

tree68

 

Electroliner 1935
AND the 1995 Oklahoma blast that hit the  Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the fertilizer and diesel fuel

Absolutely - and only as many barrels as would fit in the rental van.  

ANFO is regularly used in blasting - under normal circumstances it's pretty stable, even when mixed with fuel oil.  I've seen it used in underwater blasting.

AN is an oxidizer, so you can get a significant increase in energy release by mixing fuel of some sort with it - the red clouds in the videos indicate that the Beruit blast was primarily from AN alone. From what I recall, AN used as a blasting agent typically needs a small gain charge to be set off and it is stable enough to be loaded into shot holes from a tanker truck.

Before Texas City showed that AN can make quite a boom, a common "safe" blasting agent was powdered charcoal soaked in LOX - if the shot was called off, all that was needed to make the charge safe was waiting for the LOX to boil off.

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Posted by BaltACD on Thursday, August 6, 2020 10:15 PM

tree68
 
Electroliner 1935
AND the 1995 Oklahoma blast that hit the  Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the fertilizer and diesel fuel 

Absolutely - and only as many barrels as would fit in the rental van.  

ANFO is regularly used in blasting - under normal circumstances it's pretty stable, even when mixed with fuel oil.  I've seen it used in underwater blasting.

But then you get a out of control fire the impinges on a warehouse where thousands of tons of Amomium Nitrate has been stored for the past 7 years because it's Russian owners abandoned it ...... Super AngrySuper AngrySuper AngrySuper AngrySuper AngrySuper Angry

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, August 6, 2020 8:25 PM

Electroliner 1935
AND the 1995 Oklahoma blast that hit the  Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the fertilizer and diesel fuel

Absolutely - and only as many barrels as would fit in the rental van.  

ANFO is regularly used in blasting - under normal circumstances it's pretty stable, even when mixed with fuel oil.  I've seen it used in underwater blasting.

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 Electroliner 1935 on Thursday, August 6, 2020 6:35 PM

tree68
The two most notable such events are Texas City, TX, where the captain thought the thing to do was a technique successfully used for other shipboard fires - seal up the cargo space and flood it with steam.  In the case of ammonium nitrate, that is exactly the wrong thing to do.  The anchor of the SS Grandcamp was found 1.25 miles away.    I've seen it opined that this may have been the reason for otherwise unexplained disappearances of other ships at sea.   West, TX involved a smaller amount of the fertilizer and a potentially arson fire at the elevator where it was stored.  The owner was cited in the case for storage issues, as I recall.  

AND the 1995 Oklahoma blast that hit the  Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the fertilizer and diesel fuel

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Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, August 6, 2020 6:07 PM

evening

Ns was clear after work.Came home and took care of yardwork.Glad tomorrow is Friday.

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 Thursday, August 6, 2020 1:44 PM

tree68
 
CSSHEGEWISCH 
blhanel

Speaking of "blowing" something, did anyone else watch the video of the Beirut explosion?  WOW!!!

Baltimore had its own historic explosion in 1913 - the Alum Chine Disaster.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum_Chine_explosion

 

The explosive wasn't Amominum Nitrate - it was good old mishandled dynamite.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, August 6, 2020 12:13 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH

 

 
blhanel

Speaking of "blowing" something, did anyone else watch the video of the Beirut explosion?  WOW!!!

 

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 Thursday, August 6, 2020 10:12 AM

blhanel

Speaking of "blowing" something, did anyone else watch the video of the Beirut explosion?  WOW!!!

 
It has happened several times before.  Evidence is pointing to stupidity and carelessness as the cause of this blast.
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 blue streak 1 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 8:37 PM
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Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 4:07 PM

evening

Ns had a westbound stack train after work.They also had tonka toys and cars uptown.Did errands and chores.Tomorrow it's time to mow the swamp.Time for supper.

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 Wednesday, August 5, 2020 11:44 AM

blhanel
Speaking of "blowing" something, did anyone else watch the video of the Beirut explosion?  WOW!!!

Amazing what fertilizer can do.  7 year old fertilizer at that.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by blhanel on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 9:39 AM

Speaking of "blowing" something, did anyone else watch the video of the Beirut explosion?  WOW!!!

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Posted by samfp1943 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 8:03 AM

[quote user="tree68"]

CShaveRR

Now that things have cooled off a bit and I won't be sweating into the new components, I'll work on finishing the job.

But, when it rains, it pours.  Literally, in one sense, as we have gotten over two inches of rain in the past couple of days.  Definitely welcome!

On the other hand, I went to the washing machine to move the last batch of laundry to the drier (it's not going to dry on the line in this weather), only to find that the machine had filled up for the wash, but quit before doing anything else.

Trip to the home improvement store.  The machine I wanted (which their website said could be delivered tomorrow is out of stock, and won't be available until September.

I'd go for complaining of a "bait and switch," but the next model up isn't in stock either, although it can be delivered late next week...

Good thing I didn't take all those quarters to the bank yet...

[/quote]

Seems like this is gonna be the year, Larry!   Sigh  Started the summer off: New microwave was victim of an apparent burst of energy from a very close hit from a bolt of lightening. A month later the Dish Washer quit, then the hot Water tank, sprung a leak, next, the lawn mower!   Seems like when it'rains' it pours!  Bang Head

 Woke up this morning, The parade had started at about 0630AM.  The MOW Critters were in action over the fence!  Whistling  We knew they were working this way.  They sure are a noisey lot! Huh?  OH well, at least they are not working here at night.  Don't even mention the primary election last night...Oops

 

 


 

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Posted by tree68 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 3:40 PM

CShaveRR
Just don't blow that new computer setup, Larry!

Now that things have cooled off a bit and I won't be sweating into the new components, I'll work on finishing the job.

But, when it rains, it pours.  Literally, in one sense, as we have gotten over two inches of rain in the past couple of days.  Definitely welcome!

On the other hand, I went to the washing machine to move the last batch of laundry to the drier (it's not going to dry on the line in this weather), only to find that the machine had filled up for the wash, but quit before doing anything else.

Trip to the home improvement store.  The machine I wanted (which their website said could be delivered tomorrow is out of stock, and won't be available until September.

I'd go for complaining of a "bait and switch," but the next model up isn't in stock either, although it can be delivered late next week...

Good thing I didn't take all those quarters to the bank 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 JoeKoh on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 3:11 PM

afternoon

Ns was clear after work.Someone mentioned it was national chocolate chip cookie day.Made a stop on the way home.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 JoeKoh on Monday, August 3, 2020 2:52 PM

afternoon

Ns sent a westbound coal train after work.A powder river train is waiting to go east in the siding.Guess Ns and Csx were working around the pine jct area today from what I have heard.Chores to do.Mother nature might send some more rain.We'll see.

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 Monday, August 3, 2020 10:22 AM

CShaveRR

  We didn't have any train luck in any of the usual places until I turned into Pine Junction for a little while.  We managed to get ourselves surrounded by four trains at once (three of which were moving)...I didn't know which way to turn!

 
Sounds like my youth when I could see the South Shore from my back yard and CWI (EL, MON, C&O) and N&W were behind the South Shore embankment and a short walk away from a viewing point.
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 samfp1943 on Sunday, August 2, 2020 4:32 PM

Jeff:  I'm a day late to the scene, here!  Whistling  Sigh

  Apparently, The local Demo Machine pols got their knickers all in knots !          The contractor, in preping the #17 (nee: CO&E RR and former B&SV display engine, for movement across the area)  He had the timerity[the Contractor] to place some American Flags, and also some Trump banners on his transporter quipment and(?) on #17...  preping for the move. 

 The locomotive(#17),its tender, and an old passenger car; which had previously been donated to the City of Boone, and the local Rotary Cub.        Were being moved to a busy highway corner to note for visitors, the railroad history of Boone. 

    With the way things are these days; The people are probably thankful, they weren't sent to the scrapper....Crying

 

 


 

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Posted by CShaveRR on Sunday, August 2, 2020 4:01 PM

Just don't blow that new computer setup, Larry!

We've been without television due to a small power surge caused by an outage from a storm that was nowhere close to us...we'll be buying a replacement set soon.

We got home from my mother's memorial service in Michigan yesterday evening.  We didn't have any train luck in any of the usual places until I turned into Pine Junction for a little while.  We managed to get ourselves surrounded by four trains at once (three of which were moving)...I didn't know which way to turn!

Now I'm paying the price...so many good sightings, research tool off line to me...doing what I can until it comes back.  Even worse, my LibreOffice quit, and have had to redo everything I'd done in the sightings file today.

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 tree68 on Sunday, August 2, 2020 2:47 PM

We may be dodging something bigger than raindrops - NWS SPC just issued a tornado watch for us.  Don't much care for hail or big twisty things, but we'll take the rain.

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 tree68 on Sunday, August 2, 2020 2:45 PM

mudchicken

I'm told Wrinn is out here wandering around in the dark with a certain RGS shiny toy making news. Apparently missed him by that  [] much. See if he pops up next week with a blog post.

There have been some "Trains Live" videos on YouTube in the last couple of days from that locale...

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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