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Chatterbox Spring 2023

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Posted by MikeF90 on Monday, March 27, 2023 5:27 PM

Surprised no one has mentioned the massive derailment near Kelso CA on the UP Cima sub. By estimation the long iron ore train was going WAY over max track speed and wound up as a crumpled wreck:  https://ktla.com/news/local-news/hazmat-crews-respond-to-train-derailment-near-baker/amp/  Amazing the crew jumped and survived.

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Posted by Erik_Mag on Monday, March 27, 2023 10:19 PM

The Diesel Fried Chicken guy mentioned listening to a recording of a runaway on Cima Hill. A long downhill stretch with few curves can lead to a very scary runaway.

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, March 27, 2023 11:37 PM

Looking at the picture on Trains, it dug one heck of a hole.

Did the crew bail, or were they not on board when the train took off?

LarryWhistling
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Posted by JoeKoh on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 2:32 PM

afternoon

Ns has a coal train in the siding at work.Didn't get a chance to look on our dock.Friend went up to Montana to see the MRL before BNSF takes it back over.Got rewarded with a late snowstorm near Bozeman.Chores to 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 MikeF90 on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 5:19 PM

tree68
Did the crew bail, or were they not on board when the train took off?

Yes, the crew bailed and survived back near Cima (top of hill?). Reportedly rails say that you must jump at under 15-20 mph in order to survive - a scary split second decision to contemplate.

Hope the NTSB doesn't need much evidence from that astonishing pile of scrap metal bits left at the end.

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Posted by JoeKoh on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 2:28 PM

afternoon

Dock at our building is clear.Ns was sending a westbound after work.Mother nature is sending more wind today as well.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 blue streak 1 on Thursday, March 30, 2023 1:13 AM

With all the runaways on that hill maybe time for some runaway ramps?  Runaway ramps probably would cost less than the accident  damage from the  derailments here?  If this had been a Haz Mat train???

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, March 30, 2023 7:23 AM

blue streak 1
If this had been a Haz Mat train??

It was literally miles from just about anything, in the middle of the Mohave...  If you're gonna dump a hazmat train, that's the place to do it.

On the weather front, we had a front come through last night around sunset.  Had a 33 MPH wind gust, then it snowed like the dickens for maybe an hour.  Then it just cleared up.  Gotta love Mother Nature.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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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 Thursday, March 30, 2023 3:47 PM

afternoon

Ns was clear after work today.Ran errands uptown.Watching opening day baseball.Glad tomorrow is Friday.Deshler council person wants to meet Saturday to talk about the B&O caboose.I offered the museum for the meeting because the weather looks iffy.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 Friday, March 31, 2023 2:39 PM

afternoon

Ns had a train go by after work.They also have some cars uptown as well.Mother nature sent some rain more to come.Don't get fooled tomorrow.

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, March 31, 2023 4:14 PM

Weather arrived today about noon, rain in most places, a little snow in others.  It's all rain here now, but the radar leaves one with the impression it's snowing in the Adirondacks.

Tomorrow's big deal is supposed to be wind.  It's all part of a system working across the middle of the country right now.  Severe weather is a possibility.  Our barometer has been dropping all 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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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, April 1, 2023 6:07 AM

Morning

Mother nature sent strong winds and storms to us here in Nw Ohio.The swamp got a huge refill.Family is ok.Checking with friends if they need help in the clean up.Not sure if the meeting  in Deshler got cancelled or not.

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 Saturday, April 1, 2023 6:39 AM

The same front came through here overnight, bringing some rain, but nothing of note.  Possibly getting some wind today, but it's spring.

Finished re-reading a book I read some 50 years ago, entitled "Guadalcanal Diary," by Richard Tregaskis, a war correspondent who was on the ground with the troops when they landed there.

The re-reading was enhanced by some podcasts I've watched lately on the war in the South Pacific, which added some background to what Tregaskis wrote.

Nasty business.

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 Saturday, April 1, 2023 9:18 AM

tree68
The same front came through here overnight, bringing some rain, but nothing of note.  Possibly getting some wind today, but it's spring.

Finished re-reading a book I read some 50 years ago, entitled "Guadalcanal Diary," by Richard Tregaskis, a war correspondent who was on the ground with the troops when they landed there.

The re-reading was enhanced by some podcasts I've watched lately on the war in the South Pacific, which added some background to what Tregaskis wrote.

Nasty business.

I have recently watch a video series, I don't recall if it was on Netflix or from the History Channel, that used Tregaskis words and identity as one of their story telling methods.

With 21st Century media, we get to see just how nasty the business of War actually is, and unfortunately War is business.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by diningcar on Saturday, April 1, 2023 12:40 PM

World War 2 stories have a great significance to me. I was born in 1932 and was thus spared the obligation to serve in our military. However, many from my small county in Colorado (population about ten thousand) served and forty-six did not return. We knew all of the families who lost someone, and we shared their grief. One family lost two. 

I recall those who returned with their work ethic, responsibility for their actions and their energy which resulted in the prosperous growth our country enjoyed up until the Viet Nam experience. 

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Posted by JoeKoh on Saturday, April 1, 2023 3:32 PM

afternoon

Mother nature wasn't very nice.Places all around us will be without power for awhile.Csx had Dark signals and crossing malfunctions as well.Did check the park and museum which had no damage.Did watch a few trains.On the way home trains were held out because someone tested the can opener.13-6 doesn't go into 11-9 very well.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 Erik_Mag on Saturday, April 1, 2023 9:46 PM

tree68

Finished re-reading a book I read some 50 years ago, entitled "Guadalcanal Diary," by Richard Tregaskis, a war correspondent who was on the ground with the troops when they landed there.

The re-reading was enhanced by some podcasts I've watched lately on the war in the South Pacific, which added some background to what Tregaskis wrote.

B&N had a 50% off sale on hardcover books before Christmas, so used that to score quite the bargain on Ian W. Toll's "Pacific War Trilogy". The chapters on Guadalcanal paint a pretty grim picture of what the fighting was like, but that was pretty much true of any of the island fighting during the war. The sea battle were pretty rough, in light of the references to "Ironbottom Sound". It was a bit eerie reading about events that took place 80 years before.

I attended a production of South Pacific 4 years ago and it was nteresting to read what was actually going during the period portrayed in the play.

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Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, April 2, 2023 10:22 AM

Checked on Brother today.Ns ran a few trains.They crossed over a long frieght so the westbound Lakeshore could get by.Not much on Csx that I saw.People still untangling the mess Mother nature left behind.Almost time for lunch.Back to work tomorrow.

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, April 3, 2023 2:45 PM

afternoon

Heard Ns run a train through town after work.They have some cars uptown as well.Utility companies still untangling what Mother nature did over the weekend.More rain ciming tonight.More storms on Wed.60 degrees here now at home.Time for chores.

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 Monday, April 3, 2023 9:22 PM

We're due for some weather on Wednesday - we're in the "slight risk" area.  That means we'll likely see some thunderbumpers, but there's only a slight risk of them being severe.

We've been seeing some syruping weather, but the daytime temps are getting warmer.  Reports I'm seeing from friends who do maple syrup sound like it wasn't a bad year, overall.

All but the biggest snow piles are gone, and those are disappearing rapidly.

Just signed up for some of our Easter Bunny trains.  We double end those so we'll need two engineers.  I'm one of them.  

Saturday it's a seminar presented by one of the responders to the Charleston, SC "Super Sofa" fire a few years back.  Nine firefighters didn't go home after that one.

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, April 4, 2023 2:33 PM

afternoon

Ns had some cars uptown after work.Wind advisory issued for tomorrow.People are still waiting for the power to come back on.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 Wednesday, April 5, 2023 2:35 PM

afternoon

Seems Ns had a traffic jam uptown after work today.Heard 2 trains.Our shift was also unloading a boxcar on our dock today as well.Glad tomorrow is Thursday.We get Friday off.Happy birthday to the Twinkie.It's 93 years old.Radio person said an original one might still be good.Muggy oiutside since Mother nature sent rain.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 Thursday, April 6, 2023 2:35 PM

afternoon

Ns ran a train after work today.The boxcar is still on our dock but empty.They have a powder river coal train parked uptown as well.Had some damage around our area from yesterdays storms.Swamp is going to get a chance to dry out according to the guessers.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 Friday, April 7, 2023 2:08 PM

afternoon

Got out this morning and did some spring clean up.Swamp is still a bit wet.While running errands did see a couple Csx trains.One had a recrew right here in town.The NDWs yard looked empty.They have plenty of new ties stacked up at fc.Going back outside to enjoy the sunshine.

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, April 7, 2023 8:54 PM

Ran our "Easter Bunny" trains today.  Three trains, around 600 passengers.  Had to do some switching before we left the yard, which ended up making us late for the rest of the day.

Logged over 20,000 steps on my FitBit.  That's over 11 miles.  I once read that a conductor on a local will walk the length of his division in a day.  I believe it.

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 blue streak 1 on Saturday, April 8, 2023 3:06 PM

Amazing how some RR items turn 180 degrees.  UP now having to shore up its crossing across the Salt Lake west from Ogden due to shrinking water levels..  How long ago was it when the causeway had to be raised due to rising water?

Union Pacific Works to Shore Up Great Salt Lake - Railway Track and Structures (rtands.com)

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Saturday, April 8, 2023 4:00 PM
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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, April 8, 2023 5:50 PM

blue streak 1

Not to mention grounding Evergreen Marine ships in the Suez Canal and Chesapeake Bay among other pilot failures.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by JoeKoh on Sunday, April 9, 2023 10:09 AM

Good morning

He is not here.happy Easter.Deshler was good yesterday.csx ran westbounds on my way home.Checked on brother this morning.Ns sent a few trains west as well.Going to g + g house for lunch.

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, April 9, 2023 4:36 PM

Easter brunch with daughter's family today.  Travelled to Skaneateles - nice restaurant.  Ate too much...

Did manage to catch a couple trains on the Chicago Line, plus an Amtrak Empire Service train making a stop at Syracuse.

A tribute to the Beach Boys is on tonight at 8 on CBS.  I'll be tuned in.

EDIT:  Although it was delayed due to the Masters golf tourney, the Beach Boys tribute was tremendous.  Hopefully it'll show up as a YT video or something so I can enjoy it again.    

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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