I've noticed the videos are back on-line, which seems to kill the thought that forum access for all would be restored when the video issues were resolved.
From what I've experienced, it seems that the forum software is no longer able to issue new "you are logged in" cookies. When I try logging in on a different browser, the login fails, but I still remain logged in on Firefox. I tempted fate last weekend by upgrading my computer, but took the step of copying the Firefox directory under "Application Support" directory to my new computer before installing Firefox on the new computer. It worked as I am now typing this on the new machine.
An all new forum software would be nice, but transferring the 20+ years of posts would be an IT nightmare. It would be shame to lose the history of the members who are no longer with us.
Gramp A shame this forum got the disappearing railroad blues. Nice knowing y'all.
A shame this forum got the disappearing railroad blues. Nice knowing y'all.
Between the issues they've had and the multitude of other media available, things are pretty sparse any more.
Even when the whole shebang was running properly, we were losing participants faster than we were gaining them. And the losses were folks who had moved on (or passed) as opposed to anyone actively quitting.
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...
evening
Not sure if Trains is making changes or not.Have been busy working long hours at work.Guessers still saying snow for tomorrow.Time to get on the boots if we are to do any leaf work.Did watch I 191(up power intermodal) and a kcs lead ethanol train go west just before sundown.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").
Morning
Guessers say the "s" word is coming later this week.Been busy with work.College boy has accepted a job with a local firm.Graduation is coming up.Need to make up from 4 years ago.Need to check on brother.Maybe see what is on Ns or csx.
Nice and dry in Phoenix all weekend, although the locals were complaining about the 45° overnight temperatures. For me was just like being home, minus the rain.
Busy, though - made for a long weekend.
afternoon
We had some rain in our area.Going to be more fall like tempratures.Was able to do some outside work yesterday.Plenty of upset specials yesterday.Next week the central ohio team gets to go play a northern Chicago team at wrigley field.Too bad we have Tom Browning form the Reds to sit up on the rooftops.Thank you for all the veterans tomorrow.
Actually had some rain pass by yesterday.Mother nature sent some wind as well to spread the leaves around.The Ltex engine is around on the NDW just need to get the time to find it.Csx was busy replacing a track panel at Fc.College boy is coming home tonight.Going to go vote and have supper as well.Time to get stuff around for work.
joe
Had a dearth of trick-or-treaters tonight. Exactly one...
Checked on the NDW after work.Seems the new(old) ltex engine is out and about.The yard has plenty of hi cube boxcars to deliver and that are being cleaned out.Csx mow was near fc.Not sure if they were working on the main or the omni switch.Things to get around for tomorrow.
GrampCan you imagine a subway system anywhere else going private?
If it looked like it was going to be a money maker, some investment group would take it over and loot it...
I watched the NKWorld (Japanese) news on PBS tonight. Reported that Tokyo Metro's IPO was today. Stock climbed 30%. Can you imagine a subway system anywhere else going private?
Had a white coat appointment this morning, which precipitated some lab work, and a couple of prescriptions. That meant a trip down the Interstate to reach the pharmacy and for some needed groceries.
Whilst tooling down the highway, I drove through a bunch of leaves stirred up by a semi. Thought it could be consequential, and sure enough as I neared my destination, the "hot" light came on and the temp guage was edging toward the "H." About that time, I got off the highway and swung into the gas station (needed that, too). After fueling up, the guage quickly retreated into a normal range. Checked the grille, but only found one leaf - I'm certain there were more that fell off at a traffic light.
Having fried one motor (failed water pump), I'm a little leary...
This is something we have to watch with the gensets on our trains. This time of year the intake screens tend to load up, especially since they are pretty close to the ground. Not something I'd ever experienced with a vehicle, though.
Went and looked at things.Heard Ns had a bad car to set off at Montpeiler Ohio.Csx M 567 had a bad autorack to set off in Sherwood.Helped put things away in the museum in Deshler yesterday.Next weekend is the Halloween parade.College boy got a few good shots of the 765 this weekend.Farmers are pretty much done with beans now they are on the corn.Plenty of dust flying.Going to see what's for lunch.
Erik_Mag BaltACD You have never had to 'odd man out' with a civilian where 'Here' actually is. That's a good follow to what Jeff said about reporting obstructed crossings. A fair amount of the discussion about crossing problems have been about reporting malfunctioning crossing signals and gates, so that's what prompted comments about malfunctioning signs...
BaltACD You have never had to 'odd man out' with a civilian where 'Here' actually is.
You have never had to 'odd man out' with a civilian where 'Here' actually is.
That's a good follow to what Jeff said about reporting obstructed crossings.
A fair amount of the discussion about crossing problems have been about reporting malfunctioning crossing signals and gates, so that's what prompted comments about malfunctioning signs...
The carriers also get reports of incidents that aren't at crossings. There are also crossings where multiple carriers are operating parallel to each other and crossings where two separate subdivisions on two different Divisions of the same carrier operate parallel to each other.
I might add that all calls to the CSX number listed on the blue signs contact the CSX Police Safety Control Center (PSCC) and not to Chief Dispatchers desks. Having worked with both ways of doing business - the PSCC does most of the locating where HERE is, however, there are still individuals that know the Chief Dispatcher's number in their area and call that direct.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
jeffhergert The signs are more for reporting a vehicle stalled, hung up or fouling the tracks at the crossing. Also to report vegetation or blocked crossings. Jeff
The signs are more for reporting a vehicle stalled, hung up or fouling the tracks at the crossing. Also to report vegetation or blocked crossings.
Jeff
That makes a lot more sense - thanks!
One issue with the signs on the C&TSRR is that many of the crossings are where there is no cell phone coverage. OTOH, there is likely to be some sort of VHF radio coverage that would enable prompt reporting of a problem at the crossing, and satellite phone coverage is getting easier to come by.
I suspect that at the speed the C&SRR normally runs, there aren't many places where the train couldn't be stopped short of an obstruction.
Erik_MagI can understand the rationale for having an identifier at every crossing, but it does seem kind of funny when, for example, comparing a quiet zone crossing on the Surf Line that may have more vehicles crossing in one hour than some of the trails crossing the C&TSRR will see in one year. There's a lot of things that can go wrong with a quiet zone crossing than a simple sign. What does go wrong with a quiet zone crossing usually needs to be fixed faster than a simple sign. I'm not arguing aginst the rule, but still find the application of the rule with respect to these isolated crossings to be a bit humorous.
I'm not arguing aginst the rule, but still find the application of the rule with respect to these isolated crossings to be a bit humorous.
You have never had to 'odd man out' with a civilian where 'Here' actually is. As a railroader 'next to the Jiffey Mart' is not a location I can identify for either railroad personnel or civilian authorities that may not know their own area 'that well' (when dealing with 911 operators - they rarely have a total grasp of all areas they get involved with),
We have a number of trail crossings/farm crossings, etc that are placarded, but for which we don't sound the prescribed horn sequence.
They are listed in the timetable.
I can understand the rationale for having an identifier at every crossing, but it does seem kind of funny when, for example, comparing a quiet zone crossing on the Surf Line that may have more vehicles crossing in one hour than some of the trails crossing the C&TSRR will see in one year. There's a lot of things that can go wrong with a quiet zone crossing than a simple sign. What does go wrong with a quiet zone crossing usually needs to be fixed faster than a simple sign.
Erik_MagI'm pretty sure you're right about the FRA requirement, though not sure how much you report about a Yield sign or a crossbucks other than damaged or missing. There were a number of blue plates in areas where there is zero cell phone coverage, and some of the "roads" are something that I would only drive on with a 4WD. Quite a bit of the country that the C&TSRR traverses has not utilities whatsoever. There are perhaps 5 to 10% of the D&RGW poles standing and those are the only poles visible for much the line.
Quite a bit of the country that the C&TSRR traverses has not utilities whatsoever. There are perhaps 5 to 10% of the D&RGW poles standing and those are the only poles visible for much the line.
EVERY (authorized) road crossing of a railroad is supposed to be identified in the FRA Road Crossing database - every identified road crossing is supposed to have the blue tags with the FRA Identity designation and contact information on the crossing protection on both sides of the track(s).
Having worked as a CSX Asst. Chief Dispatcher for 26 years - the biggest problem in communications between civilians and railroad personnel is coming to the correect agreement of where HERE actually is. Civilians deal in road names and hundred blocks of those roads; railroaders deal in Mileposts on whatever the line and road crossing locations. The reality is that both side are communicating in different languages. The FRA crossing tags are something of a Rosetta Stone in getting both languages understood by all concerned.
I'm pretty sure you're right about the FRA requirement, though not sure how much you report about a Yield sign or a crossbucks other than damaged or missing. There were a number of blue plates in areas where there is zero cell phone coverage, and some of the "roads" are something that I would only drive on with a 4WD.
Erik_MagRode the C&TSRR today, spent last night in Antonito got the bus from Antonito to Chama this morning - just before departure the driver said "Anyone who is not on the but is supposed to be on the bus, raise your hand". It was sweet hearing the stack talk from 489 as she went up the 4% grade, along with the coal smoke. There were a lot more trees than I expected, made taking photos a bit tricky as a tree would block the view while lining up for the shot. I was also intrigued with all of the blue signs on grade crossings - with number to call in case of problems with the grade crossings - good to know that the powers that be are concerned about malfunctioning Yield signs and crossbucks. The view of the Toltec Gorge was spectacular.
It was sweet hearing the stack talk from 489 as she went up the 4% grade, along with the coal smoke. There were a lot more trees than I expected, made taking photos a bit tricky as a tree would block the view while lining up for the shot. I was also intrigued with all of the blue signs on grade crossings - with number to call in case of problems with the grade crossings - good to know that the powers that be are concerned about malfunctioning Yield signs and crossbucks.
The view of the Toltec Gorge was spectacular.
I believe the blue plates at road crossing are a FRA requirement and contain the speific FRA crossing identification number - so callers can identify the correct crossing.
https://railroads.dot.gov/railroad-safety/divisions/highway-rail-crossing-and-trespasser-programs/crossing-inventory/rail
Rode the C&TSRR today, spent last night in Antonito got the bus from Antonito to Chama this morning - just before departure the driver said "Anyone who is not on the but is supposed to be on the bus, raise your hand".
Larry, your math is right.
The wife and I had our daughter home this last weekend to celebrate my wife's birthday from last month as well as my upcoming birthday. Looking forward to the trip over Cumbres as my birthday present. I remember seeing a picture of a model of the west portal of Toltec Gorge tunnel in '67 - though didn't have a clue at that time what was being modeled - so it will be fun to finally see the prototype.
Other narrow gauge nostalgia was remember reading about changing engines at Sargents from the Oct 1964 MR - 60 years later...
My avatar is of the the High line north of Durango taken in 2012.
Just experienced a 504 error in accessing this thread - tried again and had success. ???????
Ended up working one of the trains (Utica-Thendara) as engineer on Sunday. Wet rails, 1 to 2% grades, leaves, and a big train don't play well together. Yes, I was on sand for most of the trip up the hill.
Keep in mind that we were climbing from ~475' elevation to 1712' over the course of fifty miles. That's an average grade of just under 0.5%... (If I did my math right.)
Ns is dealing with a shifted load in a trailer near Elkhart Indiana that caught fire.Csx local was having problems getting cars into a plastics place near FC.The new fertilizer plant is having loads dropped off as they fill the storage tanks.First frost this week according to the guessers.
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