9axle posted:Some do, some don't. CSX is very focuses on short-term right now, and it's beginning to show. We are constantly short people and equipment. Track speeds are getting slower and slower, engines aren't being serviced, crews are being worked more and accomplishing less, yet we have record profits. The railroad is being run into the ground here. We can't get a UPS train across the road on time on a sunny day anymore. Our managers don't manage, they put out brush fires and struggle to just keep trains moving with fewer and fewer assets. It feels like working for a bankrupt company. Combined, all of the railroads are investing billions of dollars into capital improvements a year. CSX invested $2.3 billion in 2013 alone. The problem isn't in capital investment. Its that we're over capacity and, you know as well as me, the extreme weather in the GL/Albany divisions(and on foreign roads) severely hampered operations almost network wide.
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Apr 26, 2014 19:13
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It's hard to get out there and eliminate slow orders when we can't even get the track for 2 hours because of train traffic. I mean, it's good that traffic is picking up on the BNSF, and the trains pay the bills, but it would be nice not to have to chase work windows every night. I've been seeing lots of foreign power here out west as well, mostly CSX and NS units.
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Apr 26, 2014 23:46
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MassivelyBuckNegro posted:Combined, all of the railroads are investing billions of dollars into capital improvements a year. CSX invested $2.3 billion in 2013 alone. The problem isn't in capital investment. Its that we're over capacity and, you know as well as me, the extreme weather in the GL/Albany divisions(and on foreign roads) severely hampered operations almost network wide. Bitter cold and deep snow are nothing new around here. What was new this year was sitting in hotels for 40+ hours because PTI refused to work any time it was snowing. Even a couple inches and they shut right down. Also new was refusing to send the flangers out because they cut the MOW dept. by a full third through attrition. We have temporary slow orders that are over 2 years old and still haven't been addressed. Spending 2.3 billion on new intermodal terminals and PTC is just frosting. The heart of the railroad is wearing out, and isn't being fixed.
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Apr 27, 2014 06:20
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I've been reading about crossrail 2, but I haven't seen this mentioned: If it is taking over the SW regional routes, would they end up designing trains that can use both power systems, or would they just upgrade the lines to the 25KV system as they are added to the network? I would expect the second option to sound more expensive, but become cheaper in the long term as then you don't need to buy two types of trains every time you order new ones. And crossrail 1's trains having two or three types of signaling interfaces just sounds like a mess.
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Apr 27, 2014 16:58
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Screw PTI. I swear they were part of the problem for most of the melt downs we had on the north south (and even east west overland route). It snows a loving inch and its Well its unsafe, but we are going to send airport taxis to remote locations where they have no clue to go. South end of Buckeye siding? Wheres the tracks? Wheres Buckeye, IA?
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Apr 27, 2014 17:00
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Ika posted:I've been reading about crossrail 2, but I haven't seen this mentioned: If it is taking over the SW regional routes, would they end up designing trains that can use both power systems, or would they just upgrade the lines to the 25KV system as they are added to the network? Dual-voltage trains are already fairly common. All of the Overground stock, for example, is either dual-voltage or can be readily converted to dual-voltage (the latter units are the same type but just don't have the overhead equipment installed, basically.) The same applies to anything recently built that runs on third rail - it's either already dual-voltage or can readily be converted if it was needed. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll do that, though. It'll probably just come down to cost/benefit.
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Apr 27, 2014 18:32
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Screw PTI. I swear they were part of the problem for most of the melt downs we had on the north south (and even east west overland route). I can't believe they get around as well as they do in those Chrysler minivans, you'd think with all the trips they take down the ROW they'd be equipped with 4x4's... or at least snow tires in the winter because you know, driving is their loving job.
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Apr 27, 2014 19:19
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they used to buy those Chevy express passenger vans with awd.... and in the northernmost areas, suburbans.
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Apr 27, 2014 19:46
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9axle posted:Bitter cold and deep snow are nothing new around here. What was new this year was sitting in hotels for 40+ hours because PTI refused to work any time it was snowing. Even a couple inches and they shut right down. Also new was refusing to send the flangers out because they cut the MOW dept. by a full third through attrition. We have temporary slow orders that are over 2 years old and still haven't been addressed. Spending 2.3 billion on new intermodal terminals and PTC is just frosting. The heart of the railroad is wearing out, and isn't being fixed. PTI is PTI. If they don't want to run, we can't make them. You could redevelop or replace every intermodal terminal on the network for $2.3billion and have $300mil left over. I don't know exactly how much capital was spent on intermodal in 2013 but the plan was less than 10% of that number. PTC was quoted at $325mil. Engineering received the lion's share of capital investment in 2013 followed by locos/cars. I don't pretend to know much about the railroad beyond my little piece and I'm not toeing some imaginary company line but the situation is not that bleak. vains fucked around with this message at 20:41 on Apr 27, 2014 |
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Apr 27, 2014 20:27
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Wait a second, are you guys trying to tell me that PTI is actually a huge problem in your areas as well, actually causing other railroads to have to operate around its schedule? Because that's the way it is here. We actually suspected the railroad is doing it on purpose. Working together with PTI and then using them as an excuse. I mean seriously, when would you imagine that a huge railroad would ever let a tiny transportation company, run over them without consequence?
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Apr 28, 2014 02:49
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An extra crew had to be called to come up from Syracuse to drive a rail train out of Watertown, the rail train requires 6 MOW guys to unload it. Got confirmation at 6am that the crew was on their way, and I had my guys in place and ready to go at 8am. "How in the hell is it almost 9 and you're just getting in now? You guys were on the clock at 6am, Syracuse to Watertown only takes an hour and you should have reviewed your orders along the way." "Well you see, the traffic was kinda bad then the van driver needed to stop for gas and go to the bathroom.." Turns out the PTI driver did indeed need to get gas, and since McDonalds was right there, he might as well stop for some coffee and to read the paper. Ain't the crew's fault, not their place to tell him how to do his job! Meanwhile 150/hr of manpower sits idle because it's cool to get some breakfast on the clock.
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Apr 28, 2014 04:03
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NoWake posted:An extra crew had to be called to come up from Syracuse to drive a rail train out of Watertown, the rail train requires 6 MOW guys to unload it. Got confirmation at 6am that the crew was on their way, and I had my guys in place and ready to go at 8am. A PTI driver used to watch porn on his phone in the crew building until someone got tired of it and reported him. He'd talk to himself as he marveled at the length/girth of cocks being inserted into women.
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Apr 28, 2014 04:12
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Is PTI this PTI? Is it a company whose job is just to move crewmembers around?
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Apr 28, 2014 05:08
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I've never heard of PTI here out west. We have Renzenberger, aka Mr. Toad's Wild Ride  MOW usually drive ourselves around unless a CDL holder runs out of hours, or we can't find a van.
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Apr 28, 2014 10:45
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Brovine posted:Dual-voltage trains are already fairly common. All of the Overground stock, for example, is either dual-voltage or can be readily converted to dual-voltage (the latter units are the same type but just don't have the overhead equipment installed, basically.) The same applies to anything recently built that runs on third rail - it's either already dual-voltage or can readily be converted if it was needed. Nah it'd cost a fuckload to put up wires because bridge clearances (also having to buy new trains for the South Western routes that also go over those lines), so it's easier just to put more clever electronics in the new rolling stock.
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Apr 28, 2014 11:40
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I'm glad to know that the extremely lovely driving I've witnessed from PTI trucks/vans is indeed indicative of the overall quality of their operation.
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Apr 28, 2014 21:56
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I have actually turned PTI drivers in for not bathing/showering. Yeah I know its not a big deal to some, but try sitting in a van with a large man (400lbs+) that has not washed himself in at least 2 weeks. Now imagine doing that in a mini van, when you need heat to keep warm.  The guy was never fired, but the MTO actually offered to let him use the showers at the yard office (he did), and even let him keep a few items there.
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Apr 28, 2014 22:12
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Looks like a steam locomotive made it to the local transportation museum and so they got to do some street running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2xo_F23TZo
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Apr 29, 2014 03:56
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UP 4014 (the 4-8-8-4) is on the move. They put her between UP 4014 (the SD70M) and UP 4884, and tacked a bunch of flats at the end for extra braking.
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Apr 29, 2014 05:25
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iospace posted:UP 4014 (the 4-8-8-4) is on the move. They put her between UP 4014 (the SD70M) and UP 4884, and tacked a bunch of flats at the end for extra braking. I'm most certainly not the biggest railfan out there, but I do wish more companies in other industries took their heritage and history as seriously as UP seems to.
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Apr 29, 2014 12:32
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Here's a news story with some footage of the move http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/inland_empire&id=9519878 edit: I'm barely a train nerd, and the streamlined stuff from the very late steam era and early diesel era is what really tickles me, but that thing is a sexy beast.
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Apr 29, 2014 14:49
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You can get video updates on UP's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/UnionPacificRailroad
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Apr 29, 2014 17:44
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CSX is helping Lynchburg, VA pretend they're Cleveland. http://www.wset.com/story/25392359/train-has-derailed-in-lynchburg
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Apr 30, 2014 21:53
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wolrah posted:CSX is helping Lynchburg, VA pretend they're Cleveland. This is the only reason that poo poo-hole town has been in the national news since Jerry Falwell died. Pity the train couldn't set more of it on fire.
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Apr 30, 2014 22:16
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This is why you don't drive onto a level crossing without clearance on the other side. Found on reddit, a station a few stops down the line from mine. 
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May 2, 2014 09:00
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Back on the 'long trains' chat, someone just posted this to r/trainporn on reddit, I lost the ability to discern car breaks at the 12th/13th car, but there are definitely a few more than that: e: reddit title suggests it's "12630 Karnataka Sampark kranti Express at Shindawane Ghats, India"
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May 2, 2014 20:39
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Ika posted:I've been reading about crossrail 2, but I haven't seen this mentioned: If it is taking over the SW regional routes, would they end up designing trains that can use both power systems, or would they just upgrade the lines to the 25KV system as they are added to the network? I mean, they had no qualms about demolishing a bunch of old bridges to do CR(1)/WML electrification now so it should be the same thing there. Yeah, assuming there's no government/management committee stupidity of course. Itzena fucked around with this message at 01:43 on May 3, 2014 |
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May 3, 2014 01:33
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I thought I remember reading that the 650V DC stuff doesn't provide enough power anyhow, I would expect them to at least replace the system with 25KV for the branch lines that don't connect to anything else, and the shared portion of the mainline. Then hey can replace individual lines as they upgrade the trains running on them.
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May 3, 2014 14:54
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Part of CSX's recent bad day: a train hauling coal to a power plant in southern MD derailed as it passed through Bowie, MD. (Photo from here.) 
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May 4, 2014 14:06
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Pigsfeet on Rye posted:Part of CSX's recent bad day: a train hauling coal to a power plant in southern MD derailed as it passed through Bowie, MD. I am guessing they are a long ways from roads and right of ways?
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May 4, 2014 17:46
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railroader proclick http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=isolating+ear-plugs
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May 4, 2014 17:46
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SunRail doesn't operate on weekends yet so I'll have to catch it this week. Thinking about taking the early morning train out to DeBary and back to Winter Park.
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May 5, 2014 00:08
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B4Ctom1 posted:I am guessing they are a long ways from roads and right of ways? No, not really, Bowie is a big suburb and there's apparently an at-grade crossing nearby. ed: The derail is right in this area. http://goo.gl/maps/i7DNr Pigsfeet on Rye fucked around with this message at 00:21 on May 5, 2014 |
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May 5, 2014 00:09
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Pigsfeet on Rye posted:Part of CSX's recent bad day: a train hauling coal to a power plant in southern MD derailed as it passed through Bowie, MD. Did it get stabbed in the face by a rail? If so, why is the electrical system still on?
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May 5, 2014 01:39
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JuffoWup posted:Did it get stabbed in the face by a rail? If so, why is the electrical system still on? Batteries on the locomotive. Who knows, the prime mover could still be running (looking for exhaust - the new Gevo's don't put out the large amount of unburnt fuel like the new ones)
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May 5, 2014 01:41
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From the look of things it's possible that rail was sitting by the side of the line waiting to be installed or having been recently replaced. That's a fairly common MOW practice.
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May 5, 2014 02:18
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B4Ctom1 posted:railroader proclick Can't you just use normal earbuds underneath full size earpro?
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May 5, 2014 05:30
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In racing, professional musicians, military and such, they use a molded material and embed speakers into them. I remember looking into them before for motorcycling and there are some DIY kits that are pretty cheap (sub $150). The top end goes into the thousands, but in general I've heard they basically lock out all sound. Theres a million companies and I really dont know a ton about em, but they are def out there. For example: http://custom.ultimateears.com/
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May 5, 2014 05:43
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BrokenKnucklez posted:Batteries on the locomotive. Who knows, the prime mover could still be running (looking for exhaust - the new Gevo's don't put out the large amount of unburnt fuel like the new ones) I was more thinking that if stabbed as such, wouldn't you want to turn the electrical system off as a safety precaution in case the rail hit a live wire inside. And thus the rail laying on it would also be a recipient. Edit: if I'm not being clear, there is a piece of track sticking out of its nose. I'm not talking of the section that is looped up and over the engine. Unless that is a small section only held that way because of the dirt/mud on the front railings. Of which, I would have assumed the larger railing's weight would have unbalanced it and pulled it off. JuffoWup fucked around with this message at 06:37 on May 5, 2014 |
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May 5, 2014 06:23
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No... theres only over load protection in forms of breakers. No fuel cut off in terms of large bang like a car You should see some of the hard joints guys make... engines would be shutting off left and right.
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May 5, 2014 09:04
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