Running Bear's January 2019 Coffee Shop


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santafewillie said:
David -

That may be true, but I observed very early in my career that there's a distinct hard line between a professional life and a personal life that one doesn't cross. Especially when safety is such a great part of one's professional life. Everyone should recognize the responsibilities of their jobs and act accordingly.

Even in the 80's, I recall watching a "crew van" drive the crew to the ATSF crew change point near me. A current engineer told me that the van will make random visits to a testing facility, both with outbound or inbound crews for testing; something that IC should have been doing years ago.
Side note - It is somewhat amusing to watch grizzled engineer/conductors climbing aboard their trains with briefcases in hand! And yes, there are a lot of females in the mix.

Everybody have a wonderful day.
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Willie:. Exactly the point I was trying to make about the individuals being responsible in doing their job and maintaining their focus on what's important rather than allowing themselves to become too distracted or encumbered by the booze or the added entertainment.
 
Joe: Am I correct that the Fireman knows enough about operating the locomotive he should have been at the controls managing things if able too ?
 
santafewillie said:
Louis does not sleep in! :cool: He's probably fixing something, maybe the coffee pot? LOL
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Hey Willie,

You are correct sir, on both accounts. I do not sleep in and I was fixing something. It's cool that you know me so well! :)

Everybody here is why I was absent, my dog did not eat my homework.

I woke up very early Sunday morning, not long after midnight. Old injuries often speak loudly to me, too loud to let me sleep sometimes. Maybe my plan to work 4 consecutive short days is a "bridge too far".

Yesterday morning I came down to the computer in the family room, made coffee and checked the forum and facebook. Before I could post anything I heard the inducer motor running on the furnace, but did not hear the ignition of the gas. That can be ok, but since the trouble I've had with this furnace I thought I better take a look. Sure enough, when the cycle finished it went into "1 hour lockout mode", but no fault codes. I went back upstairs to check the thermostat and as I expected it was calling for heat. The temperature was 66 and the thermostat is set for 70.

Back down stairs to reset the furnace and I fill my 24oz coffee cup. The furnace came on perfectly, but I suspected something was wrong. I decided to go up to my train room that has no heat. If I leave the door open at the foot of the stairs the heat will come up and the cold air coming down will keep the furnace running. If all is well the train room will warm up.

I had fallen behind with my accounting software (Intuit's outdated and no longer available "personal check book") so I decide it was a good time to get caught up as I let the furnace run for an extended period of time heating the train room. I can't hear the furnace from my computer desk in the train room, but I can feel the warmth coming up the stairs. It ran for about an hour, but it seemed it was still chilly enough that it should still be running.

Back down to the first floor to check the thermostat. As I suspected, it was only 68. Down again to the basement to check the furnace and refill my coffee. The furnace is once again in "1 hour lockout mode" and no codes. I can't find a service manual for this particular furnace and I am not interested in buying a $1000+ computer program that covers almost every modern furnace built. So it's on the job training for me. I learned the furnace will not show fault codes once it goes into "1 hour lockout mode". :) I'll write a book on this thing before it's over.

Now I reset the furnace, sit with my coffee and watch the furnace run. The Initial system check is ok, good. Inducer comes on and pressure switch closes, good. Ignitor comes on, gas valve opens and flame comes on, great! Flame roll out sensor comes on, vent sensor closes, all good! Flame sensor comes on, but it's blinking randomly, not good and should not be happening. Flame sensor goes off, furnace shuts down and no codes.

A quick check with the multi-meter shows the flame sensor is good and I notice it's nearly new. I saw the flame burning bright blue, clean and steady, but the signal from the sensor did not register at the circuit board.

I had previously repaired the connection for the pressure switch at the circuit board. Now I suspect the same problem for the flame sensor. I remove the plug and this time I spread the ends of all the male pugs in the wiring harness connector. I should have done that when I did the pressure switch.

I refill my coffee, make another pot for the next refill and back up to the train room. The Furnace has worked perfectly since, thank God.

The good news was I reassured myself that I was correct to order a new circuit board. I ordered it from Amazon of all places and it was $79 cheaper than my local wholesaler and over $100 cheaper than other online dealers. I don't know how Amazon does it, but they do and I am grateful!

The bad news is the wiring harnesses are not available, anywhere, at any price! I have no choice other than to make them myself. For this job I have an "ace in the hole", my local hardware store, Polar Hardware, they have never failed me. I won't have to buy a 1000 piece assortment of terminal ends or hundreds of feet of color coded heat resistant wire. It will cost me almost as much, but I won't have all that left over crap laying around! Not to mention I will be supporting my local hardware store. I buy all my wire and terminal ends from them. I'm stocked and ready to do my trains, but one thing after another keeps taking up my time!

I first learned of Poplar Hardware from the service manager at Norris Ford. I was looking for a missing metric bolt for a C4 transmission. Sure enough Poplar hardware had it. I have been a loyal customer ever since. I do buy some things like lumber or other things Poplar Hardware does not carry from home depot.

I don't like searching through thousands of things to find the specific things I need or buying bulk packs. I like going to the counter and asking or showing them what I need. I'm in and out in minutes with much less walking and standing in line. Not to mention their wealth of experience if I have over looked something else I might need for a job.

I know this is long, but I want to tell you one more thing.

Last year my daughter's boyfriend volunteered to install her water heater. I'm old and broken down enough now to say "yes, thank you". I did advise him to go to Poplar hardware, but no, he went to home depot. He ended up going back and forth over a half a dozen times to home depot to get miscellaneous parts and connectors. Had he gone to Polar Hardware he would have made one maybe two trips, they know their stuff! Worst part is my daughter's house is five minutes from Poplar Hardware and 15 minutes from home depot.

Time to refill my coffee and make another pot.
 
I forgot to mention;

I spent the rest of the morning entering transactions into my accounting software, over $10000 worth since late november, it took me some time to do that.

Then I made chili. I am not a subscriber to “If you know beans about chili, you know chili has no beans.” as I am not from Texas. I like some kidney beans in my chili. This time I used 2.5lbs of ground beef, a pound of hot sausage and 2.85lbs of canned dark red kidney beans. I should also mention the dry crushed hot pepper, carrots and onions, you can never have too many onions. I would have used jalapeno peppers too, but I did not see them until I sat down to eat. Jalapenos are good when added after cooking too.

Once the chili was slowly cooking I shoveled snow. We got about 5 inches on the grass and about half of that on paved surfaces. I considered using the new snow blower, but I decided it was not enough snow. I was right, it only took me a little over an hour to clear my vehicles, sidewalks, steps and driveway.

After a hot shower I spent the rest of the day on the couch watching football.
 
Boris, I remember the 1987 Maryland train collision if you have time check that link and let me know if it is accurate.

At the time I was living in Rosedale, MD near the city - county line, about 4 miles west of where the accident was.
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If I remember correctly there were also allegations that cocaine was involved. I suspect the reason for timely after accident drug and alcohol testing is that cocaine and heroine can be gone from the blood and urine in as little as 24 hours.

Truck drivers have to agree to after accident testing before we get our drivers license in Maryland. I think it's a great idea.
 
I'd like to see drug testing go even further. I would like hair follicle testing for everybody getting a drivers license and when they get the license renewed.

Hair follicle testing can detect drug use up to 6 months prior.

Many of the independent contractors I have known are addicts. That is why they are independent, they don't drug test themselves.

I'd like to see anybody acting crazy in public or being arrested be tested for drugs. If they test positive, mandatory 48 hours in jail. Worse thing you can do to an addict is to get in the way of their next fix. Make them go through withdrawal. If we did that watch how behavior in public cleans up.
 
Diets? How is this, chili dog and a fish sandwich for breakfast? I love left overs for breakfast!
 
Bruette said:
Diets? How is this, chili dog and a fish sandwich for breakfast? I love left overs for breakfast!
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I’m with you 100%! Nothing better than last nights leftovers for breakfast. Ever noticed how certain things are so much better the next day?
 
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Almost 51 years ago, on a typically crummy day in northeast Ohio, wearing their new PC numbers, ex-PRR GP30 2218 leads ALCO RS3 5540 and RSD12 6855 west from the old PRR onto the old NYC at Cleveland, Ohio on Feb. 1, 1968, the day the Penn Central merger was finalized. At upper left is Cleveland Municipal Stadium, home to the Indians and the Browns. Not visible in the distance, the former PRR station stood to the right of the tracks beyond the overpasses in this view, while the current Amtrak station stands roughly in the same area, but to the left of the tracks as seen from this location. Photo © Glenn Anderson 2019.
 
Good morning everyone. 30 and partly cloudy with snow showers out there. No accumulation, though.

Willie - thanks for the information on your heating and cooling in the train barn.

Interesting discussion of expansion and contraction of flextrack.

Spent a lot of time this weekend just running trains and cleaning track and loco wheels.

Time for coffee. Have a good day everyone.
 
Good Morning All. 34° and cloudy here. Another day of little to no sun and mid-40's for the high temperature. Warm-up begins tomorrow.
Slow day all around yesterday. At least I cannot remember anything significant.
Trainwise, I did run trains and cleaned some little used industrial trackage where I had been storing freight cars. On the layout cleaning project, I cleaned up a few more structures, weren't really dirty, just a little dust. Added a few figures here and there and then sat at the workbench and made a handful of electric meters to add as details. Hopefully I will paint them today.

Chet -
montanan said:
Willie - Thanks for posting photos of you train shed. Quite the place. The next best place to a basement.
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Better than a basement, less stairs and a large double window in front of the workbench to look out at the world.
Louis -
Bruette said:
It's cool that you know me so well!
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Your life is an open book.
Justin - Nice picture.

Need to go for now. Got to empty the dishwasher and figure out what to thaw out for supper. Leftover corned beef sounds good for breakfast.
Everybody have a great day.
 
Good morning y'all, 26 and somewhat sunny this morning. We had a dusting of snow yesterday, what's unfair, is that across the street, it's all gone, but on my North facing side, it's mostly still there. I guess I'll have to sweep it away, as it may not go much above freezing.:mad:

Trussrod said:
Joe: Am I correct that the Fireman knows enough about operating the locomotive he should have been at the controls managing things if able too ?
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David: Theoretically, yes. In practice, maybe but. Since 1964 the use of Locomotive Fireman has been drastically curtailed. There was an arbitration award that eliminated 90% of the Fireman Positions on freight and yard crews. So there would be only a 10% likelihood that a fireman would be present to take over. After 1985, all Fireman Positions were eliminated, and the Craft ceased to exist. In the instant case, there were only two crew members on the locomotive, presumably, the Engineer, and the Brakeman, so the question was moot.

[QUOTE="Bruette, post: 448786, member: 4773"]Boris, I remember the 1987 Maryland train collision if you have time check that link and let me know if it is accurate.[/QUOTE]
Louis: The link is generally accurate, although some of the references can be taken with a grain of salt. The sole cause of the accident was that the Conrail Lite Engine movement, failed to comply with Rule 292, (STOP SIGNAL), on #1 track at Gunpow Interlocking, and crossed out on to #2 track in front of train #94 (or #194). The other "Contributing factors" Gates and Cromwell's drug usage, the lack of a split rail derail coming off of #1 track, at Gunpow, the distraction of the portable TV set, the failure of the on duty trainmaster to check the physical condition of the crew upon reporting, the supposedly excessive speed of the passenger train, because a conventional car restricted to 110 MPH, mixing of freight and passenger trains on the same tracks are irrelevant. The cause was a blown stop signal.

That doesn't change things, alcohol or other drug impairment, distracting electronic devices, or male/female guests, do not belong on the "flight deck" of an aircraft, or the cab of a locomotive or control car. People, no matter how good intentioned, are human, and prone to error. That's why some segments of our economy want to automate flight operation, rail traffic, and even personal carriage, to eliminate the human factor.

Everyone, associates drug impairment with "illegal" substances, but prescription drugs, and over the counter medicines and supplements can also impair an individual given the right combination of chemicals. Alcohol has been legal since Prohibition was repealed. There is much political and economic pressure to legalize cannabis nationwide. Where does one draw the line? Where do we go from here?

Current regulations require approval of the corporate medical department, when a railroad employee is prescribed medication. If they deny permission, or determine that the medication will cause impairment, the employee cannot work. Most operating railroad employees don't get sick days, some arbitrator denied them because "he" felt that railroaders would abuse them. faced with no income, most people take their chances, or don't take the medication, and infect everyone. I'm talking about legally obtained medications, not contraband.

I was present for the very first post accident drug test at a hospital in or near Suffern, NY on July 1, 1987, the day the regulation went into effect. A crew out of Port Jervis, NY (EL), overshot the stop signal at SF Interlocking, in Suffern. They had to be tested. I was filling the Division Road Foreman's vacancy in Elizabethport, NJ and investigating the incident. Along with the Division risk management officer, we had to arrange for the "Post Accident Blood / Urine tests and actually walk the hospital personnel through the requirements. We were sailing on untested waters, and were effectively winging it, because no one had pre arranged for anything. Ultimately, the crewmembers were clean, and they served time for their screw-up, which was a simple case of misjudging braking distance .at daybreak. Fatigue may have been a factor, but everyone was concerned with the possibility of impairment.

The process we used to persuade the hospital to even participate in the testing, getting the crew to voluntarily agree to the testing. (Automatic 9 month suspension without pay for refusal), and the manner the facility administered the test were all subject to scrutiny from our bosses, senior management, the labor organizations and the Federal Railroad Administration. No one bothered to think of this in advance

FWIW, most people who use alcohol or "recreational drugs" are not addicts, just folks relaxing or having "fun". They do not see themselves as a threat to anyone, including themselves. Others are reckless and uncaring but they are in a small minority. Gates and Cromwell were functional until that day at Gunpow. Most of their generation smoked weed, it was part of the culture. I'm not justifying their behavior, but when something is glorified by the entertainment industry, and among peers, it becomes a culture. The cool factor! These two fellows, were hired under Jimmy Carter's program requiring Federal Contractors to hire the chronically unemployed. Well, there were reasons why these folks were chronically unemployed... something that well intentioned folk who propose these requirements, never seem to consider.

Having lived under intense Government Regulation and scrutiny for most of my railroad career, I am personally not interested in seeing any more laws or regulations at any level further, regardless of intention. I do not want anything reducing my personal freedoms. We have lost much especially since 9/11, and at times it appears that we live in a Police State. It's not a matter of my having nothing to hide, that's irrelevant. I shouldn't have to show identification, while on or about my property, for instance. The world is no more dangerous now than it was in the 1930s when all of those gangsters, glorified by the entertainment industry, were running about creating havoc.

Boris
 
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Good morning ....

Bors .... I recall reports saying basically the same thing you just said to Louis about the Amtrak tragedy in Maryland. I remember reading the Conrail crew was watching a football game on the portable TV while smoking marijuana. I recall reading they failed to stop for a red signal and crossed onto the track ahead of the Amtrak train as you said.

My friend stopped drinking altogether when he worked for the railroad because the railroad would call him in to work on short notice. He could not afford to lose his job, and therefore did not want even a trace of alcohol in his body.

I here you, too, about the post 9/11 environment. In particular I avoid flying when I can because I don't like going through security. ... I saw my friend "Pat Down" at the airport, too often.
 
bnsf971 said:
I remember the quote that using nuclear power in that manner was a very expensive way to boil water.
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That is a totally uninformed quote. Nuclear reactions are the cheapest way to boil water. It is just that even with all France as a working model, we stupid American's can't figure it out.
 
Good Morning Gentlemen!
It's 55 degrees with a 58 high in the forecast -- overcast with some additional rain maybe this afternoon.

LOUIS and JOE -- You two really have interesting reading! What are you trying to do?
NO, you cannot take away my "longest post title"!

Louis -- That is an awesome photo of the Pennsy locomotives! Love it!
 
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