Well, we didn’t get the early stuff, but Ma Nature is trying to make up for it. It won’t be the foot plus some folks saw, but it’s snowing pretty good right now. Can’t measure again till around 11 or midnight, but I’m thinking 4-6" by the time we’re done. Pretty miserable driving right now.
Got some shopping to do in the morning for the fire department Holiday Breakfast, then it’s off to the railroad for another few rounds of the Polar Express.
Joe - folks around here eschewed “ditchfinders” today. Instead, they chose to use “pole finders.” There were several accidents in the area today involving poles, a number of which had transformers on them as well…
We have a city owned ski hill on the edge of town. It’s more of a ski bump actually. According to the Weather Service, a combination of cold winds blowing and the snowmaking equipment being in use somehow caused some cloud seeding to occur in that corner of town. This resulted in a part of a neighborhood getting about a hald inch of snow, when the Weather Service had predicted a 0% chance.
It’s certainly not lake effect snow. Can we call it bump effect snow?
I hope you are very cautious around poles that have been hit and have trasformers on them. Sometimes the transformer looks OK but it;s hanging by a very inadequate wire. They are heavy and can do lots of dame to something or someone if it falls. Story: In 1946 I was a teenage paid ambulance driver for a volunteer FD. I could drive but could not have anything to do with anyone we carried. (Something about insurance rules) One rainy night we were sent to the scene of a collision between a car and a power pole that had a transformer on it. On arrival I was directed to park next to the pole to make it easier to transport the victim. There was no reason for this concern; the victim was quite dead. While we were waiting, the transformer fell, removing the front bumper of the ambulance and scaring every one at the scene out of their next years growth. Luckily, no one was hurt, although they would have been if the ambulance hadn’t been parked where it was. Lesson learned: Wait until the power crew gives you clearance before you venture under a transformer.
I apoligize for wandering off topic, but I had to share.
Ramrod - interesting story. If you were a teenager in '46, that makes you an elder statesman today! Can you imagine letting teenagers of today drive an ambulance? [X-)]
Ramrod - We (I’m a volunteer firefighter and EMT) always give stuff like that a wide berth. If dispatch has even an inkling that power will be involved, they’ve usually already called the utility for us, although sometimes that can involve a substantial wait while they call in a crew during off hours.
Total measurable snowfall for the Nor’Easter came in at six and a quarter inches here at the house. After attending another Skywarn class, I’ve decided to try to keep snow measurements and send them in. While not a substantial snowfall (for around here), they like to get spot reports like that to verify what they have seen on the radar, etc.
Zug - My grandson can tell you exactly which Transformer that is…
Ms Mook - Our ambulance service has a “junior” program, and one can become an EMT at 18. Our general policy is no driving until 21, but some “kids” can handle it. On the other hand, there are some adults who shouldn’t be behind the wheel of an emergency vehicle. They can’t handle the adrenalin of a “lights and siren” response.
saw the westbound capitol pass an eastbound stack train on Ns this morning.A westbound frieght passed an oil train in the siding when I left work.lot’s of horses on the point.Tomorrow is friday.Tomorrow we will hear matt and friends sing at his school choir concert.Time to get some chores done.
Larry, there are some people out there who shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a semi, either. Like the Trans Am driver who took out a power pole, four cars, and a house… Hopefully, I’ll be working today, but got an early birthday present last night from a possible new employer, my application was accepted to drive a day cab out of Kenosha, hauling groceries in the Midwest. Just have a health test to do, if I pass that, I’m in…
There - another 1500 or so happy Polar Express riders!
I was one of the engineers Thursday night, and the second conductor Friday night. With 10 cars of passengers, one conductor just can’t cover everything. Besides, I like working on the train sometimes so I can see all the ecstatic kids.
Saturday I’m back in uniform for an event at our local library (involving a showing of the movie), and Sunday, it’s time for our FD Holiday Breakfast. I’ll be staying out of the kitchen - I generally work the door. Santa arrives at 10 for the kiddies.
Oh, yeah - as we were wrapping things up for the evening a train came through Utica - different sounding horn, so I took a look - and saw the NS Virginian unit leading a regular NS unit eastbound. It’s the only heritage unit I’ve been able to catch a glimpse of.
When I stay in Utica, I’ll often tune a radio into the CSX road channel. There’s a defect detector just west of Utica, and CPs on on either side of the station, so I can hear what’s going through (if I’m awake). Sometimes I’ll get lucky and get a room with a view of the line, too.
Anyhow, about 4 AM, one of several meets took place, almost at the station (the line was busy - sounded like they were nearly running on yellows). The engineer of one (a woman) reported to the other train that the other train looked good (ie, a roll-by inspection with no noted problems), with Rudolph on the rear.
The other engineer answered, a bit confused. After another exchange to clarify what was said, he replied “What’s he doing back there?”
I was engineer on the “south” locomotive, which leads the train back from the North Pole. It’s really a challenging job - we hold the train at 15-20 MPH so the “big guy” can have time to visit with all the kids. Given that the territory is far from flat, it’s not as easy as it sounds - on the brakes, release, on the brakes, release, oops, here’s an upgrade… On the trip to the North Pole there some pusher work to do, too, but that’s a track speed - almost all throttle.
But, back to our story. There is only about a six foot window in which to stop this very long train so the end vestibules fit on the platform. So there’s no “transit stops.” We creep in.
On Thursday night, as we’re arriving at the station, CSX, which has just made a pickup or drop at the Suzie Q yard across from us, is just pulling out. Even at 5 MPH, I was passing them, ever so slowly.
My “fireman” calls my attention to the conductor on the CSX loco - who is hanging out the window, looking at the GP9 I’m running, as well as the train behind me. He had kind of an awed look on his face.
We all wondered later if it was a matter of never having seen a Geep of that vintage running, or perhaps seeing the cars, decorated inside with plenty of “twinkle lights” we
Tree: Will have to compare notes. Doing the same thing on Sunday nights, but I’m not assigned to the train, more of a gofer. I don’t get to see much, but hear DRGW 491 (K37 2-8-2) loafing and being restrained as it runs in circles dragging a light consist of coaches and a caboose.
Two inches of very light snow here in Denver. (twelve hour late)
Hello, Larry (tree68) ; Excuse me but I think I remember your saying that the 15th of December was the big Committee Meeting regarding the future of ASR (?).
I hope that it goes well for the Adirondack Scenic , and the “Trail Folks” do not get their wishes…
Sam - December 15 is the cut-off for comments. I emailed mine in last night after a final revision.
We probably won’t hear of a decision until well after the first of the year. And depending on that decision, there could be lawsuits if it doesn’t go the way the “trail advocates” think it will.
We can take some encouragement from recent events on the Catskill Mountain RR, where some very well attended events this fall showed the community what the railroad can bring into town. Here’s hoping that those reviewing the future of the Adirondack Division see and understand what happened there and that it carries on to their decision about the corridor.
The sun came out and was able to see some trains.Csx had a railgrinder on track 1 too.Matt is with cousins looking at zoo lights.Tomorrow it’s back to the shop to work work work.
It hardly feels like December around here except for the short days. It got into the upper 40’s on Saturday and grazed 50 degrees on Sunday. The only things that reminded me of winter were my grandson’s hockey game on Saturday afternoon and watching his sister in her Christmas ice show on Sunday (she had a solo and two group numbers).
