I’m so glad you asked gabe. Here it is:
CAPTIALISM RULES!
Remember kids, our lives are as pissants to the railroad upitys. I refuse to ride as passenger on their stupid tracks! I wouldn’t even hobo it.
Responses like Mr. Chessking’s are precisely why I don’t post to this forum. While it’s true that, in a capitalist society, money is important, I don’t think that’s grounds for the vitriolic rhetoric he has employed. Based on my experience in railroad engineering, as one of the folks Chessking derides, I can provide a great deal of evidence to refute his claim about the “upitys” [sic]; but he provides only anecdotal evidence to support his claim. And, I don’t trust the source of his anecdotes.
I will say that there appear to be many well-informed individuals here. You know who you are. There also appear to be quite a few people intersted in actually learning something. Maybe I’ll try again in a while.
Moving on.
Wow. That is soooo profound.
Ok, kid gloves off. No more worrying about rocking the boat for this guy. There is a real problem with people who attack me personally when I never attacked them personally. I said something about an inaminate object (a railroad) where big machinery runs on top of rails, back and fourth, and back and fourth … you get the idea. Now comes along FNB (AKA Mr. Wonderful), because I attacked his precious inaminate object of wood and steel (oh and lots of stones), big trains and upitys up high and he must be in with the likes of mob mentality to be defending them so dearly. He defends the railroad and powers that be and treats it as if it were his wife. That’s sick!!! What’s the deal dude?? It gets to be that nobody can submit their opinions and feelings without having to be ok’d by the railroad intellects here.
“Gotta stick to the “truth” and only the truth, and if you don’t know the truth, well then you’re just simply inferior to all us great railroaders! Whaaah”
Well no wonder the number of members is so low. Then there’s the thing with tag teaming (like jeaton). All jeaton wants to do is tag team with his buddy here and stir up more contentious remarks. Oh man! I thought only AOL and Yahoo forums did that stuff.
So let me get this all summed up: We have a forum with retirees, good, bad, and a few cantankerous railroad employees (some here), wannabe employees, college and high school level students, and it’s all wrapped up tightly in a little locomotive chuggin’ along “TOOT TOOT” at pre-school speed. I thought the forum here was going to be a good one. I was mistaken.
No M.W. You have too much that I want to learn. I actually consider you to be one of the better members here. I could learn a lot from you and I never signed up so I could come here to fight. That wasn’t my objective.
Chessking,
I think what was being disagreed with regarding your comments was the generally simplistic way you generalized the railroads as a whole. Yes railroads are inanimate and made with steel, wood, etc…, but there are thousands of people who work on and or maintain those inanimate objects also. That is in where I think you are wrong. The men and women working on ALL of the railroads try their darndest to avoid derailments. Derailments do not help ANYONE!!! Railroads and their employees are not intentionally avoiding maintenance because they don’t think it is needed. The railroads spend what they can afford on maintenance and still be able to run a viable business. The most important thing to remember is businesses are ultimatly run by the SHAREHOLDERS, and NO trains will run if everything goes into maintaining and nothing else. I think your comments were berating not just the railroads but the employees also. I’m not trying to pick a fight on this subject, and by no means am I trying to insult you, I’m just expressing my opinion after reading the post. If I’m wrong, so be it.
Shrek
M.W. I’m on the same side of the street with you on this, all except for trying to ‘encourage them’ as you so stated. I will not kiss their *** to get information (not saying you are so don’t take this the wrong way) and although I’m willing to accept their views, railroad facts, etc … what’s unacceptable are any personal attacks upon me. I will never ever feel humbled and actually couldn’t care less if the likes of FNB or jeaton ever replied to any of my questions. There are plenty of others here who could answer any questions I have.
I’m here eager to learn and provide any input, however good, bad, or indifferent, just like the next railroad enthusiast. I’m not here to be someone’s punching bag.
Well!! Thank you very much Mark Hemphill, Mudchicken, Ed, etc for your infromative and stimulating responses.
My question about the roadbeds , ties, and rails brought much discussion. I learned a whole lot. I never really questioned the railroads desire to make money. It must or or it will die. God forbid! I really enjoyed the comments from the anonymous ex-engineering person. He was very good at putting it into perspective.
The report that railroads are safer today and that derailing accidents are decreasing is good news. I just hate reading about derailments on the TRAINS newswire every week. As an ex-safety engineer I know that all accidents are made up of a series of circumstances that come together at the wrong time. Therefore, we can not eliminate derailments with any magical formula.
This forum is fun, educational, and the experiences shared by all involved are priceless. So keep those cards and letters cooming.
My real name is Bruce, by the way. I am just a sap at heart.
Chess
The railroad is NOT an inanimate object. It is about 200,000 thinking, living, breathing people. I for one am happy you won’t ride. Spread the word! Getting rid of Amtrak would be a great blessing.
Mac
PNWRNM, I understand where you’re coming from, however, the term “railroad” is infact a road with rails. Have all the living, breathing people you can imagine, but if you have no ties, rails, tie plates, spikes, etc, come together, all you have are the people. If you use the word “railroad” to include more than just the inamimate object iteslf is to generalize the term. People who work for the railroad are not known as “railroads”, rather “railroad employees”.
By the way, isn’t Amtrak always in the sink hole when it comes to annual revenue? There is a shortline here in upstate NY attempting to get privatized passenger service to run from Rochester to Niagara Falls. No Amtrak, Yay! But the major problem is getting 12.7 miles of track put back in to once again connect the shortline with Rochester. That’s a lot of money … plus inspection of bridges, reinstalling grade crossings, crossbuck signals, you name it. But there are a few proposals in the works with GVT and Monroe County Transportation Authority.
F_N_B,
If you read this, I really hope you continue to respond to articles. It is people like you that keep me checking this forum despite certain “pawns” that detract from its value.
Gabe
Chessking :
You might not realize it, but statements like your comment :
“Remember kids, our lives are as ants to the railroad upitys.”
might be found personally insulting to people who actually work for a railroad, are concerned, dedicated managers and don’t particularly like being being called “upitys”. When you said that, YOU fired the first shot across the bow. Why are you supprised when somebody returned fire?
Dave H.
We should be so lucky. This guy is too ignorant to realize his ignorance.
AMEN!! We need more people who can give us the benefit of their experience.
It seems we have strayed from the original discussion of the raltionship of the roadbeds to derailing accidents. Does this mean we have sufficiently expounded on this subject?
I have learned that although the Amtrak ride is anything but smooth, the condition of the roadbeds is not a primary cause of derailments. There are many other factors which have been previously discussed. Does any one care to add some words in summation?
Gee. Grr. Or GE?
It’ cool, wondering, what is done wrong, when no one considers the HUGE lobby, about single ridership automobiles.
What killed the railroads passenger service? Not the roads built aside the tracks, it was the automotive industry, along with the airlines.
If traffic is reduced, then capital expenditures are disciplined.
For example, build a six-axle 3000 hp engine, put it on sub-standard mainline, watch it turn-over, and blame the builder.
So…who said the road, stripped of the responsibility of passenger service, can afford to provide a cost overload service, with quality in mind?
No one said, freight should take any priority over passenger, it’s just that a no-return advantage, arostocracy at it’s finest, took over mass transit.
An example, is to promote to intra, or interstate transport, and kill the E-Series, and city bus.
Too bad that corporate schemes, have complicated the future of our children.
A plague upon our ignorance.
acj.
I’m curious. Mark states the capital expenditures in terms of total expenditure per year for 1985, 1990,1995, and 2001, but states accidents as accidents per million train-miles.
What is the figure for capital expenditures on a per million train mile basis?
Interesting writeups.
FWIW, back in the 1960’s when I was first learning to spike ties in the Croxton Yards, I happened to break a hammer handle. My foreman gave me his insight into railroad maintenance economics. Coupled with a lot of blue language, I learned that the $2 spent to buy a new handle came directly out of the shareholders pockets. He told me that I should have much more respect for the shareholders.
Be that as it may, I am to this day amazed at his ability to level track by eye and layout switches with a piece of chalk. He has my deep respect.
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by WearyErie
Interesting writeups.
FWIW, back in the 1960’s when I was first learning to spike ties in the Croxton Yards, I happened to break a hammer handle. My foreman gave me his insight into railroad maintenance economics. Coupled with a lot of blue language, I learned that the $2 spent to buy a new handle came directly out of the shareholders pockets. He told me that I should have much more respect for the shareholders.
I am always impressed by someone who uses their God-given talents and creates a masterpiece of their work. I can’t even draw a straight line.