Monday with Mookie!

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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We haven’t had this get together for awhile, but this last weekend, if you own BNSF stock, you should see a rise!

The trains were practically running over each other in an effort to get out of town or in the yards. I saw a total of 43 locomotives, 95% of them on one end or the other of a train.

Someone back east must have heard winter is coming, cuz the coal was really being hustled out that way.

My sightings included a Boeing train from the south - headed west - led by a GP28 (my first sighting) with 4 airplane bodies only and their “houses”. The tail covers said Boeing 737 Next Generation, but these guys didn’t look all that big. They each had 35 windows (trust me, I counted) on one side. Those windows don’t look very big either! I am usually so impressed with airplanes and these looked like someone’s toys.

Gotta write the BNSF head office and see if we can’t get bigger number boards. Each year, those numbers get harder to see!

For Brother Carl, I saw a former Northwestern box car - bright yellow, well, reasonably bright with a CRIX designation # 169212.

And I have a question, of course.

I saw two opportunities this weekend - I was alone both times - one was a BNSF probably MOW in a good-sized truck parked about 20 feet from me, waiting for some time for two coal trains. The 2nd was a train - waiting to get into the yards out by our fair grounds - only a right-of-way distance from public property. One of the crew was on the ground just walking around.

I would love to start a conversation with either one of them and ask some questions about railroading, but hesitate to approach them. Not only are they railroad workers, but private citizens. Those of you that know me, know they won’t mistake me for a pavement princess, but also, don’t want to interfere with their work or scare the daylights out of them. (some goofy woman knocking on my window and waving!)

Any comments from t

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Mookie
2 of your norange units were coming home sunday morning(check your email) most of the csx crews are freindly and will wave to you. some will talk some wont.
stay safe
Joe

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Mookie,
I have approached a local Iowa Interstate train crew last year while they were switching some ADM hoppers here in Peoria. I was taking pictures and one of the crew was very friendly and offered alot of info while they were switching cars.

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Mook,

Believe me, the BNSF boys are quite used to seeing you at trackside. You and your hearing impaired, much abused driver are as much a part of the landscape as the pretty engines and the yellow thingies. They probably think you’re a trainmaster watching them. If you approach them and start talking to them, they’ll know you’re a foamer; trainmasters NEVER walk up and chat.

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From what I’ve heard, trainmasters only approach when they want to swear at the crew.

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Mookie not to change the subject but, have you seen any UP locomotives on the point of BNSF Trains? From what I have heard from some friends that they have caught alot of UP Power on the point of some BNSF Trains lately.

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Methinks the CRIX car was a little ex-CNW covered hopper, Sis! Watch for the next one.

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As a matter of fact, I saw UP 3584, 3260 and 3342 this last weekend. We do see an occasional UP going past our end of the yard and do have some UP tracks that come into Lincoln to do some switching and also at our airport.

The UP’s we saw were pulling freight. Haven’t seen any on point for coal yet. Actually, the most interesting locomotives we see are on the freight trains.

Mookie

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…Jen, the Boeing 737’s are not the biggest of regular sized jets we see today…In fact I’d class them as the “starter” size full size planes…2 jet aircraft. Yes, I know some of the “jumbo’s” now have only 2 jets but 737’s are not of jumbo size. They are kinda the “workhorse” size of aircraft used for general purpose distances.

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To give you more info than you care to know, the 737 NG’s are the second smallest jet in Boeing’s current lineup. Boeing has a factory in Witcha that produces barrel sections for the fuselage and vertical stabilizers(the tail fin). The 737-700 can carry, depending upon airline seating,around 135 passengers. The 737-900 can carry around 180 passengers. from New York to L.A. When Boeing dropped the 757 from its catalogue, they increased the capacity of the 737 by inserting more or longer barrel sections in the fuselage (body). Boeing makes only 2-engined or 4-engined (747) aircraft these days. All the 3-engined models like the 727 and MD11, have been dropped from production.

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Thank You Mookie!

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Mookie,

The “New Generation” 737 had entirely new wings.

There have been three “generations” of 737.

The first, of which the 737-200 was the most common had JT8D turbojet engines. These didn’t have the big fan up front, and made a high pitched sound because the exhaust from the jet was much faster than the air around it. These were not economical on fuel.

The second group was mainly the 737-300 and 400, which had the joint US/French CFM56 engine. This had a big fan, to the extent that the bottom of the “nacelle” ( a French word describing the engine housing) had to be flat to discourage it hitting the runway on an uneven landing. Everybody bought these, and they were the most common airliner in the world at the time. It was much more economical and had a longer range, but the big engines upset the aerodynamics and the drag was higher than the 737-200 (and the plane was slightly slower as a result).

With competition from Airbus getting serious, Boeing designed a new wing for the 737. Now you might think that that might stop it being a 737, but the number was so well known they kept it. These are the 737-700, 800 and 900 described above. They still have the big fans, but the drag problem is gone and the range has improved. The most recent of these have turned up wingtips that look a bit like horns on longhorn cattle.

Peter

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Will bring this back up to the top!

I didn’t realize that about the 737. I always assumed they were the really big ones that I see at our local airport, but these guys aren’t all that big. Ergo, the surprise that they are marked 737. Will add this to my items of interest and learning. Thank you!

Now back to the question, which still hasn’t been answered except by Skeets! I am very serious about knowing whether I would freak someone out if I approached them. I know men will approach men about train items and probably never have a 2nd thought about it. But a woman, albeit an older one, approaching any crew member and wanting to know about trains - or what they are doing (MOW) or whatever. The driver may or may not be in the car. I don’t want you to predict what some person in Lincoln NE will do, but you as an employee of a railroad, what would be your reaction? I don’t want to be a nuisance, or tresspass - but what better people to ask a question?

So go ahead and hurt my feelings and tell me to mind my own business or let me know if, generally, under the right circumstances, take a chance.

You hurt my feelings, I just won’t talk to you any more!

Mook

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Gheez! You sound disappointed that shifty old skeets answered your question. Don’t forget, 'ook, I do this stuff for a living! [big time railroading; not pestering on forums].

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Most of the railroaders I work with would give you a once over, looking to see if you were packing a gun, or if you were a reporter…once they realized you were serious about learning, and your questions wern’t too complicated, they would be tickled to answer them…

We are just like most folks, we like to talk about our job(as if you didnt notice that already) and its a ego rush when someone shows a interest…
Ed

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Did they fix the problems with the 737s crashing or was that just a 737-200 problem isolated incident? There was one back a long time ago in Indonesia.

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Mookie

I would guess that the ratio of railroaders that would chat and answer questions to those that wouldn’t give you the time of day is about the same as you would find with the general public. If you get a friendly wave or a response to “Nice day”, you will probably be able to engage in further conversation. Is Lincoln a crew base? If so, there may be other common interests and you can chat about something other than railroading as an ice breaker.

As you think about this, consider how you would address a question to someone in any other line of work. “I saw/heard (something) and was just curious. Would you know anything about it?” In about the next ten seconds you will know if your are going to get a friendly response.

Jay

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Any aircraft that has been around as long as the 737 has is going to have crashes. The most recent issue was involving the rudder controls that could result in an uncommanded hardover condition that uncorrected, could result in loss of control. That problem has been fixed. It has been and continues to be a successful and safe design.

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Dan, Sterling1

I think the rudder actuator (and its problem) was a common design with the 707 and KC135, which date back 50 years now. Given that there have been very few occurences over that really long period, it must be a reasonably safe design.

Because there are more 737s than any other type of jet airliner (period), they must fly higher milages and hours, and any small incipient fault has a chance to occur.

Now that the problem has been corrected, we now must wait for any indications of an entirely different problem developing, but I’d still fly a 737 because more people have done so safely than in any other aircraft!

Peter

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Just so you know, Skeets, you have never been a disappointment and if I lived in your area, I would be trackside all the time haunting you with questions for the very reason you just gave - it is your job!