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| Satellite |
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| Satellite, with cars |
Was out at Sidney yesterday, and noticed that they've now posted a big sign with directions for spotting hoppers at the elevator there...wonder why they put it up? Tells crews working the elevator which tracks should have hoppers spotted first, and so on. Have never seen anything like it before.Note that because of the creek, they did not want the expense of a bridge so they did not build a long siding that can handle a unit train, instead they built multiple sidings and the train needs to be stored in pieces. Unlike some of the elevators we have seen that are on an otherwise unused branch so that the elevator can use the mainline as well as the siding, this elevator is on the old Wabash mainline that is now one of Norfolk Southern's mainlines from the east to Kansas City and St. Louis. So the switcher moving cars to be loaded must stay off the mainline. The comments on this posting provided interesting insight into railroad operations. I changed the names to initials because I don't want to get anybody in trouble for being honest.
DH We have alot of new conductors with ns, and they dont get the more in detail training like we did many years ago. There basically taught the rules, get somewhat framillier with what the territory looks like, then there marked up and on there own. Many of them prob dont even get to work alot of our elevators as a trainee b4 there qualified. They give them a book on how to spot the elevators, and half the time the books not even updated. Or lots of times the elevator employees come out and tell us they want it spotted differenty, which can be even more confusing to a guy or gal whos never been in there b4 to begin with. I havent been over that way for a few months, i usually work east to frankfort or peru when i do, so i havent got to see them yet. Sounds like a good idea really, cause alot of times if an elevator gets spotted wrong, the conductor may get in trouble, then a local will have to go and correct the mistake
TP Dave we had that on the BNSF when I started. Brand new conductor was killed sadly down at a power plant in Burlington Iowa. It had a sign telling how to spot it as well as warnings for close clearances. They think that the guy in question was just overwhelmed with the information, first time on his own spotting the plant and it was night time.
Also state line power plant ( now gone) on the J had a sign showing which tracks to spot first and how the cars were to be set in each track. It was pretty neat.
DH Man thats terrible that happend to that conductor. We have complained many times that there turning these guys and gals loose on there own and many of them arent ready yet.
TP No lie there! Scary how they just toss them out here and wonder why stuff gets torn up
DH Yep man its very scary. Espesially when ur the engineer cause ur so worried about what there doin back there a quarter mile from u. And when u dont hear from them for a while u really start gettin scared. Im always askin on radio everything ok back there? Just so i know what there doing.
DH And yea when ur a new conductor, when u get ur first nasty pull and spot grain train, its always in the middle of the night, foggy, raining, and freezing cold. Then they got a new engineer of the extra board, and he dont remember how to spot it either cause he hasent been in there for years. And its very easy for new people to get overwellmed with information, man theres so many rules and things to remember, even most of us whos been out there several years still get overwellmed cause just when u thing u got ur brain programmed with everything, they go and start changin stuff around lol
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