Got an answer for the trains in Goshen!

[DQDick]

Was in an up scale part of Lenexa, KS recently and noticed that the train crossings have warning signs that the train will not honk. Apparently the town has made it illegal for the trains to disturb the sleep of the residents. Must be some strong evolutionists living there. They figure if the lights or gates or both don't discourage you then your removal from the gene pool will not be a loss.

[NCFischers]

I love it!!!

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

What trains?? in Goshen??

[mail2us]

Dick, I'm with Carol! make about 3-5 more Fall Rally trips and those trains will be gone.I used to run out every night thinking I had to switch a rail/track or wave a flag, or carry a lantern!
Dennis.PS Make mine a Reese's Blizzard please!!!!!

[wingerphil]

quote:What trains?? in Goshen??

Good one Carol!!

[Art-n-Marge]

I guess when you put an upscale neighborhood next to some noisy train tracks, the property tax revenue will override the safety around the railroad tracks. Then there's the extra bonus DQDick mentions the point about thinning the herd caused by carelessness.

A similar thing happened in California when extremely upscale homes and business near the beaches and coast were put up in Newport Beach, Orange County California, and this changed the flight takeoff procedure for the nearby airport. What a ride that is!!! I've done it many times. The pilots rev up the jet engines to max speed while the brakes are engaged. The plane starts to shake like you are in an earthquake, then the brakes are released and you sling shot with such G force you get glued to your seat. This is then followed by a severe ascent, then as you approach Newport Beach, the engines are shut way back causing a scary slow down and taper that causes the plane to dip severely and this is followed by many to cry out in fear and shouting until the plane is over the ocean a few miles. Most times the crew will warn the passengers before they do this but I've been on a few flights when they didn't. For the unknowing, it is quite the ride and the shouts, screams and cries of these passengers is almost too funny.

[mlh]

The Norfolk Southern had it's home in our town and there have been several stories over the years of people being killed trying to beat a train to a crossing and several of people being killed on the tracks. Last year there was an especially bad one. Two kids crossing a bridge, one got trapped and his friend tried to help. I know a member of the rescue squad who had to help pick up the pieces. HORRIBLE. The engineers go through therapy when they hit even a car. I cant imagine hitting two kids. Both were honor students in a little 200 pupil high school.
BE CAREFUL AROUND TRAINS your truck is no match for 5, 6000 HP engines pulling 200, 200,000+ pound cars.
Lynwood

[DQDick]

Train wrecks are bad all the way around, I worked several as a Sheriffs officer. Doesn't matter if it's train to car or truck or train to train the physics aren't good.
A couple of days ago they had a three train pileup, possibly on the same tracks that go by the fairgrounds. It was west of Goshen a ways, near Valparaso (sp), IN. One train rear ended another and the debris went on the other track and derailed that train also. I guess we can be glad that hasn't happened near the fairgrounds.

[Weldon]

DQDick you are right-on about the gene pool.

[Art-n-Marge]

ya know.... the gene pool jokes are funny until you hear mishaps involving kids. Those kids that got their feet stuck in the tracks just didn't know about those things. I remember being little and getting my foot stuck in the gaps of the tracks where I lived in Texas. Fortunately, I was very young and small and able to remove my foot out of the shoe, then work the shoe loose and these tracks didn't have any trains coming. It just wasn't my time. Train accidents are very one-sided and around where we live there's been too many involving loss of lives from passengers to small kids or even whole family. Be careful, everyone! And never race a train when you are in tow.

[Champ_49]

After 42 yrs on the RR as a conductor and watching people on a daily basis try to beat the train it astounds me that people think or should I say don't think what can happen. I am the one that sits on that train feeling as hopeless as one can be when people try to beat the train. It just plain scares the hell out of you!!! A train as you all know can't stop on a dime, in fact you take a two mile train traveling at 55 mph after he puts that train brakes in emergency application could take a 1/2 mile to stop. I have seen the results of the ones that didn't make it and its not a pretty sight to say the least. And one that the train crew has to live with the rest of there lives. Its part of the job, but you don't have to like it.

Just be careful people, its a lose lose situation with trains. I guess I am preaching here but I will not apologize for it. The results are just not good!!!

Dave

[mlh]

Something else. When you stop for a train, stop well back from the crossing. You can never tell when a car will hop off the rail and if you are setting there a 200 ton car will kill you as quick as a
50 million pound train.
Lynwood
Dave what RR did you work for?

[Ken Ralston]

Dave didn't talk about the job we had of the long walk back wondering what we would find along the way hoping for the best every step. I am sure there are other jobs like the Police that are difficult too but please slow down and take another look at crossings. They say A train hitting a car is like a car hitting a pop can. I compliment you and your wife Dave 42 yrs is a long time to put up with the unknown Hours. Enjoy your Retirement.

[sreigle]

Dick, that's interesting about that sign. Our middle child and his family live in Lenexa so we spend some time there. They're out (east) of K7, north of K10, south of Prairie Star Parkway.

By the way, back in our working days I spent quite a bit of time on the lake near you and in the various COE campgrounds. Also ate a few meals in your DQ. We really enjoy Council Grove. Tons of history there.

[DQDick]

Thanks, it's a nice town and a great campground. If it weren't for the campground most of us would be out of business.

[08UltraRider]

I currently am working as a Locomotive Engineer for a class one railway in Canada and have been involved with countless crossing collisions including two fatal mishaps that will remain with me forever.

However Dick’s original post was about whistle cessation that I’d like to comment on if I may even though the regs up here may be a bit different but I’d bet they are closely identical. I am also on the local Health & Safety Committee where we are in communication with regulatory bodies as well.

Up here Transport Canada (FRA in the US) is the body that will issue a “Whistle Cessation” upon request of the city or town where many conditions must be met.

For example…

Crossing must be equipped with automatic warning devices. The city/town must provide liability insurance in the case of a crossing mishap where it may be determined the whistle may have prevented it from happening. A fence may be necessary to keep trespassers from crossing at other than the crossing. Other conditions as determined by Transport Canada.

Transport Canada will first monitor the crossing to determine which conditions must be put in place before they will/will not issue a cessation. If you come up here into a National Park like Banff or Lake Louise TC would not issue a cessation within the park because of all the tourist traffic so I’m sorry to say I wake up many campers at the Lake Louise campground.

They don’t make it illegal to sound the whistle. There is nothing stopping me from sounding the whistle if I need be. They only relax the rules if their conditions are met that will deflect the onus off the railway.

Sorry if I got a bit long winded.

Tim….
400 more days as a Locomotive Engineer.

P.S. DPAM… Les Kosar is retiring around July 1st.

[Champ_49]

Sorry but for some reason I lost this thread and didn't see it again.

mlh, I hired out on the Grand Trunk RR which was gobbled up by the CN. I just like to take the time to pass along that trains are deadly, they are not able to stop on a dime. As you said, why get so close to them gates, along with hitting cars I also have been in big derailments and you don't even want to see the end results of some of them on crossings.


Ken the walk back to see the results is the longest walk a person can walk. You almost know the outcome before you get there and its not going to be pretty. I have been involved with numerous fatalities in this business and they remain a part of your life forever. Thanks for the compliment Ken on the 42 yrs. but it was still a good job and got paid well so I have no complaints. Welllllllll maybe some LOL

Tim that 400 more days will fly by liek crazy! Hang in there its worth it!!
Dave

[sreigle]

Tim and Dave, thanks for your posts. It's always good to hear from experts, from those who have been there, and those who are familiar with "the other side." Thanks.

[08UltraRider]

quote:Originally posted by Champ_49

Tim that 400 more days will fly by liek crazy! Hang in there its worth it!!

Seeing as I agree with most all of your other posts on this forum... I'm gonna agree with this one too... Thank you...

Plus... Like yourself... I did some amature racing on the oval track... Had to give it up to raise the family but had a blast while it lasted.

Steve... Thank you for your reply.