RR content more Indian Summer

I froze yesterday. We had more Indian Summer and we also had the best A/C I've ever felt on a locomotive. The BNSFxx90 froze me out. Just like a railroader to complain about something!

Stats
Grain Train
9.5 mph up Winston
1300 - 2345 = 10"45", it was a get on and go train. We got stopped 4 times including Elton. I hate to stop there with a underpowered train.

M/C ride - Indian summer

I was just a little late and the video is a bit dark. It wasn't as dark as it looks... I'll redo it. I could not resist... we had some Indian Summer, I thought I should do Dead Indian Pass instead of repairing my roof!
Videos moved to BearSTOC.blogspot.com

New toy - GoPro

This is the first video with the new GoPro video camera

Old Hardin Road starts at just south of Billings and runs over to Hardin, MT
This will be the first road to BearSTOC.

This is the first 15 minutes give or take.
Also available here

Part 2


Gotta try it on the mountain bike next!

WeSTOC / ToadSTOC 2010

A travelogue of my motorcycle trip to Idaho, BC, AB and back to Montana will go here.

A link to the pictures is HERE



Garmin player telemetry
Part 1 - Billings to Moscow, ID
Part 2 - part 2 of Day 1 and all of Day 2 -
WeSTOC The Mother road and Rattlesnake shake backroad recon
Day 3 - WeSTOC - Rattlesnake shake run revisited, a great day with Goldie
Day 4 - WeSTOC - Rattlesnake shake with Steve and Tim
Day 5 - Headquarters / Orofino Mex / Rattlenake shake with Goldie
Day 6 - Toadrock to Calgary
Day 7 - Calgary, AB to Shelby, MT, it's winter in Canada
Day 8 - Shelby to Billings - better weather in the good 'ol USA
Much of the telemetry data was lost... just too much rain I guess.

RR content - It's a box of chocolates

Called for the unit train at 1115. I never know what that's going to be. I'll have to let you know. I like a midday call. It means I'll sleep at night. Slept at night last night and will again tonight. I could get well for a bit.

SPOT LOCATOR LINK

RR content - We been getting killed

I have been waiting for it to even out. It... is the luck that has eluded us lately. We died on the ML and 2 trips in a row. The ML (or LM) is our local traffic train that we all dodge like it's the queen of spades. RR lineup are so bad that I've always joked that the best way to dodge it is to get the crew office or lineup to say we stand for the ML. We seldom catch the train we stand for. They had us picking up 135 empty coke cars at Livingston. So stupid I asked the dispatcher twice if it that was really what they wanted us to do. Finally, I called the trainmaster. He agreed with me to pickup 41 merchandise cars and 40 empties. Still a stupid number of total cars at 165 but... we died and another crew finished the work. Turn14 has been run around 9 times in the last 3 round trips. My luck has gotta change.

RR content - In the past

Notice the time of this post. As I have mentioned here before, there is a tendency to bitch at the RR. And here and other blogs I have noticed.

BUT... wasted a day yesterday. Layed around napping now and then know I was on the lineup to go to work at 2300 hrs. Awake now and then until called for the "V" train for 6am. Daylight trip on the stack train. Great call. Piss poor lineup... no one to tell so there it is. It's often said we get paid for our inconvenience... this is one of those times.

Watch SPOT

RR content - See SPOT run

I have had a request to carry the SPOT locator while on the train. It doesn't work well in the Locomotive and inside my grip as well but it sends my location now and again.

HERE IS THE LINK

NatSTOC

this is a placemarker for my motorcycle trip report a work in progress

Trip Stats
1009 miles
50.1 mpg

Day 1 - Billings, Greybull, Burgess Jct, Spearfish, SD

Day 2 - Spearfish Canyon north to south, Lead, Deadwood, Lunch at the Ruby in Keystone, Iron Mountain Road, Needles Hwy, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon south to north.

Day 3 - Spearfish Canyon again, Breakfast at Cheyenne Crossing, then home in 4 1/2 hours via 212 through the constuction zone at Lame Deer

Trip pics are here

turn down the volume for video 1, the river is too loud. The video is here

and

a Dinkie video 2 is here

Heat Wave

It's been very cool in Montana but the heat wave in the east reminded me how things have changed. I seldom, anymore, get a locomotive that is not air conditioned. Still, I love running with the windows open on a summer night. Earplugs in, Headset on. Whistle ya, know!

Called for an actual mixed freight train as of this post

Whaaa?

What does the staff at the Chinese place in Helena eat?

Obamacare?

One of my medications went up $30 a month. The drug company taking advantage while they can before Obamacare kicks in? It's a med that has been around for 30 years... no reason for it to go up in price. It's gouging plain and simple. $574 / mo


The researchers agree that modafinil improves some aspects of working memory,

July 4th - new camera

Bought Maggie a new Camera.... Of course I intend to borrow it for motorcycle trips

RR content - Da "Q" train

I was gonna mow the lawn but the RR called and wants me to run the Q train. It remains to be seen if it is Boeings only like last week. 2 in 3 weeks time after not catching one in about 6 years.