Running Bear's February 2023 Coffee Shop

[Boris]

Good evening. 27° and clear, going down to 24°. This isn't the deep freeze - that's Friday night into Saturday. Going up to 40 ° tomorrow. Still, colder than its been around here in a couple of weeks. Gas bill for the month was $ 80.00 less than last month. Every penny helps.

Today is the 55th birthday of the Penn Central. Tomorrow, February 2, is the 45th anniversary of the Wade Hazardous Material Dump Fire, in Chester, PA. The effects of the chemicals stored there, resulted in the premature deaths of over 50% of the 200 or so responders. I was there for the bulk of the operation, but was fortunate to have the wind at my back blowing away from the fire. I still had a burn or rash on my wrists. I still wonder if some of my medical issues are related to this fire. The companies at the other exposure, and those that were initially inside took the brunt of the chemicals and suffered the most ill effects. The temperature that night dropped to near zero F.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...ki/Wade_Dump&usg=AOvVaw2l-AWY99e_EjbaNYBwlI8J

The EPA found 32 carcinogens – including 26,500 gallons of cyanide 10 percent solution, highly toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCDs) and benzene – and five heavy metals at the dump. We thought it was a tire fire... Changed my life, I ended my firefighting career, and accepted a management position with Conrail in Washington, DC.

James: What a mess.

Train B714 (CSX), on Conrail's Lehigh Line through Piscataway NJ 01-23-2023 with CN power.

 

[NYC_George]

I was working the Fireman's Extra List, in Wilmington, DE, on 01/31/1968.

So Boris you were there when the law allowed a crew to work 16 hours a day. With the 1/2 hour ride home, a hour to get your shopping / bank etc. done, 6 hours of sleep and you were back on the engine. The good old days.
Swal

 

[Bruette]

Good morning, Everybody!

I have truly little time and my furnace has jumped onto my to-do list.

I woke up this morning and it was only 64 degrees in the house, it should be 68. Hopefully, I will be able to get the parts needed before the expected big chill arrives. First, I must diagnose the problem and that requires I get off my ass and go downstairs.

On the Brightside, after the first time my furnace let me down, I bought electric fireplaces. It's not going to be cheap, but a few switches are easier than dealing with wood,

Forgive me for all the posts I missed; life is busy, and I have to get moving!

God Bless you all.

 

[Bruette]

Boris, we are thinking of you. Stay positive God is with you.

Penn Central - reading about the merger in the paper I thought it was going to be some kind of superhero railroad. I loved those shiny black locomotives and I still do!

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. Happy Groundhog Day
It's cloudy and 59.

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. Happy Groundhog Day
It's cloudy and 59.

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. Happy Groundhog Day
It's cloudy and 59.

 

[kbkchooch]

Good morning gang

24° and cloudy out there right now only looking for a high of 39°.

Just remember gang, Punxsutawney Phil is a compulsive liar.

Terry, I see what you did there.

BBL

 

[troyphoto]

Good morning. Happy Groundhog Day
It's cloudy and 59.

Good morning. Happy Groundhog Day
It's cloudy and 59.

Good morning. Happy Groundhog Day
It's cloudy and 59.

I see what you did there!

 

[Smudge617]

I see what you did there!

It's not his fault he stut t t ters.

(and yes, I've seen that movie too)

 

[TLOC]

Good morning from Wisconsin. 17f degrees feeling like +7 won’t be a bother to me today. I will be in the house. Tried to sleep most of yesterday away and last night. Very aggravating but since this isn’t my first cold I know it will take time. Head is pounding, throat hurts and the sinuses will not stop draining no matter what I take. This is much worst then the Covid I had in June, 2022.

I will pop in and out later to catch up with what I didn’t read yet.

 

[Boris]

So Boris you were there when the law allowed a crew to work 16 hours a day. With the 1/2 hour ride home, a hour to get your shopping / bank etc. done, 6 hours of sleep and you were back on the engine. The good old days.
Swal

George: Sure were the good old days... The extra list was seven days a week then, too, no assigned rest day, no guarantee, remember? Called 6 for 8. Yeah, the good old days. At least back then, the attendance policy was much more lenient, as long as you didn't mark off on call.
That was also when you could collect RRB Unemployment if you didn't get 5 days in 7.

 

[Patrick]

Have you slept at all this last two weeks?

Once or twice!!! Oh and tons of coffee.....

Finally back to "normal" but still have things to do. VPN into here has been deactivated and we need to get that going, but in my opinion, people need to be in the office. I'm old and out of touch.

19° this morning and clearing. Supposed to be sunny and 48° later. Well, 4 new hires to get entered into the systems and we're off and running.

BBL

 

[Sirfoldalot]

35 degrees and still dark - but he would see his shadow here today!

 

[NYC_George]

I was there for the bulk of the operation, but was fortunate to have the wind at my back blowing away from the fire. I still had a burn or rash on my wrists. I still wonder if some of my medical issues are related to this fire. The companies at the other exposure, and those that were initially inside took the brunt of the chemicals

Boris were you wearing a respirator for toxic fumes? In my 25 years in the construction industry, I always made sure I had the proper mask on. My neighbor didn't he died of cancer right after retiring. I hope you had the proper mask on.
Swal

 

[Alcomotive]

Good morning from Wisconsin. 17f degrees feeling like +7 won’t be a bother to me today. I will be in the house. Tried to sleep most of yesterday away and last night. Very aggravating but since this isn’t my first cold I know it will take time. Head is pounding, throat hurts and the sinuses will not stop draining no matter what I take. This is much worst then the Covid I had in June, 2022.

I will pop in and out later to catch up with what I didn’t read yet.

Keep drinking fluids to flush out your system!

Hope you feel better soon!

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Light freezing rain and 30°. It hasn't been this warm since Monday. Predicting a high of 38° later today, in the 60's this weekend. Still no sunshine until tomorrow. This light freezing rain has been around since yesterday afternoon, but only 0.01" has fallen. My gauge is not that accurate, but that's what the Weather Underground station a mile away has recorded. My gauge and his are usually pretty close unless it's raining over there and not here.
I did not venture out to the paved road yesterday, but I am sure that it's still iced over even though there has been some traffic. I never made the trip down to the mailbox yet, so I am sure that it is full, and may be wet. I don't know about the weekly grocery trek yet, as I imagine that once the roads clear there will be a very large crowd. Beer, meat, canned goods and soft drinks look good here for now. I have frozen or canned veggies still left from last year's harvest and I bought lettuce last week so I'm good for a bit. I am out of fresh fruit and any other fresh veggies though.

Thanks for the comments and reactions regarding the layout scenery progress.

Out in the train shed yesterday, I completed this round of structure cleaning, and the various vehicles that go along with them. Across the road from the furniture store shown yesterday is this Walther's Merchant's Row IV.

And then tucked away behind it is McCormac's Dry Goods, a small laser-cut structure from American Model Builders.

Next to it is another industry made from Pikestuff walls called Buffalo Industries. I have never determined exactly what they do here, but they get two boxcars a week switched in and out.

I did no work on the Ethanol refinery yesterday, but I did switch out the 16 tankers there for empties. I can switch that industry with either northbound or southbound trains, and I can leave either way as well.

Tom O - Get well soon.
Jeff - Pleased to read about your successful truck issue. I have never personally dealt with Atlas Customer Service, but I have been told that their service is second to none. I have had good response from Woodland Scenics regarding missing parts before. They and ScaleTrains are my only experiences with model railroading customer service.
Joe - My very best wishes to you on your procedure tomorrow. I am glad that you are more confident after speaking with the PA. I have always found PA's to be really great at explaining stuff, as doctors seem to think that us laymen already know more than we actually know, and seem to rush through explanations.

Looking at the weather radar right now, it looks like the inclement weather is over for me now. Just need for the temperature to rise.
Everybody have a great day.

 

[CGW121]

Its 25 and sunny. But I still hate snow.

 

[Boris]

Boris were you wearing a respirator for toxic fumes? In my 25 years in the construction industry, I always made sure I had the proper mask on. My neighbor didn't he died of cancer right after retiring. I hope you had the proper mask on.
Swal

I had a scott pack from the onset, and kept replacing the tank every 20" to 30", but as the outside temperature kept dropping, the fogging mask froze over, making it impossible to see anything. As the wind increased, the danger of inhaling smoke or toxic fumes diminished. I was on the West and North exposures, the ones most affected were all on the East and South exposures.

 

[Boris]

My very best wishes to you on your procedure tomorrow.

Thanks Willie!