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David Collins wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:48 pm

Not sure if it's the FRA making the decision for NS, or if it's NS being proactive, but this just got sent out to all NS crews.

A Norfolk Southern spokesman told CNBC that guidance has since been updated and the train carrier is now mandating that any trains over 10,000 feet use distributed power, meaning the trains would be powered from several locations across the length of the train, not just from the front. Distributed locomotives are wirelessly controlled from the leading locomotive in both power and braking as needed.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/06/norfolk ... z2SkCu69rU

Trains over 10000 ft need DPUs, according to this article which has the photo you posted. They’ll still keep the landbarges runnning.

I’m sure these rules and mandates will all keep changing as the weeks go on. They probably realized pretty quickly that not running 10000 ft trains is not going to be easy if the crews aren’t there… sounds like it’s all up in the air, unions being told one thing, NS spokesperson saying another.

justin_gram wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 10:12 pm

A Norfolk Southern spokesman told CNBC that guidance has since been updated and the train carrier is now mandating that any trains over 10,000 feet use distributed power, meaning the trains would be powered from several locations across the length of the train, not just from the front. Distributed locomotives are wirelessly controlled from the leading locomotive in both power and braking as needed.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/06/norfolk ... z2SkCu69rU

Trains over 10000 ft need DPUs, according to this article which has the photo you posted. They’ll still keep the landbarges runnning.

I’m sure these rules and mandates will all keep changing as the weeks go on.

I saw that too, but that photo I posted was very clear saying longer than 10k feet long, and doesn't mention ANYTHING about DPU's.

As you said, however, things will most likely be changing in the coming weeks. We'll have to see.

David Collins wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:48 pm

Not sure if it's the FRA making the decision for NS, or if it's NS being proactive, but this just got sent out to all NS crews.

Internal NS decision.

For the air and soil quality analysis, appears NS is using a company that has had many lawsuits against it. Often finding this CTEH company sides with whatever company hired them. Many train cleanups along with oil and gas companiesnhave used this firm: https://prospect.org/environment/2023-0 ... palestine/

The adults are finally in the room.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/07/us/cleve ... index.html

“The NTSB is concerned that several organizational factors may be involved in the accidents, including safety culture,” the board said in a statement. “The NTSB will conduct an in-depth investigation into the safety practices and culture of the company. At the same time, the company should not wait to improve safety and the NTSB urges it to do so immediately.”

It will be interesting to see what deficiencies they will find.

I watch a lot of European Railroad videos, especially the DB in Germany. The Railroading in that region is starkly different than here in the States. One of the things I have noticed is, "generally speaking", most of the freight traffic is hauled using one (maybe two) locomotives, with train lengths of 30-50 cars. They usually run 80-100 KMH (50-62 MPH). You NEVER see more than two locomotives and never any DPU's. I suspect they run freight traffic more frequently, than just one big long train. Kinda of interesting to see how rail traffic is conducted in other parts of the world.

David Collins wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 07, 2023 6:20 pm

The adults are finally in the room.

They have been in the room. Now we have the political appointees trying to look like they are doing something in the room.

Typhoon wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 12:00 pm

They have been in the room. Now we have the political appointees trying to look like they are doing something in the room.

Thaaaat's what I meant.

R Bedell wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 6:45 am

I watch a lot of European Railroad videos, especially the DB in Germany. The Railroading in that region is starkly different than here in the States. One of the things I have noticed is, "generally speaking", most of the freight traffic is hauled using one (maybe two) locomotives, with train lengths of 30-50 cars. They usually run 80-100 KMH (50-62 MPH). You NEVER see more than two locomotives and never any DPU's. I suspect they run freight traffic more frequently, than just one big long train. Kinda of interesting to see how rail traffic is conducted in other parts of the world.

I suspect a big difference is the scope of distance that needs to be traveled by German freight trains vs North American trains. If you put Germany over the USA, the basic outline is Germany would cover the LP of Michigan, the states of Ohio and most of Indiana and as fas east as Toronto.

In the United States were transport that stuff by truck, not by rail because it is considered a short hual.

One thing that does allow German railroads to do is quicker turnarounds between trains, thus requiring less power to move the goods because they can turn equipment around faster for return trips.

NS does it again, in Georgia. Nothing leaking, or on fire, so far.

joeyuboats wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 09, 2023 3:22 pm

NS does it again, in Georgia. Nothing leaking, or on fire, so far.

Alabama, not Georgia. Looking at a couple pictures, this looks like a slow speed derailment, as the cars are fairly close to the stopped UP power on the head end.

Also, without being an expert, I suspect this was a track defect derailment as several pictures have something missing. One of the rails appears to have been displaced, while the other still appears intact. This makes me think the train may have caused the rail to roll causing the derailment. Again, I am not an expert, but that's what I would guess with my limited knowledge.

The unfortunate situation now is, the Activist Media is now on the looking for every derailment in their attempt to run a narrative.

R Bedell wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:53 am

The unfortunate situation now is, the Activist Media is now on the looking for every derailment in their attempt to run a narrative.

If anyone is surprised by this then I got some stunningly beautiful oceanfront land in Kansas to sell them for a downright steal

R Bedell wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:53 am

The unfortunate situation now is, the Activist Media...

News reporting has become an extension of the entertainment industry. CNN and Fox news are great examples. The news media will report and hype what people will listen too. There are on average 20+ derailments a week, most minor. BNSF had derailments in Oklahoma and North Dakota. U.P. in California. But nothing caught fire so it's Norfolk Southern that will people will pay attention.

PatAzo wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:03 am

News reporting has become an extension of the entertainment industry.

+1

NS is officially instating a 10,000-foot limit on all of their trains, per a screenshot from Facebook, several NS trains are being split into two trains, and several Train ID's thought to be dead are coming back.

NS 333 and NS 334 (Bellevue-Detroit-Bellevue) are coming back too as a result.

I watched a news segment with Bernie Sanders asking Alan Shaw yes or no if he would commit to end PSR. It would have been awesome of Shaw had asked Sen. Sanders if he would commit yes or no to balancing the federal budget.

Schteinkuh wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 17, 2023 10:49 am

R Bedell wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 16, 2023 4:15 pm

Don't believe me? Listen to the former head of the FRA: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/ohio-t ... kJy3jCgUX4

CBS ??? The Continuous Bull crap network. IMHO, that story was laughable.

Between the Brain Dead Media, clambering for some air time, and the Lawyers lining up ( like sharks smelling blood in the water), this will be a first class three ring circus. SMH.

And the beat goes on.......

Also fwiw Saturnalia, after RR retirement, federal income tax, 401k, and medical (which has been steadily increasing for craft workers), I only keep around 66% of my checks. My apologies for misspeaking about the RRB percentage

Please tell me you are not complaining about only keeping about 66% of your gross income. Let's see, mine is 15.3% going to SS/FICA, another 12% going to federal income tax, plus 4.25% going to state income tax. I lose over 30% of my income before I even get to retirement and insurance. It is part of the costs of being self-employed. It is something I knew going into it, so I have to pay what I have to pay because I made this decision.

Department of Justice and the state of Ohio have each filed lawsuits against Norfolk Southern: https://6abc.com/east-palestine-ohio-tr ... /13059514/

Saturnalia wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 14, 2023 7:08 pm

So far, there isn't any evidence (at least that I have seen) that the overheated and failed bearing would have been detectable during a routine inspection. Perhaps somebody with more experience would be able to enlighten us as to if that is even possible, since the bearings are all sealed up.

I noticed the impassioned NS bashing subsided as factual information came into the discussion. With the NTSB stating that the detectors themselves were not causal to the derailment noting that roller bearings should not be operated to failure, that the point on inspection would be even more pertinent.

What time is allotted for inspections and what are inspectors expected to look at? With the nature of the management/labor relationship on the class one railroads I would really be surprised this wasn't documented somewhere.