The Monster USCC Off-Topic Thread

[ilvla2]

Happy New Year ilvla2! And to everyone that normally posts here in the "Important Information" thread!
Now we have....oh.....about 2 1/2 hours left in 2011 (here in the West)! Wishing the very best for everyone in the new year...and hopefully the 'end of the world' doesn't crash our party! lol!

Thanks, back atcha!

[AndThenScottSays...]

Random question for ilvla:

Why don't trains have cabooses anymore?

[tearsonurcheek]

Odd/useless stock photos

I wonder what they had in mind when they took these. Some examples:

[Fallstar]

at the second one.

[ilvla2]

Random question for ilvla:

Why don't trains have cabooses anymore?

Man, am I late on this one! LOL These say it pretty good (I stink at explaining things lol)-

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...booses-anymore

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...6043526AAfU7VU

Cabooses are still used on some trains though, like some locals where they have a lot of set outs and pick ups to do, or where there are long back up shoves the caboose provides a shoving platform (ALL backup moves must be protected, called protecting the shove). There are even some railroads that still use cabooses on every train, like the Union Railroad in Pennsylvania, a Steel Hauling Railroad. Many of the cabooses you see will have welded up windows on the side, this is done for a couple of reasons, one is to protect the crews from vandals (yep, they like to throw things from rocks to larger objects at trains, and have done some serious injury to crew members), the other is that most cabooses aren't used for a crew home anymore (the Conductor's and brakemen used to sleep in the caboose between runs, now the the entire crew, engineer, conductor's, etc. sleep together in motels), and hence don't need the windows.

http://www.tstarinc.com/union/index.html

[Fallstar]

ok...I'm ready for spring.

[Fallstar]

I hate freezing rain.

[ilvla2]

LOL I'm glad for all the rain and snow we're getting here right now, we had a VERY Dry December and up until this week a VERY dry January (December 2011 has gone down as one of the driest here on record), it looks like it'll keep up well into next week. Another big one is moving in right now, finally, here's to getting back to a normal winter, aka TONS Of rain and snow

Edit-It was very rainy in September, October and November, then things went dry in early December. It's been cold this winter though, we had lows in the mid to upper teens at my place earlier this week (17 Mon and Tue Mornings, 16 Wed Morning), and we've had a lot of teens and low 20s this winter already, which is pretty normal for us actually. We get most of our heavy rain and snow in Jan, Feb and March (and April some years), so I'm glad we're back to normal now, summers here normally see little to no rain (mostly Thunderstorms in the higher terrain), we depend on the winter rain's and snow's to provide much of our summer water.

[tearsonurcheek]

It's 23F outside right now. This past Monday when I was running a fever with a cold? High of 72F. In late January? Really?

[Fallstar]

Like I said...I hate freezing rain! I had to work evening shifts (my previous post), and driving home at midnight was a challenge, managing about 10-20 mph most of the way! Made it home safely, but a little ruffled. Then I couldn't get up the driveway incline, the car kept turning sideways and sliding down! It ended up sliding against some bushes...put the handbrakes on, crawled out of the passenger door, and left it for the night! It was off the driveway, out of the way...or so I thought. Next morning, neighbor knocks on the door and hands me a business card for the local taxi service. I'm thinking "I hope I don't need this", aha, he says to turn the card over. Cab driver wrote a note saying his car slid into mine and "bumped" it. Well the "bump" was on the passenger door, which I couldn't unlock or open. Had to get in the back door and climb over seats to the driver side! lol! Anyway, after taking the car to a couple of local body shops, that "bump" is going to cost the cab company's insurance over $2K!

[tearsonurcheek]

Yeah, ice is the worst. I love snow (except the shoveling part and the idiot drivers part), but ice? I'd rather just stay inside. Fortunately, it's been in the 60's and 70's here. *knock on wood*

At least the cabbie was honest, which is awesome.

[Fallstar]

Hey OK has had its fair share of nasty ice storms in recent years...I definitely don't envy you guys! Yeah, I don't have studded tires (just all-wheel drive), and was hearing reports of people with studded tires sliding off the road. That day, they closed down Interstate 84 from the Gorge to the Idaho border for 24 hours. By the time I got off work later that night, it was eerie seeing all those rigs parked along the main road (3 deep in some spots) near the town's exit, waiting for the interstate to re-open. Sort of reminded me of the movie "Maximum Overdrive".

Oh, and I think the cab driver had to report the accident, since my neighbor (who called them) was a witness! lol!

[tearsonurcheek]

I only have rear-wheel drive, but around here, people with AWD/4WD think they're invincible. So you'll see them doing 80 mph down the highway during a heavy snowstorm. *shakes head*

[Fallstar]

ugh, I think you'll find those everywhere. /

[ilvla2]

ugh, I think you'll find those everywhere. /

Yep, you do, and if it wasn't for people like us who watch out, they'd be in a hospital, or the ground.