My dad(60+yrs old) saw CSX moving BIG (est. 50kw) diesel generators to "open"(?) the RR bridges over the Tensaw/Mobile river delta north of Mobile, (2 bridges) via the highway. He assumed it's related to Y2K and the loss of power. In this way they would be able to continue opening the bridges for river traffic, which they have to do by law. Barges/tugs have the right-of-way I assume.

Is he "wet" on this or what?

My email does works! However, pls post to this brd.......

-- L&N oldtimer (a_234@hotmail.com), June 15, 1999

Answers

Sounds like good contingency planning to me. I think we've all been waiting for this sort of thing to happen. I'm betting we'll a *rush* of this kind of preparation in the next 3 months.

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), June 16, 1999.

Last time a barge and a bridge argued over rights-of-wy, the bridge lost. Train was derailed, killed a few people. Sounds like a good backup plan to me.

It's starting people; and some are further ahead than others, working harder to prevent troubles.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), June 16, 1999.

L&N -- wonder how they are fixing to handle switching, esp. in the marshalling yards?

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), June 16, 1999.

My question is: Are they better prepared to keep those generators where they want them? Or will this effort end up like the HurricanE Hugo debacle? CSX and Norfolk Southern set up a bunch of generators to run remote signal and communications equipment, as they attempted to restore their operations. But all they ended up doing was handily locating the generators for local thieves to steal without having to travel away from home turf. It was so bad that as railroad employees drove out of sight of a newly installed genset, there was a crew of generator rustlers driving up to steal the genset.

I guess there will be a few "hot-handed, good ol' boys" with lighted homes next January. If they can figure out how to steal a tank car full of fuel to go with their "new" generators.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), June 16, 1999.