---talking to a friend, is a grunt in the field for choo choo who's name is a virginny city and a direction that ain't north. Anywho, they been running cell phones instead of "normal" communications-since rollover-a coincidence, I'm sure-and that's part of the slowdown in traffic. Also, they been busy fixing crossing gates and switches that all mysteriously suffered some more coincidental non y2k glitches after rollover.<---totally baseless rumor and non verifiable anecdotal comments that may or may not be true, always check with your hairdresser and plumber before attempting

itain'twhytookay

-- itain'twhytookay (same@asalways.rumormill.arghhh), January 08, 2000

Answers

A crossing for a major line is just behind my place of work. There has been a RR maintenance crew there since the rollover. The crossing signel pole has been taken down and is laying on the ground. Because track is not being replaced I do have to wonder why the crew has been there for eight days.

-- Ed (ed@lizzardranch.com), January 08, 2000.

http://www.fra.dot.gov/doc/y2k/rr/index.htm

Union Pacific prior to the rollover identified crossing signal event recorders required resetting. This is in their response to the FRA's questionaire.

"e.Grade crossing signals NO and grade crossing signal event recorders?

YES, some event recorders will require resetting the date after 1/1/2000."

(This issue was recognized by at least 3 of the 7 RR's in this 1999 status questionaire)

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 08, 2000.

Trains traffic is still very light in Chico Ca. Normal traffic is 6- 10 per day is now down to 1 or 2. I have been posting these observations for 3 days.

-- Jon (Jon@jps.net), January 08, 2000.

The trains normally come through ElkRiver MN all day long. I heard no trains from 12/31 until 5:30 this morning. I saw another one 4 hours later. Things may be fixed.

-- John Littmann (LITTMANNJ@AOL.COM), January 08, 2000.

hey jon , i'm in chico , just saying hi

-- tso drbhays (bestrong@cmc.net), January 08, 2000.

Hey John -

My 'bunker' is in Detroit Lakes. Just saying "Hi!"

-- Me (me@me.me), January 08, 2000.

If rail capacity has been reduced as these 'hearings' (not 'sightings) indicate, has the OTR redunancy picked up the slack? Is that economically feasible? Or are goods piling up?

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), January 08, 2000.

I had a discussion with a yardmaster I know. Seems that coal traffic is not running at normal levels by request of the power companies. Seems the power companies stocked up for Y2K and since things have stayed "mostly normal", they're tying to use up their stockpiles for inventory tax reasons. The railraods have been cut back to contract requirement minimum numbers of trains while the coal piles are used up.

Sure hope they aren't burning their stockpiles before they really need them.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), January 08, 2000.