TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 32.fidonet_memories@1:19/33 2d4eb706   
   REPLY: 26781.memoryln@1:2320/105 2d4ed594   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Win32 master/0e9549266 Sep 07 2025 MSC 1942   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.29-Win32 master/0e9549266 Sep 07 2025 MSC 1942   
   BBSID: TBOLTBBS   
   CHRS: CP437 2   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   Ed,   
      
    EV> Daryl, When rereading this today I thought about Tow Boats on   
    EV> the rivers and Large Vessels on the oceans.   
    EV> Those can't stop quickly either.   
      
      
      
    EV> That Captain had the same feelings that Railroad Engineers have   
    EV> when vehicles are on the Tracks in front of them.   
      
     Exactly. And, the moving current doesn't help things, either.   
      
    EV> Myself, I cause Road Rage at a nearby Crossing because I slow   
    EV> way down and look left and right before going through the   
    EV> crossing. I do that because I am afraid there may be a   
    EV> Electrical Power Failure that has prevented the Signals or   
    EV> Guard Gate operating.   
      
     Normally, the crossings where electronic signals are, have a   
   battery backup power supply, which usually will activate the   
   signals, and lower the gates, when power is lost to the bungalo   
   signal box. However, those batteries don't last forever (as does   
   nothing in this life). Apparently, the signals deactivate when   
   the battery backup is about to run out, then they don't work at   
   all. At that point, it's the same is a private grade crossing   
   with only a crossbuck.   
      
     After Hurricane Charlie several years ago devastated much of   
   Florida, damaging much of the railroad and other infrastructure,   
   most of the signals went dark. As a result, there were "slow orders"   
   for all the trains (including Amtrak), and the crossings had to be   
   "flagged", where a member of the crew (likely the Conductor) would    
   get off, walk to the crossing, with a flag, and possibly the flares,    
   to stop traffic. When the locomotive eased into the crossing to fully    
   block it, the Conductor got back on, and the train went on its way.   
      
     Or, if some of the railroad management were involved as flaggers,    
   they had HT's to communicate with the dispatcher and the engineer,    
   to advise that they could proceed at restricted speed, and that the    
   crossing was flagged. The flagger would also check once the rear of    
   the train had passed, to verify that the end of train device/marker    
   was there, and was activated.   
      
     I remember while still living in Florida, there were warning   
   signs at one crossing noting that "the signals were not working,   
   and to use caution".   
      
     Before I had to quit driving, the grade crossing only 1/4 mile   
   away from my house was activated (gates down and lights flashing),   
   but there was no train. I called the number on the Emergency   
   Notification System (ENS) sign, and was told which options to   
   choose.    
      
     If there was a derailment, a hotbox or railcar fire (especially    
   if there was hazardous materials involved (with a colored placard    
   on the side))...you would choose option 1. If there was a vehicle    
   blocking the crossing, the signals weren't working, or they were    
   broken, to choose option 2.    
      
     On the ENS sign was the location of the crossing, the host   
   railroad, the milepost, and a department of transportation ID   
   number. You would give all that to the dispatcher at the other    
   end of the line. They, in turn, would change the signals, issue   
   slow orders, and contact the crew...along with other local area   
   emergency personnel. They will also dispatch maintenance of way   
   (MOW) personnel, to work on repairing the signals.   
      
     If this is done as soon as it occurs (or very shortly thereafter),    
   there is a higher chance of stopping an approaching train before it    
   slams into stuff at the crossing, or a derailment and fiery explosion    
   results, which requires evacuations.   
      
     I have reported this to Union Pacific Railroad (the main railroad    
   through Little Rock) more than once...and I gave them my name, and   
   my amateur radio callsign.   
      
     Only in America...we rush to beat:   
      
   1) The traffic lights at intersections.   
   2) The trains at railroad crossings.   
   3) The boats at draw bridges.   
      
     Yet, we'll stand patiently for 3 hours on the golf course.   
      
    EV> Yes, I am a case. They haven't found me yet.   
    EV> Please don't tell em.   
      
     They probably wouldn't want you...or me, either.    
      
   73,   
      
   Daryl, N5VLZ   
      
   ... And there were plagues of locusts, and frogs, and MS-DOS, and MS Windows.   
   === MultiMail/Win v0.52   
   --- SBBSecho 3.29-Win32   
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