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   REPLY: 32.fidonet_memories@1:19/33 2d4eb706   
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   > Ed,   
      
   >    
      
   >   Exactly. And, the moving current doesn't help things, either.   
      
   >   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.   
      
   >   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   
   >  * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (1:19/33)   
      
      
      
   Daryl, Your Tagline included DOS amoung the list of plagues    
   Maybe MS-DOS but not IBM-DOS.   
   On my 486 desktop with MS-DOS 5.0 I later added IBM-DOS 7 to it after finding a   
   IBM-DOS 7 CD at a thrift store.   
      
   I have always wondered if I got caught and committed if the place would allow   
   me to have my Kenwood TS-520S in my room.   
   I have a Husler Mobile antenna bottom section with upper portions for 75M   
   through 10M.   
   If the institution didn't want to hear my squeaky voice I would bring Headsets   
   and a J-38 Key.   
   At least that's the plan I have in my mind    
   /Portable# should work O.K. unless I was transmitting on the 15M band.   
   73   
   Ed   
   .   .   
   --- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux   
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