Missed Us By Thirty Miles

Blizzard 

 Last week saw a major blizzard roar through the Dakotas, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Eastern Colorado. I have several assignments in the area that are not getting done. Even when the roads are “open”, the condition of those roads doesn’t make for safe travel and none of my assignments are life and death.

 How bad was it? This is from Falsebook.

 For the first time in about a decade, the Alliance, NE based rotary snowplow unit BNSF 972559 and rotary snowplow power plant BNSF 972572 lead a southbound W-ALNALN2-16B, seen stopped at MP 21.1 on the BNSF Angora Subdivision at Angora, NE with BNSF 8796 and 8490 shoving on the north end. Multiple attempts to clear the hill between Dalton and Bridgeport remain unsuccessful, as deep snow drifts and high wind speeds continue to challenge the crews working to clear the line.

2 trains were parked side by side at Dalton early this week, and the train in the siding was drifted in by snow so badly, it couldn’t move even after adding extra locomotives, and Hulcher was called to dig it out once roads reopened. A Jordan spreader was sent south from Alliance Thursday night, where it too fell to the mercy of the deep snow, and the plow separated from the locomotives when they backed up to get another run at the drifts, and the snow had built up under the pin lifter and wouldn’t recouple. State highways have been shut down since early Tuesday morning, further adding to the challenges of keeping rail traffic moving.

A remark

They demanded crews to show up. Said there would be no leniency on their attendance even with the road closures. They even had to walk a mile with all their gear to get on tbe trains. They were charged 7 point per call off.

ADDENDUM: Picture taken from the BNSF Rotary.

Side note: The looming nationwide rail strike isn’t about wages. Rather, work conditions and quality of life. BNSF demanded crews show up for their assignments even if they had to walk. Roads closed? Tough shit! Show up or get docked. If/when the workers strike the blame falls on management. WSF predicts the strike will be long and bitter.

After the blizzard North of Kimball, NE. There are cows scattered all over and these don’t belong here. Ranchers gather cows and wait to sort out who owns what.

Getting Old  

A neighbor is a Korea War vet (15 months starting in 1953). Great guy. A few days ago he was standing outside the entry not dressed for the temperature. Banner and I opened the doors for him. He told me his key didn’t work and showed me his keys. To open our doors after hours you need a fob that unlocks the doors. He didn’t have one and seemed confused by his situation.

Is that my future? I’m fighting against it by staying active, watching my diet, and taking a lot of supplements. 

Brutal Beast  

Banner is a gentle soul, a wimp unless severely provoked, which is a good thing. He isn’t allowed bones as his powerful jaws break them and he swallows the pieces. These are his chew toys. They keep his teeth and gums clean but last about three months.

While he will eat nearly everything (except garlic stuffed olives) he is quite particular about chew toys.

 

Fools, and Damned Fools

What damned fool dispatcher sends 18 wheelers out in the teeth of a major ice storm and blizzard?

Compounded by a damned fool driver that attempts the trip, one could say.

My sister, the insurance adjuster, is on her way to a huge pileup on I-25 just South of the Wyoming line. To get there she will be using back roads that won't see a snowplow for days. The main roads are closed.

With her 4wd F-150 and decades of dealing with the worse kind of weather she will get the job done. 

When I last talked to her on the cell she said it was, "Almost two hands on the wheel", conditions.

Can't fault her - I would be doing the same. 

In addition to the above mentioned damned fools I should include my sister and I. We have done similar things time and time again over the years.

UPDATE: The county has sidelined snowplows due to whiteout conditions.

Free Tune Up

Just a ways up Boulder Canyon from Boulder is Magnolia Drive, or Road, that snakes around and comes out between Nederland and Rollinsville. The first seven or so miles are up to 14% grade with many ’10 mph’ corners. No letup – all uphill. My work took me to a house eight miles up the road.

Drove my old Mitsubishi Mighty Max and, for the first time, saw the temp gauge needle climb to 2/3rds. Never in regular driving does it go over 1/3^rd. Seven miles, 1^st gear mostly, with a high engine temperature must have blown out some carbon and cobwebs as it has noticeably quicker acceleration. Of course, with just 2.0 liters, it isn’t an accelerating monster, but I can tell the difference.

What, WSF, you were in Boulder? Alas, yes. In my defense I was being paid. Surely you don’t think I would drive through that freak show on my own volition?

My client/employer was in a bit of a bind and I had agreed to help them out. From trust fund central I then proceeded to Denver’s Westside barrio. Interesting how gentrification is nibbling around the fringe.

My last call was out East near DIA. Got to ‘enjoy’ both I-25 and I-70 mid afternoon. Once again, was reminded how dismal Colorado drivers are in heavy traffic. Give me LA anytime.

Later on wide open I-76 saw something bizarre. A F250 with some ranch name on the door and Texas plates going 15 mph under the speed limit. My guess is the driver stole it. Certainly not a native Texan.  Weather was not a factor.

On a personal note, had my second VA visit. This doctor didn’t disappoint. He hit every checkmark on the dickhead list along with the personality of a wet diaper. Still, I’m getting an appointment in three weeks at the Cheyenne VA Hospital for tests. Baby steps.

There is a huge storm coming through but the worst is to the North. This one could be a real cattle killer. I have nowhere I need to be and a full refrigerator but I have vivid memories of surviving these storms in the past and feel great empathy for those in the path.

Many relatives and good friends are at risk.

There is a grim, but true saving: “This country can kill you”.

Well Shucky Darn

First weekend of the month and move in/move out time. Sucks when it happens during a March blizzard and -5°.

Sure glad it wasn't me!

Spring, Where Are You

Ah, Colorado. It is mid April, and we have April showers today. White, fluffy showers. Which brings to mind April, 1956, in Toponas, CO., and a three day blizzard.

Some posts here are things related to the extended tribe I am part of, and occasionally written at the request of family member. This is one such post. Makes good material, at family gatherings, for the tribe’s favorite past time; arguing.  It may make for boring reading for anyone else. You have been warned

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Most blizzards are a twenty four to thirty six hours events in Western Colorado. This storm was over seventy two hours. When it cleared, all of the roads were blown full. All of the fences were covered. Looking across the ground, you couldn’t tell where the roads began. The ranchers had a terrible time getting feed to their cattle

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My father was the Section Foreman on the portion of the Denver and Rio Grande railroad from McCoy, CO to Phippsburg, CO. Phippsburg, about 15 miles from Toponas, had a small rail yard and maintenance facility. Sitting in the yard was a steam powered rotary snowplow that hadn’t been used for years. My father, and his section crew, hitched a ride on a State snowplow that was opening Highway 131, to Phippsburg , where they joined other D&RG employees.  Somehow, they got the rotary up and running.

This is about the best I can do to show the equipment and usage of that era.

http://illianaroad.com/railroading/steam-powered-snowplows-throwing-snow/

The D and RG had gone 100% diesel, but most of the infrastructure to support steam remained. They had ample coal,  but water was a problem. Union rules, as to who could do what, were set aside as all of the employees pitched in to get the line open. In the next two days, they got the line open. First, they ran Southbound to Bond, CO where the D and RG mainline was located. Then they turned around and went Northbound to Craig, CO., where the line ended.

When the rotary came by Toponas Southbound, they were running around ten miles per hour. Coming back, Northbound, they were moving fast. All you could see was a huge white cloud.

My father loved horsepower. I’m sure he got his hands on the controls of that rotary, and had a grin from ear to ear as he ran it. He, and his crew, came back from Craig on the Yampa Valley Mail, a daily passenger train that had been stuck in Craig. The train slowed, not stopping, and my father and crew jumped off. Of course, they were riding in the locomotive cab.

http://wellseasonedfool.blogspot.com/search?q=yampa+valley+mail

The school was closed for a week. Located at the Junction of Highway 131 and Highway 134, it was a two mile walk for me. I had to walk the railroad tracks to Highway 134, and then on the highway to school. While the State Highways were soon opened, the county roads weren’t cleared for quite awhile, and some of the ranch kids had a two week recess. As I recall, we still had snow in places in June.

A few days after this storm, I saw my father come close to death on a motor car.

 The railroad used a private telephone  system. A “dispatcher” would give my father a “block time”, a period when there was to be no trains running his section of track. The system failed. Our house sat right on the tracks. I was on the front porch watching my father approaching on a motor car. Behind him was a locomotive unit coming up fast. Motor cars were very noisy. At the last moment, my father looked over his shoulder and leaped for his life.  The locomotive tossed the motor car several hundred feet down the tracks. Seems the locomotive driver had 1) left Phippsburg without clearance and 2) wasn’t watching the tracks,  per the fireman who was also in the cab.

So ends a bit of family history. Since only two aunts and one cousin are older than me, the rest of you shouldn’t argue with me about this. Not that that will stop any of you!

The picture at the start of this blog was a unit in Newfoundland. In my memory, it is very similar to the one operated by the D and RG.  The D and RG operated several rotary plows in the San Luis Valley area (Alamosa). Some of these are preserved, and one is on display in Chama, N.M.

I’m happy we are getting moisture; we need it. What I like about rain is, you don’t need to shovel it.