If you were half as smart as you hallucinate, which yo are not, you would know that the folks who jump the tracks in the video are the problem of the local LEO's. Glad to be able to educate your stupidity. Railroad Detectives could not care less about crossing hoppers. They are only concerned about crimes commited against or on RR property. Such as fools that break turnout locks and put trains on the wrong track, bums and hobos on freights. Your welcome for the impromptu education

Hold your horses, MustanGT! You re starting to bark insults again...
Did someone (for example the FRA) ever consider to redefine the concerns of your famous detectives and change their roles? They could for example help to catch the crossing hoppers shown on the video.
This world is changing guys, your job changes and also the loud train honking (making you deaf) should disappear.
btw did you hear the repeating loud train honking in the video ... it didn't help to stop these hoppers ... they just like to risk their lives and the more noise the better for these guys.


If you were half as smart as you hallucinate, which yo are not, you would know that the folks who jump the tracks in the video are the problem of the local LEO's. Glad to be able to educate your stupidity. Railroad Detectives could not care less about crossing hoppers. They are only concerned about crimes commited against or on RR property. Such as fools that break turnout locks and put trains on the wrong track, bums and hobos on freights. Your welcome for the impromptu education

Picture a signed--but uncontrolled--railroad crossing on, say, NE 4th St. between Bryant and Sunnylane back in about '75. Imagine that the tracks cross the road at about a 45-degree angle, running SW to NE (or vice-versa). Also place a noisy asphalt plant on the north side of the road (a plant that the railroad tracks skirt on the east) and some old oil-field storage tanks and overgrown brush and trees to the south.

Now, picture an old oil-field type, noisy, diesel, winch-truck/tractor--perhaps an old conventional International Harvester, maybe a late '60s model--headed east on 4th pulling a float (flatbed trailer) loaded with paving equipment bound for a project somewhere down around Holdenville.

The driver of the truck hears a strange sound above the noise of the truck and the asphalt plant. It is a vaguely familiar sound, but he can't place it. He first wonders what the f=ck is going wrong with the truck (this time). . . Then he wonders what the h=ll is going wrong with some piece of equipment at the asphalt plant. As the truck has a headache rack for the winch behind the cab--rather than a sleeper--the driver glances back over his right shoulder, through the dirty rear window, to the southwest, and sees nothing but THE BLUE AND YELLOW FRONT OF A GIANT TRAIN!!! RIGHT THERE AT THE INTERSECTION!!!

Fortuntely, the driver is only going about 25 mph at this point, so he yanks down the trailer brake lever on the steering column and turns the wheel as hard and fast as he can putting the cab of the truck slightly into the ditch on the opposite side of the road parallel to the tracks (he hopes) . . . He closes his eyes and waits for the impact.

Nothing happens.

He opens his eyes and sees the train passing about six inches off the passenger side rear-view mirror. He also sees a member of the train crew hanging out of the locomotive to see what serious damage may have just occurred.

Probably, the train guy was nearly as relieved as I was.
And, today, I remain grateful that trains have to blow their horns as many times as necessary at railroad crossings.

(In fact, as I type, I hear a train horn blowing over there around Hefner and Western . . . It reminds me to count my blessings.=)

Edited to add:
"Hmmm . . . Kemo Sabe . . . Some settlers like snorting of Iron Horse even less than Indian like settlers." ~Tonto.

Has anyone agreed with this Torea guy yet?

Has anyone agreed with this Torea guy yet?

Nope and I doubt it will ever happen. Torea, railroad detectives have NO AUTHORITY to issue traffic tickets for gate jumpers. I am curious how old you are and if you have ANY real word experience beyond a computer screen and keyboard???

Dang RM that is a TOO close call. I bet the naugahyde seat was pinched up tight...

Has anyone agreed with this Torea guy yet?


I think everybody has agreed he is wrong and wonder why he's on this board if he lives in KC.

RoadHawg:
Yup: Lot's of "Okie-ExPatriots" in here.
Probably validates that slogan on those old, authentic, black and white license plates:
Oklahoma is OK.

I hope that those "outsiders" running the current developments (remotely, from "The Cloud") are still here at heart.

Mustang . . .
Yeah . . . That WAS a "close call".
One of many.
("I used t' have a Harley . . . In fact, I had several of them . . and.....
"I used to be into rock climbing, back in Colorado . . . And then one day . . . ouch. =)

Probably accounts, in part, for why I am a RadicalMODERATE instead of an extremist alternative.
It's difficult to be extreme and thankful/empathtic at the same time.

BTW: That particular company (Steelman Construction)--back then--chose not to spend money on Naugahide. I think it went to tulip bulbs. For landscaping purposes. However, I was able to glean realization of the errors of stereotyping regarding "black folks" and their "work ethics" (or "lack of same") while so employed.

Just another one of those "blessings" I suppose . . . =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZa78OItCoM

And yet--despite my well-reasoned "fear" of trains =)--another blessing.

Good Stuff, T . . . (Except for maybe ending the video with a loud train horn just to piss some people off)

So . . . Where are you placing the ads (other than here)?
(Three minutes would be a little expensive . . . yet . . . with editing . . . =)

When the big set is complete, I'm going to do another one and hopefully find some sound files of choo choo horns.

Too many posts to read so let me just ask this. If we have better ways to protect crossings that make less noise, why not use them? At the first car intersections people just honked at each other. Then they installed signs that made a loud ding sound when it changed. Then we went to lights that don't make any sound. In India most crossing are staffed by someone and they go out and manully lower the gate (not saying we use India as model for anything - just identifying how other countries do it).

Trains should not be blowing horns 4x as that is not effective. Its quite useless. One time horn per crossing is acceptable. Maybe two, if both times are short...not long. The lights and gates are more than enough to stop people. The horns have no effect to enhance such warning whatsoever. I'm deaf and I stop at every crossing where the lights and gates is active. Do I hear the horns? No. Does the supplied lights and gates work for me? Yes. And it should work for everyone else. It is the lawbreaker that attempt to bypass these signals...and the horns will not stop them anyway.

I understand Torea. Everyone just need to stop fighting back 'n forth. Okay? Now, where is that MDot? He needs to refill my iced cold sweet tea and bring me a blue mini umbrella. Oh, a curly straw, too.

And from post # 3, by me, on this thread:

Here in Arlington TX they made all of the crossings in town "horn free". They did this by building a concrete island that extends from the rails to three car lengths behind the rails. You'd have to be pretty determined and be driving a monster truck to go around the crossing arms.


http://www.arlingtontx.gov/news/2010/archive_0410_08.html

Frago, North Dakota Quite Zone

GwGTlMCTl90

At the end of the video the police is giving a ticket to guy that crossed the tracks.

I agree with your car analogy: Cars today respect the lights and don't make noise anymore.
Only the trains are stuck in their long past noisy history where honking seemed to be romantic.
And our monopolistic railroad companies lobbied enough to make the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) declare rules for every train to honk FOUR times before the smallest railroad crossing.
ONLY in America!


Too many posts to read so let me just ask this. If we have better ways to protect crossings that make less noise, why not use them? At the first car intersections people just honked at each other. Then they installed signs that made a loud ding sound when it changed. Then we went to lights that don't make any sound. In India most crossing are staffed by someone and they go out and manully lower the gate (not saying we use India as model for anything - just identifying how other countries do it).

RadicalModerate describes a real nice and romantic start for a documentary movie about the Railroads in the US.
In real life 1,000 times more small railroad crossings do not have heavy traffic, have more trains than cars (or trucks) passing and still have to hear that same 4 times loud honking noise for every passing train.
Why not building tunnels or bridges for these "dangerous" crossings? This would be way less expensive than requesting each and every town and city to pay for inefficient "Quiet Zones"


Picture a signed--but uncontrolled--railroad crossing on, say, NE 4th St. between Bryant and Sunnylane back in about '75. Imagine that the tracks cross the road at about a 45-degree angle, running SW to NE (or vice-versa). Also place a noisy asphalt plant on the north side of the road (a plant that the railroad tracks skirt on the east) and some old oil-field storage tanks and overgrown brush and trees to the south.

Now, picture an old oil-field type, noisy, diesel, winch-truck/tractor--perhaps an old conventional International Harvester, maybe a late '60s model--headed east on 4th pulling a float (flatbed trailer) loaded with paving equipment bound for a project somewhere down around Holdenville.

The driver of the truck hears a strange sound above the noise of the truck and the asphalt plant. It is a vaguely familiar sound, but he can't place it. He first wonders what the f=ck is going wrong with the truck (this time). . . Then he wonders what the h=ll is going wrong with some piece of equipment at the asphalt plant. As the truck has a headache rack for the winch behind the cab--rather than a sleeper--the driver glances back over his right shoulder, through the dirty rear window, to the southwest, and sees nothing but THE BLUE AND YELLOW FRONT OF A GIANT TRAIN!!! RIGHT THERE AT THE INTERSECTION!!!

Fortuntely, the driver is only going about 25 mph at this point, so he yanks down the trailer brake lever on the steering column and turns the wheel as hard and fast as he can putting the cab of the truck slightly into the ditch on the opposite side of the road parallel to the tracks (he hopes) . . . He closes his eyes and waits for the impact.

Nothing happens.

He opens his eyes and sees the train passing about six inches off the passenger side rear-view mirror. He also sees a member of the train crew hanging out of the locomotive to see what serious damage may have just occurred.

Probably, the train guy was nearly as relieved as I was.
And, today, I remain grateful that trains have to blow their horns as many times as necessary at railroad crossings.

(In fact, as I type, I hear a train horn blowing over there around Hefner and Western . . . It reminds me to count my blessings.=)

Edited to add:
"Hmmm . . . Kemo Sabe . . . Some settlers like snorting of Iron Horse even less than Indian like settlers." ~Tonto.

MustanGT, I don't agree to issue just a traffic ticket to these gate jumpers ... Railroad detectives should lock these jumpers in a train (nearby the horn) and deliver them for further processing to a city jail wherever the train has a next planned stop to avoid train schedule disturbance.


Nope and I doubt it will ever happen. Torea, railroad detectives have NO AUTHORITY to issue traffic tickets for gate jumpers. I am curious how old you are and if you have ANY real word experience beyond a computer screen and keyboard???

Dang RM that is a TOO close call. I bet the naugahyde seat was pinched up tight...

Torea, you are falling for MustangGT's stories. LOL ... There are no detectives and he did not speak to anyone. Like I warned, everyone, enough with the fighting and be a civil American discussing the issues of blaring horns.

Thunder, got everything you needed while you were typing your last response.

Thunder, got everything you needed while you were typing your last response.

Yes, thank you, I am going to sit here, relax, and enjoy Bostonfan's raging.

Thanks for reminding and I agree with your comment Sir,

Let's focus on the subject of this talk: 2010 and trains still have to blow horns?


Torea, you are falling for MustangGT's stories. LOL ... There are no detectives and he did not speak to anyone. Like I warned, everyone, enough with the fighting and be a civil American discussing the issues of blaring horns.

The answer for the majority is yes. END OF STORY. Time to move on. What a waste of oxygen.

Its the year 2011 soon to be 2012.

Its the year 2011 soon to be 2012.

An intelligent thought...Is Thunder advancing up the evolutionary ladder...Stay tuned.

An intelligent thought...Is Thunder advancing up the evolutionary ladder...Stay tuned.

Sweetie, I'm much smarter than you. Its painfully obvious. :-)

Yes Sir, 2010, 2011, 2012, .... loud and repetitive train honking will be here, for many more years to come.
Unless we find a way to stop the inertia inherent to old fashioned monopolies i.e. the railroad companies in the US.

In more modern economic activities the government does a good job (regulating and suing ATT for example)
The FRA regretfully does not regulate but only listens to the Railroad companies and allows them with their recent regulations to honk 4 times anytime for every crossing. I do not believe that this is a good way to defend the public's interest!



Its the year 2011 soon to be 2012.

Sweetie, I'm much smarter than you. Its painfully obvious. :-)

You know why I won't mud wrestle a pig like you any more on this thread??? It pleases the pig and gets me dirty in your filth. "Sweetie" You just outed yourself. Did you complete college with a degree? What was it in? At least I have not lived with my momma for longer than you have besmirched the earth.

You and torea are made for each other, lovers. Have fun!!!

You know why I won't mud wrestle a pig like you any more on this thread??? It pleases the pig and gets me dirty in your filth. "Sweetie" You just outed yourself. Did you complete college with a degree? What was it in? At least I have not lived with my momma for longer than you have besmirched the earth.

You and torea are made for each other, lovers. Have fun!!!

You're not living with your mommy, because you are living with your dada. Yes, I went to college for I.T. but unfortunately for you, there is no such degree that you can achieve other than mud-wrestling pigs at a traveling carnival gig. I outted myself as a gay dude a long time ago, so nothing new here...shoo along pig boy.

Come one boys this is puberty level teenage talk....

Is there any moderator here on okctalk.com who can stop these insulting immature kids?

Come one boys this is puberty level teenage talk....

Is there any moderator here on okctalk.com who can stop these insulting immature kids?

You are right. I shouldn't have fallen to his level. :-(

Come one boys this is puberty level teenage talk....

Is there any moderator here on okctalk.com who can stop these insulting immature kids?

I actually agree torea. :-) and for the record, I understand your point about the train horns and I'm trying not to be hard headed about it. Actually, I even will go as far to say that I agree, 4 times may be a little to much at each crossing, since some crossings are only a few feet apart. But I still believe the horn is necessary and shouldn't be eliminated all together.

And I apologize for my insult directed at you, it was very unnecessary and I actually feel a little guilty about it, considering I try and have an open ear for everybody, and I should respect you the same that I do people who I agree with. Afterall, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I actually agree torea. :-) and for the record, I understand your point about the train horns and I'm trying not to be hard headed about it. Actually, I even will go as far to say that I agree, 4 times may be a little to much at each crossing, since some crossings are only a few feet apart. But I still believe the horn is necessary and shouldn't be eliminated all together.

And I apologize for my insult directed at you, it was very unnecessary and I actually feel a little guilty about it, considering I try and have an open ear for everybody, and I should respect you the same that I do people who I agree with. Afterall, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

You are a nice dude. Now, more tea, please.

Thank you for this note, MDot.

I agree also that we have to do everything possible to promote safety together with acceptable living conditions for the increasing number of people living in the USA.
Trains honking once or twice - only at risk proven crossings - and of course anytime there is an emergency situation might satisfy these objectives.

Maybe we could motivate the FRA agents to go and visit other countries in the world and then implement and impose the best railroad safety system for us here in the USA?


I actually agree torea. :-) and for the record, I understand your point about the train horns and I'm trying not to be hard headed about it. Actually, I even will go as far to say that I agree, 4 times may be a little to much at each crossing, since some crossings are only a few feet apart. But I still believe the horn is necessary and shouldn't be eliminated all together.

And I apologize for my insult directed at you, it was very unnecessary and I actually feel a little guilty about it, considering I try and have an open ear for everybody, and I should respect you the same that I do people who I agree with. Afterall, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

You are a nice dude. Now, more tea, please.

On it Thunder. :-)

Thank you for this note, MDot.

I agree also that we have to do everything possible to promote safety together with acceptable living conditions for the increasing number of people living in the USA.
Trains honking once or twice - only at risk proven crossings - and of course anytime there is an emergency situation might satisfy these objectives.

Maybe we could motivate the FRA agents to go and visit other countries in the world and then implement and impose the best railroad safety system for us here in the USA?

I like this suggestion a lot more than just eliminating the honking period. And the FRA could learn a few things by going to other countries and seeing how they do things. I would just like to see something happen to lower the number of idiots who will drive across a track in front of a train, that's my biggest issue. Now, if only we could get the FRA's attention then that would make more of a difference, but thing is is that we're limited and can only express our ideas on here and be takin seriously IMO.

I like this suggestion a lot more than just eliminating the honking period. And the FRA could learn a few things by going to other countries and seeing how they do things. I would just like to see something happen to lower the number of idiots who will drive across a track in front of a train, that's my biggest issue. Now, if only we could get the FRA's attention then that would make more of a difference, but thing is is that we're limited and can only express our ideas on here and be takin seriously IMO.

I have a solution. SPIKES IN THE ROADS! When the lights go on a-flashin' and the gates go a-swingin' then we should have spikes go a-poppin'! That way when people attempt to cross...BOOM...no more tires. Lesson learned.

I have a solution. SPIKES IN THE ROADS! When the lights go on a-flashin' and the gates go a-swingin' then we should have spikes go a-poppin'! That way when people attempt to cross...BOOM...no more tires. Lesson learned.

The "SPIKES IN THE ROADS" suggestion might be less idiot than the writer ment it to be:

Recent wireless technology has given emergency vehicles the power to manipulate red traffic lights allowing them to rush faster to help other people.

Why don't we use this technology to open the gates for emergency vehicles at railroad crossings?
In this way the gates can completely close the railroad crossing and idiot drivers would have to damage their cars to continue their risky behavior.

This is yet another idea to eliminate or reduce the currently imposed useless, loud and repetitive train honking.

Train horns should be used for the same reason a car horn is supposed to be used - to avoid an imminent collision. The gates go down and the lights flash. Ignore those and that is strike 1 and strike 2. If you hear a train horn it is because you are about get smashed – strike 3. Imagine if every car honked 4X at every intersection to warn other drivers they were approaching the intersection.

Train horns should be used for the same reason a car horn is supposed to be used - to avoid an imminent collision. The gates go down and the lights flash. Ignore those and that is strike 1 and strike 2. If you hear a train horn it is because you are about get smashed – strike 3. Imagine if every car honked 4X at every intersection to warn other drivers they were approaching the intersection.

You mean something like this . . . ?
2eptqTii74s

Durango: Home of one end of The World Famous Narrow-Gauge Railway to Silverton. Of course THAT train only has a steam whistle that serves only to annoy the local fauna. The flora aren't too happy about it either.

I want to get one of those !!!! ....... and drive by Torea's house at 3am :kicking:

I want to get one of those !!!! ....... and drive by Torea's house at 3am :kicking:

Don't be a statistic.

KaZBTUMDTGQ

No kidding :)
But my questions are serious and I hope someone could help with an answer:
1) Is it correct that the gates only close half of our railroad crossings to allow emergency vehicles to pass ?
2) If Emergency vehicles could control part of the closed gates (just as they do already wit red lights), railroad crossing gates could completely shut off the road.
No need for loud honking trains since the roads will be 100% closed.

There are plenty of underpasses here in OKC Torea. You should know that. I don't know where you live in KC but I'm sure you're aware of the flyover that BNSF put in and that many of the main thoroughfares go over their route and don't constitute any chance of a collision. Unfortunately for you, KC is a rail hub (BNSF, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, Canadian National, Kansas City Southern, and a couple of regional railroads). Not everyone has the money to clean up their own mess. Fortunately for the majority of Americans, we think nothing of it except for knowing that its in place to save lives. Never heard of this FRA bs until you came along, and since no one is backing you up, I know its nonsense!

Now that I'm thinking of it I think airlines need to cut their engines whee they are over a city. The noise they make when taking off and landing is unbearable and unnecessary. They should be more sensitive to those that move close to an airport.

For me, it's incessantly barking dogs and loud thumping basses in traffic.

Oh: And unmuffled dirt bikes in the field behind the house on Redneck Recreation Days.
(That have become fewer and fewer as I have no hesitation whatsoever about calling the police.)

When I lived over by Tinker Field I got used to the airplane noise.

The following video goes on way too long, but note the manical cackles at :30 and :40.
Also note that this can be a hazardous sport: E.g. the lady at 1:23 (apparently going for the shotgun on the back seat of her station wagon) and the kid with the rifle at 1:53. (There is also a stampede of sorts at 2:15.)

EInr4eavDi0

I guess it proves the truth of the answer to the old riddle:

Q: What is the difference between a porcupine and a Jeep (orginally a BWM)?
A: With a porcupine, the pricks are on the outside.

Still, I must admit that I'd like to have one of these for the next time I pull up next to some moron at a stop light with his stereo turned up to 11.

Now that I'm thinking of it I think airlines need to cut their engines whee they are over a city. The noise they make when taking off and landing is unbearable and unnecessary. They should be more sensitive to those that move close to an airport.

Just so you are aware - those types of restrictions are in place.

Just so you are aware - those types of restrictions are in place.


Just so you are aware I was being facetious when I posted that.

This has to be the most sensative subject that's not in the politics threads. Lol

Here is another interesting website about the archaic and useless FRA (Federal Railroad Administration)
It expalins how they killed the high speed trains in the US and now add honking noise to disturb the life of many citizens:

http://www.ebbc.org/rail/fra.html

The end reply is more than worth reading:

Thanks for this nice summary of FRA nonsense rules, which were created with the help of the automotive and oil , highway lobby to make passenger rail almost impossible.

Modern rail systems are inherent safe and collisions are a rare instance, as rare as planes falling from the sky at cruising altitude.
Regarding the silly horn requirements: There should be better a horn rule for cars, because they can hit anything anytime from pedestrians to other cars or structures. Cars have due to their uncontrolled nature, no safety at all. There is no system keeping them miles apart like trains, no system to prevent them from leaving their lane ( like rails ) and many things more.

I can only conclude that one of the federal spending cuts currently examined in Washington should definitely include the complete cut of all FRA funding. Current FRA staff should be reassigned to other and useful projects.

2 and a 1/2 month vacay from Torea was nice!

Torea, thank you for the update but the only person on this forum interested in what you just posted is you. Not trying to be rude but I thought we were done with this 3 months ago, lets move on and let the dead horse stay buried for good.

Hey Guys, good to hear from you!
You can be sure that we better vote for candidates who want to shut down the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) – and save lots of taxpayers’ money.
At the same time, this will stop the frequent, loud and useless train honking and restore for half of the US population a quiet working day and a good night of rest.

Could we agree to change the title of this blog into : " 2012 and trains still have to blow horns? "

I've slept fine the last 2 1/2 months. Put a for sale sign up on your property, break your lease, do whatever the hell you have to do to get away from the tracks. You're a moron for complaining about something you can't put a dent in!

Hey Guys, good to hear from you!
You can be sure that we better vote for candidates who want to shut down the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) – and save lots of taxpayers’ money.
At the same time, this will stop the frequent, loud and useless train honking and restore for half of the US population a quiet working day and a good night of rest.

Could we agree to change the title of this blog into : " 2012 and trains still have to blow horns? "

How about, 2012 and this thread still blows?

How about, 2012 and this thread still blows?

+1. That's some funny stuff right there!

c33tVGlM0Z8

Children, Children ...

I know you all like to smoke and blow ... horns and pot?

You might be completely drunk and even have an accident with a noisy (horn blowing) train.

Nobody can help you with your problem . Please leave hard working people alone and in peace to sleep...

"that's what she said . . ." (1.33)
rft_ElDvvV0

When the kid holds up the whistles near the beginning of the clip,
don't they sort of look like models of an alien flipping someone the bird?

I know you all like to smoke and blow ... horns and pot?
(I've heard of smoking pot and blowing horns, but not the vice versa) . . .

RM, you're the best. You and Maynard make every conversation so light hearted with your videos and serious but sarcastic comments.

glad you got a chuckle . . .
but the Gold Medal with The Blue Ribbon goes to rcjunkie at #294.

( . . . i've even heard of potting smoke and snorting blow . . . but . . .)