Train stopped in Bergen - 4/16

About 15 minutes ago, about 12:45am an eastbound freight stopped dead on track one in Bergen, just past 389 that Scot took pictures of last week, right across Rt 19.

Anyone know why? I did hear a loud almost grinding noise that I thought initially was a bearing, but then realized about 30 seconds to a minute later that I heard more normal braking noises, so I suppose the initial noise could've been brakes coming on too. Thinking maybe I was right in that initial noise and thinking that's why the train stopped, I realized the next hotbox detector on the line isn't for another 4 miles in Churchville, and I can't imagine it would've taken them that long to stop since passing the Batavia detector...

Besides just being spiteful and trying to annoy anyone who might be trying to cross 19 at this time of night it seems like a very odd place to stop, even to wait for a passing train... Just curious if this is a normal operation that I just didn't notice before without an open window or if something out of the ordinary was going on.

ctclark1 wrote:About 15 minutes ago, about 12:45am an eastbound freight stopped dead on track one in Bergen, just past 389 that Scot took pictures of last week, right across Rt 19.

Besides just being spiteful and trying to annoy anyone who might be trying to cross 19 at this time of night it seems like a very odd place to stop, even to wait for a passing train... Just curious if this is a normal operation that I just didn't notice before without an open window or if something out of the ordinary was going on.

This is one of the most ridiculous remarks that I have ever read on here and I have read my share of ridiculous remarks on here over a period of several years. The majority of these trains run 300 miles between Buffalo and Selkirk which is a long ride on a freight train. These crews do not want to stop at Churchville nor anywhere else either for that matter. I speak from experience, any unscheduled stop usually spells a ruined trip in more ways than one. It is no fun to have to deal with a broken trainline, a hot bearing which most likely would require the car be set out somewhere, a parted air hose resulting in a train going in to emergency and forcing the conductor to walk the entire train looking for trouble or a host of other problems which can make a decent trip a horror show fast. Most of the folks around this area were decent people, you might well be the exception to most of the folks around Churchville.
Noel Weaver

I'm sorry if my attempt at making a lighthearted joke (hence the wink) offended you. Obviously a crew isn't going to stop a train across a road if they can help it, and they're certainly not doing it for any reason other than sheer necessity. I know its an inconvenience to the train crew, but when I realized it would've been stopped right across the road, I'll be completely honest, I did chuckle to myself at the bad luck of any drivers who would be trying to cross on 19 and have to wait who knows how long, because detouring over to 33 is simple on the south side of the tracks, but getting between 33 and 19 on the north side isn't easy. I am sorry that you misinterpreted my post as somehow being directed towards the crews in any other manner than a joke.


ANYWAY, Just before 2am the train in question did start moving eastbound again, just as an extremely short mixed-freight headed up by two HLCX locos and a third CSX loco sped by, also eastbound, on track 2.

Now Noel, I want you to know that I do sympathize and definitely understand that the crew of the original train most certainly did not enjoy their hour+ wait for what seemed honestly like a train that was later than it probably should've been for whatever reason or was an extra with higher priority for whatever reason, or whatnot.
I retract my earlier joke and solemnly swear never to make a joke again.

The joke was in poor taste, but it's clear there's a broken airhose stuck in a dark place, too.

If you want to know why a train stops for no apparent reason, pick up a scanner and listen in - it's going to be the only definitive way to know what happened, unless someone who posts here happened to be listening themselves. Particularly in a situation where there's a mechanical failure of some sort they'll call the dispatcher to report going into emergency and may check for other trains around both so the conductor knows when he's walking and perhaps they can help either fix the problem or get the conductor a ride back to the headend when he's done.

I believe even with the narrow band freqencies, most digital scanners will still recieve well enough you can hear what's going on, but there are plenty of places you can research that information. I've seen old 16-channel Bearcat digital sets sell pretty cheap used if you're on a budget. Because they run on 12VDC you can even run it off a cigarette lighter adapter in the car - been there, done that, many many years ago.

You guys need to lighten up. Poor taste? Most ridiculous you ever read here? You've all said that before with accident threads. You need to re-evaluate your scale.

The guy made a wink, wink comment about train noise and being annoying.

A more appropriate answer:

"I haven't heard what happened but based on the sound you described it could have been an air hose. They probably timed it to happen right by your house . I remember those happening to me. Not a fun experience walking a mile long train looking for one."

average Bearcat scanner is about $100.00 bucks just need it to be able to get into the 160 and 161 band's to listen to the railroad crews.

nydepot wrote:You guys need to lighten up. Poor taste? Most ridiculous you ever read here? You've all said that before with accident threads. You need to re-evaluate your scale.

Sorry, I thought it was clear I was saying there was no reason to jump down the OP's throat and perhaps the real reason they did that was that something was making it uncomfortable to sit down. I forget that on these boards you really need to spell everything out sometimes, just a few posts below someone asked a question because they apparently didn't read the first three words of the first post of the thread.

Over reacting? maybe. Being the recipriant of many fickle finger awards, irate scathing screaming from motorist, pedestrians, and even Police Officers, who have no idea what was the reason for the train stopping, and what rules and laws require. Not one crew person would ever stop a train purposely to block any public crossing. we are completely aware of the concerns of public safety and what a blocked highway may mean. Not just to the inconveniance of a motorist at 12:45am. Wether a separated airline or a drunk pedestrian or driver running around the crossing gates infront of the train. And let's not for get the tragedy which occured at this very location last year. you say, lighten up. well explain that to the numerous people I have to listen to as mentioned in my first line. You say, lighten up. Please pass that along to the rest of the inconvenianced public which is mentioned above. Then maybe you'll understand why this is a sore spot with crews.

So far getting a scanner has been on my list, but not so much on the girlfriend's (as in, "NO!"), I didn't know if anyone else in the area had happened to catch a conversation between the train and the NF Dispatcher, which is why I asked.

Again, sorry. I tried making a joke. It was lame, not that funny, and apparently one which has opened sore wounds. My apologies, won't happen again. And as I already said, I'm well aware that trains are bound by rules and regulations, and numerous safety things that require them to stop at odd places. I also know that alot of the general public is not well educated and too impatient and not understanding of these concerns and reasons that things like this happen.

I would understand the sarcasm of a response like lvrr "suggested" and had assumed that others would catch the sarcasm in my comment about the train stopping on the road just because it could... Obviously I should've assumed some people wouldn't get it - in writing its hard to decipher that, but as well I've had to try to explain to people (sometimes I'm ashamed to admit that I know them LOL) who can't fathom why the trains insist on blowing their horn everytime they go by my house (or in some cases their houses where they live near tracks). The same type of people who don't understand why those freaking no-whistle laws are insanely stupid.

To be entirely honest, roadster, if I were in a public safety position and had to respond to complaints from motorists about a train stopped on the tracks, instead of asking you why you felt like blocking traffic, I'd ask if you had a rough idea of how long it might be and if it would be worth it to set myself up at some nearby intersection to direct traffic around for the next hour or so... Or even if there was anything I could do to help (spotlight, etc).


Anyhoo, since no one else happened to hear what went on last night, I'll consider this done. Either a blown brakeline or (and this is based solely on the possibly coincidental timing of the original train starting back underway around the same time that second train I mentioned went by) for some reason the original train was required to give way for what seemed like an unscheduled high priority short-freight. Either way it was pure curiosity, no complaints, no anger, no animosity towards any train crew or railroads in general. I really should just get that scanner when the budget allows and risk getting broken up with lol.

"Lighten up" is an understatement! Some folks here need to learn basic forum protocol. The original poster clearly put a symbol there which indicates a joke, sarcasm, or something NOT to be taken seriously. Even those not employed by a railroad can easily appreciate the pain in the rear involved with walking a train at any hour, especially midnight. Give the guy a break, or stop taking sour pills before you post!

Well put, Aji-tater.

I 'll tell ya, in this particular forum and in a lot of ways quite a few on this web-site as a whole, I
have never seen so many unfriendly people at times. Leave the guy alone......HE WAS KIDDING!
I am not perfect by any means, but do some of you just wake up pissed off?

It's no damned wonder why people don't like coming on here. You make a post and some people
are automatically condecending.

If you have nothing nice to say..........just say nothing!

[/rant]
Charlie

This is one of the most ridiculous remarks that I have ever read on here

Wow, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed or perhaps was unfortunate enough to be born without a sense of humor!

I thought the comment was pretty funny and as I read through the thread, and was rather surprised to see that response! Sometimes in life we need to take a step back and laugh. The stop may have well been unfortunate for the train crew and anyone near the crossing, but hopefully all in the end worked out for them. I for one appreciated the humor in the original post

There's an old Indian saying, "walk a mile in my moccasins". The smiley face doesn't remove from the saracasm, joke or whatever. Maybe his initial statement was a bit much. We could have ignored this as we try to ignore the insults of others. After a while one gets tired of being insulted. Noel, has spent many years running trains over this territory and is very willing to share his knowledge and experiences on operations as well as the dealing with irate citizens. Glad he safely made it to retirement and doesn't have to listen to the crap we all still hear all to often. To receive it from a fan site we participate in was a slap in the face. Simply put, it was an insult to those of us in the craft, regardless of the intent. If you don't get it, you never will.

as with many careers, people have no idea what its really like to work in them unless they actually do that certain job. there are a lot of arm chair qb's, but very few legit qb's.

I disagree, the smiley face actually suggests the original poster knows the statement is not accurate. It indicates the reader should not take the words as the actual belief of the writer. We've got people here with thin skin and to suggest people on the forum should avoid any attempt at humor or tongue-in-cheek comments is way off base. It's no different from a railroad employee making a humorous, joking reference to railfans as foamers, train nuts or something similar. And by the way, even someone who works on the railroad can be inconvenienced by a train blocking a crossing.

The original post made a remark clearly identified as a joke - about trying to annoy people. Even if someone disagrees, it's hardly the most ridiculous thing to be posted on these pages, not even close. And for the second poster to say people from around Churchville are not decent people, because he disagrees with the first post, is probably more off base than the OP - and without any indication that the reply was a joke. We've gone from a joke about blocking a road, to saying an entire town is made up of bad people. WAY over the line!

Come on, guys - I guarantee if the worst thing anybody does to you in your career - or your retirement - is to joke about blocking a crossing, you're having a great life. Put it in perspective, accept it as a joke, and deal with it. Let's not make this a place we are afraid to enjoy an occasional smile, for fear someone might be (GASP!!!) OFFENDED