conductors / engineers, thoughts on this external web thread

jg greenwood wrote: You are, unfortunately, living proof that ANYONE can carry an engineer's card.

I dont want us to quit taking on the same subjects buddy, we have two different views on what makes a good hog. I didnt mean to upset you when i said you worry too much, but i was serious. I work around guys that are like you, i see where your coming from, i dont believe in much of what they think or have to say tho. They lack in skill as far as speed, stopping, train handling. There afraid of looking like a show off if they do try there best, cuzz if doesnt work they will get mocked. Most tend to think it will be there fault if something happens, so they make up there own rules thinking it gives them something else to stand on if something does happen. Not being in the 8th run, going slower over grade crossings thinking it will save lives, cars wont come off the track if i run slower than track speed, the brakeman might slip off, theres a bad spot up here im gonna slow her down <----homemade slow orders, stuff like that. Taking any and all measures to avoid having a manager rip them. Fear and worry, cant be much fun for you or anyone you work with can it? Im sure somethings have happened to you that have taken you to this place, but if your worried about human life all the time, something needs fixed a bit there buddy. You have painted a good picture of yourself there buddy (i have also lol) and like i said i work around some hogs that are like you, i wish you werent like that. Im not a monkey/chimp with a hog card. I've been told i run pretty darn good, and im not nervous while doing it.

Back to the topic, sometimes i find myself high spotting a bit. When your pulling the hill at your max speed and start to tip over the other side i sometimes will let her coast a bit longer for the sake of train handling, let it bunch up on me nice and smooth before getting into the dynamic brakes, on most trains the longer you let it coast, the better ride. Theres another place east of Rock Springs where you can come off the bottom of a hill at max and let it coast for 15 or 20 miles with out doing anything but sit there and push the alerter. Other than the low joints on the track its like hitting a hocky puck across the ice, sometimes she gets about 5 over for a bit till you start into the next curve, then by time the whole train is on straight track again your back at your authorized speed. Its hard to beat that right? Excellent train handling, get a little brake, sit there and enjoy the scenery, stand up and stretch your back. I didnt use to run that way threw there untill another buddy of mine pointed out the fact it was possible if you didnt mind speeding a bit on the straight parts. I use to have to jack the throttle off between set up and 1st run dynamics, which didnt end up to be as smooth of a ride as i'd like.

You are, unfortunately, living proof that ANYONE can carry an engineer's card.

acutally not, dude. it's quite difficult & the stakes are high. any clown can run a box, i'm proof of that... but the road is a different animal brother...