Life in the fast lane

Pam wrote:

Isn't what they built the railroad for? Moving
tremendous amounts of stuff over great distances unencumbered by
geography, bad weather, or congested highways? Is anyone besides me
hoping for a revolution of the rail industry these days? :pirat: :pirat: :pirat:

You've got a good point there, but how do you think the goods in
railway carriages get there and how they're distributed to the millions
of businesses that are nowhere near a railway? The answers is Trucks
bring stuff to and from the railway (In Blighty we call it the railway
and trucks are lorries!)

Rainbow I know that trucks do the pin to pin delivery of rail shipped goods, how else would you get the stuff to and from the railyard? That's how I moved my household goods from Alberta to Nova Scotia last year. And it's not that I have a vendetta against truck drivers etierh; I'd just like to see them on much shorter trips.
What really picks my butt are the trucks on the road that haul stuff that could go by rail, while the train tracks sit half used or freakin' empty altogether. We build multi-million dollar highways covered in asphalt to withstand the ever increasing burden of truck traffic, and they run along side disused railway easements.
We use fresh water to process crude oil or freakin' bitumen from the ground in order to refine it for those trucks and the cars that we drive. Water that can never be purified to provide any kind of sustainable water source for any kind of creature, and it sits in tailing ponds. Then we pour millions of gallons of gas into said trucks, and stand back while they spew fumes and crap into the environment. Don't even get me started on what the oil companies and governments make on the prices of all that gas while Pam the consumer reaches into an empty pocket, or we'll be here all night.

Now you see why people think I have an attitude problem... I really don't. I'm just opnionated. :pirat:

Pam wrote:

Rainbow I know that trucks do the pin to pin delivery of
rail shipped goods, how else would you get the stuff to and from the
railyard? That's how I moved my household goods from Alberta to Nova
Scotia last year. And it's not that I have a vendetta against truck
drivers etierh; I'd just like to see them on much shorter trips.
What
really picks my butt are the trucks on the road that haul stuff that
could go by rail, while the train tracks sit half used or freakin'
empty altogether. We build multi-million dollar highways covered in
asphalt to withstand the ever increasing burden of truck traffic, and
they run along side disused railway easements.
We use fresh water
to process crude oil or freakin' bitumen from the ground in order to
refine it for those trucks and the cars that we drive. Water that can
never be purified to provide any kind of sustainable water source for
any kind of creature, and it sits in tailing ponds. Then we pour
millions of gallons of gas into said trucks, and stand back while they
spew fumes and crap into the environment. Don't even get me started on
what the oil companies and governments make on the prices of all that
gas while Pam the consumer reaches into an empty pocket, or we'll be
here all night.

Now you see why people think I have an attitude problem... I really don't. I'm just opnionated. :pirat:

I'm sorry you feel that way it's not only trucks that spew crap what
about all the gas guzzling suv's and all the cars which by far
outnumber the trucks on the road, it's no wonder truckers never get
much respect with attitudes like yours, but without us the country would
grind to a halt within 3 days, the truckers have nothing to do with the
price
of fuel, in fact it's more to do with the popularity of suv's and the
like, but whilst the USA is complaining the UK has always paid
far more for fuel and currently they're paying around $11 a gallon for
diesel and that's a new word 'opnioated' is that a condition or a
psuedonym for attitude?

Trucks and Truckers
My brother retired from trucking. That’s all he ever did. He drove truck for over 50 years. He started out driving someone else’s truck and eventually got his own rig. The weekly repairs and the constant pressure for a bigger and better rig kept him in debt. A life on the road caused the home life to suffer. The pressure for bigger rigs with sleepers was needed for the long hauls. As demands for goods increased, like everything else, they wanted it yesterday.
The American appetite for more goods and getting it faster meant increased demand for trucking. Railroads were just too slow. Besides, if the product went by rail, it still required trucking to the final destination.

America is a big country. Train and bus service primarily service the large city areas. In Europe where rail and bus service is more available and refined, trucking was not as prevalent, but that changed. With the opening of Eastern Europe to western goods, trucking has increased to a point where road conditions and driving safety has suffered.
Restrictions are now being placed on the heavy truck traffic. In Germany, trucks are not permitted on the highways on Sunday or holidays. Truck inspection stations along major highways check for safety, the weight of the cargo, but even more important, a record of the trucker’s hours on the
road. Too many accidents occurred from trucker’s fatigue. Fines and penalties have helped but there is still more to be done. As long as our appetite for goods remain, trucking will continue to be in demand.
Can truck traffic be reduced? Ofcourse. Can safety be improved? Of course.
Can pollution be curtailed? Of course. Will it happen? Your guess is as good as mine.

More accidents are caused to big rigs by 4 wheelers and there's no
control over car drivers hours, or RV drivers hours, some Rv's are as
big as trucks and crazily you can drive them on a car license with no
training whatsoever! People should learn, if you can't see a truck's
mirrors, the trucker can't see you and on a good sunny day a loaded
truck and trailer will take the length of a football field to stop, in
the rain quadruple it, try and stop 4 wheelers tailgating trucks,
cutting across a truck to get to or off a ramp and all the other myriad
crazy things 4 wheelers do when near a truck. Personally I leave a big
cushion of space in front and if someone's tailgating I slow down so
they pass me

SISTER MARY ANN'S GASOLINE
Sister Mary Ann, who worked for a home health agency, was out
making her rounds visiting homebound patients when she ran out of
gas. As luck would have it, aTexaco Gasoline station was just a
block away.

She walked to the station to borrow a gas can and buy some gas. The
attendant told her that the only gas can he owned had been loaned out,
but she could wait until it was returned.

Since Sister Mary Ann was on the way to see a patient,

She decided not to wait and walked back to her car.
She looked for something in
her car that she could fill with gas
and spotted the bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always
resourceful, Sister Mary Ann carried the bedpan to the station,
filled it with gasoline, and carried the full bedpan back to her car.

As she was pouring the gas into her tank, two Baptists watched from
across the street. One of them turned to the other and said,

'If it starts, I'm turning Catholic.'

Good one, Rainbow.

rainbow689 wrote:

it's no wonder truckers never get much respect with attitudes like yours,

My point was that we have unused railways and as such access to alternative means of transportation right here in North America, but we choose not to use them. When I see trucks that have driven a thousand miles to bring merchandise from point A to point B and both points are well served by rail, I just shake my head. I was not being disrespectful nor disparaging of truck drivers. Nor did I say they alone were responsible for pollution. As a career counsellor I have helped many folks find their way into the trucking industry, and so although I poked fun at my own attitude, I am taken aback by your assessment of it Rainbow.

In addition, I would think that as people who work with words we can overlook a misspelling and consider the point that someone is making. A misspelling that leads into a bit of fun is just that, a bit of fun. But missing the point is, well, missing the point.

Call me a romantic, but I think truckers are great! The Knights (and Ladies) of the road have come to my aid more than once. Of course, I have done some commercial driving myself (no semis) , and understand the need to give big rigs their space.

I can also understand Pam's point, and it is a somewhat valid one, worthy of consideration. What type of fuel do trains use? And what kind of emissions do planes give off?

I for one, would prefer taking a train to my destination over flying. But sometimes time constraints do not allow for that luxury. You sure get a better view of the country in a train, and you don't have to worry about other drivers, either!

Gee, maybe it's time I took a train ride--it has been a while!

Dick Stodghill wrote:

... JoElle, I really sympathize with you and all over-the-road truckers. I don't sympathize with people driving Hummers and other big SUVs. Don't seem to see as many lately. I truly envy you for that drive around Ireland. ...

While we already knew a lot of owner operators had already been parking their trucks, we are now hearing of trucking companies that are folding.

XM radio has a trucker channel and they are predicting that once diesel hits $5 a gallon (which it is only pennies away from doing) more trucking companies will shut down.

Did you hear Krispy Kreme is closing doors around the country .... because of gas prices.

Funny thing. I had almost forgot that when my husband and I had only been married about 4 or 5 years. We couldn't afford a car. We lived in San Antonio TX at the time. For three years we walked or took the bus everywhere. We lived near two major buslines. It wasn't bad at all.

Oh, and Dick, I LOVED that drive around Ireland! It is a gorgeous place and it felt suprisingly comfortable to drive on the 'wrong' side of the car and 'wrong' side of the road. Hee hee

zadaconnaway wrote:

Call me a romantic, but I think truckers are great! The Knights (and Ladies) of the road have come to my aid more than once. Of course, I have done some commercial driving myself (no semis) , and understand the need to give big rigs their space.

I can also understand Pam's point, and it is a somewhat valid one, worthy of consideration. What type of fuel do trains use? And what kind of emissions do planes give off?

I for one, would prefer taking a train to my destination over flying. But sometimes time constraints do not allow for that luxury. You sure get a better view of the country in a train, and you don't have to worry about other drivers, either!

Gee, maybe it's time I took a train ride--it has been a while!

There used to be a beautiful trip through the Rockies Zada, from Vancouver to Edmonton. I was on it as a younster once and the scenery was spellbinding to look at the scenery instead of driving past it. Happy railing!

zadaconnaway wrote:

What type of fuel do trains use?

Locomotives are diesel electrics, most of which (in the States, anyhow) are made by General Electric and General Motors. They burn diesel fuel to generate electricity to run the electric traction motors for the wheels.

For both the moving of people and goods, it's more efficient to move a mile-long train across country than to clog the highways with the number of trucks and private cars required to move the same number of passengers and goods.

For many kinds of goods, rail can do better!! With their old fashioned ways, the railroads cannot effectively compete with trucks when, for example, a company in town A suddenly wants to move several tons of lumber 80 miles away to town B. In many instances, a truck can bo back and forth between those towns numerouns times before the railroads even get the boxcar out of the yard.

Needless to say, intercity passenger rail became a sad ghost of its past glories and efficiencies when private railroads were forced by conditions (lots of cars) to sell out to AMTRAK which cut routes so heavily that it's a miracle if any place you want to go is served by train. Train in many cases costs a lot more than flying. Go figure.

Malcolm

Malcolm wrote:

... For many kinds of goods, rail can do better!! With their old fashioned ways, the railroads cannot effectively compete with trucks when, for example, a company in town A suddenly wants to move several tons of lumber 80 miles away to town B. In many instances, a truck can bo back and forth between those towns numerouns times before the railroads even get the boxcar out of the yard. ...

The freight industry is using the railway.
Trucks and railways do work together.

If you look at the trucks on the road, you will often see trucks with rail containers. And if you watch trains, you will often see them carrying trucking trailers.

We routinely pick up and deliver trailers to railyards.

Pam wrote:

rainbow689 wrote:

it's no wonder truckers never get much respect with attitudes like yours,

My
point was that we have unused railways and as such access to
alternative means of transportation right here in North America, but we
choose not to use them. When I see trucks that have driven a thousand
miles to bring merchandise from point A to point B and both points are
well served by rail, I just shake my head. I was not being
disrespectful nor disparaging of truck drivers. Nor did I say they
alone were responsible for pollution. As a career counsellor I have
helped many folks find their way into the trucking industry, and so
although I poked fun at my own attitude, I am taken aback by your
assessment of it Rainbow.

In addition, I would think that as
people who work with words we can overlook a misspelling and consider
the point that someone is making. A misspelling that leads into a bit
of fun is just that, a bit of fun. But missing the point is, well,
missing the point.

Obviously one of the problems with this form of communication it is oft
times difficult to know without the benefit of facial expressions, tone
of voice and body language, exactly what is meant, as it was written it
seemed disparaging to truckers although I accept that wasn't your
intention as you've now explained

Dick Stodghill wrote:

Good one, Rainbow.

Thanks Sir Dick

Pam wrote:

... There used to be a beautiful trip through the Rockies Zada, from Vancouver to Edmonton. I was on it as a younster once and the scenery was spellbinding to look at the scenery instead of driving past it. Happy railing!

Ooooh, we've driven TCH 1 through the Rockies from Calgary to Surrey (in the winter) it was soooo beautiful !!!

The Candian Rockies are just amazing.

I kind of like the the road between Steubenville and Martins Ferry although sometimes I use the one on the West Virginia side of the river. If you do that, don't go by the steel mill in Weirton at shift change time.