Get your smash glasses on!

Very interesting.  Thanks for posting.

Wouldn't you like to be able to do that with your car.....LOL

Beauty, Eh?

They sound exactly like Bob and Doug McKenzie

Rusty

Hey, thats the hosers that horked our cloths, eh

Not a very smart operation going on there. Surprised the crew is so jovial about it. Seeing as it's established that there are significant tree's downed, one could be large enough to derail the train. At the least, there's going to be air hose damage, possibly a bent pilot, etc.  One of the larger trees I've had the misfortune of getting through bent hand rails, steps, etc. In another case the tree took out a generator on a passenger car. Our railroad now calls out the MOW after such storms and they run the main and clear downed trees before trains are dispatched.

IMHO, their MOW should have been out in advance with a chainsaw brigade taking care of business.

I agree (sort of )but unless there's a plow how is the section crew even going to get to the locations.  There are probably no roads.   I think the crew is lucky and  the trees are  fairly small and soft pines.... Larger hardwood would be a disaster...At one time MOW use to keep the right of way clear right back to the fence line. (if there was one)  What is the crew suppose to do?? they're there  right in it.   Now the right of way behind  is somewhat passable....  No big deal.

Anyone know what railway and location??? ,

This seems absolutely foolish to me. Some of those lower trees have serious derailment potential all over them.

I suppose that is one way to chop wood.  I would be afraid that a tree branch would come through the front windshield and hurt someone.  I'm glad I wasn't in the cab.

NH Joe

I have zero experience running a real train and can see reason in the replies stating both pros and cons of doing this. But I'm also troubled by the attitude of the crew, which mirrors an attitude I've encountered far too often in a career of government work, which is "It's not ours, so let's have fun with it!".

I lived across the street from a submariner in the Canadian Navy. After retirement he worked as an engineer on a surface oil drilling vessel. He had to make a great adjustment!

In the navy, care of the equipment was paramount! In the commercial sector, time was money!

He had to push the gear in a manner that would be considered abuse in the navy! In fact he came close to being reprimanded for "caring too much" about the safety of the gear! Production was number one, two and three. Hang the gear! If it breaks, it gets fixed. Otherwise . . . drill on!

We don't know what this train crew has been told to do. I doubt they decided to "bust on through" without some sort of approval from the head shop.

This does not appear to be responsible railroading, especially at that speed. I can envision a limb crashing through the windshield and a serious derailment in the middle of nowhere. The flippant attitude of the crew disturbed me.  If this was "approved" by management it reflects poor judgement.

Tommy posted:

This does not appear to be responsible railroading, especially at that speed. I can envision a limb crashing through the windshield and a serious derailment in the middle of nowhere. The flippant attitude of the crew disturbed me.  If this was "approved" by management it reflects poor judgement.

All of it, exactly.  Foolish and immature.

Gregg posted:

What is the crew suppose to do?? they're there  right in it.   Now the right of way behind  is somewhat passable....  No big deal.

I can't speak for them, but in such a situation, after the FIRST tree I would have brought the train safely to a stop and examined to make sure my ditch lights are still intact, headlight still good, horn is still in place (I've had broken branches take them off), etc, and check to see if there is any damage to steps/safety appliances, air hoses, and such. Once back in the cab I would contact dispatch and inform them of the location and potential for more of the same. If advised to do so, I would then proceed at restricted speed, and as you see, I would have stopped in a very short distance short of the next downed tree. At that point it becomes obvious there is a situation at hand and I would contact dispatch again, for it's time for dispatch to seek additional input from the needed sources. (MOW/etc.)

No big deal?  Boy... you haven't been out there, have you?  Stuff like this isn't isn't Lionel trains and Lincoln Logs, you know?

As for that crew: It's all fun and games until a stout branch busts through the windshield and with it brings to fore the potential for injuries.

I stand by my original post: This is not very smart railroading taking place here on any level.

Looked pretty stupid to me, but I've never had to keep one moving.  I can't imagine nothing got busted with all those impacts.  They were lucky the wipers weren't "wiped out".

No big deal?  Boy... you haven't been out there, have you?  Stuff like this isn't isn't Lionel trains and Lincoln Logs, you know?

 Actually I have.... I worked through the mountains one winter east and west out of Jasper Alberta  after being laid off back east back in the sixties. .... These look to me like small soft pine trees not much more than 4 or 5 inches in diameter. Hardwood and larger  would definitely be a serious issue.  Some  in the cab may be taking it lightly but there's another member  in the cab that's not part of the crew. 

As for that crew: It's all fun and games until a stout branch busts through the windshield and with it brings to fore the potential for injuries.

Yep  Alsop had that happen back east , broke around a curve and a large tree hanging down over the right of way... We all hit the deck and  a large limb 8 inches or so came through the engineman's window.   No one was hurt but  there was some serious damage to the engine.