Mental health

Look around in any truck stop or truck passing you. Some drivers looks like high security mental facility escapee.
Person with normal mentality will never pee on parking lot at broad day, tailgate or speeding.

 

It actually provides service direct to the Grand Canyon Rim. I think it's 60 odd miles roughly. Run by a steamer using a form of french fry oil for fuel that is not as rough as straight fuel oil.

There are a number of steam train lines around the USA. Some are dinner trains out and back. Many Such as Wilmington and Western for example would get people out of the hot city into a pasture type situation where it's cooler in the summer for a day trip.

Strasburg on the other hand is a working railroad. Taking in freight cars from around the USA modern ones too stick em into a transload yard at E Strasburg where big trucks come fetch or offload the freight to downtown or region.

Cotton Belt's 819 is pretty close to being operational and takes used motor vehicle oil as fuel in the same shop that built her in 1943 at Pine Bluff. They tell stories about how the Wabash line trains were made to be sitting still when one of these has a few thousand tons at 80+ However Union Pacific has dominion over the local tracks and it is a point where the Cheyenne steam program occasioanlly pays a visit with large war time steam engines. They are in the process of finishing a 4014 project the big boy, capable of lugging 12000 ton across wyoming specifically at 50 or better upgrade all the way. When running and restored plus brought to modern FRA code she will be the biggest engine under steam on the planet. And we look forward to seeing her handle a few revenue trains as well at that tonnage now and then where required.

May 9th 2019 at Odgen Utah would be where they meet when the Big Boy is finished using modern technology that is replicating parts that used to be machined by hand over week or more. Most of the supporting manpower, machining skills, drop tables and so forth has disappeared in the last 70 years so it's pretty important that we know how to keep these things going. 844 will be out once this year along the transcon route because all efforts are into the 4014. 3985 a challenger which slightly smaller than 4014 is being repaired and should run soon enough Ive caught her a few times here in Arkansas. At that time she was the largest moving steam on the planet. But the had problems with certain really major rods and parts that needed big time shop repairs. They put her once on a 10500 ton train to Omaha on the famed three line main at a schedule to keep a few years ago and she did it.

Steam Update: Modern Bolts and Big Announcements

 

I had the steam crane that Strasburg uses and displays in one of my transfer trains; it went out on a road switcher to Paradise soon after. They have their act together, at least one of their engineers also ran for a class one and piloted aircraft for the Reserves. I feel comfortable with folks at that level, it requires taking things seriously and also sardonically when needed, and having the sense to know what blend of the two is appropriate.

"The Canyon" is operated by Xanterra, who appear to hire according to who will work cheapest, they won't specify pay in ads or inquiries. One of their former employees regaled me (involuntarily on my part) with stories of how they did things. No comment, as in speechless. They likely have a safety record based on being the only train on that track and going to a Nat Park means perhaps a bit more Fed interest and oversight.

I'll drive myself to the canyon, thank you. Nice looking historic equipment, though. Passed by it today, lovely.

I imagine it's like how veteran truckers on here see new mega drivers. Don't wish them harm necessarily, but amazed that more harm doesn't happen.

 

I am a twin, my brother, rest his soul, was diagnosed with clinical depression. I never understood it, and to this day still don't. He knew something was wrong, but would not ask for help, from anyone. I just know there were days he would be withdrawn from everything and everyone, would not talk, eat, or sleep, just wanted to be left alone. He tried to explain it, but I just couldn't wrap my hands around wanting to be left isolated, no human touch or contact, and feeling I was all alone. He was on medication in High School, which made him somewhat normal, but he would still slip into depression, and while he had a lot of friends, he always said he didn't feel like he had any. His life ended when he was 24. He had slipped into alcoholism, attempted suicide, used drugs, always looking for the happiness that eluded him. His final night was after a party, got behind the wheel, and ran into the rear of a stopped big rig on the shoulder. His speed was estimated to be 110 mph at impact. To this day I don't think it was an accident, but watching him suffer for years, I know he is in a better place than he was.
And if you wonder, I have never understood suicide, other even thought about it, never felt isolated, even when I was OTR.

 

Thank you kindly.

I am clueless about internal issues with Williams to Canyon.

Strasburg Railroad has strived to their credit to be the best possible and have a little good fun now and then along the way. I rode behind the D 1223 4-4-0 when I was 6 and in those days only the engine had air. Stack up the 5 or so coaches then stop. She was a great runner. But erosion of crown sheet finally put her pernamently into the museum across the street in the 80's

The one I remember with issues is Gettysburg RR with a older 4-6-2. That one had a water boiler level gauge that was not correct or somehow not used correctly with a trained fully engine crew. The result was the engine used three of the special fuseable bolts to relieve the bursting pressure on the entire boiler upgrade when it reached pressure beyond bearing so instead of throwing itself a mile down range it busted the fusesables and blew the steam pressure right into the cab past the opened firebox. One was poached and the other severely burned. And that was pretty much the end of that engine on that line by the time NTSB got through with them. I read the final report a year later. I had ridden that steamer about 6 months prior to it's loss. And was considering how many places it was losing a little steam all around it as we returned upgrade.

One trainee actually flattened the drives on the UP 844 a few years ago in Texas. A low boy 18 wheeler took two to Strasburg where it could handle two of the 84 inch drive tires on a drop table there in Texas to remove the flatspotted rims on all 4 drivers. I think they either handled the other two or sent to a second location to reprofile and machine to tolerance spec factory required sized for that big UP 844.

That trainee did not know that engine had mountain airbrakes taken off the forward pilot 4 small eheels and the under firebox and cab's 4 small wheels tandems if you please. He had no braking power whatsoever applied to those little wheels which happened to be carrying roughly 34000 pounds of engine peraxle. causing him to overshoot a station stop. He then reversed the big 844 which stalled the 4 main drivers and made enormous flat spots on all the tires instantly over about a mile of track potentially burning that as well.

I know a little something of steam, but it would take a person with good training at a much stronger health, endurance and tolerance for the situation than I currently have to deal with something like that. If you consider the Strasburg wooden cars they gross about 110K each more or less. Put 10 of them on the Great western Russian engine 2-10-0 that's slightly less than it's tonnage capacity of about 1200 ton on that ruling grade on that line to paradise.

40 ton? 135000? 155K? Ive hauled that with semi trucks. But having a thousand or more behind a engine that weights maybe a percentage of that, I don't have what it takes to handle something like that in terms of weight involved and people aboard for comfort against slack action etc.

One of these days I'll be returning to strasburg. That's a bucket list item.

Thank you for the little birdie about the Canyon run.

 

This is a post I dug up online.

This is considered a complete and with credit to author cited at the top of the article written at his online source. This is the most recent reasons of suicde.

US Suicide Rate Surges 30% Since 1999
Tim Knight from Slope of Hope's blog
3-4 minutes

Following the deaths of famous chef, author and TV host Anthony Bourdain and designer Kate Spade this week, many Americans probably intuitively believe that rates of suicide are increasing. And as it turns out, rates of suicide have climbed by 30% since 1999, with sizable gains seen across age groups and sexes. Furthermore, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that only about half of people who commit suicide have a diagnosed mental health condition like depression - even though depression was once believed to be the primary cause, NBC News reports.

The CDC also notes that relationship stress, financial troubles, substance abuse and other issues contribute to the trends.

"From 1999 to 2015, suicide rates increased among both sexes, all racial/ethnic groups, and all urbanization levels," the CDC researchers wrote in their report.

As NBC News points out, the high-profile suicides of Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade and other middle-aged men and women have prompted many to wonder if their age group is at higher risk for suicide. The simple answer is yes.

"Middle-aged adults had the largest number of suicides and a particularly high increase in suicide rates. These findings are disturbing," said CDC principal deputy director Dr. Anne Schuchat.

Interestingly enough, the only age group that is exempt are people over the age of 75. Across the US, nearly 45,000 people died by suicide in 2016. Meanwhile, suicide rates have increased in every state since 1999, with the exception of Nevada, which already had one of the highest rates in the country. Western and Midwestern states like Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas and Oklahoma saw some of the biggest increases in suicide rates.

Firearms were the most common killing method, used in nearly half of all suicides, and in 55% of suicides where there was no mental health condition diagnosed. Where it could, the CDC dug further to find more data on suicides. Here's what they found.

42% had a relationship problem

28% had substance abuse issues

16% had job or financial problems

29% had some kind of crisis

22% had a physical health issue

9% had a criminal legal problem

Infographic: Suicide Rates Have Risen Sharply Across The U.S. | Statista

You will find more infographics at Statista

The problem, doctors say, is that finding mental health treatment for people can be difficult even for those with health insurance. Even for those who can afford treatment, it can be difficult to find the correct approach. Researchers noted that suicides saw the largest increases during economic downturns.

"I have been learning as a nation we have seen increases and decreases over time in suicide," said CDC principal deputy director Dr. Anne Schuchat. "Increases mostly seem to correlate with economic downturns." The fact that the economic downturn hit rural states the hardest - and that's where the biggest increases in suicide rates were found - is hardly a coincidence. The social media era - where people do most of their interacting online - is also leading to an increase in isolation that could be playing into rising suicide rates.

END the quote.

Earlier I mentioned that I considered that exit at one time in life in the past. I did not realize that time I was matching 4 of the listed reasons on that bad day. Those 4 were considered one at a time over a period of hours and each of them were resolved in time. Potentially avoiding it on my end.

To be clear it was not substance abuse and it was not criminal case anywhere. None of that. That left the other 4 for me. My ex on the other hand has considered mental health via the VA at least two of those issues and we work on that quite a bit. She is doing well. No worries there and that is all I am going to say about that. Ive saved her twice already. The first time was a predator going after her in Jackson TN. The second I prefer to not put online.

However it's increasing really badly in my state pretty quietly. I had no idea of the extent.

One clue was left by THV 11 Channel when the local Little Rock VA started seriously cutting off all narcotic medicine for current vet pain patients. One patient stated at the end of December when the april of this year cutoff approaches and he can no longer obtain narcotics he has taken since Vietnam war wounds and over 3 dozen surgeries most of which has failed adding to his need for medicine just to function. He will consider suicide within three weeks of that cutoff day. That has come and gone. Im going to have to dig more into THV `11 and findout if he went the private option medical care to a pain clinic that will continue to prescribe for him what he needs to live after the VA cut him and most other vets off.

To be fair there was another case within the same VA in Little Rock where 4 pharmacy pill counters were arrested within the last year or two for smuggling Oxycontin etc out of there in massive amounts. Im not remembering the total street value taken out of that one facility but it's enough for federal charges and we will not be seeing those 4 again any time soon. They have really tightened down the medicine. There. My ex stopped all of hers with the exception of two little tame ones that at a small dose is neither a narcotic nor part of mental health. She cleared up pretty good after finishing the withdrawal period from years of our marriage.

I found her to be a different person than what I remember during our marriage and it's vice versa. The good news is we still love each other and are a team. That will be enough I think for a good many years yet. If our bodies can hold up.

 

This is something else you rang a bell on.

I might actually have a picture of that steam crane you spoke of, it was stored on display between enginehouse behind it and towards the depot loading/boarding area back in the 80's sometime.

 

I thought I was doing fine!
But now you’re trying to get us all depressed by remembering everything!
How the motoring public hates us, Walmart stores disown us, and now bad weather talking, I gotta go lie down

 

I gotta sit here for almost another 4 hours til I can drive again, and I'm totally depressed and pissed off.

They didn’t have the condenser for my APU and it's the middle of summer.
So I either have to idle a bit, not even constant, 20 minutes an hour, or lay here and cook like a sausage.

But idling is bad for the engine. And I have no problem with paying for the condenser.

Oh God it's all so unfair. And dust from the dirt road gets on the truck and the engine.

And the this trailer is WHACKED and I can't slide the tandems, and I'm 33980 on my tandems, and traveling through the communist state.

I CAN'T F TAKE IT ANYMORE.

I did save my garbage however, wrapped it in extra plastic bags, and left it here in the communist state, too ruin some tree huggers day that won't give you a bag.

That made me happy.

"We don't have problems, we only have opportunities to excel." - Gunnery Sergeant Ron Penn

 

I just tossed a bag of cantaloupe hulls and cat poop, fully bio degradable, but I double rapped them in plastic bags since I'm in California.

HAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHA