Cellular phones topics - Can you use cell phones on trains?

Author

Can you use cell phones on trains?

Robert Payne

2005-09-26, 11:48 pm

I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!

At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!

I asked a neighbor just yesterday, “If there was a 24-hour period
that NO trains would come through do you think you would
notice?” She replied “Yes” but does anyone really know?

Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.

Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?

Bob Payne

Earl F. Parrish

2005-09-26, 11:48 pm

Quick

2005-09-26, 11:48 pm

Earl F. Parrish wrote:
>
> If the wireless carriers have towers near the tracks, it
> is like being outdoors. Amtrak has an in-house system
> but others should work under the preceding conditions.
> Here is a link:
>
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conte...m2Copy/Title_Im
age_Copy_Page&c=am2Copy&cid=1080080554513&ssid=350

and yes, you will notice if the trains stop. You will
feel like something is very much missing until you
put your finger on it.

jeaniesing

2005-09-26, 11:48 pm

I lived my childhood life by those whistles... I waited for the first
train after my alarm clock to get out of bed ...I was gonna be late for
school if I heard another train before I was ready to go out the door...
if I heard whistles while reading after going to bed I was in BIG
trouble (sleep deprivation) the next day... PA Main line 2 blocks
away... bottom of a big hill so brakes and warning whistles going West,
extra engines going East ;)

Thanks for the fond memory :)

Robert Payne Wrote:
> I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
> through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
> commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
> the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!
>
> At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
> week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!
>
> I asked a neighbor just yesterday, “If there was a 24-hour period
> that NO trains would come through do you think you would
> notice?” She replied “Yes” but does anyone really know?
>
> Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
> train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
> because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.
>
> Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
> fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?
>
> Bob Payne

--
jeaniesing
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cell Phone Forums: http://cellphoneforums.net
View this thread: http://cellphoneforums.net/t189517.html

Dan

2005-09-26, 11:48 pm

"Robert Payne" <rpayne@adventures.net> wrote in message
news:43387AD3.E3B721D6@adventures.net...
>I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
> through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
> commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
> the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!
>
> At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
> week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!
>
> I asked a neighbor just yesterday, "If there was a 24-hour period
> that NO trains would come through do you think you would
> notice?" She replied "Yes" but does anyone really know?
>
> Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
> train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
> because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.
>
> Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
> fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?
>
> Bob Payne

Hello, I use my phone on the train all the time. Out my way, we have Metra
Commuter trains. (Chicagoland thing) For the most part, we have signal in
most if not all areas served by metra by our local carriers. (some minor
dead spots occasionally.) Just have to be nice about it though. You don't
start screaming into the phone. They even have signs inside the train
telling you about how to be nice about using your phone.

Ioccasionally use Amtrak to go from Chicago to either Milwaukee or
Galesburg. To Milwaukee, i have no problem making calls. Ive actually made a
call from milwaukee and end the call half way there. I usually browse the
web the entire time.

Galesburg is another story. T-Mobile and cingular end about 50 minutes
before galesburg and resume about 15 minutes before you get there. Little
gap in coverage. No gsm coverage. An occasional drift of Iowa Wireless and
that's about it. I can't speak for Verizon W/U.S. Cellular/sprint or nextel
though. Ive never had them.

Jeffrey Kaplan

2005-09-26, 11:48 pm

It is alleged that Robert Payne claimed:

> I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
> through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
> commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
> the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!

I live about 50 feet from the tracks and 200 feet from a crossing.
Additionally, Ford Motor Cars, Inc, has their regional distribution
center about a thousand feet or so down the line (vehicles are brought
in by train and then put onto the road-going car carriers). It's a
pair of tracks, one is the regional commuter train line and the other
is an active freight line used by everybody.

The crossing is posted as "no horn" for the overnight, but there are
two other crossings within a half-mile in either direction and at night
those horns carry. And I do complain to the police dispatcher, as per
the proper procedures, when the train jockeys ignore the "no horn"
edict for this crossing.

The noise is worse in the warmer months when I leave windows open.

> Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
> fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?

Service availability dependant, why wouldn't you? It would be roughly
equivalent to using a cellphone as a passenger in a car.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"We finally broke the language barrier and introduced ourselves. And I
was invited aboard their ship. It was incredible. I'd never seen so
much space on a starship, and the T'Kar themselves. So unlike any other
species we'd encountered." (Capt. Sheridan, B5 "A Spider In The Web")

Craven Morehead

2005-09-27, 5:48 pm

For a short, but complete tutorial on living near train tracks, rent the
classic movie "The Blues Brothers". Listen to what Elwood proclaims.

"Robert Payne" <rpayne@adventures.net> wrote in message
news:43387AD3.E3B721D6@adventures.net...
> I recently moved into a town that has two train tracks that run
> through it. At various times in the day and night you can hear
> commuter and freight trains come by (I live about 1,500 feet from
> the tracks.) and the engineers always blows the horn!
>
> At first I was surprised that nobody complained, but after about a
> week or so, I got used to the noise, and I kind of enjoy it now!
>
> I asked a neighbor just yesterday, "If there was a 24-hour period
> that NO trains would come through do you think you would
> notice?" She replied "Yes" but does anyone really know?
>
> Does anyone else live in a town, near the tracks? Any interesting
> train and/or noise related comments or stories? I am only asking
> because I have never lived anywhere near trains prior to this move.
>
> Now with the cost of gasoline I might look into what the train
> fares are! Can you use cell phones on a train?
>
> Bob Payne

George

2005-09-27, 5:48 pm

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> It is alleged that Robert Payne claimed:
>
>
>
>
> I live about 50 feet from the tracks and 200 feet from a crossing.
> Additionally, Ford Motor Cars, Inc, has their regional distribution
> center about a thousand feet or so down the line (vehicles are brought
> in by train and then put onto the road-going car carriers). It's a
> pair of tracks, one is the regional commuter train line and the other
> is an active freight line used by everybody.
>
> The crossing is posted as "no horn" for the overnight, but there are
> two other crossings within a half-mile in either direction and at night
> those horns carry. And I do complain to the police dispatcher, as per
> the proper procedures, when the train jockeys ignore the "no horn"
> edict for this crossing.

Unfortunately sounding the horn is a federal requirement that cannot be
superceded by local regulations. We are about 1/2 mile from 2 grade
crossings on a line that was inactive for at least 25 years that all of
a sudden became a new freight mainline. Sometimes there are a dozen
trains at night. Some of the towns tried to pass ordinances but were
informed they were trumped because of ICC. You would think that in the
year 2005 they could deploy a scanning system to determine if anybody or
anything were in the "box" surrounding the crossing and then inform the
train operator of the need to blow the 130 db horn.

>
> The noise is worse in the warmer months when I leave windows open.
>
>
>
>
> Service availability dependant, why wouldn't you? It would be roughly
> equivalent to using a cellphone as a passenger in a car.
>

Rick

2005-09-27, 5:48 pm

Joseph

2005-09-27, 5:48 pm

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 18:48:51 -0400, Robert Payne
<rpayne@adventures.net> wrote:

>Can you use cell phones on a train?

Yes, but not far into a tunnel unless it is covered by a carrier (most
are not.)

- -

Jeffrey Kaplan

2005-09-27, 5:48 pm

It is alleged that George claimed:

>
> Unfortunately sounding the horn is a federal requirement that cannot be
> superceded by local regulations. We are about 1/2 mile from 2 grade

My town isn't the only community in Massachusetts that has a "no horn"
rule for the overnight. Last I heard, there is one town that has the
"no horn rule" in effect for the entire town, not just one or two
specific crossings.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"He mentioned something about evening the score... I wasn't able to
find out what he was planning cause he stopped talking to me after
that, at your urging." (Mr. Morden, B5 "Interludes and Examinations")

Jeffrey Kaplan

2005-09-27, 5:48 pm

It is alleged that Craven Morehead claimed:

> For a short, but complete tutorial on living near train tracks, rent the
> classic movie "The Blues Brothers". Listen to what Elwood proclaims.

I own a copy of the that movie.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"He mentioned something about evening the score... I wasn't able to
find out what he was planning cause he stopped talking to me after
that, at your urging." (Mr. Morden, B5 "Interludes and Examinations")

George

2005-09-27, 5:48 pm

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> It is alleged that George claimed:
>
>
>
>
> My town isn't the only community in Massachusetts that has a "no horn"
> rule for the overnight. Last I heard, there is one town that has the
> "no horn rule" in effect for the entire town, not just one or two
> specific crossings.
>

To followup on my own comment I just did a litle Googling and found that
even though the FRA was mandated by Congress in 1994 to produce a plan
concerning "quiet zones" they didn't finalize it until June 24, 2005.
This now allows towns to designate "quiet zones" but the town has to pay
for the extra gates, medians etc before they can designate the zone(s).

Isaiah Beard

2005-09-27, 5:48 pm

George wrote:

> You would think that in the
> year 2005 they could deploy a scanning system to determine if anybody or
> anything were in the "box" surrounding the crossing and then inform the
> train operator of the need to blow the 130 db horn.

Not every railroad crossing in the US has so much as a lighted warning
system. If the railroad companies can't manage that much, why would you
expect anything more high tech? :)

--
E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.

Donald Newcomb

2005-09-27, 11:48 pm

Flatulant Dingo

2005-09-28, 5:48 pm

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005, at 18:48:51 [GMT -0400] (08:48:51 Tuesday, 27 September
2005 where I live) "Robert Payne" wrote:

> Can you use cell phones on a train?

On the Hong Kong underground, sometimes you don't hear the train for all the
noise coming from people speaking on their mobile phones, or the phones
ringing.

Mij Adyaw

2005-09-28, 5:48 pm

No. The phone disintegrates as soon as you enter the train, however, if you
happen to have a Maxwell Smart Shoe Phone, it may work.

Yazzan Gable

2005-09-28, 5:48 pm

In article < 7629467731$200509281
95655@dontbotherspam
ming.com>,
Flatulant Dingo< flatulantdingo@deads
pam.com> wrote:

> On Mon, 26 Sep 2005, at 18:48:51 [GMT -0400] (08:48:51 Tuesday, 27 September
> 2005 where I live) "Robert Payne" wrote:
>
>
> On the Hong Kong underground, sometimes you don't hear the train for all the
> noise coming from people speaking on their mobile phones, or the phones
> ringing.
>

Yah, the MTR in Hong Kong is very forward thinking and progressive by
allowing wireless access on its trains, allowing people the choice of
being connected!

The MRT in Singapore is the same as well.

It's all a matter of setting up repeaters in the stations, tunnels and
trains. Hong Kong's wireless providers charge (last I looked)
HK$10/month licensing fee for that access.

In the Tokyo subway, I believe their keitai work underground too. But
people there use their phones to text when they are on the train since
talking on the phone in the train would be considered rude.

And in an unrelated note, the new Tsukuba Express has wi-fi on its
trains and platforms...

dold@XReXXCanXy.usenet.us.com

2005-09-28, 5:48 pm

In alt.cellular.cingular Mij Adyaw <mijadyaw@nospam.net> wrote:
> No. The phone disintegrates as soon as you enter the train, however, if you
> happen to have a Maxwell Smart Shoe Phone, it may work.

But, as of a couple of days ago, Maxwell Smart will no longer be answering
the phone. http://www.wouldyoubelieve.com/

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

David S

2005-09-28, 11:48 pm

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 19:11:11 -0500, "Dan" <danska@NOspamGmail.com> chose to
add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

>Galesburg is another story. T-Mobile and cingular end about 50 minutes
>before galesburg and resume about 15 minutes before you get there. Little
>gap in coverage. No gsm coverage. An occasional drift of Iowa Wireless and
>that's about it. I can't speak for Verizon W/U.S. Cellular/sprint or nextel
>though. Ive never had them.

IIRC, VZW is pretty solid all the way to Galesburg. Thanks for the report
on Cingular; just another reason for my friend to drop it and get on his
wife's VZW family plan (except she already has 5 lines on it...).

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"It's a problem, but when the lights go on again people won't be there in
the dark." - 'President' George W. Bush on the northeast blackout,
8/14/2003

Ralph5407

2005-09-28, 11:48 pm

Robert Payne Wrote:
>
>
> Can you use cell phones on a train?
>
> Bob Payne

At the moment the 'Tube' (London Underground) is cell phone free as
it has not been wired. On all other UK trains phones can be used but
quite a few of the operating companies now have 'quite' coaches where
the use of cell phones is prohibited, some of want a bit of peace on
our rail journeys.

--
Ralph5407

David S

2005-09-28, 11:48 pm

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 22:02:52 -0400, Jeffrey Kaplan <cing@gordol.org> chose
to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

>I live about 50 feet from the tracks and 200 feet from a crossing.
>Additionally, Ford Motor Cars, Inc, has their regional distribution
>center about a thousand feet or so down the line (vehicles are brought
>in by train and then put onto the road-going car carriers). It's a
>pair of tracks, one is the regional commuter train line and the other
>is an active freight line used by everybody.
>
>The crossing is posted as "no horn" for the overnight, but there are
>two other crossings within a half-mile in either direction and at night
>those horns carry. And I do complain to the police dispatcher, as per
>the proper procedures, when the train jockeys ignore the "no horn"
>edict for this crossing.
>
>The noise is worse in the warmer months when I leave windows open.

If the engineer is blowing, it's probably because some idiot is driving
around the gates. You'd be amazed how often that happens. This summer, one
railroad and all the police agencies in one county in Texas did a one-day
enforcement blitz and ticketed over 90 people for crossing violations.

Anyway, you won't get much sleep if there are a bunch of sirens responding
to the wrecked car that didn't get out of the way because the engineer
obeyed the "no horn" order. (Blowing the horn at a crossing also happens to
be a federal law.)

Back to the original question, I have always done okay with my phone on
trains. If you have trouble, try getting up against a window.

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"We don't use straws in combat, fella." - Cprl. Radar O'Reilly

Jer

2005-09-28, 11:48 pm

Robert Payne wrote:

> Can you use cell phones on a train?
>

I suppose it's technically possible, even highly probable that cell
service is usable while on a train, unless someone has a cell jammer
buried in a backpack somewhere nearby. I would expect a cell jammer to
be used in the "quiet" car.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

Jer

2005-09-28, 11:48 pm

David S wrote:
> On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 22:02:52 -0400, Jeffrey Kaplan <cing@gordol.org> chose
> to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:
>
>
>
>
> If the engineer is blowing, it's probably because some idiot is driving
> around the gates. You'd be amazed how often that happens. This summer, one
> railroad and all the police agencies in one county in Texas did a one-day
> enforcement blitz and ticketed over 90 people for crossing violations.
>
> Anyway, you won't get much sleep if there are a bunch of sirens responding
> to the wrecked car that didn't get out of the way because the engineer
> obeyed the "no horn" order. (Blowing the horn at a crossing also happens to
> be a federal law.)

That's a stupid law. Anyone arrogant enough to pull that stunt deserves
to be sliced and diced under Darwin's wheels. XXXX 'em. Leave the
whistle rope alone, and soon enough we'll all be better off.

>
> Back to the original question, I have always done okay with my phone on
> trains. If you have trouble, try getting up against a window.
>

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

Jeffrey Kaplan

2005-09-28, 11:48 pm

It is alleged that David S claimed:

>
> If the engineer is blowing, it's probably because some idiot is driving
> around the gates. You'd be amazed how often that happens. This summer, one

No, they blow the horn at every crossing all the time, except for the
few that are posted as "no horn" during the overnight. This crossing
gets more train traffic than road traffic... the street is only paved
on this side of the track, the other side is a dirt road going up a
hill where there is only one house.

> railroad and all the police agencies in one county in Texas did a one-day
> enforcement blitz and ticketed over 90 people for crossing violations.

The only time people here go around any of the gates is when they're
obviously malfunctioning.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"Everyone knows Minbari do not kill Minbari." "Then why are you here?"
"Perhaps everyone is wrong." (Kalain and Capt. Sheridan, B5 "Points of
Departure")

Joseph

2005-09-28, 11:48 pm

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 21:59:58 +0100, Ralph5407
<Ralph5407.1w3czb@mobile-forum.co.uk> wrote:

>On all other UK trains phones can be used but
>quite a few of the operating companies now have 'quite' coaches

Quite what??

- -

Dan

2005-09-29, 2:48 am

Verizon is most likely the best from what i hear down that way. I know
someone down there and they seem to think cingular, t-mobile and onelink
don't actually sell service there. Just for roaming.

If you look on compass.t-mobile.com and do an area map of gsm coverage for
t-mobile, you will see how it's pretty poor. Horrible gsm coverage of any
type in Abingdon. (south of galesburg, and where i usually stay.)

"David S" < dwstreeter@spamisnau
ghty.att.net> wrote in message
news:mh6mj1d487m1br6
hl8k5tiulccja70rsq6@
4ax.com...
> On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 19:11:11 -0500, "Dan" <danska@NOspamGmail.com> chose
> to
> add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:
>
>
> IIRC, VZW is pretty solid all the way to Galesburg. Thanks for the report
> on Cingular; just another reason for my friend to drop it and get on his
> wife's VZW family plan (except she already has 5 lines on it...).
>
> --
> David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
> http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
> Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
> Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
> "It's a problem, but when the lights go on again people won't be there in
> the dark." - 'President' George W. Bush on the northeast blackout,
> 8/14/2003
>

Brian Beuchaw

2005-09-29, 5:48 pm

In alt.cellular Jer <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote:
> David S wrote:
>
> That's a stupid law. Anyone arrogant enough to pull that stunt deserves
> to be sliced and diced under Darwin's wheels. XXXX 'em. Leave the
> whistle rope alone, and soon enough we'll all be better off.

Unless the dumb-asses have already reproduced, which would be unfortunate.

brian
--
If you want to reply to this message by mail, you will
have to change the reply address to beuchaw@beuchaw.net

user

2005-09-29, 11:48 pm

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 18:29:26 -0500, Jer <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote:
> David S wrote:
>
> That's a stupid law. Anyone arrogant enough to pull that stunt deserves
> to be sliced and diced under Darwin's wheels. XXXX 'em. Leave the
> whistle rope alone, and soon enough we'll all be better off.
>

Except for the times when the crossing gates malfunction, which
is frequently.

We had several deaths around here last year when the gates didn't
work, and the engineers didn't observe/weren't made aware of
the problem, and didn't blow their horns when approaching the crossing.

When a Conrail train meets a car, the train ALWAYS wins.

- Rich

David S

2005-09-29, 11:48 pm

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 16:23:46 -0400, Isaiah Beard
< sacredpoet@sacredpoe
t.com> chose to add this to the great equation of
life, the universe, and everything:

>George wrote:
>
>
>Not every railroad crossing in the US has so much as a lighted warning
>system. If the railroad companies can't manage that much, why would you
>expect anything more high tech? :)

Clue: it is not the railroads but the states that decide what level of
protection each crossing will have. It is also the states that pay for the
protection. And why not, since the railroads are being kind enough to allow
the public roads to cross their private property? (Yes, that IS the legal
standing of railroad crossings.)

One of the options being studied for reducing noise is to have fixed horns
at the crossing that are aimed down the road, relieving the homes to the
sides of the road of having to hear the horns from the trains.

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"You have not experienced Shakespeare until you've read it in the original
Klingon." - General Chang

David S

2005-09-29, 11:48 pm

On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 18:29:26 -0500, Jer <gdunn@airmail.ten> chose to add
this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

>
>That's a stupid law. Anyone arrogant enough to pull that stunt deserves
>to be sliced and diced under Darwin's wheels. XXXX 'em. Leave the
>whistle rope alone, and soon enough we'll all be better off.

I don't entirely disagree with you on that, but if you're going to drop
that law, you also have to pass one that says that the families of people
thus killed can't sue the railroads for the deaths.

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"Oh, you... you..." - Frank Burns
"Who you calling a you-you?" - Hawkeye Pierce

David S

2005-09-29, 11:48 pm

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 06:22:19 -0500, "Donald Newcomb"
<DRNewcomb@attglobal.NOT.net> chose to add this to the great equation of
life, the universe, and everything:

>Of course you can. Just go to Europe and see. In Japan they make you go to
>the end of the car to talk on the phone.

Most Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor have one "quiet car" per
train, originally started as an experiment by public demand.

In Chicago, Metra has so far resisted that demand.

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"The fact that my internal arrangement differs from yours, Doctor, pleases
me no end." - Spock

David S

2005-09-29, 11:48 pm

On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 13:20:21 -0400, Jeffrey Kaplan <cing@gordol.org> chose
to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

>It is alleged that Craven Morehead claimed:
>
>
>I own a copy of the that movie.

The new 25th anniversary DVD? Excellent... There's another whole verse of
Minnie the Moocher.

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"When our country chooses to honor a great president ... by placing his
likeness on our currency, it would be wrong to remove him and replace him
with another." - Nancy Reagan

Jer

2005-09-29, 11:48 pm

user wrote:
> On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 18:29:26 -0500, Jer <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote:
>
>
>
> Except for the times when the crossing gates malfunction, which
> is frequently.
>
> We had several deaths around here last year when the gates didn't
> work, and the engineers didn't observe/weren't made aware of
> the problem, and didn't blow their horns when approaching the crossing.

To this day, some people don't know this, and others don't care - either
way, violating a rail crossing arm regardless of why it's down is an
incredibly stupid thing to do.

>
> When a Conrail train meets a car, the train ALWAYS wins.
>
> - Rich
>

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

Jeffrey Kaplan

2005-09-29, 11:48 pm

It is alleged that David S claimed:

> On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 13:20:21 -0400, Jeffrey Kaplan <cing@gordol.org> chose
> to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:
>
> The new 25th anniversary DVD? Excellent... There's another whole verse of

It's the "Collector's Edition".

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"Greatness is never appreciated in youth, called pride in mid-life,
dismissed in old age, and reconsidered in death. Because we cannot
tolerate greatness in our midst, we do all we can to destroy it." (Lady
Morella, B5 "Point Of No Return")

Jer

2005-09-30, 2:48 am

Brian Beuchaw wrote:
> In alt.cellular Jer <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote:
>
>
>
> Unless the dumb-asses have already reproduced, which would be unfortunate.
>
> brian

Failing to heed the mistakes of the past dooms one's future.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

John S.

2005-10-01, 5:48 pm

"Robert Payne" <rpayne@adventures.net> wrote in message
news:43387AD3.E3B721D6@adventures.net...

> Can you use cell phones on a train?

Sure, why not?

David S

2005-10-02, 5:48 pm

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 20:57:39 GMT, user <Rich@iwantnospam.com> chose to add
this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

> We had several deaths around here last year when the gates didn't
>work, and the engineers didn't observe/weren't made aware of
>the problem, and didn't blow their horns when approaching the crossing.

To be perfectly technical about the law (and make a lot more of you think
it's stupid), even if the gates aren't down, it's still your fault if you
get hit by a train; you're supposed to look first. That's why buses do it.

> When a Conrail train meets a car, the train ALWAYS wins.

When ANY train meets a car the train always wins.

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"I always felt the sexual emancipation was for both sexes, otherwise it
doesn't work. It really wasn't a guy's ploy to get laid." - Hugh Hefner

David S

2005-10-02, 5:48 pm

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 21:22:37 -0400, Jeffrey Kaplan <cing@gordol.org> chose
to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

>It is alleged that David S claimed:
>
>
>It's the "Collector's Edition".

Does it have the theatrical cut, the director's cut, or both?

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"I sure wish I knew what was going on." - Henry Blake
"Oh, I'll tell you later, sir." - Radar
"You always say that, Radar, but you never do." - Henry

clifto

2005-10-02, 5:48 pm

David S wrote:
> On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 20:57:39 GMT, user <Rich@iwantnospam.com> chose to add
> this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:
>
> When ANY train meets a car the train always wins.

Not a bridal train, or a mule train, or a Soul Train.

--
If John McCain gets the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination,
my vote for President will be a write-in for Jiang Zemin.

Jerome Zelinske

2005-10-03, 2:48 am

Not even a train of thought.

clifto wrote:
> David S wrote:
>
>
>
> Not a bridal train, or a mule train, or a Soul Train.
>

2005-10-04, 5:48 pm

On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 19:08:04 GMT, David S
< dwstreeter@spamisnau
ghty.att.net> wrote:

>On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 20:57:39 GMT, user <Rich@iwantnospam.com> chose to add
>this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:
>
>
>To be perfectly technical about the law (and make a lot more of you think
>it's stupid), even if the gates aren't down, it's still your fault if you
>get hit by a train; you're supposed to look first. That's why buses do it.
>
>
>When ANY train meets a car the train always wins.

But Conrail, specifically lost the big battle.

Oh and thanks to David S, I have now wasted more time today reading
his rotating sigs. 8-)

Mij Adyaw

2005-10-04, 5:48 pm

That is not always true. Earlier this year, an idiot parked an SUV on the
tracks in an attempt to commit suicide. At the last minute the coward
decided that he did not want to commit suicide and got out of the SUV and
left the SUV on the tracks. The train hit the SUV and derailed killing many
people.

I believe that the companies that own the trains should issue a statement
that if you want to commit suicide by train, simply lay your body on the
tracks rather than parking a vehicle on the tracks. This will accomplish the
desired result without the potential of causing a derailment. This
information should be posted in all train stations so that it becomes common
knowledge.

>
> But Conrail, specifically lost the big battle.
>
> Oh and thanks to David S, I have now wasted more time today reading
> his rotating sigs. 8-)

Steve Sobol

2005-10-04, 5:48 pm

Mij Adyaw wrote:
> That is not always true. Earlier this year, an idiot parked an SUV on the
> tracks in an attempt to commit suicide. At the last minute the coward
> decided that he did not want to commit suicide and got out of the SUV and
> left the SUV on the tracks. The train hit the SUV and derailed killing many
> people.

That wasn't a big freight train, if I recall correctly. That was a Los
Angeles MetroLink commuter train. Nowhere near as large.

Back in my hometown, the Greater Cleveland RTA runs four commuter rail
routes. Three of those routes run light rail vehicles. There have been a
couple people who have hit the trains and totaled their cars, but haven't
killed anyone.

--
Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Company website: http://JustThe.net/
Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307

Quick

2005-10-04, 5:48 pm

Steve Sobol wrote:
>
> That wasn't a big freight train, if I recall correctly.
> That was a Los Angeles MetroLink commuter train. Nowhere
> near as large.
>
> Back in my hometown, the Greater Cleveland RTA runs four
> commuter rail routes. Three of those routes run light
> rail vehicles. There have been a couple people who have
> hit the trains and totaled their cars, but haven't killed
> anyone.

I used to live in Michigan and the line from NY City to Chicago
(Century Limited) ran through our back yard. Those things take
at least 5 to 10 miles to stop.

My father was a train buff and somehow managed to get me
a ride in the engine to Chicago and back. They stopped behind
the house, picked me up, we went to Chicago where they switched
crews and they brought me back and dropped me off at the back
yard again.

-Quick

DecTxCowboy

2005-10-04, 5:48 pm

Quick wrote:
> I used to live in Michigan and the line from NY City to Chicago
> (Century Limited) ran through our back yard. Those things take
> at least 5 to 10 miles to stop.

They don't stop fast. Texas Railroad Commission figures a mile or more
for a 6,0000 ton train or 100 cars doing 55 mph doing a emergency stop.

So 5 miles is reasonable for a "gosh darn it" stop compared to an "oh
shit!" stop

Steve Sobol

2005-10-04, 11:48 pm

Quick wrote:

> I used to live in Michigan and the line from NY City to Chicago
> (Century Limited) ran through our back yard. Those things take
> at least 5 to 10 miles to stop.

But again, that's Amtrak, not commuter rail. Much bigger cars.

--
Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Company website: http://JustThe.net/
Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307

David S

2005-10-05, 2:48 am

On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 14:19:35 -0500, clifto <clifto@clifto.com> chose to add
this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

>David S wrote:
>
>Not a bridal train, or a mule train, or a Soul Train.

Touché.

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"Well, goodbye virgin alarm." - Dot Matrix

Quick

2005-10-05, 5:48 pm

Steve Sobol wrote:
> Quick wrote:
>
>
> But again, that's Amtrak, not commuter rail. Much bigger
> cars.

O... this was way before Amtrak... Before the railroads sold
the classic equipment to the Mexican railroad. What I rode
in was a freight engine.

By the way, the difference between a freight engine and a
passenger engine is that the passenger engine is equiped
to supply steam (primarily for heating) where a freight engine
is not. If you happened to own your own private railroad car
you used to be able go from here to there for 18 coach fares
and a switching charge on each end.

My father fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams by putting in a
blind bid for an observation car when they had the big sell off.
Being a college prof he was not really a "man of means". He
figured scrap value to be somewhere around $15K and put in
a bid for that. Won it. 4 suites, porter's room, silver service,
bedding, linens, curtains, paintings, furniture. Back third was
the observation lounge with wet bar. Paid to put in 100 ft. of
track at the local grain elevator and they let him hook up to
water, sewage, and electric for free. They use something like
10 or 12 34V batteries, each the size of a footlocker. Wrangled
some deal with a salvage yard for the price of hauling them and
we had a garage full of them. Switching charge, nominal fee
to haul it to Columbus OH (nearest passenger service), switching
charge, 18 fares to Ann Arbor for the OSU Michigan game...
25 to 30 people and it was about $50 a head including the
snacks and liquour. Yee-haw in style.

-Quick

David S

2005-10-06, 2:48 am

On Wed, 05 Oct 2005 17:15:36 GMT, "Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com>
chose to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and
everything:

>By the way, the difference between a freight engine and a
>passenger engine is that the passenger engine is equiped
>to supply steam (primarily for heating) where a freight engine

Amtrak converted its fleet to head end power in the late '70s. Instead of
steam, the engine provides electricity (480V 3-phase), which runs the heat,
air conditioning, lights, stove in the dining car, everything. This has the
advantage that lights and ventilation do not depend on batteries when
standing still; also, steam lines had a nasty habit of freezing in the
winter. This is why most of their locomotives for more than 20 years ran at
full throttle (and full noise) even when standing still. The F40PH types
ran the HEP generator off of the main engine crankshaft. The newer ones
they started getting in the late '90s have, IIRC, a more sophisticated
arrangement so that the engine has to run at somewhere above idle but less
than full throttle when standing still. Some commuter railroads do it one
of these ways, while others simply use a separate engine/generator set in
the back end of the locomotive for the HEP. I don't think anybody in North
America uses steam any more (even the steam excursion trains have HEP
generators somewhere in the train).

>is not. If you happened to own your own private railroad car
>you used to be able go from here to there for 18 coach fares
>and a switching charge on each end.

Now it's a per mile charge plus switching charges. This fee was recently
raised by some bureaucrat who thought it would be a good way to increase
revenue and didn't realize that he was pricing most of the car owners out
of the market, thus actually decreasing revenue.

>My father fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams by putting in a
>blind bid for an observation car when they had the big sell off.
>Being a college prof he was not really a "man of means". He
>figured scrap value to be somewhere around $15K and put in
>a bid for that. Won it. 4 suites, porter's room, silver service,
>bedding, linens, curtains, paintings, furniture. Back third was
>the observation lounge with wet bar.

From what railroad?

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"The subliminal part of the movie is that it's always moving toward death."
- Director Sam Mendes, on his film 'American Beauty'

David S

2005-10-06, 2:48 am

On Tue, 04 Oct 2005 14:05:18 -0400, mw <nospam@ptd.net> chose to add this
to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

>On Sun, 02 Oct 2005 19:08:04 GMT, David S
>< dwstreeter@spamisnau
ghty.att.net> wrote:
>
>
>But Conrail, specifically lost the big battle.

??? Are you referring to some specific incident, or to Conrail being split
up between CSX and Norfolk Southern? I sure wish I had bought some stock
the first day of issue. After sinking 8 billion tax dollars into it, the
government sold it at $28 a share. Fifteen years later, after a 2-1 split,
those shares sold to CSX and NS at $110.

>Oh and thanks to David S, I have now wasted more time today reading
>his rotating sigs. 8-)

Glad to be of amusement. At last count, I have 1112 of them (although many
are specific to one newsgroup (not this one) and I never post them
elsewhere).

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"Maybe we should not have humored [the American Indians] [when they asked
to live on reservations]. Maybe we should have said, 'No, come join us. Be
citizens along with the rest of us.'" - Ronald Reagan

Quick

2005-10-06, 5:48 am

David S wrote:
>
> From what railroad?

Doh... I've been thinking about exactly that, all day
since I started to write/remember that. This was
more than 30? years ago. I really should be able
to remember that. I can't remember which railroad
or which train it came from. I have a very vague
recollection of 5 or 6 railroads and partial names
of 2 or three famous trains. It was from one of the
more notable trains. I can't even remember which
part of the country it ran... I wonder
if this means I'm on my way out? Was it the
Twentieth Century Limited that ran from NY to
Chicago? The Twilight that ran up and down the
West coast? There was one that ran over the
rockies and one that went from the midwest into
the South. I think it was a newer car (relatively
speaking) as it was solid unpainted stainless on
the outside. It was the end car, rounded in the
back where the lounge was. Maybe I'll eventually
visualize the logo on the silver service.

sigh.... I feel sooo old,
-Quick

David S

2005-10-07, 2:48 am

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 06:00:50 GMT, "Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com>
chose to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and
everything:

>David S wrote:
>
>Doh... I've been thinking about exactly that, all day
>since I started to write/remember that. This was
>more than 30? years ago. I really should be able
>to remember that. I can't remember which railroad
>or which train it came from. I have a very vague
>recollection of 5 or 6 railroads and partial names
>of 2 or three famous trains. It was from one of the
>more notable trains. I can't even remember which
>part of the country it ran... I wonder
>if this means I'm on my way out? Was it the
>Twentieth Century Limited that ran from NY to
>Chicago? The Twilight that ran up and down the
>West coast? There was one that ran over the
>rockies and one that went from the midwest into
>the South. I think it was a newer car (relatively
>speaking) as it was solid unpainted stainless on
>the outside. It was the end car, rounded in the
>back where the lounge was. Maybe I'll eventually
>visualize the logo on the silver service.
>
>sigh.... I feel sooo old,

Did it have a dome? If not, it was probably from an eastern road (older
construction, lower tunnel clearances). Plain stainless wouldn't be from
the 20th Century, but it could be from another New York Central train. (The
Pennsylvania's flagship train NY-CHI was the Broadway Limited, but it
wouldn't be that either.) There are a lot of other possibilities.

There were more than one train on each of the routes you mention. Chicago
to San Francisco area, the California Zephyr ran on the Burlington to
Denver, the Rio Grande to Salt Lake, and the Western Pacific to Oakland,
while the City of San Francisco ran over the Chicago & North Western (not
Northwestern) until mid-1955, then the Milwaukee Road, to Omaha, Union
Pacific to Ogden, and Southern Pacific to Oakland. The CZ had stainless
round end observations with domes; the City was painted.

In this day and age, when we're lucky to have the few trains we do, people
forget (or don't realize) that the different railroads' trains competed
with each other, until the 1960s, when most of them realized that, thanks
to public subsidies for highways and airports (and the air traffic control
system), passenger trains were never going to be profitable again.

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"No one in the White House staff, no one in this administration, presently
employed, was involved in this very bizarre incident....What really hurts
in matters of this sort is not the fact that they occur, because
overzealous people in campaigns do things that are wrong. What really
hurts is if you try to cover it up." - President Richard Nixon, early in
the Watergate affair

Quick

2005-10-07, 2:48 am

David S wrote:
> On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 06:00:50 GMT, "Quick"
>
> Did it have a dome? If not, it was probably from an
> eastern road (older construction, lower tunnel
> clearances). Plain stainless wouldn't be from the 20th
> Century, but it could be from another New York Central
> train. (The Pennsylvania's flagship train NY-CHI was the
> Broadway Limited, but it wouldn't be that either.) There
> are a lot of other possibilities.

Nope, no dome.

> There were more than one train on each of the routes you
> mention. Chicago to San Francisco area, the California
> Zephyr ran on the Burlington to Denver, the Rio Grande to
> Salt Lake, and the Western Pacific to Oakland, while the
> City of San Francisco ran over the Chicago & North
> Western (not Northwestern) until mid-1955, then the
> Milwaukee Road, to Omaha, Union Pacific to Ogden, and
> Southern Pacific to Oakland. The CZ had stainless round
> end observations with domes; the City was painted.

I remember the Zephyr. Double decker observation cars
right? He loved trains, he hated planes. More that you didn't
see anything or get a chance to relax than being nervous
about flying (although he did go for the back seats since
the tail often broke off intact -- not that anyone survived in
there anyway when that happens). We went to Hawaii for a
year (teaching grant at U of H) from Lansing, Michigan. Train
to the West Coast. Ocean liner to Hawaii... I don't remember
it being so much a cruise ship affair. Luxury liner was descriptive.
(We came back from India (I was 3) on the Andrea Doria the
trip before it went down).

Now I'm going to have to actually talk to my sister to see if
she has any pictures of it showing ID.

-Quick

> In this day and age, when we're lucky to have the few
> trains we do, people forget (or don't realize) that the
> different railroads' trains competed with each other,
> until the 1960s, when most of them realized that, thanks
> to public subsidies for highways and airports (and the
> air traffic control system), passenger trains were never
> going to be profitable again.

Cyrus Afzali

2005-10-07, 5:48 pm

On Tue, 04 Oct 2005 17:43:52 -0700, Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net>
wrote:

>Quick wrote:
>
>
>But again, that's Amtrak, not commuter rail. Much bigger cars.

As the poster later states, he's talking about freight-type equipment,
not passenger rail cars. There's NO WAY any passenger train in this
country takes anywhere near 5 to 10 miles to stop. Anybody who's been
on a train when an emergency brake has improperly activated can tell
you that.

CharlesH

2005-10-08, 5:48 pm

David S wrote:
> There were more than one train on each of the routes you mention. Chicago
> to San Francisco area, the California Zephyr ran on the Burlington to
> Denver, the Rio Grande to Salt Lake, and the Western Pacific to Oakland,
> while the City of San Francisco ran over the Chicago & North Western (not
> Northwestern) until mid-1955, then the Milwaukee Road, to Omaha, Union
> Pacific to Ogden, and Southern Pacific to Oakland.

The California Zephyr still runs from Emeryville, CA (south of Oakland)
to Chicago. Our family took it on a vacation a couple of years ago. I
tried to check the cellphone coverage along the way, but I kept being
distracted by the scenery. :)

David S

2005-10-10, 5:48 pm

On Fri, 07 Oct 2005 05:49:06 GMT, "Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com>
chose to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and
everything:

>David S wrote:
>
>
>I remember the Zephyr. Double decker observation cars
>right?

No, just domes. The Santa Fe's El Capitan had double deckers, which were
the model for the Superliner cars Amtrak built starting in the late '70s
and which are now used on all western long distance trains, plus the
Capitol Limited and Auto Train in the east. (Amtrak uses a few of the old
Santa Fe cars on the Heartland Flyer, which runs from Ft. Worth to Oklahoma
City.)

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"At a stage in life when other men prosper, I'm reduced to living in
Philadelphia." - John Adams, "1776"

David S

2005-10-10, 5:48 pm

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 18:03:17 GMT, CharlesH <hoch@exemplary.invalid> chose
to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:

>David S wrote:
>
>The California Zephyr still runs from Emeryville, CA (south of Oakland)
>to Chicago. Our family took it on a vacation a couple of years ago. I
>tried to check the cellphone coverage along the way, but I kept being
>distracted by the scenery. :)

Yes, but now it's run by Amtrak, using Superliner cars instead of regular
cars with domes, and it runs on the Southern Pacific (Donner Pass route)
instead of the Western Pacific (Feather River route) between Emeryville and
Salt Lake City.

(The SP and WP, as well as the Denver & Rio Grande Western, are now parts
of Union Pacific, known to some railfans as Borg Rail.)

--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"Y'know, this administration doesn't need an opposition party. We do just
fine by ourselves." - Toby Ziegler

Bob the Printer

2005-10-10, 11:48 pm

What's this got to do with VZW???

It seems to be an ongoing conversation between you and one or two others
that would be better taken to regular Email. Seems like all you want to do
is demonstrate your superior knowledge of trains, which is a big bore for
most of us!

Quick

2005-10-10, 11:48 pm

Bob the Printer wrote:
> What's this got to do with VZW???
>
> It seems to be an ongoing conversation between you and
> one or two others that would be better taken to regular
> Email. Seems like all you want to do is demonstrate your
> superior knowledge of trains, which is a big bore for
> most of us!

ummm, the original question was "can you use cell phones
on trains"... when you consider it's a very small leap to "can
you use cell phones in cars" how exciting did you really
expect this thread to be? And I don't think anyone is trying
to demonstrate their superior knowledge but to share a
bit of (pretty much lost) American heritage.

-Quick

John Richards

2005-10-10, 11:48 pm

"Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message news:50D2f.384$tV6.259@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...
> Bob the Printer wrote:
>
> ummm, the original question was "can you use cell phones
> on trains"... when you consider it's a very small leap to "can
> you use cell phones in cars" how exciting did you really
> expect this thread to be? And I don't think anyone is trying
> to demonstrate their superior knowledge but to share a
> bit of (pretty much lost) American heritage.

I have no problem with discussing use of cellphones on trains,
but a discussion of trains is just too far off-topic for this newsgroup.

--
John Richards

Larry

2005-10-10, 11:48 pm

"Bob the Printer" <bdolson@comcast.net> wrote in
news:fYmdnW1I0bg3Z9f
eRVn-vg@comcast.com:

> What's this got to do with VZW???
>
> It seems to be an ongoing conversation between you and one or two
> others that would be better taken to regular Email. Seems like all you
> want to do is demonstrate your superior knowledge of trains, which is
> a big bore for most of us!
>
>
>

They're trying to find a place to put the multiband, multimode train
repeaters, of course!

Every car will have them. They'll even let Nextel customers have
service....

--
Larry

Bob the Printer

2005-10-11, 2:48 am

"Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:50D2f.384$tV6.259@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net...

> ummm, the original question was "can you use cell phones
> on trains"... when you consider it's a very small leap to "can
> you use cell phones in cars" how exciting did you really
> expect this thread to be? And I don't think anyone is trying
> to demonstrate their superior knowledge but to share a
> bit of (pretty much lost) American heritage.

That's true, but your conversation with the OP has degraded to simply
conversation about different types of train cars, etc, with nothing actually
pertaining to use of cell phones on trains!

DecTxCowboy

2005-10-11, 11:48 pm

Bob the Printer wrote:

> Seems like all you want to do
> is demonstrate your superior knowledge of trains, which is a big bore for
> most of us!

I thinks its pretty darn interesting.

John S.

2005-10-12, 5:48 pm

"DecTxCowboy" < dtc_nada_spamo_ramp@
swbell.net> wrote in message
news:fPV2f.12458$vw6.9359@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> Bob the Printer wrote:
>
>
> I thinks its pretty darn interesting.

In another forum.

David S

2005-10-12, 11:48 pm

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 23:42:57 GMT, "Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com>
chose to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and
everything:

>Bob the Printer wrote:

So don't read it.
[color=darkred]
>ummm, the original question was "can you use cell phones
>on trains"... when you consider it's a very small leap to "can
>you use cell phones in cars" how exciting did you really
>expect this thread to be? And I don't think anyone is trying
>to demonstrate their superior knowledge but to share a
>bit of (pretty much lost) American heritage.

Thanks for the compliment, but actually I've been worrying myself that this
thread had drifted too far off topic. To put it back on topic (but take it
away from what I've been talking about), I can report that when I rode a
steam excursion train last year, partially on but mostly off of Amtrak
routes, I always had a signal, although I'm not sure it was always useable.
Running up the west bank of the Mississippi from Dubuque, IA, to La
Crescent, MN (across the river from La Crosse, WI), I mostly had a weak
analog roaming signal which I never tried to use. On the bus back to
Dubuque, we were in Wisconsin all the way and I had a pretty solid 1x from
US Cellular, which switched to VZW near the Illinois border.

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