Autumn Leaves

Autumn is so nice....trees are so colorful. It is not nice for trainzzz. Leaves on tracks act as a lubricant when crushed with the weight of a train on a surface of about 1/10th of an inch....steel train wheels sit on a curved surface (steel tracks) unlike flat highway roads.....pressure on rail is is in million of pounds per square inch. Apart from stopping problems, my trainzzzs sense loss of traction with wheeels spinning and Automatic Train Control engages first trying to compensate and ultimately 'Braking In Emergency' resulting with all wheels locked and skidding to the point where wheel surface is superheated to the point where the wheel gets a major 'flat spot' that makes the train BUMP as it rolls along. What we added was 'sanders' that deposit a small quantity of dry fine sand upon the tracks in front of the wheels automatically operated. Sanders work well for locomotives hauling freight cars being manually controlled by the engineer but this application is still in question...take the money and run....7+ days with overtime. NYCTA subways on outside tracks doesn't have this problem....'slime trains' deposit an enzyme directly upon the tracks that break down leaves to prevent the problem. A simple wire brush mounted on train truck against the track would eliminate 80% of the problems but I learned about how my contributions from experience benefit others...........'Sargeant Shulttz' was always right in many ways.....'Kolonel Klink I see nothing." Passenger safety is the priority. I had a trainset come in with a gearcase lacking oil...unsealed. Supervisor said it goes out as it came in. I say trainset is condemned for motion. I'm the FRA certified Car Inspector and my word is law...what I see and ignore can subject me to Federal penalties. 'Happy medium' was for me to refill gearcase with five quarts of 80W90 oil for return without repairing leak source....fabricating a temporary metal plate for an uncompensated repair costs the company money.....trainset goes back to customer for them to fix.

Now we have my buddy 'Baghdad Bob' who says no Allied Forces are within fifty miles of Baghdad. Right, like Bombardier M7A trainsets are 'MAINTAINANCE FREE.' Just try buying a new car, running up 172K miles, driving into a tree, only changing brake pads/shoes and coming back to the dealer for warranty repair. I'm doing the maintainance work that union members should and do not do.......to make trainzzzs safe......and mark work with my railroad sign: a schematic of a grounded antenna.......my 'signal' does not go out and is not heard.

Keep On Working

My little crew has worked hard and so sucessfully that we now have an accelerated schedule to return trainsets to Metro North Commuter Railroad....two weeks for three married pairs and two weeks for two married pairs...allowing time for Quality Assurance to do their inspections. Apart from my 'modification' assignments, I do liasion with MNCR and repairs. Almost every day is a busy day and maybe I should post my favorite resting place 'sitting upon the throne!'

Picture is of the Ocrakoke ferry in North Carolina which travails from bottom of Cape Hattaras to Ocrakoke Island. Guys are yelling at me to go vacation and I keep working. Well, I made my 'Dayton Adventure Trip' all by myself with a lot of hard work. I have all the camping equipment I need...I just need the courage to make a longer time trip. Second picture is of my mother with my rented RV on the ferry years ago. I'd like to think she would be proud of me going on vacation with her Jeep.

DAYTON HAMVENTION...largest in our galaxy

This was an adventure for one which I had not done in a decade. The drive each way was 572 miles. Driving was easy for me....what I did not realise was the work to set up my camping site and tear it down. I drove my Hyundai...not the Jeep....fully loaded....32MPG. I had everything.... a 100' square domed tent, an extra large cot, two collapsible chairs, a three way refrigerated chest, a 1 KW genset, sleeping bag and blankets, food and so much more. This was more than a trip....it was a test of my emergency prepardness AND skills. What I learned will be the basis of my future vacations. Future trips will be better.....I plan to go to Cape Hattaras Seashore and will have a ton of radio equipment along with the ten sections of aluminum antenna mast I purchased at Dayton.....about 38' high.

Food is important.......yahgottaeat! Using a 12VDC oven I had French Toast! Had hot coffee (propane burner), cold cereal with milk, orange juice, yogurt, walnut bread with cheese and egg biscuits. Cold water/juice/soda/beer was always available from my three-way Dometic refrigereated chest....it ran on 12VDC from my car when driving, 120VAC from my genset and LPG bottles when I was away. I work railroad and always carry a 'food bag' with my hand-held TV...I don't suffer!

Dayton Hamvention was not as good as it used to be: economics/gas prices/internet but I was glad to be there....thanks to my crew who encouraged me to make the trip. Special thanks to 'Loby' WA2AZT from the K2IRT group/Ragchewers Group who gave me the incentive to go knowing I would not be alone.....Mothers Day was Sunday before.

THE LINE ENDS HERE......BTNA MNCR CORE CREW

This is the major part of the Bombardier Operations crew which services the M7 heavy passenger rail of MTA Metro North in modifications, warranty and repair. The work is good. I'm graced with a great job close to home with good people to work with.

My title is Mechanical Technician but I do a lot more than that. I'm certified by MTA for 'Refrigerant Handling' so I can do HVAC work. I'm certified by FRA as a 'Car Inspector' for all Periodic Inspections (including annual.) I am licensed by the FCC as a 'General Radio Operator Licensee' with endorsement to maintain/repair Shipboard RADAR. My experience is a 'communications and control systems specialist' with work down to component level on-site repair as a Field Engineer. I take all the work given to me without fear of getting 'dirty and greasy' because Our Lord placed skills into my hands to be used.

I wanted my mother to be proud of me. She passed away October 12th, 2006.

STAY SAFE. Switch to Safety. Wear your Personal Protective Equipment. RRCI Peter

M7A HVAC Inspection process

MetroNorth demands a specific inspection process for HVAC in Car Inspection for 'Acceptance.' The two HVAC units, almost identical to the R142 Bombardier units, sit roof-top at each end of the car. WHAT MNCR is looking for is the seal lip in roof to specifications. Process is simple but time consuming.

First step is to disconnect all power/signal connections in ceiling. Second step is to release six ferrous steel bolts that secure unit to roof. Why ferrous steel bolts? Stainless steel alloy bolts often SIEZE (get stuck) in SS fittings. Third step is to secure a lift framework to HVAC unit and remove, setting it lightly on roof nearby (still on lift.) Fourth step is to very carefully place a straight edge (like a long aluminum level) along the lip and measure any gaps with a feeler gauge...IF the gap is excessive, there is a special tool which levers the lip up. Fifth step is to record results. Sixth step is to return unit into place and replace any aluminized tape damaged on insulation. Seventh step is to reconnect all power/signal connections and test for proper operation. Eighth step is to normalise ceiling panels. Married pair has four units to do. Easy work....we're not slacking time. MNCR wants Quality Assurance of no leaks....QA is in observance of procedure. Railroad doe NOT do this is HVAC inspections.....they only check for level of refrigerants and operation.

First Winter pics....not TRAINZZZZ

Thank you to everyone who puts up with me. This 02/03/2007 post is not trainzzzz....it's 'high country weather' overlooking the Delaware Water Gap. Fist view is house and Jeep. Second is a bit farther. I have my hands full with estate problems with the loss of my mother. This estate I built is pretty extensive and takes a lot of work to maintain.

I work with the BEST crew at Bombardier and have the Best friends on SubChat.

Stay tuned. 'U breaka my trainzzz I breaka U head.' Good work and good friends. RRCI Peter

Been a long time since I posted. Mother passed away October 12th and I have many pictures to post.

Picture posted is me in command of a three ton crane lifting out M7a Bombardier HVAC unit for inspection. My crew, Bombardier Arch Street West Crew, responsible for MTA Metro North systems, is the BEST crew. RRCI Peter

Car Inspector Peter 'Makes Trainzzz Go' as always

There is motion in the shop. Three M7 married pairs were moved out of shop to be returned to MTA Metro North to be returned to service. One had a problem and everyone scurried about...I was chased away. A contractor asked me what I thought was wrong........'stuck brakes probably due to a defective magnet valve on one unit because all other brakes were released.' Turns out this one valve was replaced by an unmarked unit that failed and the air passageways were loaded with debris. I spoke to the 'methods engineer' because I recognised certain things in error.....the surface this valve faces is not clean enough and rubber 'O-rings' which provide a seal might be failing. I know my braking control systems.

Subway and heavy passenger cars use 'magnet valves' to control the brakes. Simply, they take a little air pressure from the control system to provide a much larger volume of air to operate the BRAKE CYLINDERS to squeeze the brakes on the wheels just like a little hydraulic pressure from your cars brake pedal squeezes the brakes to stop your car.

Anyway, three service tracks were cleared for three new trainzzz with a fourth stuck because a contractor did not finish work on it. Monday means we all have new work and the 'cycle' starts again.........hard work with overtime. I have a good supervisor who recognises some (but not all) of what a REAL COMPOSITE CAR INSPECTOR can do but that is OK because he is looking out for me as I take care of my mother.

Trainzzz do move...do move freight and passengers...MTA trainsets keep New York City ALIVE by taking people to work and home safely...and 'I Make Trainzzz Go.' Car Inspector Peter