Afternoon/evening fellas; getting down right nipple-ly around here. About time to start thinking about plugging those "compression engines" in at night for easier starts & warm cabs.Thank you, this is the first time I've been able to get online since Thursday night...been working my tail off since then. Got to love it when half the crew board marks off to go to a Christmas party. I take the $$$ and pass on the trip to Branson.

 

It is getting just a little cool out. I never have plugged in either of my trucks and as long as there are no bad glow plugs, I have never had starting problems.

 

Good morning everyone!
Its yet another Monday morning and all is well!
Time to get the coffee brewin'

 

Uhg!! gotta get moving. Back to that dirty little word called WORK!! Seems like I might have forgot how to do that, oh well, guess I'll just play it by ear.

 

Good Morning Arkansas!

Have a great day!

 

Afternoon ya'll. So glad yesterday is over, I love it when technology fails after bean counters think they've solved the worlds problems. A little back story...locomotives don't have glow plugs (never have)...and most run for weeks at a time without shutting down this time of year since most railroads use plan water with no antifreeze in the cooling system. The company I work for has spent $30k per locomotive installing a 20hp Kubota diesel-powered generator/pump (APU) so we can shut down the main engine that can burn 13-17 gallons of diesel per hour of idle. Both the APU & main engine use same cooling water & system, the APU uses the generator to run pumps to circulate water through the big engine (10320 CID/170L), trickle charge the batteries and keep a small heater running in the cab. Yesterday morning when I got to the assignment I was called for we discovered the APU had shut down sometime over the weekend; thus the main engine was good & cold soaked. Needless to say the 16F low wasn't helping either. On the bottom of the engine (below the cooling water pump) is a plug the mechanics call "the guru"...the thing will fall out when the water temps fall below 35-40F in an effort to keep the block from freezing & cracking. It was great to sit around for 5 hours & due nothing while the shop sent a truck down to get it going.I don't have any issue starting the truck when it hasn't been plugged in...it's just nice to get, fire it up...and have warm air coming out of the vents. I will say this, I thought the old batteries I had were ok (load tested out fine)...but these new ones under the hood are definitely hot. May end up replacing my stater since the thing spins so fast now.Poor guy, were do I need to send the flowers for my condolences...




You slacker.

 

Hey, I resemble that remark

 

Well how is it going everyone. Figured I would drop a line in here. Wanted to let you guys know that I am leaving the end of this month for Kuwait for 6 months. It is supposed to be a nice base to go to so no worries about anything....besides, I hit expert with an M16 anyways! lol Jackie will be here till the girls are outta school then head to Fl. My neighbor is going to start my truck up for me now and then. Gonna get some work done on it when I get back, get it driveable!!

 

Good Morning Arkansas!

Happy Hump Day!

 

afternoon everyone!!!!

 

Be safe Andy, see you when you get back.

 

Dang, back to the sandbox ehh? Jim is headed back too..

Take care of yourself over there.

 

morning everyone happy thursday!!!!!

 

Good Morning AR!

TGIF!

 

Morning everyone, other than laundry...not really sure what I'm going to do with my "day off".Man, be careful over there...even if your in Kuwait.