Flaming GMC
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Flaming GMC
Ok, I'm on a train rolling out of Mobile the other day when I happen to look back and notice that the second locomotive....a GMC locomotive.....is pouring coal black smoke and has 7 foot flames shooting out the stack. I don't think anything about because we need the extra power. So we chug on down the road a little piece. Well, when we get to Bay Minette, I see a fire truck sitting at the road crossing. The driver waves so I wave and we keep going. I asked my engineer if he thought that truck was for us. His exact words were "No, who the heck calls the fire department on a train?". So we keep going. A quarter mile down the road I look out the window to see 4 fire trucks, an ambulance, the fire chief and a LONG line of volunteer firefighters following us down the track. So we ended up having to stop and spend 20 minutes explaining that the engine was NOT on fire, that it was just a piece of crap. The really sad part is the other 2 locomotives were GEs that were built around 1965 and the piece of crap GMC was built in 2004.
Thought ya'll might enjoy that story.
Thought ya'll might enjoy that story.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
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From: The Big, Oregon
Sounds about right for the latest offerings from the General. I have seen more of those SD series engines go down than I care to think about. Saw one in Flagstaff that suffered major overheating, to the point it split a seam on the block. It still had a very nice shine to it, and the paint wasn't even worn off the steps or handrails. Maybe a month old.
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From: SE Wisconsin
Sounds like the SD (or was it a Geep?)was built by ALCO and not EMD....lol
It just shows why GE overshadowed EMD years ago. Besides, everything from the old U-Boats on up to the Dash 8's and 9's of today are so much more aesthetically pleasing.
It just shows why GE overshadowed EMD years ago. Besides, everything from the old U-Boats on up to the Dash 8's and 9's of today are so much more aesthetically pleasing.
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Marengo, Iowa
The fire trucks have to occasionally chase the trains down along the DM&E line in eastern South Dakota because of grass fires, had a few that had fuel leaks, helping the fire follow them... this came from one of the firefighters that had to help with the fire.
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From: Pleasant Hill, MO
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Not as far west as I want
Originally Posted by fellro86
The fire trucks have to occasionally chase the trains down along the DM&E line in eastern South Dakota because of grass fires, had a few that had fuel leaks, helping the fire follow them... this came from one of the firefighters that had to help with the fire.
I seen a SD40 versus a gravel truck and pup trailer, the trailers were loaded too. The unit hit between trailer 1 and the pup trailer, at 40 MPH. Bent the hand rails into the cab.
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I'm beginning to think that the lettrs GMC affect the intelligence level of the people around them. I just got in from Pensacola, FL and we almost took out a Duramax that apparently wanted to play chicken with a 10,000 ton coal train. And of course he was on my side not the engineers so I would have a bird's eye view of the whole thing.
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From: SE Wisconsin
I think its more GM that affects the IQ more than anything. We had a kid about 2 years ago pull out of his job next to the tracks, stop because the lights were flashing and dinging, and from what the conductor said, he just pulled in front of the train and got nailed and dragged about a 1/4 mile before splitting the car in 2 and killing him. Strange seeing Flight For Life and 3 news helo's out in the boonies with the news crews on the ground. It wasnt pretty.
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It's never pretty when a train hits someone. I worked with an engineer last week who told me that in 12 years of railroading he had hit 5 cars and killed 9 people. He said he hit a van with 9 people in it and only two survived. I haven't been on one that hit a vehicle . The biggest thing I've seen us run over to date was a cow.
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From: Pleasant Hill, MO
Lady in my hometown in an 03 sliverado 2500 had an incident. The train runs parallel to a small 2 lane highway. Well, the residential folks live on roads perpendicular to the highway and train track. The track is about 2 car lengths from the highway. Well, 3 cars got piled up at that stop sign, and she stops on the tracks and just waits there as the arms come down. She just sits there... 
She didn't try to back up or get out of the truck or anything. How embarassing for the family. Of course, she died in the accident. It may sound cold, but she wasn't killed. She died of her own accord.
Ryan
She didn't try to back up or get out of the truck or anything. How embarassing for the family. Of course, she died in the accident. It may sound cold, but she wasn't killed. She died of her own accord.Ryan