Fantastic news!

[jackalope]

Nothing wrong with my English, it's the Americans, they distort it. . . .

But anyway, congratulations, sounds like your dream come true

I watched a program about American locomotives and trains, incredible design, they basically use diesel to generate electricity for the wheel motors, much more fuel efficient, and can still pull those massive loads

Lorries killed out freight trains in England, we still have them mostly running at night, but very few

Mick.

That's insain! Trucks could never move the amount of frieght that trains can! Each coal train I brought from Pennsylvania down to Maryland was 2 locomotives and 130 cars loaded with coal, total weight between 18,000 and 22,000 tons! Trucks can't do that! Trains in the US also transport truck trailers to help take trucks off the road and move frieght more efficiently. 2 man crew, 2 locomotives can move upwards of 300 18 wheeler trailers! So that's 300 trucks off the road times hundreds of trains everyday! Europe is usually ahead of the US it's amazing you guys are so far behind in the transport of frieght. Are you sure?

[RobW]

Bulk does still travel by train, but we move smaller amounts over shorter distances so lorry wins.

[jarndice]

Jack the days of true long distance haulage in the UK is pretty much finished,
Because of the very tight restrictions on Drivers Hours (Blame the European Union) it makes such work uneconomic,
So that instead of a truck loading multiple deliveries on a Saturday in southern England and rolling on a Sunday to Scotland ( Which could be reached legally in a day before the EU Rules) and spending the week on the road going from town to town, factory to shop to factory, it is now trucked to a central warehouse in bulk then broken down into van loads.
Times change and as to moving 18 wheelers by rail that certainly happens on mainland Europe but Geographically the UK is just too small to make it worthwhile.
But the movement of Bulk products such as oil fuel and various construction products certainly goes by Rail,
It would be economic madness not to.
Shaun.

[jarndice]

You are so right Mick,
When the truck did the run, it was one driver and one drivers wages,
Now it is a truck driver and multiple vans and van drivers costs that go on the bill.
And people still say the European Union makes economic sense,
Not in the transport industry it doesn't.
Shaun.

[HERMAN BIX]

Same in New Zealand...............almost the same land mass as the U.K with only 4 Million souls rattling around in it !
Australia suffers the same issue, huge distances to cover, but like a pie, we all live around the crust with stuff-all in the middle.
Trucks offer flexible, controllable, mass-suitable transport options that trains and the bureaucracy & systems that support them cannot offer to anything not bulk coal or liquid hydrocarbons.

Mr Jack.............your achievement and pride in becoming a 4th Gen train engineer is one that you can stand tall & look over many men for, Ive seen & experienced the full might of rail in the U.S first hand and its a thing to behold, youre not just 'in charge'......you are '"IN F'N charge" of this critical mass they call a freight train , and GOD shall not judge you for your decision to run it.

I applaud you achievement not possessing the Kahunas to take it on myself .

[jarndice]

Mick that was why we ran Sundays no rush and an easy pace, less traffic and only going to Glasgow to park up before actually beginning the deliveries on the Monday Morning.
Shaun.

[jackalope]

I keep forgetting that some of your countries are smaller then some of our states, sorry. Trucks do make better sense at those times.

Herman, thank you sir! Not many people can even grasp running 22,000 tons at 50mph (80kph). It's a little frightening though as there is no way to stop the thing within a mile so if something happens to the rails in front of you your kinda screwed. Also why I beg people to stay off our tracks cause I can't stop and you will die a very bad death, closed casket I gaurentee.

[jackalope]

Hey Jack, I know someone that's in charge of rail "incidents' get some quite interesting stories.

But don't let it put you off, although you have a big responsibility, you can't be blamed for others stupidity.

And again, well done you, I can't imagine they'd let just anyone drive those things

Mick.

Over 11 years to get to where I am now!

[jarndice]

So what's next Jack ? The keys to the chairmans drinks cabinet ? The hand in marriage of his first born ? Or with your recent and well deserved exorbitant raise in income you perhaps plan to buy him out
Take a tip avoid management it will kill you.
shaun.

[PainlessWolf]

Good morning,
As I've been supporting AMTRAK for over fourteen years now by training their Service Desks, keeping the Servers running, reimaging PCs and finally now in the twilight years of my career, supporting other Techs on site, I can state firmly that what Terry has done is an immense, immense achievement in todays World of Red Tape and Bureau Boondoggles. Just the Training and Tests and Paperwork alone would cause a lesser man to quail before the task. Congratulations my Friend. *bows*
regards,
Painless