Things are busy in Tafftown.     
Charlie

The Lansing Model RR CLub has their train show this Sunday at the MSU Pavilion from 10 to 4!  Over 540 vendor tables makes us Michigan's Largest train show and swap meet!  There are also 8 or 9. operating layouts including a lego layout this year.  Scouts in uniform and kids 12 and under get in free!

WPMA-17 has swapped empties for loads at Agway, and is now ready for the trip back to the yard.

Bruce

   

I thought you might be interested in the happenings about the East Palestine train wreck  This is copied from today's paper. 


Taggart Street resident charged with defrauding NS  10/27/2023

Shelby Walker, 48, Taggart Street, was arraigned in Columbiana County Municipal Court on Wednesday on charges of theft by deception and falsification, both fourth-degree felonies.

According to the affidavit filed by East Palestine Detective Dan Haueter, Walker provided the Norfolk Southern Family Assistance Center with fraudulent falsified hotel receipts and receipts for other expenses related to relocation on four separate dates (April 14, April 27, May 16 and June 13) totaling $18,189.

The affidavit further alleges that Walker, as an employee of Microtel in Beaver Falls, created phony documents on her own indicating she had stayed at the facility. The police investigation concluded that Walker, who does reside feet away from the derailment site, did not receive lodging at the hotel on the dates she claimed and canceled her reservations.

Walker is the latest on a growing list of individuals facing charges for reportedly defrauding the railroad out of money by making false claims of displacement. Lauren Fegert of East Palestine was also arraigned on charges of felony theft and falsification this week for allegedly providing fictitious and altered hotel receipts to Norfolk Southern four times between April 25 and June 8, totaling $15,889. Lauren Dilworth, 28, Park Avenue, East Palestine, was charged with fourth-degree felonies of falsification and theft for allegedly submitting fictitious receipts totaling $18,840. Melissa Blake, 41, Quay Road, Negley, was charged with fourth-degree felonies of falsification and theft by deception and fifth-degree felony forgery for allegedly collecting $19,690. James Bollinger, 33, West Martin Street, East Palestine, was charged with fourth-degree felonies of theft by deception and falsification for allegedly providing fraudulent invoices in the amount of $12,451. A warrant has also been issued for a Girard man who allegedly submitted phony hotel documentation and receipts. White allegedly received $16,092 for lodging and food expenses.

Norfolk Southern declined to comment on the recent theft cases or ongoing investigations.


NS has gone out of their way to make things right and gone above and beyond what they were legaly required to do and these folks have to cheat. 

Charlie

I’ve received good car advice here, so here I am with another car question...

Our 2012 Mazda3 needed new shocks and sway bars last June. This was diagnosed by our Mazda dealer but their prices are too high.

So I took it to a local garage (which I’ve trusted & used for decades) and had shocks/swaybars replaced for a reasonable price. For years, this car has also had an annoying rattling noise coming from the back left (driver’s side). To my frustration, this noise remained even after the shocks/swaybar repair. 

About 7-10 days ago, we noticed some minor swaying when the car hit bumps. The rattling noise was still there but worse. 

So I took it to a mechanic friend who had a look at it. Immediately, he said the driver’s side shock had blown and the swaybars were shot. We both concluded I should take it back to the garage so they could repair it under warranty, which they did. The amazing thing is that the annoying rattling noise is now completely gone! (It was obviously caused by the loose swaybar.)

So, if they had properly fixed the shocks/swaybars in the first place in June, logically the rattling noise should have disappeared then as well. So my question is: How likely is it that this garage did nothing to fix the shock/swaybars at all back in June? 


Thanks in advance,
Rob

Barton St.,Leetown.

   

tonight one of my 10 cent bottles of pactra died  
Jim

I am early but hoping for more posts it the Photo Fun this week.     
Charlie

Hi all,

This is a hypothetical question. Steam engines obviously need to boil water in order to power them and I realize there is more than one way to boil water. Since a coal- or wood-burning fire is not the only way to heat water, could a steam engine be potentially created so that a powerful electric heater could heat the water? This seems to make sense to me but maybe a fire (that burns coal or wood) creates more heat than an electric motor could?

This is only a curiosity/theoretical question, so don't jump all over me! I'm not advocating that anyone should do this, just wondering if it would be possible or if it's feasible. It would also be totally green as well.

Thanks,
Rob (aka RobertInOntario)

WPMA-17 with empty grain cars for Agway.

Bruce