[PRCo] Re: FYI about PAT CAF cars

John Swindler j_swindler at hotmail.com
Thu Jan 27 09:10:47 EST 2005



>Fred Schneider mentioned:
>
>John et al:
>
>The sad thing about this is that both John and I are dependent for our 
>pensions
>on the ability of the government to tax and collect taxes from the public.
>Supposedly our state pensions are invested properly but that can easily be
>summed up in the words of the person who approached someone else saying, 
>"I'm
>from the government and I'm here to help you."


And the second biggest lie is:  "And we are glad to see you".  <gg>


>Certainly an ever increasing
>number of retirees in Pennsylvania with a constant population and a 
>declining
>number of jobs does not look good for those of us on pension.   So John, we
>travel while we can.  fws


Didn't the Georgia pension system recently invest heavily in US Air??

And didn't the State teacher's pension fund have a heavy position in 
Worldcom??  Thought I saw a comment last year that this - and other poor 
investments - were putting a strain on school budgets/taxes across the 
state.

But seriously, Fred, that's why I mentioned that we have a lot to be 
thankful.  We may miss the 'good times', but we -have been/are -somewhat 
insulated from the 'bad times.'  And yes, you are right about travel for 
several reasons.  Do it now while still healthy.

Amazing how ones perspective changes with age.  <g>

John









>John Swindler wrote:
>
> > >Fred Schneider mentioned:
> > >
> > >Jobs will always chace the cheapest workers.  As sad as it may seem to
> > >Americans, we've got a lot more jobs to loose unless we want to pay our
> > >help
> > >50 cents an hour.
> > >
> >
> > Concerning jobs chasing cheap labor:  I'll always remember a professor 
>at
> > Point Park College mentioning that New York Life would bundle up their 
>US
> > paperwork every night and air freight it to Ireland for processing.  
>Why?
> > Yes, cheaper labor, but also better educated and better work ethic.  And
> > this was around 1970.
> >
> > The next jobs to be outsourced overseas?  White collar jobs.  When you 
>call
> > for computer help, you very well could be talking to someone living in
> > India.
> >
> > And Harold has mentioned Jet Blue.  Where is their reservations center?  
>I
> > was surprised when a tv show - might have been discovery or A&E - 
>mentioned
> > that it's in the homes of part time contract workers in Salt Lake City
> > region.
> >
> > (In many respects, I have a lot to be thankful for.)
> >
> > John
> >
> > p.s.  didn't the center fuselage section of the Boeing 757 come from
> > Kawasaki???
> >
> > p.s. to p.s.  So were mine, Jim
> >
> > >"Dietrich, Robert J." wrote:
> > >
> > > > With all the discussion about sending big ticket items overseas for
> > > > rebuilding I'll pass on one I heard on the radio news the other day.
> > > > Keep in mind that I only hear half of what comes out of the radio 
>and I
> > > > remember only half of that.  Also I don't have time to follow-up, I
> > > > hardly have time to keep up with these discussions; but I digress.
> > > >
> > > > The news report went something like - one or two airlines are flying
> > > > their planes to El Salvador for major maintenance as a cost savings
> > > > initiative.  I can't remember what airlines but it is a little scary 
>to
> > > > me.  What FAA will be regulating those overhauls?
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
> > > > [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org] On Behalf Of
> > > > James B. Holland
> > > > Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 7:07 PM
> > > > To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> > > > Subject: [PRCo] Re: FYI about PAT CAF cars
> > > >
> > > > Don't know that CAF is being criticized  --  just the process of 
>what is
> > > >
> > > > happening.       My comments were strictly tongue-in-cheek.
> > > >
> > > > B--U--T.......      since you bring it up  --  I am  NOT  a fan of
> > > > Siemens-Deuwag equipment.       Everything I have ridden has a 
>tendency
> > > > to hunt, very strong tendency.       One car in a train in 
>Sacramento
> > > > was so bad  --  believe it was the artic truck but can't remember 
>for
> > > > sure  --  was so bad that I got off the train fearing derailment at
> > > > speed.       Even the Portland 70% low-floor cars had this tendency 
>when
> > > >
> > > > brand new  --  haven't been back so I don't know how they have fared
> > > > over time.       Would hope to get up there soon but don't think I
> > > > shall.       The controllers look like Toy Train  --  ok if it is a 
>toy
> > > > train but this is  *supposed*  to be prototype.       And the disc
> > > > brakes will set up automatically when the train  *coasts*  below a
> > > > certain speed  --  brake does  NOT  need to be applied.       So
> > > > motorman has difficulty with slow speeds at traffic points.       
>And
> > > > the discs can chatter severely when this happens.       Nope, Not a 
>fan
> > > > of deuwag equipment  --  You Can Have It.
> > > >
> > > > The Portland 70% low-floor cars are utilitarian but have not and 
>shall
> > > > not ride in the low-floor section  --  too vulnerable from side
> > > > impact    ----    MUCH  comments about that problem on the transit
> > > > lists.       Portland has The Very Best modern rail cars with those
> > > > produced by Bombardier  --  they are coming up on 20-years old.
> > > > Portland will lose its appeal for me when those cars are retired.
> > > >
> > > > Jim__Holland
> > > >
> > > > Harold G. wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Why all this criticism of CAF and Elmira?
> > > > >
> > > > > I liked the CAF cars for Sacramento. Also the Ring line cars for
> > > > > Amsterdam.
> > > > >
> > > > > Harold Geissenheimer
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: John Swindler <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
> > > > > To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> > > > <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
> > > > > Date: Monday, January 24, 2005 9:47 AM
> > > > > Subject: [PRCo] Re: FYI about PAT CAF cars
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >>
> > > > >>> James B. Holland asked:
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> CAF -- That's CAlifornia, F-Line, San Francisco.......
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>> Keerect??
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>
> > > > >> try:
> > > > >>
> > > > >> http://www.caf.es/10/instalaciones.asp
> > > > >>
> > > > >> and it's practically in your back yard, Jim
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Looks like CAF also acquired the former Adtranz plant in Elmira. 
>And
> > > > >> we all know what got fixed up at this plant.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> John
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >>> John Swindler wrote:
> > > > >>>
> > > > >>>> CAF also has a plant in Sacramento. Suspect that there is more 
>to
> > > > >>>> this saga that hasn't come out yet.
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>
> > > > >>>>> From: "Boris Cefer" <westinghouse at iol.cz>
> > > > >>>>> Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> > > > >>>>> To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
> > > > >>>>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: [Fwd: FYI about PAT CAF cars]
> > > > >>>>> Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 08:39:37 +0100
> > > > >>>>>
> > > > >>>>> Any guess what the cost of the trip to Spain and back is?
> > > > >>>>
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>





More information about the Pittsburgh-railways mailing list