Company Van Restriction(s)?, 11-18-2011

In a series of conversations on 11-18-2011 from 0730 on between D-3 and POSE about which tracks and what order to do POSE's Hill Yard pickups, D-3 said that that if the assembled train were a beyond a certain length, the 0830 recrew would have to take place at Still River by taxi and not by company van near No-Name, the reason being that the van couldn't leave the yard. Mebbe this has been policy and I just never heard it broadcast. Does anybody have any idea about why the van is limited in its range?

Speculation: Registration and/or inspection out of date, so they keep it in the yard and off public rights-of-way?

The pickup truck we had at Deerfield did not have any plates... could be. Others would know more than I...

The van that the utility uses at Ayer is the biggest piece of garbage ever. So much so that it isn't allowed to leave the yard due to liability issues, even though it is currently registered. Given the abuse that it takes, I'm surprised its still running. It bounces on the unpaved roads all day, through huge puddles, over/through ruts and it even gets high railed every once and awhile lol.

Oh yeah, the one we had at Deerfield was a serious pos too. Of course, I wouldn't pay for anything nice that drives over ballast, ties, rail, snow and other crap all day and night. Since PAS took over they have a gator now. More suitable I think...

Ive said they should get a van like they use at mt washington with the beefed up suspension. But nobody ever listens to me lol.

I think they are confusing the the Ayer Yard Van with Company Vans, which are Ford Escapes that are in new condition, driven by people who have had the same drug testing/background checks as all other employees. A definite step in the right direction.

Thanks, all!
I'd seen the Escapes -- or the same Escape a few times -- and I didn't think there was trouble with those. The Gator sounds like fun, except for a recrew. The lingering question for me is that if the Ayer Yard Van is viewed as a liability on a public way then isn't it also a liability for the Utility? Or is that a question not to be asked?

Its mainly a liability because the front end is in such bad shape. At the restricted speeds in the yard its not too much of a danger because if it blows a tie rod or ball joint it'll be going too slow to do anything but stop in its place. But if they were to take the van on the roads and it were to blow a ball joint or tie rod you run the risk of causing a serious wreck.

I think at least 1 Escape has been in the shop all the time, not sure what's going on with them... I bet they are alot nicer to ride in than some of the cabs I had to ride in, they shouldn't have been one the road - driver or vehicle itself. We had one driver in NY that we refused to go anywhere but to one end of the yard or the other with. LOL

I had one cab driver that had night blindness. That was a fun ride at 10pm through a 5 mile long construction zone. He couldn't see anything because of all the lights on the police cars and construction vehicles.

what company handles the crew vans? here in the Midwest its Renzenburger. big, beatup white vans, with questionable drivers.

The railroad owns and operates them...

Ya!....With beat up vans and questionable drivers! hehehehehehehehehehheh!

Heh