Copper Wire?

So I don't swear to be an expert on trains. I just ride the LIRR twice a day to/from work. This month I've been late to work so many times even I am starting to question the mismanagement of the LIRR! Now can one of you railroad buffs explain why copper wire theft would make me 30 minutes late to work? My boss is dying to know.

See this: http://thelirrtoday.blogspot.com/2013/0 ... wires.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would fathom a guess that something in the signal system was cut, most likely the track wires which caused the signals to default to stop. If in an interlocking, that can really screw things up as switches get locked out affected by that particular circuit because it is just like a train is sitting on the track.

lirr42, I've noticed recently you've been pushing your online blog in a lot of your posts. Perhaps you should lay off a bit. While interesting literature, it is not official word with MTA backing.

Steamboat Willie wrote:lirr42, I've noticed recently you've been pushing your online blog in a lot of your posts. Perhaps you should lay off a bit. While interesting literature, it is not official word with MTA backing.

I only link posts on my site in direct response to a particular thread (like above). I don't start random threads advertising posts or other things on my site...I just provide links to things I have already written on the topic being discussed. I wasn't going to retype my response and I can't copy and paste it because this board uses BBC and not HTML.

My site has no official backing, nor do I advertise as such. Here's the "official" link from the MTA: http://www.mta.info/supplemental/lirr/Aug23Delays.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; As you might guess its thin on information.

Do you have anything to contribute to the discussion?

I might also add that lirr42's site is riddled with inaccuracies.

as are his posts.

EM2000 wrote:I might also add that lirr42's site is riddled with inaccuracies.

Again, feel free to contribute some information instead of just personal jabs...

DutchRailnut wrote:as are his posts.

How so, perhaps we can help as you folks have helped me with my website?

Just to straighten some things out:

First off, I do not, nor have I ever, worked for the LIRR, MTA, Port Authority, or any other public transportation agency. All of my knowledge originates from my first hand observation of what goes on during any typical day on the LIRR from a commuter's point of view. I ride the LIRR (a lot) and I pick up most of my information by simply observing what goes on around me. Everything else is either picked up from information and documents made publicly available on the MTA's website or from information others have kindly provided to me.

Second, this site is in no way affiliated with the Metropolitan Transportation Agency, Long Island Rail Road, or any other agency like that. The MTA does not approve of nor endorse any content published there. Any information provided here is not proofed by the MTA, so if you interpret something said here in error, it is not the MTA's fault.

While I do strive to be as accurate as possible in my postings, sometimes things slip by. Writing for The LIRR Today is not my full time job, by any means, so I cannot devote hours and hours to writing, checking, and verifying every last detail in my posts.

I never intentionally post incorrect information, and when I am unsure about a particular fact I always try to remain ambiguous and not definitely state one opinion or another as fact. I am not the New York Times, the Boston Globe, or the Chicago Tribune, nor do I claim to be. It’s just one person trying to run the whole show as a mere hobby.

If you notice any specific errors, let me know so I can fix them and not make the same mistake next time. You can let me know here or by using the contact form linked at the bottom of every post.

No one's forcing you to click the links. Don't want to read the pots? Don't click them. It's simple as that...

But in the end, the only post in this entire thread that is even remotely on topic was the second one. I ask again, do you have anything to contribute to the discussion?

For what it's worth lirr42 was the ONLY person who provided me with any kind of information. If you believe his postings are inaccurate please explain why. I posted a simple question and only one person answered me. Thank you lirr42. And personally I do enjoy reading your blog as it provides a good overview of everything current happening on the railroad. While it's fun to look at the past, times have changed and so have policies, procedures, and management therefore postings about the railroad today are more meaningful to me. If someone doesn't like it, I challenge you to write your own blog on the LIRR.

I think something similar happened last year on the Montauk branch where vandals stole copper wire used for crossing signals or the wayside signals. There were delays thruout the pm rush over there. And it may happen more than we think, knowing how general the railroad communicates the delay causes.

lirr42, I was only saying you have been advertising your website in your actual posts often these days. You have it included in your signature, leave it at that. Plus, your blog is not official word with MTA endorsement.

The MTA is notorious thin with information, creating a niche for blogs. Even if the info isn't 100% correct all the time, it is far, far better than 0% information all of the time. I rather have something to read and draw my own conclusions from than the nothing at all statements from the MTA.

To be fair the MTA has worked fairly hard to be more forthcoming in recent years, though they really drop the ball when it comes to just saying what is happening a lot of the time. If someone jumped in front of a train, just say so. If someone stole copper, just say so. 'If you see something say something' doesn't work if no one realizes copper theft is a serious crime that really isn't being investigated/persecuted. They think that stating what is happening is going to inspire others. If it does - great! Catch them in the act. The NYPD recently did that when some artists painted up an old subway station. The minute the story came out, they staked the place out and made 20 arrests. News stories can work well as bait.

The scrap price of copper isn't going to go down anytime soon so far as I know. It has been up for years and there are desperate people out there who know it's easy to get if you know what to look for. 'Scrappers' used to just stick to stealing copper from abandoned industrial buildings, but with real estate prices what they are in NYC these days, there are very few such places for the scrappers to steal from left. Thus they have to seek out new supplies. (yes, they should get real jobs and skills, but clearly they don't think that way).

Unfortunately, This isn't the first or the last time copper thieves will strike the LIRR. The only way to combat it is seriously good police work.

Steamboat Willie wrote:lirr42, I was only saying you have been advertising your website in your actual posts often these days. You have it included in your signature, leave it at that. Plus, your blog is not official word with MTA endorsement.

Jeez. Take this extracurricular on PM's or something or involve the mods if there's a problem or ToS question. This kind of thread pollution and associated cheap shots have no purpose in a discussion about copper thieves screwing up RR ops or LIRR physical plant's overall vulnerability to the more brazen copper bandits out there.

I'm interested in this too, because it would seem the risk is about the same for any commuter railroad given that it's physically impossible to secure every signal box on every far-flung line 24/7. Some of these thieves are even ballsy enough to risk a Darwin Award nomination stealing from a live high-voltage feed.