Dave,

You are 100% correct. The mistake I made was "dumbing something down" when I knew what it was that I intended to say and in the mix of it all, I ended up presenting it the wrong way. I will try and keep things on one even level....making it educational for all, but not dumbing it down. I can accept your comments and I thank you for the comments and the reference to our work and the quality that we try and convey in all that we do.

Mike, don't take offense, Dave in this case was right. Mike, I will not stop making them. I will not work from a more defined script...but I will organize a few things differently in the future. I maintain, we are making the videos, we will continue to do so and we are having a blast doing it!

Jim, in no way trying to create work for ourselves, we have plenty and get more and more each day. The forged lap seem for an inspector IS of great concern. Jim, young inspectors who have never been taught that this happened or could be out there, could easily over look it, just as the State Chief in state XXXXX did when I received a state special on the boiler. I was the one who went back to him and recalled that state special. Not to criticize anybody: If my commissioned inspector walked in today and saw the boiler, he would not think twice about the possibility that it has a forged seam. He shouldn't have too, it was outlawed long ago and is nothing he has ever seen. I am enjoying the discussion with you and maybe if we want to pursue it further we should take it back door, feel free to contact me at; info@wrrc.us

Finally, we have gotten way off of track here. I am headed out for inspections and other field work the rest of the week, this is my last post on the matter. I suggest that unless we want to talk about a core issue related to boiler work or preservation that this be the last post on this thread. I leave you with the fact that I have learned a lot, I appreciate the comments and I will press forward with a love and passion for this industry that is unshakable!

Let us all press on in the name of preservation with common goals, interests and friendships. I leave this with you with my utmost respect and dignity to all of you,

Kindly yours,

Dear Mr. John E. Rimmash

First, thank you for pointing out SmokStak as I have not heard of this site before. On to other topics, you state I am not seeing where I have caused our industry to be unsafe and yet what I stated in my post. I do not see where I said such a thing about you nor did I intend to imply such. However, this proves the point that what one says or intends to say can be taken in unattended ways and when this happens wild stories based on creative writing can grow to unprecedented levels. Each of us needs to be very careful about what and how things are both said and making sure that to the best of our abilities that things are received in the context that they were intended. Recently I have seen posts on another board that discussed 6 month flue and tube life and boilers lasting only ten years. I have not seen any class one with that track record. Such a situation would have been financially unsustainable for any railroad. These creative writing exercises mislead people and some people may never find the truth and is something we all, including my self, should avoid.

The quote is deliberately ambiguous as to who Abraham Lincoln is. We all think of the 16th president who they were probably trying to imply but of coarse could not have used the internet due to the historical time line. But there is a chance that someone today by the name Abraham Lincoln said it and it is someone who many of us do not know. In the end based upon assumptions one can only assume someone means to cause us to think about what is said and weather or not it is truly plausible.

Sincerely,

Robby Peartree

Esteemed Mr. Peartree,

Thank you for your note. Robby, I am very sorry if I miss-read your note, or the intention behind it. It is always my goal to give the benefit of the doubt as I generally believe that people have the best of intentions. It has never been my claim to be perfect and if I have offended you, I am very sorry. I value you for the contribution you make and you and I have discussed in the past that I respect your views to make the industry safer.

It had been my guess that such was the case with your Abe Lincoln comment and I was trying to have fun with it, as I sensed that you meant it in a sense of fun. My internet specialist and company CITO tells me often that we should "never try and interpret feelings" from a written note. Often, the intent of the writer is not expressed in the same manner in which the note may be read. For this cause, often I will read a post on RYPN and before responding, read it again trying to view it from the writers shoes, not the readers.

Robby, as I mentioned above, I am leaving the discussion as I have field work to complete the rest of this week. I encourage all readers to start a new thread and become active in good and beneficial discussions. It was my honor today, to re-read the rules of the forum. If we all maintain the rules of the forum, this will remain one of the best forums related to preservation on the web. I wish to thank the great efforts of the moderators in keeping the true spirit of this forum alive and well.

Can't wait to see a new thread.....

Always yours,

I just went to reread this string and it appears that at least one of the responses has been deleted.

Can we please get it reposted?

Thanks

While there was potentially good information and something to discuss, the personalities have spun out of control, complaints have been lodged, and this thread is locked.

Thank You, Your mostly friendly moderator, Randy