One episode is enough to make you think you have it easy:

No Moose, Bears, etc getting clobbered and gumming up the traction motors.

No 20 ton ice =icicles needing to be shot down with a rifle.

No need to power your Jordan Spreader with 2 SD40's

No need to use a high rail equipped truck a "tundra truck" to deliver a very much LTL load to remote customers.

No need to ensure your heated switches are down, leaving a two inch GAP..

No needing to walk in the great frozen North to deal with stuck brakes.


http://www.destinationamerica.com/tv-sh ... hedule.htm

Last time I operated a ditcher was in 2011 on X-CNW/UP Geneva Sub track #1 Elburn to Lyndon in flat land Illinois were we almost stalled near Creston going into a very long drift at 40 MPH with 2 SD70's in notch 8. It was amazing how those drifts would slam us down to a crawl. Drifts are very hard pack snow that you can walk on were as deep snow that hasn't been blown around seems to be lighter.

Its a rather interesting show, but I wish the producers would have refrained from dubbing in the diesel horn sound about every 15 seconds. It is super annoying. I could also do without the fake drama. "If the spreader doesn't get this snow cleared within the next 45 minutes the passenger train will be delayed, old grandpa will be eaten by a bear, Mrs. Phillips will have a heart attack and the crucial 5 gallons of diesel fuel won't get to the generator on time".

Of course we all know that in real life every situation is an all or nothing scenario, with no alternatives in between. Gold Rush is famous for predicting the end of the mining season every time a front end loader throws a fan belt.

That about sums it up Jeff. Gold Rush is a fun show to watch on Friday nights. It is kind of like a pep talk before the big game, because I know that no matter how much I mess up doing work at the museum over the weekend, I still haven't done as bad as the Hoffmans!

So what if the passenger train is delayed a few minutes? Anyone who regularly rides Amtrak in the winter would think a few minutes of delay is an improvement.

The Alaska Railroad takes their passenger train schedule extremely seriously, or at least they did back in the 1990s when I last bid on projects with them. They have contracts with the cruise lines etc, and delays can become very expensive. It may also have to do with public safety, as the film shows, folks sometimes walk some distance and wait by the track in the snow. Yeah, you may do that in Chicago too, but the Chicago Bears won't eat you like the ones in Alaska will...

At the time, the bid documents had "liquidated damages" for delaying the passenger train. It's been too long, so I can't recall the numbers except in general terms that pretty much said "You will NOT delay the passenger train, ever, since if you do, you'll quickly lose your profit on the job!" It was $X per minute, and I think there was a also minimum fine of one hour's fee, for even one minute of delay, assuming they decided to impose the fine. I seem to recall $6,000 per hour ($100 per minute), but I'm not positive of the amount.

In any case, it was high enough that it was obvious they did not want it delayed at all, and to do so would cost you dearly. We always made absolutely certain we were clear of the track well prior to the required time. Of course they wouldn't fine their own crews, but it is an indication of how strict they were about scheduling.

Do not confuse television reality shows with real life.

The only comment I will make is regarding the small number of episodes that were made. I have stopped watching these because I find myself speaking all the lines before the people on the screen do! These are interesting once or twice, but after that, not so much.

Hamster, once you've memorized the plot and lines (one episode should do it), you can sit back, enjoy the over-baked drama and also look for "continuity errors" which are a dime a dozen.

Here comes the passenger train. Note the engine number, and number of coaches, and then watch closely as it changes in nearly every shot. Also, try and count how many times they use the same shot. You could make a good drinking game if you have a Frat House to entertain. "Take a shot every time you see the shot of couplers banging together in the snow" "Finish your beer every time the train whistle blows for no apparent reason in the middle of nowhere (This will happen at every commercial break, if not more often). Etc. Etc.

As if the frat house crowd needs another excuse to drink? :-)