# Getting ready to "Batten Down the Hatches"! (Earl)



## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

For those of us on the East coast (particularly North Carolina & up through where I live in MA), latest forecasts on Earl are getting a bit discomforting.







Going to strip the railroad of *ALL structures *other than perhaps the two lawnmower-access bridges; one is a Garden Metal Models steel girder bridge which is bolted in place & should most likely be OK to ride things out. The other bridge is an LGB plastic through-truss hinged at one end via a Split-Jaw drawbridge hinge kit to lift open drawbridge-style for easy access; it will be *tied shut. *My biggest worries are less the railroad itself than my moderately-large amateur radio antenna installation (@ 70 feet high) & our large maple tree (@ 40 feet high and *large!*) - both of which would have the potential to fall on either the house or the railroad.







Projected time for Earl's closest pass to my area (Southeastern MA, I live in Fall River, @ 50 miles due south of Boston & @ 45 min. drive time from the Cape Cod Canal) is Friday evening; at least I don't have to worry about going to work that night (had decided to take this week as a vacation week - but between the *unusally hot (95+ degrees for the past several days) & the potential threat of Earl, haven't had much chance to enjoy it. *







*Tom*


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Tom, 
Good precautions! I hope your railroad, garden and home will be safe for Earl and get through it without damage. 
Keep safe! 

Paul


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom

Here's wishing you the best of luck and hope that by whatever means available you are spared any dammage.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

Tom

Good luck over the next few days. One thought to consider, you will be on the west or dry side of the storm, this means less rain and less chance for severe tornadic weather. 

By now have an emergency supply of water and food laid in, If not at least fill up your bathtubs with clean water. Lacking bathtubs any large jugs or buckets that can hold clean water for drinking and cooking might come in handy. Another suggestion, fill up your vehicles with gasoline, with no electricity the pumps at gas stations will not work and this means no fuel.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

I like this website to track hurricanes.

http://www.stormpulse.com/


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Play it safe and move out if you have to. Depending how Earl tracks it could be nasty however they have down sized it tonight do to lower wind speeds. Later RJD


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

We will think of you during vespers over the next few days that everything is ok. 

JJ


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

The current path for Earl takes it up the Bay of Fundy. The Bay of Fundy has some of the highest tidal ranges in the world, over 30'. If the incoming high tide coincides with the storm surge in front of early there could be tides in excess of 40'.


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## s-4 (Jan 2, 2008)

If it hits southern NH, I'll be running plenty of log trains on Sunday! (probably ballast trains too!)


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom

Well so far the news looks better, seems Earl did its pivot to the north a little bit earlier that predicted. Which if luck holds should keep it a bit further out to sea as it passes Mass.


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## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for all the nice replies, guys!







Stripped the railroad mostly bare late last night, did a little further yard cleanup earlier today, & ran a few errands before Earl shows up. I had wanted to do some long distance (30 mile +) bike riding this week, but the heat's been so extreme







that I held off until this evening; did one of my usual rides, a round trip on the East Bay Bike Trail (built on the roadbed of New Haven's old Providence, Warren, & Bristol branch). It's hard to believe today that this bike trail was at one time a *double-tracked, electrified commuter rail line with over 100 trains a day! *







- I know that in the famous 1938 hurricane, this line was washed out in several places (the roadbed is parallel to the Seekonk river, with numerous fills & bridges over tidal inlets); New Haven restored the roadbed afterward, but from that time on the line was freight-only (passenger service had already been downgraded from full electric to gas-electric operation by then). The line was abandoned shortly after PC took over, the state bought the right-of-way & converted it to a *(VERY popular!) *bike trail. There is still at least 1 stretch of the double track paralleling the bike trail on the ROW; this is immediately adjacent to the river & has had *several sections washed out for years (the rails dangling in midair)!*

Definitely a case of the *"calm before the storm" *







tonight; I started the ride around 6:30 PM & completed it about 10:45 PM (I have my bike - actually a *recumbent trike *







- equipped for night riding with a bike-helmet-mounted LED headlight & flashing red LED taillight)s. Was still very warm & humid, air was near *dead calm or very little wind. *Where the bike trail crossed some of the old railroad fills along the river inlets, water was *calm as a mill pond. * I have some photos I took of the railroad before & after I stripped it, haven't offloaded them from the camera yet, will try to do so tomorrow. Thanks for your concern!







*Tom*


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

Tom

It appeasr thathurricane Earl was kind to the NE, dropping quickly to only tropical storm strength. I hope you and your railroad fared well.


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## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes Pete, it appears that we *"dodged the bullet!" *







My town was *right on the western edge of the original forecast area for hurricane-force winds *







- we *did *get a few tropical-style downpour rainbands earlier in the day, but we *never even got tropical-force winds! *







I have an anemometer for a weather station mounted at around the 40-foot level on the ham radio tower; the highest gust it recorded so far was *18 MPH @ 1 AM! *







(22 MPH for a *daily high windspeed is not uncommon here, *for comparison!). I just did a quick inspection outside - biggest concern so far







- I'll have to pick a *few leaves dropped from the maple tree *off the railroad!







The buildings will go back on the railroad Saturday, trains will probably be running before the day's out. (Heard on the news that *Amtrak canceled NE corridor train service between Boston & NY *







due to trees fouling the catenary from Earl!







). *Thanks again to all for your concerns. *







*Tom*


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom

That's GREAT news, anytime Mother Nature gives you a break just smile and say thank you, cause next time she may not be so kind.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

Tom

You missed a full impact of Earl. Today we are feeling the effects of TS Hermine in texas. Winds are fairly minimal but the rain is incredible. Currently in my 38th floor office I cannot see the building across the street, it is lost in the rain. We are expecting up to 10-13" of rain today in S. Texas. At least I was able to turn off the lawn sprinklers and the forest fire danger is low. A silver lining in every cloud.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

Tom

Watch the forecasts forhurricane Igor. It is now a Cat 4 storm and very powerful. Also the projected pathcontinues to slip west before turning north. In other words you may have another storm to deal with later this coming week coming up the east coast of the US. 

Again keep your vehicles full of gasoline, have some food supplies laid in (canned food is good). and be ready to clear the yard of loose items that could become missles against windows.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

Actually anybody who lives along the east coast of hte US should be watching the path of hurricane Igor. The time to prepare is now rather than the day before the storm is set to come ashore or sweep by the coast. How many times have we seen videso on TV of people standing in long lines at stores trying to buy emergency supplies ta the last minute? That is not an effective plan to protect you or your family.


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