<center> <font size="6"> <font color="#FF0000"> Effective July 16th Union Pacific Railroad Public Equipment Trace will no longer be available. </font> </font> </center>
Too many people were openly posting the engine numbers, train numbers, routing, departure and arrival times, even some cargo information, and many radio scanner codes, all on the open internet! That's why! All that may be fun to foamers, but it is vital info to terrorists who are planning to disrupt our rail system.
The equipment trace only gave out estimated arrival/departure, load/mty info, and estimated ETA's (usually only accurate within a few hours) for car/engine numbers the user entered. It didn't give radio frequencies or type of cargo information. The likely reason UP is shutting down the Public equipment trace? Cost, and need. Why maintain something that is only benefitting a few railfans (who aren't even customers of the railroad), and would only want car/loco information to plan their next railfan outing? It's understandable why UP would make it for paying customers only.
Still sounds strange to me. If it is terrorisim paranoia then they are just being as dumb as everyone else and thats no excuse. As for cost, it seems to me that there is no incremental cost associated with the system as it is basically just a toned down version of the system they use for shippers to track their cars. I can't imagine that the public system required any more maintainence.
If you think the U.P. is being dumb, why don't you simply call them and ask why they are restricting your personal right to know and publicly post this information? You might also wish to call the FBI and ask them to assist you in obtaining this information, because it is important to you. I'm sure they would both be glad to add your name to their "need to know" list, especially while we are at War for the very survival of America! Just a suggestion.
I agree with Watash that we are at war. Too much info on Mega Industry is available to the general public. Don't mean to sound paranoid. Maybe it's another step in making everyone a little bit smarter and maybe just a bit wiser too.
I honestly believe that this move has less to do with terrorism than it does with abuse of the public equipment trace by non-customers (read: Railfans). My thoughts are pure speculation, but the reports I have seen on the issue seem to support my opinion. Some time ago, some railfans came up with a program that would run scheduled traces giving locations of hundreds of UP units on an hourly basis, as well as run on-demand e-mail requested traces for certain areas or types of units. As a result, the UP public trace system was being bombarded by automated requests almost constantly resulting in heavy traffic (and bandwidth usage) resulting in increased downtime and slower response on the system. I would also assume that it also increased some costs associated with UP's website management. For a short time, the Tracing was shut down. Eventually, it was re-opened and limited to individual traces of five pieces of equipment or less. For a while this seemed to work...but innovative people that railfans are, other systems popped up grouping units in sets of five that could be traced through linked programs. It is likely that many of these tracing programs have slowly increased the load on the public trace to the point that UP has decided to drop the "public" part of the tracing system. You can still access the UP Equipment trace after July 16th, the catch is that you have to register with UP for access. Chances are, you won't be granted a registration unless you are a shipping customer of the railroad. Chalk this up to "Abuse it and you lose it", probably not terrorism fears. UP is in the business of moving freight, not keeping railfans informed as to the current location of a particular locomotive.
Kevs got it right, it was abused badly and now we've lost it. In some ways that is too bad cause it was kinda neat to be able to find out where locos were that I still needed pics of. On the other hand, let me tell you another story. A few years ago, I was really into wrestling. Then I started to get onto the net to look up info. You could find out what storylines were coming up and who would win what matches and it took all the fun out of watching. My interest still hasn't recovered. As for the trace, it was kinda like cheating. Using the trace to find out when only the "good stuff" was coming by and going out only then takes the fun out of it if you ask me. I love to go out and just see what I can find. Then if I get surprised by say, the Olympic units, then I get to have a very cool day. Just my two cents.
Aha, Thats the most plausable answer I've yet heard. Thanks for shedding some light on the issue, even if it only specualation, Kevin. As for my views on paranoia, sign me up on the FBI's list. I'll happily be the frst to say I oppose the so-called war on terrorisim and ut nation's entire response th the events of September 11th. If ever America has given the world a reason to hate us, the last 10 months have been it.
It seems to me Kevin and Johns view is the correct one. If it were due to terrorism UP would have shutdown the system immdeiately not give a media release of the intended closedown. There still has to be a normality of life otherwise terrorism has already won the war. Thats the only comment I will make I don't want to turn this thread into a flame war on terrorism. I do however believe net abuse is and will cause a great deal of problems to indusrty right across the world. It is sad to see a useful tool being shutdown due to the abuse of a few
I totally agree with Paul, and feel that Kevin has probably hit the nail on the head. It is a shame, but now fans will just have to go out huntin' - just like we always have
Personally, I do not know what all the hub-hub is about. To me, personally, railfanning is like fishing. If you know what you could photograph and where, then it is no fun. I get more of a thrill with those suprise encounters (yes, even those that I forget my camera for) This way too, I am ensured that I do not photograph the same exact thing as everyone else with a scanner and train info. Just my 2 cents! Russ
From what I've read elsewhere, apparently the real trouble was just one site. This site was programed to do massive traces for the entire fleet once an hour and was bombarding the system with these requests for info thus using up too much bandwidth. There was no problem with the onesies and twosies. Just someone thought that it was important to keep track of the whole fleet all the time and provide it to the public. Crazy eh? Anther example of the few ruining it for the many. As I've said before, I'd rather go on my hunting safaris for the giant railsnake without all the extra hub-bub. Not even a scanner. [ 19 June 2002, 04:27: Message edited by: John Barnhill ]
I hate to get off topic, but anytime you want to move to Afghanistan, go ahead. I don't like the thought of going off to war so smucks like you can sit at home under the umbrella of freedom that I'm providing you. If you don't appreciate it, get out! Where do you get off implying that there is any plausible justification for what happened 9/11? Your comment has got to the the most assinine thing I've ever heard! In case I was clear the first time, no one is holding you back. If you don't like it here, leave. In the Navy and proud of it!
OK the last thing we want is a flame war between members. We are all entitled to an opinion but lets keep it amicable please. This topic is about the closing of the public trace and not America's foreign policy. Can we please keep to the subject otherwise this thread will be closed.
