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Originally Posted by Cobrabill
....What color is the "Locomotive of Death"?....
......I can't be intolerate.Here's three reasons why:
1-i married a blonde-there's a reason for all those blonde jokes.
2- i have to share a cab with an engineer.
3-i still hang out at CC to help folks even though a portion of them are completely clueless.... __________________________________________________ _____________
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Bill,
I liked your post about the 8000 ton freight whizzing by your elbow; brought back memories. Most of the time now, though, I'm forced to engine service and tucked away "safely" inside the cab.
Still I worry when I'm stopped in a siding and desperate for a nap. We're allowed short official lull-naps now that the airlines allowed same, as long as the conductor promises to stay awake.
So my theory is that I feel safer napping when the siding makes the mainline freights pass on the conductors side... just in case something goes horribly wrong. Extra 8 feet of room, you know. A man without illusion is disillusioned.
Speaking of adequate sleep, are you guys swamped with work lately? I think they sucked about 100 hours out of me this last week in spite of my attempt to take my days off (if we work 7, can get 3 off). I say attempt because they caught me an hour before the magic midnite hour of the 1st scheduled day and I didn't get back till late the 2nd, pretty well missing out. Again. Second time in a row. It's making me crazy.
Chained to the screaming locomotive for 12 hours, then chained to a creaking hotel room for 12 and chained back to the locomotive for another 12 hours. Average 36 hour round trip, 2 to 3 per week. No wonder they call the job class, "Chaingang", at least locally.
And my wife wonders why I would like to pound Margaritas when I get home. I need to rinse the smell of diesel fuel, coal dust and creosote from my nostrils.
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