Tales From the Railroad

Jahrule

Jahrule

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 18, 2022
Messages
2,250
Reaction score
9,842
Man, I really messed up the other day. I forgot to pin the plate setter the other night, and it derailed yesterday morning going through the crossing. The yellow thing in the image below looks similar to ours, but ours is way older and crappier. It was all messed up, looking like a banana got hit by a Mack truck. So, we had no plate setter yesterday. It was just me running around with a track jack. I'll never forget to pin that machine again.

That track jack was heavy as anything. Imagine running around all day lugging this heavy thing. The picture doesn't do it justice. It weighs about 70 pounds, and I was carrying two of them because the other guy was having trouble carrying it.
simplex-a17.jpg

Thankfully, they fixed the plate setter, but as a punishment, they made me use this thing the rest of the day. 300 railroad ties. 600 plates. Fortunately, I did have some help. At first, it was just me and my plate setter partner. And because it was mostly my fault, I felt bad, so I carried both track jacks until reinforcements arrived.

REBUILT_AUTO_LIFT_3QTR_SHDW.png


Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, I didn't get in trouble. I just suffered immensely. They're the ones who randomly took me off tie gang the day before yesterday, prior to the end of the day. I should have checked the machine before I left to fix that broken rail, but nobody else checked it either, even though they were with the machines and I wasn't. So, forget them. Of course, now the pin will forever be called the Josh pin. I didn't get in trouble, but I'll definitely never hear the end of the clowning they will impose on me.
 
Jahrule said:
Man, I really messed up the other day. I forgot to pin the plate setter the other night, and it derailed yesterday morning going through the crossing. The yellow thing in the image below looks similar to ours, but ours is way older and crappier. It was all messed up, looking like a banana got hit by a Mack truck. So, we had no plate setter yesterday. It was just me running around with a track jack. I'll never forget to pin that machine again.

That track jack was heavy as anything. Imagine running around all day lugging this heavy thing. The picture doesn't do it justice. It weighs about 70 pounds, and I was carrying two of them because the other guy was having trouble carrying it.
View attachment 6583
Thankfully, they fixed the plate setter, but as a punishment, they made me use this thing the rest of the day. 300 railroad ties. 600 plates. Fortunately, I did have some help. At first, it was just me and my plate setter partner. And because it was mostly my fault, I felt bad, so I carried both track jacks until reinforcements arrived.

View attachment 6584

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, I didn't get in trouble. I just suffered immensely. They're the ones who randomly took me off tie gang the day before yesterday, prior to the end of the day. I should have checked the machine before I left to fix that broken rail, but nobody else checked it either, even though they were with the machines and I wasn't. So, forget them. Of course, now the pin will forever be called the Josh pin. I didn't get in trouble, but I'll definitely never hear the end of the clowning they will impose on me.
Click to expand...
I put a sad emoji because mistakes on the job are a bummer, mostly due to the embarrassment. (The photo of) this Josh Pin looks like a cool machine :ROFLMAO:
 
Medi-tator said:
I put a sad emoji because mistakes on the job are a bummer, mostly due to the embarrassment. (The photo of) this Josh Pin looks like a cool machine :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
It wasn't too bad. That plate setter has had a rough life. One guy told me its been ran over, crashed, set on fire, and rolled down a hill. So I guess destroying it is like a right of passage. I can't complain. I had a great dinner tonight. Tried this chick fil lay copycat recipe because we don't have chick fil lay in Vermont because Vermont is gay.

Not gonna lie, this was amazing! It reminds me of what chick fil lay tasted like when I was a kid. Made me forget all about work. The only thing I did differently is I didn't follow the recipe exactly. I accidentally put about 13 grams of mustard powder. Everything else was mostly as labeled. I used a scale. God, it was so good. Instead of sandwiches I made chicken tenders with sweet potatoes. Today was a good day.

 
Jahrule said:
It wasn't too bad. That plate setter has had a rough life. One guy told me its been ran over, crashed, set on fire, and rolled down a hill. So I guess destroying it is like a right of passage. I can't complain. I had a great dinner tonight. Tried this chick fil lay copycat recipe because we don't have chick fil lay in Vermont because Vermont is gay.

Not gonna lie, this was amazing! It reminds me of what chick fil lay tasted like when I was a kid. Made me forget all about work. The only thing I did differently is I didn't follow the recipe exactly. I accidentally put about 13 grams of mustard powder. Everything else was mostly as labeled. I used a scale. God, it was so good. Instead of sandwiches I made chicken tenders with sweet potatoes. Today was a good day.

Click to expand...
La penas con pan son menos, decía mi abuela. La comida.bonabe igual después de un mal día, se potencia mucho! Me alegra que no tuvieses consecuencias mas allá que las del trabajo duro. Agujetas?? Por aquí muchas, ya empezamos con el trabajo duro y el calor de este verano promete. No lo quiero ni pensar, odio el bochorno y sudar a mares. Ánimo querido!! 😘
 
Jahrule said:
Man, I really messed up the other day. I forgot to pin the plate setter the other night, and it derailed yesterday morning going through the crossing. The yellow thing in the image below looks similar to ours, but ours is way older and crappier. It was all messed up, looking like a banana got hit by a Mack truck. So, we had no plate setter yesterday. It was just me running around with a track jack. I'll never forget to pin that machine again.

That track jack was heavy as anything. Imagine running around all day lugging this heavy thing. The picture doesn't do it justice. It weighs about 70 pounds, and I was carrying two of them because the other guy was having trouble carrying it.
View attachment 6583
Thankfully, they fixed the plate setter, but as a punishment, they made me use this thing the rest of the day. 300 railroad ties. 600 plates. Fortunately, I did have some help. At first, it was just me and my plate setter partner. And because it was mostly my fault, I felt bad, so I carried both track jacks until reinforcements arrived.

View attachment 6584

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, I didn't get in trouble. I just suffered immensely. They're the ones who randomly took me off tie gang the day before yesterday, prior to the end of the day. I should have checked the machine before I left to fix that broken rail, but nobody else checked it either, even though they were with the machines and I wasn't. So, forget them. Of course, now the pin will forever be called the Josh pin. I didn't get in trouble, but I'll definitely never hear the end of the clowning they will impose on me.
Click to expand...
“For the rail is narrow and few are those mending it, but they shall be rewarded with a chicken sandwich of huge proportions.” Good to hear from you Jahrule. Glad you’re surviving out there!
 
Ana said:
La penas con pan son menos, decía mi abuela. La comida.bonabe igual después de un mal día, se potencia mucho! Me alegra que no tuvieses consecuencias mas allá que las del trabajo duro. Agujetas?? Por aquí muchas, ya empezamos con el trabajo duro y el calor de este verano promete. No lo quiero ni pensar, odio el bochorno y sudar a mares. Ánimo querido!! 😘
Click to expand...
One way or another it’s only going to get hotter Ana! 🤣
 
BARNABY THE DOG. said:
One way or another it’s only going to get hotter Ana! 🤣
Click to expand...
Los suizos que pasan sus años longevos por estas tierras buscando sol, suelen bañarse durante todo el año. En esta casa veo la piscina desde el salón mientras remuevo el café. Son como sobres de te flotando en el agua. Me veo de socorrista de la tercera este verano y sin cobrar, debido a las altas temperaturas Que ya vaticinan. Que estallen las bombas ya, yo solo seguiré tomando el café.🥴
 
Ana said:
Los suizos que pasan sus años longevos por estas tierras buscando sol, suelen bañarse durante todo el año. En esta casa veo la piscina desde el salón mientras remuevo el café. Son como sobres de te flotando en el agua. Me veo de socorrista de la tercera este verano y sin cobrar, debido a las altas temperaturas Que ya vaticinan. Que estallen las bombas ya, yo solo seguiré tomando el café.🥴
Click to expand...
Aunque por otro lado debo de ver el lado positivo. Quizás no tenga que llevar las piezas de cerámica al pueblo para meterlas al horno y taparlas exponiendo las al sol sea suficiente.😁. La pequeña y yo estamos preparando unas piezas para nuestro futuro torno de alfarero. Aún las hacemos a mano. Confío en el calor.😂
 
Ana said:
Aunque por otro lado debo de ver el lado positivo. Quizás no tenga que llevar las piezas de cerámica al pueblo para meterlas al horno y taparlas exponiendo las al sol sea suficiente.😁. La pequeña y yo estamos preparando unas piezas para nuestro futuro torno de alfarero. Aún las hacemos a mano. Confío en el calor.😂
Click to expand...
Baked by Jehovah the potter!! Free with every atomic missile! 🤣
 
We all make dumb mistakes at times. I have made ones that should've got my fired. Lol
 
Jahrule said:
Man, I really messed up the other day. I forgot to pin the plate setter the other night, and it derailed yesterday morning going through the crossing. The yellow thing in the image below looks similar to ours, but ours is way older and crappier. It was all messed up, looking like a banana got hit by a Mack truck. So, we had no plate setter yesterday. It was just me running around with a track jack. I'll never forget to pin that machine again.

That track jack was heavy as anything. Imagine running around all day lugging this heavy thing. The picture doesn't do it justice. It weighs about 70 pounds, and I was carrying two of them because the other guy was having trouble carrying it.
View attachment 6583
Thankfully, they fixed the plate setter, but as a punishment, they made me use this thing the rest of the day. 300 railroad ties. 600 plates. Fortunately, I did have some help. At first, it was just me and my plate setter partner. And because it was mostly my fault, I felt bad, so I carried both track jacks until reinforcements arrived.

View attachment 6584

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, I didn't get in trouble. I just suffered immensely. They're the ones who randomly took me off tie gang the day before yesterday, prior to the end of the day. I should have checked the machine before I left to fix that broken rail, but nobody else checked it either, even though they were with the machines and I wasn't. So, forget them. Of course, now the pin will forever be called the Josh pin. I didn't get in trouble, but I'll definitely never hear the end of the clowning they will impose on me.
Click to expand...
We used to have a saying on the railroad...... If it doesn't fit, force it! If it breaks, you needed a new one anyway! Each morning on the tie-gang we got ready, got the machines ready to go and radioed the dispatcher for permission to occupy track. Each day was..... "hurry up and wait" sometimes we waited for hours to get out and do track repair. Our boss would always get on the radio and say "Let the games begin !!!!"
 
Lisa-Lisa said:
We used to have a saying on the railroad...... If it doesn't fit, force it! If it breaks, you needed a new one anyway! Each morning on the tie-gang we got ready, got the machines ready to go and radioed the dispatcher for permission to occupy track. Each day was..... "hurry up and wait" sometimes we waited for hours to get out and do track repair. Our boss would always get on the radio and say "Let the games begin !!!!"
Click to expand...
Yep. I had a thought the other day what a great series this could be. We recently purchased a new railroad way up north. That gave me the idea. I imagine a story, perhaps told as an interconnected anthology, of an MOW (Maintenance of Way) crew who have to go way up this mountain to fix a newly acquired old abandoned track.

Starting at the bottom, they'll work their way up the mountain. Along the way all kinds of crazy stuff happens to them. Each section of the story could focus on a particular character. Then at the end they all have to come together, set aside their differences, and overcome some epic obstacle. Perhaps as they progress up the mountain they find out why this track in particular was abandoned. Feral people, or maybe some kind of mountain cult. I could see it being a netflix series.
 
Jahrule said:
Yep. I had a thought the other day what a great series this could be. We recently purchased a new railroad way up north. That gave me the idea. I imagine a story, perhaps told as an interconnected anthology, of an MOW (Maintenance of Way) crew who have to go way up this mountain to fix a newly acquired old abandoned track.

Starting at the bottom, they'll work their way up the mountain. Along the way all kinds of crazy stuff happens to them. Each section of the story could focus on a particular character. Then at the end they all have to come together, set aside their differences, and overcome some epic obstacle. Perhaps as they progress up the mountain they find out why this track in particular was abandoned. Feral people, or maybe some kind of mountain cult. I could see it being a netflix series.
Click to expand...
That sounds like an interesting idea, where I worked, we had all kinds of "real life" crazy stuff happen. To name a few............ working a midnight switch engine. 3:00am, had to pull a cut of cars to double up a train. I'm backing up through a small, wooded area with only my headlight on. I go around a small curve and come upon a man with long blonde hair wearing jean shorts, no shoes no shirt wearing a women's pink bathrobe riding a child's old sting ray bike down the middle of the tracks! He was totally unaware that a train was following him and gaining on him. I had to stop and whistle him off the tracks. he picked up his bike and wandered off into the small, wooded area. I had multiple people walk up to my train and ask for food, water, and which direction the train was heading? I had Hobo's ride on my train. I was in a dangerous train yard in a big city waiting for the dispatcher to get us going. It was about 2:00 am. I had the light on in the engine cab and all the sudden we (me and my conductor) hear gun shots ! We hurry and turn off the lights. We see multiple police cars drive into the yard! We radio the dispatcher and were informed that an escaped convict wearing a clown suit was on a shooting spree and was on foot running through the train yard. We told the dispatcher to line us up and get us out of there! I ran on a stretch of track that was well known for having a huge snake population. The venomous kind! We were warned that if we had to stop the train to never get out and walk along the track on the ballast. The snakes would lay up under the curve of the rail to keep warm from the heat of the train. I know a conductor who got bit! I had a run that covered 200 miles. There was a house located by a milepost sign. When we would pass this house, we would let the dispatcher and other trains know our location. This spot became noteworthy because each time a train would approach from either direction, An adult man would run out of the house completely naked! He would run around the property waving his arms and jumping up and down and acting crazy! Every railroader knew about "the naked man". These are a few stories, ask any rail, they have lots of them! Keep a journal with your experiences. I wish I would have. Yes I have been on abandoned track and on track that is now turned into bike trails. I have been in depots that are now gone, Like the song... I've been everywhere! ...on rail that is.
 
Lisa-Lisa said:
That sounds like an interesting idea, where I worked, we had all kinds of "real life" crazy stuff happen. To name a few............ working a midnight switch engine. 3:00am, had to pull a cut of cars to double up a train. I'm backing up through a small, wooded area with only my headlight on. I go around a small curve and come upon a man with long blonde hair wearing jean shorts, no shoes no shirt wearing a women's pink bathrobe riding a child's old sting ray bike down the middle of the tracks! He was totally unaware that a train was following him and gaining on him. I had to stop and whistle him off the tracks. he picked up his bike and wandered off into the small, wooded area. I had multiple people walk up to my train and ask for food, water, and which direction the train was heading? I had Hobo's ride on my train. I was in a dangerous train yard in a big city waiting for the dispatcher to get us going. It was about 2:00 am. I had the light on in the engine cab and all the sudden we (me and my conductor) hear gun shots ! We hurry and turn off the lights. We see multiple police cars drive into the yard! We radio the dispatcher and were informed that an escaped convict wearing a clown suit was on a shooting spree and was on foot running through the train yard. We told the dispatcher to line us up and get us out of there! I ran on a stretch of track that was well known for having a huge snake population. The venomous kind! We were warned that if we had to stop the train to never get out and walk along the track on the ballast. The snakes would lay up under the curve of the rail to keep warm from the heat of the train. I know a conductor who got bit! I had a run that covered 200 miles. There was a house located by a milepost sign. When we would pass this house, we would let the dispatcher and other trains know our location. This spot became noteworthy because each time a train would approach from either direction, An adult man would run out of the house completely naked! He would run around the property waving his arms and jumping up and down and acting crazy! Every railroader knew about "the naked man". These are a few stories, ask any rail, they have lots of them! Keep a journal with your experiences. I wish I would have. Yes I have been on abandoned track and on track that is now turned into bike trails. I have been in depots that are now gone, Like the song... I've been everywhere! ...on rail that is.
Click to expand...
I wanted to join the train crew, but I've gotten so used to my track crew that I don't want to leave them. LOL. Plus the train crew hates us for some reason. They call us Maintenance in the Way. Plus I believe the train crew has to work 6 days a week because they can only work a 12 hour shift. We do way more hours than that. Sometimes as much as 18 hours a day, but we only work a 5 day work week. Although sometimes we do have to come in on a weekend. It just depends. Sometimes we're on call. Other times we have a special project, or maybe it snows, in which case we'll be out with our blowers. You're right, though. We all have stories. It would make a great anthology centered series. Maybe I'll become a flagger or a track inspector someday. Then I can later work for the FRA.
 
Jahrule said:
I wanted to join the train crew, but I've gotten so used to my track crew that I don't want to leave them. LOL. Plus the train crew hates us for some reason. They call us Maintenance in the Way. Plus I believe the train crew has to work 6 days a week because they can only work a 12 hour shift. We do way more hours than that. Sometimes as much as 18 hours a day, but we only work a 5 day work week. Although sometimes we do have to come in on a weekend. It just depends. Sometimes we're on call. Other times we have a special project, or maybe it snows, in which case we'll be out with our blowers. You're right, though. We all have stories. It would make a great anthology centered series. Maybe I'll become a flagger or a track inspector someday. Then I can later work for the FRA.
Click to expand...
I started out in MOW. worked 1 year at yard section and tie-gang and really liked it. I was the only girl. The guys on the gang watched out for me. Some were nice and some were total jerks thinking that women did not belong on the Railroad. I had an opportunity to test out for train crew. If it did not work out, then I could remain on the MOW. I tested and a few weeks later I was called on a Friday and told to report for training on Monday morning. I will always be partial to my MOW friends. Section work was very physically hard. We worked 4/10 hour days and had weekends off. Transportation is very different. Stressful in a weird way. It seems very physically easy just sitting in an engine running the train. Train crews have NO set hours, NO days off (unless you work in a yard) , NO weekends, NO holidays, NO sick days, NO personal days, on call 24/7, Your rest period (off time) is determined by the Union Agreement. You only have 8, 10, 12 hours rest determining how many hours you worked. You work 8 hours... you only get 8 hours rest. I have been ordered to work at 5:00 am. Worked 8 hours... Now 2:00pm. Went home, went to bed, slept. Now 10pm. awakened by a phone call ordering you to go back to work at 11:30pm that same day. called to work twice in a 24-hour period. The RR runs on military time. 24 hours schedule. It is stressful, you are sleep deprived and your entire body clock is off. awake at the wrong time, eating at the wrong time, insomnia when you need to sleep, fall asleep sitting up when you need to be awake. The reward is the money. The railroad knows this and tells you straight away........ You are now MARRIED to the Railroad! If you show up to work..... just open your pockets and we will dump money in them! There is a lot of responsibility for the train crew. You are right about the train crew and MOW. I've worked both and I know that each craft thinks that THEY are the reason the railroad keeps running. Throw in signal maintainers and car inspectors also. The MOW says that trains could not operate on bad track hence THEY are top priority! The Train crews think the MOW holds things up on track repair, so the trains are delayed, and the train crews get yelled at. WE always heard that S%#T rolls downhill. The RR Board of directors is losing money.... they yell at all the executives ...... the upper management yells at the trainmasters.... the trainmasters yell at the crews, Crews blame MOW ..... MOW blame dispatchers for giving trains priority and so everyone blames someone else. I liked being on the train crew. It was always just Engineer and Conductor.
 
jay said:
Do they drug test? Seems like an important job as keeping a train on the tracks would demand a certain amount of sobriety. 🥴
Click to expand...
Yes, they drug test and do it on a random basis also. It is Federally required. The strange thing is, if you come up dirty on a random drug test, you will be immediately pulled out of service. There are still employees that take drugs and try to find ways around it. The tests are so sensitive that they can detect any drugs in your system for 30 days. It sounds strange but we were told that eating a lemon/poppyseed cake or poppyseed bagel will show up on your drug screen as opium. I've seen that happen. I had fellow employees approach me and offer to pay me for my "clean" urine. They would take the clean product, put it in an IV bag and tape the bag to the inside of their thigh to keep it close to body temperature so if they got tested, they would "act like they were going" and use the clean stuff to fool the tester. I would always ask them this question. If I sell you my urine, and they test it and you come up with a positive pregnancy result. How are you going to explain that one to the Railroad Police/ Authorities? I never agreed to any of it, I did know lots of men who continued to use drugs and eventually got caught and fired. I now know why when something is forced on you and it's not fair.... it's referred to as "being railroaded" We used to say.... it's the right way, the wrong way and the Railroad way, guess which one wins?
 
Lisa-Lisa said:
Yes, they drug test and do it on a random basis also. It is Federally required. The strange thing is, if you come up dirty on a random drug test, you will be immediately pulled out of service. There are still employees that take drugs and try to find ways around it. The tests are so sensitive that they can detect any drugs in your system for 30 days. It sounds strange but we were told that eating a lemon/poppyseed cake or poppyseed bagel will show up on your drug screen as opium. I've seen that happen. I had fellow employees approach me and offer to pay me for my "clean" urine. They would take the clean product, put it in an IV bag and tape the bag to the inside of their thigh to keep it close to body temperature so if they got tested, they would "act like they were going" and use the clean stuff to fool the tester. I would always ask them this question. If I sell you my urine, and they test it and you come up with a positive pregnancy result. How are you going to explain that one to the Railroad Police/ Authorities? I never agreed to any of it, I did know lots of men who continued to use drugs and eventually got caught and fired. I now know why when something is forced on you and it's not fair.... it's referred to as "being railroaded" We used to say.... it's the right way, the wrong way and the Railroad way, guess which one wins?
Click to expand...
Blimey ! I’m not arguing with you Lisa if you work as a ganger on a rail road. 🤐
 
Jahrule said:
We out in it right now in 90 degree weather on welded rail. Feel like I'm about to die. It's probably about to be over though because the rail getting too hot. Hopefully we can go home after Amtrak goes by.
Click to expand...
When CWR gets that hot it will cause sun kinks. Usually when it gets that hot, MOW will put slow orders on the track trying to prevent a derailment.
 
Lisa-Lisa said:
When CWR gets that hot it will cause sun kinks. Usually when it gets that hot, MOW will put slow orders on the track trying to prevent a derailment.
Click to expand...
They probably do that, too. All I know is we've been getting off early when the weather was like this. I don't mind it. We've been starting at 3:00 in the morning. Ready for this project to be over with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top