Right on brother!! There’s nothing like moving up and getting off your tools. It’s nice coming up through the craft too because you normally have a decent escape plan if this management crap goes sideways.
Not in the railroad business but work for a general contractor who has completed some projects on railways/railyards. Last one was for the Maryland Port Administration extending a CSX terminal onto a Berth for RO-RO offload of new cars(Mercedes and Fiat/Jeep). First two i worked on were for WMATA, one installing a 500ton wheel press/3x wheel truing machines and the other completing a pumping station which pumped iron diluted water from an underground train storage yard.
I can say the rail companies we work with have some extremely funny people. You all have some hysterical descriptions of people you dont like or the equipment you use. A few examples that crack me up even thinking about them....
I was in a curve design meeting with this track maintenance engineer for CSX and the engineer/owner. The CSX guy didnt like the engineer telling him he was wrong(he was actually right) so he called the engineer a "starfish licker" right in the middle of the meeting. Never seen an engineer bow out so fast in my life. One of the funniest things ive ever seen.
Also, WMATA has these machines that would push dead cars around called a "Hootinanny". It was basically a propane powered mini rail car that could push a fully loaded WMATA car into and out of the work shop bays of the maintenance facility. So we're in a meeting with the head of the maintanence yard that gets the new machine. He starts with what he wants in the thing and keeps calling it the Hootinanny. Our project manager doesnt know what the hell he is talking about so he asks him what is it? Guy gets up, opens the window to see the old mini car pusher sitting there with a stenciled "Hootinanny" on the side of it. They nicknamed the thing because the actual name is too long and it is just easier to call it a Hootinanny. Couldnt help but laugh every time i heard that word called out by suits in our meetings.
I will say that the guys who hand install track are nuts. 8+hour days setting ties, rail and the tie plates is crazy. They finally brought their production equipment in but they installed 5200ft of rail by hand. Crazy how strong those guys were. Never complained or whined about the heat the entire time. Great group to work with.
Not in the railroad business but work for a general contractor who has completed some projects on railways/railyards. Last one was for the Maryland Port Administration extending a CSX terminal onto a Berth for RO-RO offload of new cars(Mercedes and Fiat/Jeep). First two i worked on were for WMATA, one installing a 500ton wheel press/3x wheel truing machines and the other completing a pumping station which pumped iron diluted water from an underground train storage yard.
I can say the rail companies we work with have some extremely funny people. You all have some hysterical descriptions of people you dont like or the equipment you use. A few examples that crack me up even thinking about them....
I was in a curve design meeting with this track maintenance engineer for CSX and the engineer/owner. The CSX guy didnt like the engineer telling him he was wrong(he was actually right) so he called the engineer a "starfish licker" right in the middle of the meeting. Never seen an engineer bow out so fast in my life. One of the funniest things ive ever seen.
Also, WMATA has these machines that would push dead cars around called a "Hootinanny". It was basically a propane powered mini rail car that could push a fully loaded WMATA car into and out of the work shop bays of the maintenance facility. So we're in a meeting with the head of the maintanence yard that gets the new machine. He starts with what he wants in the thing and keeps calling it the Hootinanny. Our project manager doesnt know what the hell he is talking about so he asks him what is it? Guy gets up, opens the window to see the old mini car pusher sitting there with a stenciled "Hootinanny" on the side of it. They nicknamed the thing because the actual name is too long and it is just easier to call it a Hootinanny. Couldnt help but laugh every time i heard that word called out by suits in our meetings.
I will say that the guys who hand install track are nuts. 8+hour days setting ties, rail and the tie plates is crazy. They finally brought their production equipment in but they installed 5200ft of rail by hand. Crazy how strong those guys were. Never complained or whined about the heat the entire time. Great group to work with.
Not in the railroad business but work for a general contractor who has completed some projects on railways/railyards. Last one was for the Maryland Port Administration extending a CSX terminal onto a Berth for RO-RO offload of new cars(Mercedes and Fiat/Jeep). First two i worked on were for WMATA, one installing a 500ton wheel press/3x wheel truing machines and the other completing a pumping station which pumped iron diluted water from an underground train storage yard.
I can say the rail companies we work with have some extremely funny people. You all have some hysterical descriptions of people you dont like or the equipment you use. A few examples that crack me up even thinking about them....
I was in a curve design meeting with this track maintenance engineer for CSX and the engineer/owner. The CSX guy didnt like the engineer telling him he was wrong(he was actually right) so he called the engineer a "starfish licker" right in the middle of the meeting. Never seen an engineer bow out so fast in my life. One of the funniest things ive ever seen.
Also, WMATA has these machines that would push dead cars around called a "Hootinanny". It was basically a propane powered mini rail car that could push a fully loaded WMATA car into and out of the work shop bays of the maintenance facility. So we're in a meeting with the head of the maintanence yard that gets the new machine. He starts with what he wants in the thing and keeps calling it the Hootinanny. Our project manager doesnt know what the hell he is talking about so he asks him what is it? Guy gets up, opens the window to see the old mini car pusher sitting there with a stenciled "Hootinanny" on the side of it. They nicknamed the thing because the actual name is too long and it is just easier to call it a Hootinanny. Couldnt help but laugh every time i heard that word called out by suits in our meetings.
I will say that the guys who hand install track are nuts. 8+hour days setting ties, rail and the tie plates is crazy. They finally brought their production equipment in but they installed 5200ft of rail by hand. Crazy how strong those guys were. Never complained or whined about the heat the entire time. Great group to work with.
Old IC. My checks used to say IC dba CN.OP, you on the old Illinois Central or GM&O?
Nice. Are you guys glad to be rid of Hunter Harrison? All the CSX guys I'm somewhat familiar with are relishing the man's death.Old IC. My checks used to say IC dba CN.
The town I live in is a major CN terminal here in Western Canada. My older brother is a 33 year veteran Engineer. I run a taxi service so we work very closely with CN deadheading transportation employees whereever the company needs to send them. Our harsh winters wreck havoc on rail operations so we are usually insanely busy. I tried to hire on to CN right out of high school but they basically stopped hiring in the early 90's when the caboose was eliminated. Since about 2007 though they've been hiring everyone they can get their hands on...lol!
You guys have the unwritten gentlemen’s agreement about the conductor sitting in the front seat?It's a tough gig. We lost at least 40 guys this year to a commuter rail in Boston.
People don't believe me when I tell them I spend far more time in a cab then I do on a train lol.
And yes winter sucks!
You guys have the unwritten gentlemen’s agreement about the conductor sitting in the front seat?
You should be, grab that aux cable, adjust hvac, etc lol.Yes and I hate it! I'm not in charge of the cab too. Lol
He doesn’t have ac in his. lolYou should be, grab that aux cable, adjust hvac, etc lol.
You should be, grab that aux cable, adjust hvac, etc lol.
He doesn’t have ac in his. lol
The cab I assume does, lol.He doesn’t have ac in his. lol
Keep that pimp hand strong, if they make you sit up front, take charge.IDK some of the cabbies are pretty territorial. Don't want to get bit.
Had to turn the heat on when we went to Vermont on Sunday.
Heat?IDK some of the cabbies are pretty territorial. Don't want to get bit.
Had to turn the heat on when we went to Vermont on Sunday.
Heat?