Since I started working here, I've been on the 11 PM to 7 AM shift so all I get to see is what you see above while I'm working. Needless to say it's not really conducive for great photos to post. Starting this past week though I've been working several hours overtime, over and above the regular 56 hours weekly. I've been putting in a few 4-hour extra shifts added on to help cover another guy's shift while he's out injured. (NOT job related!) This being the case, I've had a few opportunities to get some pictures while I'm actually working and you can actually see what it is that I'm doing and a little scenery thrown in.
Tooling down the main line heading out to one of the sugar cane loading elevators, as seen from my window of the locomotive...
Arriving at "Flaghole #4" loading elevator, slowing down to "spot" empty cane cars and pick up loaded ones...
The "Agro" Department, loading cane cars with fresh cut raw sugar cane...
Leaving Flaghole #4 with a load of sugar cane to take to the mill... (Actually not leaving, I had my engineer stop the train so I could get this shot...)
traveling along the mail line again, through large cane fields. Again, the "Agro" department busy burning the fields... This need to be done just prior to harvesting so the cane will be processed correctly and a new crop can grow next season.
A view looking out my window at my train... I look this way often, especially on curves, like this one coming into Flaghole Junction. I look back often to inspect my train for any defects and hot boxes...
Finally, Train 405 arrives at Clewiston railyard with it's load of 100 cars of fresh sugar cane for the mill, seen in the background.Another day in the life of Ranger Tom, Railroader.
Copyright 2006 Thomas J Wolfenden
11 comments:
These are great pictures :)
I'm curious...how often is this particular run made? Just how much sugar cane do you transport in, say, a week? And is that the only cargo you deal with?
Yeah, good question "ecblade".
I for one liked this perspective. I've always wondered what you guys see along the way.
Still waiting on that gaitor/train photo!
innerstin
Love the pics--so interesting to see something other than snow! :)
Ecblade: Hard to say. On an average 8-hour shift I'll make two runs out to the elevators. The most loads I can pic up from one elevator is between 30 & 40 loads. There are 14 elevators but not all are operating at the same time. The average is about 100 loads a shift. Since I'm running 7 days a week, it's 700 loads and there's 3 shifts. That's a lot of sugar.
Mushy: I've got to run over one first!
Woodrow: Yup.
Alaska Jen: I thought you would! I will have to post that other picture, maybe later this week...
Leazwell: Not really... They're in the canals. There's panthers and bobcats in the fields
Cmk: Should I tell you the high today was 80F?
Great shots. Thank you.
Will definitely have to show my little guy your train pics. He will LOVE them! You're not only living your dream. You're living his!
Hmm ... I kinda expected your train to have a "If you don't like the way I engineer, stay of the siding" bumper sticker.
That cane field looks like it's on some foreign island or something. Great pictures - especially the night rails.
Wow, cool shots. I can relate. Used to work the midnight shift when I was in college. Had a whole country club all to myself. Totally different in the day time. Again, nice pictures.
Wow, you must have the most relaxing job in the world. No assholes bothering, no boss staring at you and no phones ringing.....I have phones!
Post a Comment