July 5, 2005

• Ugh, long day...Over the weekend,
  my boss explained to a cab rider that I earn my wage going up the hill
  while he earns his wage going back down. Well, today the engineer and I
  bloody well should have earned something extra.

  (The engineer, incidentally, is two years my junior and popularly known
  as "Angry Bill" - working with him has been a chore the last several
  months. But wonders will never cease; he and I got along quite well
  today, as I apparently did well enough to please him. And believe you
  me, he's hard to please.)

  So anyway, I hopped up in the cab this morning - and almost hopped down
  again upon recognising that I'd be scraping the bottom of the coal
  bunker by day's end. Aye, that bunker was only a third full and we
  didn't have time to get fresh coal before doing our routine on the
  train. As such, I spent most of the day on my feet, ripping into that
  accursed fire and then diving back into the coal bunker to try and dig
  some more out of a liberal packing of dirt that had accumulated in the
  lower section. And as if that wasn't enough...SHITTY COAL!!!
  It was just like my first day as a student fireman: couldn't keep up a
  good head of steam because I wasted too much time trying to turn up
  fresh coal at the back of the bunker. It was buried in dirt, and when I
  did dig it out (which might as well have warranted the use of a pry
  bar), it wouldn't burn for love or money.

  Bill, in the meantime, was thoroughly occupied with unreasonably touchy
  brakes, which turned out to be a cranky air valve in one of the
  coaches. Had to drop that one and pick up another. Be interesting to
  see how far we can drop the brake pipe pressure next time (i.e. three
  or four pounds) before it brings the train to a complete halt...Long
  day for both of us, but we didn't get at each other's throats over it,
  so at least it wasn't a total write-off.

  And yes, I do still love my job.
  

  • 9:40 pm
  • 1 Comment