noobie from Iowa

[bmwe0692]

  T.J. from west central Iowa. Railroader since 1973, 27yrs with CNW, the rest with U.P.
Hopefully retire in a couple yrs. 2 boys and 2 girls all out on their own. Just me n the wife. Happened onto this site and it looks like I'll fit right in.
Hope you'll have me.

   T.J.

[jimwrench]

 Welcome from central Il. Was a gandy dancer for a while in early 50's. This is a real friendly forum.

[kxxr]

Welcome from Montana.

[Papaw]

Welcome from Texas!
BMW- do you ride one, or own a BMW auto?

[gibsontool]

Welcome from B C Canada. I fairly new to the site and I love it Jim

[john k]

Hi, You've made it to a pretty good place.  Am just acros the river from you.  Hope you didn't get wet this summer. John

[Neals]

Hi and welcome from Alberta Canada.

[RodFru2u]

Hi and Welcome from Sunny Southern California

[Fins/413]

Welcome from North Carolina.

[64longstep/Brian]

Howdy and Welcome Phoenix Az...

[bmwe0692]

   BMWE is for the Brotherhood of Maintaince of the Way Employees.  We repair track, ie: change broken rails, ties, switch components and fix derailments. Since the U.P. took over I have been on a material distribution gang. Going out to the curves that need the rail replaced. Putting spikes,anchors and tie plates out for the main gang to put new rail in. Started in Kansas to Missouri into Nebraska and Iowa. When I go back on the 1st. We are moving south from Mankato Mn to Mountain Lake, Minnesota then on farther south back into Iowa. Work 8 days straight, then 7 off. Not a bad time  at all.

  T. J.

[Papaw]

Sounds like you enjoy your job, that's good.
Do you see any cool old RR tools and equipment?

[bmwe0692]

   Waaaaaayyyy back when we did a lot by hand. Now we have hydraulic spike pullers,tampers,rail saws and hydraulic cranes on the bigger section trucks. The gang I am on uses a John Deere 120c crawler hoe with a magnet and with out tracks,that sits on a gondola car. It moves by a walking beam and hydraulics to move along from car to car. Also uses a Brandt truck that pulls the loaded cars.  Google Brandt of Canada to see picture of truck Contractors are taklng over a lot of the jobs that we used to do. Dumping ballast by hand-then. Now dumping by train going 30-40 miles per automatic dumping by gps. 

  Hope I haven't bored anyone reading this.

  This is a real nice site, lots of VERY VERY knowledgable people and information!

  T.J.

[Papaw]

Here are some RR photos I have taken-

Railroad Wye Switch by Noel C. Hankamer, on Flickr


Rail Builder by Noel C. Hankamer, on Flickr


Plain and Simple by Noel C. Hankamer, on Flickr


Track Evaluation Car by Noel C. Hankamer, on Flickr


Living Legend- UP844 by Noel C. Hankamer, on Flickr

[bird]

  T.J. from west central Iowa. Railroader since 1973, 27yrs with CNW, the rest with U.P.
Hopefully retire in a couple yrs. 2 boys and 2 girls all out on their own. Just me n the wife. Happened onto this site and it looks like I'll fit right in.
Hope you'll have me.

   T.J.

Are you kidding? We'd love to have you around!!! Jump on in to all of us crazy folks. I'm sure we can learn a lot from you, and hopefully you can learn some things from us!
cheers, bird