Hello

[brax]

Scott Penland aka brax

I'm on the Missouri River in NW Missouri in the middle of the US. I'll be 52 in May of 2012. I have muscular dystrophy, fsh dystrophy to be more precise. I depend on my permobil c300 increasingly more. I can walk on flat level surfaces with the use of a cane for short periods. Outside i can make it to the street with the use of 2 canes.

I have worked a variety of jobs preferring physical outdoor work when i was able. I've worked as a concrete finisher, a roofer, a general contractor, an aircraft refuel-er, worked for a company cleaning up train wrecks, opened a pub and restaurant on Lake of the Ozarks. After i started losing more muscle i became a website developer, a programmer in vb and php and java, data base developer and administrator.

Now i'm staying home taking care of my 1, 2, and 3, year old grandchildren while my son (who has been single for the last 7 months) throws 100 lb. boxes of pork loading trucks on a cold dock at the processing plant. He works the graveyard shift 6 nights a week and sleeps long hours to recoup from the physically taxing job. The kids depend on grandpa and grandpa depends on the power chair to be able to come close to keeping up with them.

I would like to thank BM for a most informative site. Much of the info i need to improve my PC (which i'm just starting on) was available here in a most concise, user friendly format.

peace
brax

[rollingcowboy]

brax, wow -

worked for a company cleaning up train wrecks

now I have heard everything! - are there more 'train wrecks' than we know about?

[brax]

now I have heard everything! - are there more 'train wrecks' than we know about?

They happem on a regular basis. Enough to keep several full time crews working. Hulcher Emergency Services is who i worked for. They now have 38 divisions across north america. There are mainline wrecks and yard wrecks. Yard wrecks are usually just a few cars at a time that got sent into the yard too fast or the retarders (braking mechanism that pinches the wheels along the yard track) freeze up and stop working. Mainline wrecks are the big ones and usually happen due to track failure or human error.

http://www.hulcher.com/services_rr_md.html

looks like they've changed the name to professional services and expanded into more natural disaster stuff since then.

Most of the wrecks happen during the coldest nights of the year and the hottest days. The track gets cold and brittle or hot and soft. I worked the job from the early to mid 80's I remember 83 being the real B@#*h we had a cold wave and they said it was one of the coldest decembers on record.

When a big wreck occurred the closest division would have trucks with cats on the road within an hour. Back then we carried beepers instead of cell phones. When our beeper went off ( usually at 3am after a night of throwing them back at the pub) we had a half an hour to be at the shop and in the trucks.

After i worked for them a while they would "farm me out" their term for it. They had a twin engine five seater Cessna and a full time pilot. He would pick up me, Ted, and two other guys they usually rotated at a small local airport and we would head out to wherever the wreck happened in the country. Someone from the closest division (once the plane got close enough we could communicate to all the hulcher trucks with two way radio) would pick us up at another usually small airport in one of the red hulcher suburbans.

One week i have been working in the desert in New Mexico and the next week in snow up to my a$$ in Michigan. I loved getting to fly in that small plane and see the country, i wasn't always thrilled about what was waiting for me at the end of the ride.

I could go on and on. A job like that turns into a love/hate affair. They pushed you hard and there were many times i promised myself i'd never go on another wreck. Then that beeper would sound and i'd grab my gear and head out. I never knew if i was going to be gone for a day or 3 weeks.

There are surprisingly few pics of wrecks on the net. I think the railroads don't want that kind of publicity. Here is the kind of machine i worked with.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qNaY50DmXCs/TTTaQdhReHI/AAAAAAAAAV0/ERKIZqden4s/s1600/UPBD+010.jpg

A cat with an A boom on the side and a huge winch with heavy cable on the back. Ted was the operator and sat on the machine and i was his ground man. I rigged the cat, When we arrived the A boom had to be attached and that block and tackle you can see hanging from it was apart and had to be threaded.

You might notice all the slings and chains hanging on the end of the cat there are also a couple 80 and 100 lb clevis and hooks there. It was my job to take those and attach to what ever was needing moved next "boxcar, truck, tankcar, rail section, etc, on the other side is an oxyacetylene torch (you can see the tops of the bottles in the pic) and a reel with 100 ft of torch hose. I would take that torch and just start cutting the brakes and anything that was hung up from the cars. I've seen track rail rolled like a huge spring in about a 30 ft. circle and stuck through the side of box cars. I was the guy who would have to get into messes like this

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qNaY50DmXCs/TTTacZQIEEI/AAAAAAAAAV4/n5VZAD7_cEM/s1600/UPBD+011.jpg

rig it up and then get the hell out of the way. That is cars 2 high i've rigged wrecks with cars 3 high. It can be very dangerous and one had to be good at determining how and what way things were gonna shift. No one died while i was working there, thank goodness, but the guys who had been there longer told us stories and all knew someone who had lost their life on the job. I came across this.

http://www.trainwreckcentral2.com/index.html

http://flickriver.com/photos/tags/hulcher/

Train wrecks can be interesting to look at. especially mainline wrecks.

You can get a lot of pics from local news if you search on derailments. Railroad doesn't like the term wreck (I'm assuming) so always use the term derailment instead of wreck in local news. Doesn't get reported in national news (at least in US) unless it's a passenger train.


Sorry about such a long winded reply, but once you got me on memory lane i had to stroll a bit.
peace
brax

[popschief]

That's as good as it get's for me. Heavy equipment all my life. Started riding on a cat with dad when I was 6 and never got over it. Pretty much earth moving without all the lifting and danger you got into. That lifestyle could be enough to cause your illness. Great stuff. And jumping in that twin at all hours in all kinds of weather ain't the safest thing you ever did either. bp

[brax]

Thanks for the reply popschief, glad you enjoyed. I enjoyed looking for pics and links, it really brought back a lot of memories.
There's nothing like those big cats. I definitely spent some nervous times in that little plane. i remember one time i was exhausted from long hours on a wreck and slept most of the flight home. I woke up thinking i had only doused off for a couple minutes. We were enveloped in white and i was peering down trying to see the ground in the distance through the clouds we were flying through. Then boom the ground was right there in front of my face. My heart jumped up into my throught (felt like). Turned out we were landing in heavy fog right when i woke up. I thought we were at least a thousand ft in the air.

My uncle (dads brother) and his wife meet their end in a light aircraft that he was piloting. Left 3 small girls, all raised afterward by his wife's sister, so i know they can be dangerous.

I also spent a little time on a D9 terracing farmland in KS.

brax

[Art Springs]

Welcome to the site. I know what you mean about how few train wrecks are publicists as my father was with the railroad and always listening to the 2 way radio. In fact after my parents were divorced I remember my dad dragging me out with him to a couple of the derailments rather than letting me stay home alone on the farm.

[brax]

Glad to be here. I worked with a lot of railroad guys.

I was into photography at the time and i really wanted to be able to just go shot some derailments, but i knew better than even ask. I left that job to start a small business and i left on very good terms. They told be they would have a place for me any time. I gave them 3 months notice. Of course now i couldn't physically negotiate a derailment, but i always wished i could chase derailments just to photograph them.

There's something of a surreal atmosphere at most wrecks of any magnitude. I bet experiencing that with your dad at a young age would be something else.

My dad worked at a grain elevator and took me there when i was, I think, maybe 6 or 7 years old. He put me on a belt man-lift in front of him. Just like this one ( http://www.humphrey-manlift.com/ )That is a memory that stuck with me.

Thanks for the welcome.
peace
brax

[Sully]

Hi Brax,

I got involved with a derailing many years ago while I was working as a diver. A freight car derailed from a spur line, into a small lake Near the Carlings Black Lable plant in Mass. I had to use a water jet to fish the lifting slings under the car. For me it was just a couple of days work, more time was spent in preparation than actual work. It was during the winter and ice pretty much surrounded the car, it was cold enough that new ice formed each night, that was a problem in itself for everybody but me. As I recall we used 4 fairly heavy wire slings. The car was full of half frozen crab legs and frozen Mac & cheeze.

[brax]

Sully,

That sounds like some harsh working conditions. burrrr. Could you see at all under there?

we had a corn syrup tank car rupture and there was more than 17 thousand gallons spread around the derailment. It was in the new mexico desert close to the border. you'd get a layer of syrup then a layer of sand by the end my coveralls were just a thick mate. It was frustrating. The cats, all the rigging, and all the ground men were just caked.


Diving sounds like an exciting profession.
brax

[Sully]

That was everyday during winter, Construction work didn't stop because of weather, only lightening. We used a Hard Hat gear Spun copper and brass with a rubberized canvas dress(suit). That was only a 2 day job over 40 years ago. For a working gear that outfit was as good as anything in use today for most underwater construction work.

[Art Springs]

It actually gaveme a bit of a chance to know him better as he had always been a bit of a workaholic when I was growing up.

Funny thing is due to who he was I could easily have gotten a job with the railroad when I was young and healthy but from knowing my dad I did not think that would have been a very good fit as the corporate part seemed very conservative (Dad was very conservative also) and I never quite fit into that type roll.

[brax]

We used a Hard Hat gear Spun copper and brass with a rubberized canvas dress(suit).

I have seen those Hard Hats. Collectors item today. Something like this?

http://www.divingheritage.com/markvkern.htm

Always wished i could get into some gear like that.

Never have done more than snorkel. Was fascinated by diving, read all of Cousteau's books by the time i was 13.

peace
brax

[brax]

I never quite fit into that type roll.

I know what you mean, I have always been the type who would take freedom and new experiences over security and stability. That attitude caused me to change jobs and roam around the country a lot.

My dad and i had a great relationship he was kind of a fun loving guy, always had a smile and a happy disposition.

My younger brother is the conservative one. He has always been baffled and trying to talk some sense into me when he would see me give up a "good job to go chase some hair brained scheme".

brax

[Sully]

That was pretty much the type of helmet I used. There was no top light (window) and compared with the Mk5 it was considerably lighter. It was made by Morse when they were located in downtown Boston Fort Point Channel where the Big Dig took place. I also had one that had a very full open face plate. Curved plexiglass rather than the 4" round and hinged one. The exhaust button was behind my right ear and I used the little bump on my skull to control it. We used a standard air compressor like you used to find in a gas station, except it was lubricated with vegetable oil rather than a petroleum based oil. That (the oil vapors) would screw up your lungs.

I was a pretty good mechanic that could work underwater and with little or no sight most of the time. All that was required was a good imagination and view in your mind of what you were trying to accomplish. I did love to do that kind of work. it was near impossible to become bored, no two jobs were ever the same, it paid well, always a good thing. And believe it or not, steady enough to make a decent living.

[brax]

Sully,
From what i've heard it was very dangerous work. Lots of fatalities on the job compared to most professions.

I did love to do that kind of work. it was near impossible to become bored, no two jobs were ever the same, it paid well, always a good thing. And believe it or not, steady enough to make a decent living.

i can imagine the adrenaline kicks in with the last check of your suit. Did they usually lower on a platform or did you jump in?

brax

[Martin O Refurbisher]

I love the Humphrey manlift.
It reminds me of an unusual lift in my workplace over 40 years ago.
Called a Paternoster, it was like a bucket chain of British telephone boxes without doors, and was very popular then.
I gather it was withdrawn from office use for health and safety reasons. (Isn't everything that works??)

http://www.theunmutual.co.uk/gec.htm

Best,

Martin

[brax]

I gather it was withdrawn from office use for health and safety reasons. (Isn't everything that works??)

I was very surprised to see the manlift company still in business. I figured (borrowing BM's catch phrase) the safety Nazis would have shut them down long ago.

That grain elevator i rode it in when i was just a little guy was several stories high. It was a real thrill. My dad took me to the top.

The fact that it is so efficient must be what has saved it from being regulated out of existence. An industry like the grain storage company would be hard pressed to try to replace something like that with anything that would be able to keep up with so many workers needing to move up and down through a massive structure over 100 ft. tall.


Kind of like the trash men still get to hang on and ride on a foot plate on the outside of the truck. When something works too well even the safety Nazis can't stop it.

peace
brax

[Sully]

No man lift, we used a lader rigged over the side of what even platform we were using i.e. boat/barge/float. I have few pictures if I can I will try to copy them to the computer and post them. I was never much for taking pictures of work, but these were taken by a client, nothing glamarous or adventurous.

That work really wasn't dangerous as one may think, it was made dangerous by unthinking fellow workers above. That is what happened to me. But that is another story. They are called "Stupidents" not accidents.

[brax]

I have few pictures if I can I will try to copy them to the computer and post them.
That work really wasn't dangerous as one may think, it was made dangerous by unthinking fellow workers above. That is what happened to me. But that is another story. They are called "Stupidents" not accidents.

I would love to see some pictures. I"m the kind of guy who enjoys looking at pics of stuff like construction rigging and industrial configurations.

I hate having to put my safety in the hands of others. I've seen people that you thought would know better do some stupid stuff.

My dad lost a foot at a grain elevator because of someone"s "Stupident".

I would be interested in hearing what happened to you if you are inclined to go into it.

brax

[Sully]

OK you asked for it!!!! I was installing a high pressure water main in just a bit deeper than 60 feet of water in a small river that had oil storage tanks all along its rather short length. By the way at the further end of this "creek" as we called it, one of the first, if not th first, Naval engagements of our Revolutionary war took place. And the farmers in the area burned a small British gun boat when it went aground at low tide. A pretty radical thing at the time, there is a monument that celebrates that occurance nearby.

Anyway, I was at depth for about 5 hours making connections 36" diameter restrained ductile Iron pipe, and taking down false work at depth. As the day was ending I was hanging at 10 feet decompressing when I got a call on the radio that a ship was coming up the river. Then I was being pulled to the surface. I felt no immediate reactions, to the surfacing. But I saw the prop of this vessel pass closly by. But I was taking off the gear, and that huge prop was running maybe 1/3 out of the water, and as I said close. Any draft of water would have pulled me toward it, if I were still in the water.

Anyway, I now have some problems with my memory of events, likely the effects of the bends were starting to set in. I guess I got off the boat and started to cross the bridge where I left my Pickup truck. Because as I have had to be told, I just sat down on the bridge. I have little flashes of memory of doing this, but just flashes. Next thing I can remember is I was puking all over a nice nurse, and my next door neighbor was sitting nearby. I even assume he was sitting because I simply don't know. But somehow he had brought my wife to the hospital. As yet I had not been decompressed, but I was in a bit of pain in my knees back and legs. From here on I don't now know if my memories are from being told of some of these things or real memory. But I was riding in an ambulance again, going where????? Then I was in another Hospital, I later found out in Boston. It was Children's Hosp.

When JFK was President he had a child born with Gaseous Gangerene and they built the O.R. room and still had it, it was pressurized = and could be used as a decompression chamber. Next I do remember a very tall doctor there yelling at the other doctors and nurses, to stop asking me questions. What those questions were now I haven't a clue, but I was chattering like a squirrel. My brain was evidently turned off, but my body didn't know that. Some say that still hasn't changed!!!! After a recompression of my body I was decompressed slowly.

But next day I was seemingly OK, and though quite unsteady went home. And in a couple of days I went back to work, a little thing like that wasn't going to hold me down. But a year later I was still pins and needles in my legs, and my reflexes were hyper. My legs spaz and leap and jump in my bed, I tried to get compensation and a record of this accident happening. The Marine Chapter of Workmans compensation is as confusing as can possibly be imagined and I eventually was given about 1 years pay for my trouble. Even though today I think there was some possible criminal neglegence as well.

That was in 1973 I have been able to work though not at diving and by reeducating myself to do other things as my legs have continued to slip and balance etc. deteriorate, to the point that this winter I fell about a dozen times in a single week. I had already decided due to other falls that I would use a chair when I had to walk any distance. Now I use one indoors, falls have taken their toll, but I have been lucky I haven't done any real physical damage to the rest of my body.

I have to go now, but I will continue this later, and you can think up and ask any questions you want. I don't have time to re read and edit what I have written, so forgive any spelling and funny typo's.

[Sully]

Well I'm back home again, went to do a bit of shopping with the missus. It is hard to find lamb and I never see veal, in the Super markets here in the southern US. They eat a lot of Pork and Beef and to my liking, cut it poorly. "Oh Well" What they do have is warmth, and for that I am thankful. That warmth, by itself even compensates for any of the bad things I might think or can't find to my liking. We also got to visit a junk store, unfortunately it wasn't accessable. So the upshot is I didn't spend any of my money there, his loss not mine.

The effects of the bends ,is caused by an insult to my brain, and is like adding 20 to 25 years of age to my legs and back, one Physical Therapist explained my gait in better days past. She said I threw my right leg in front of my left one as a way to walk. That kind if compensation has caused the back problems, and some other problems. I didn't think about that part, I just did what I had to, to survive. Now at 72 years old my past has all caught up to me.

I also have my friend Arthur who causes my a lot of discomfort, you know Artheritis, just can't seem to shake him. I can stand for about 4 or 5 minutes and I can walk from one end of the car to the other, and that with either a cane and holding the side of the car, or crutches, which would be better.

Anyway since that episode of the bends and additionally the length of time it took to find a recompression chamber, I lost that skill and have not tried to make my living from that. I had taken welding courses to make myself more employable, and used that skill to some extent. Everyday welders are usually pretty physically able and I was headed the wrong way for a 30+ year old guy. I tried Dairy farming, which had been one of my daydreams, but this country was awash in milk. So when the Gov bought out some dairy herds I got in on that. I ran for a job called Road agent. No I didn't rob folks, they are highway superintendents who maintain roads and public facilities.

Meanwhile I went to night school to better understand the legalities, and responsibilities of this position, I also took some engineering courses same reasoning. I had to run for this position in local elections. Since this was an elected position I eventually lost to a local gentleman, who later asked me if I would take the job back. So I went back to school and home education courses to study Public Water supplies and treating potable water, I followed that with Waste Water treatment courses passed them and got certifications for both positioons. When a Village in another state advertised for someone with my qualifications I appled and got hired to that position. From there I retired at 65 years old, and was fortunate to finish before I could not continue due to failing legs and back. While at that job I studied for and became a Certified fire and Building Inspector. I worked a 60+ hour work week.

The Union Hall I worked within early was pretty useless helping me, but I had enough time to be vested, and collect a small pension from them. I did a bit better with the second Public position, the first one had no pension plan at all, during my tenure. Every working man in the US doesn't have a bed of roses, big pension, or easy life. And it is my finding and opinion, those people who create the most fuss about those who do have a retirement and/or Health Insurance, are the lazy ones and also haven't figured it all out yet. Not that I have, but I do have a small handle on it.

The diving was a pretty good way to make a living, never booring, and I didn't have to molly coddle my superiors like I had to do with the Public Service work. Every one, the voters, knew how to do my job until they had to do it. They have had 4 people that replaced me in the what ... eight years since I retired. Hmmmmmm.

Probably more information than needed but perhaps it is the not too often heard common story.

[brax]

Sully,
That is some road you've been down. I want to thank you for recounting it.

Man i would thank that just not having a re-compression chamber on the site and expecting a diver to stay at 60 ft. for 5 hrs. in an area with large vessel traffic should be criminal. I would thank that would be basic common sense. A company that is laying 3 ft high pressure iron pipe probably had everything they needed on the site to make their own chamber. Minus maybe some kind of viewing port. I have heard that time spent before re-compression is vital.

Sounds like we are pretty close to walking ability. I can walk around car by hanging on to it. I can walk a short distance on flat level ground with a cane. I gets very rough or sloped at all and i need 2 canes. I have fsh dystrophy and i will be 51 next month.

I recently have gone to using a chair in the house. I was putting it off as long as i could. Then i had to start helping take care of 1, 2, and 3 yr. old grandchildren. Since i have my quality of life has actually improved, wish i would have done it sooner. Before it was such a struggle to move about that i didn't, except when it was absolutely necessary.


I had to get some education to train for a new type of job also.

When you said "road agent" I did picture a guy with a bandana over his face getting ready to ambush the stagecoach.

I love to visit flea markets and second hand store and such. I'm like you i won't go to much trouble to get trough a place and most able bodied vendors don't leave nearly enough room. I'm seeing more and more power chairs everywhere i go so you know they are missing out on customers.


When to go to a chair is totally a personal decision in my opinion. The muscular dystrophy association will make me appointments to see doctors and they seem to change regularly. One told me to go to a chair before i hurt myself, the next one said "keep out of the chair as long as you can". I sure get a lot more done and enjoy my day more since using the chair more.

I really enjoyed your hearing your experiences. I had a good friend, Tom he was a bridge construction foreman a crane operator, and was in the merchant marines during WW2. He was close to 90 and i used to love to get him talking about his past. Hearing your tale seemed to bring Tom to mind, probably because he worked in heavy construction like you ( only not under water). Tom and i used to set and talk for hours.

i sure am glad you decided to indulge me, i hope we can talk more.
brax

[Sully]

Brax,

When I got to that job I was led to believe the river was closed to ship traffic until we were clear of the water. Unfortunately this either was not quite true or it was and this ship plus the tugs ignored the closing. No one to my knowlege was ever taken to task for that, if in fact they ever knew what grief they caused.

Hey what the hell, I have had a pretty good life overall, with plenty of experiences that few ever get to have. I have a great wife, she put up with me for 44 years so far. And when I wanted to do something, or make a life change, to her it was just another adventure to be enjoyed. What could I find to complain about that? Since we have now both retired we have driven across this country twice, from coast to coast.

My life long buddy Duguie who has now passed, became paralized due to his job of a color matcher for an Industrial finish company. He was in a rich volitile chemical atmosphere every working day. Though no one ever admitted to it, these chems caused his brain to fail thus he lost all balance and walking abilities as he aged. He was the guy who got me interested in the diving gig.

I'm betting there are plenty of folks out there who lose their mobility due to volitile chemicals. Since that was not my choice in a career I never kept up with that sort of thing.

In the days prior to OSHA there were few precautions planned by contractors on a job site. Today there would have been some sort of investigation after the fact, and likely fines levied. After accident care was almost non existent, I remember a foreman telling one guy who had just broken his leg to drive himself to the hospital. His reasoning was this guy drove an automatic drive trans. car, and stupidly, and openly said so. That was the way things were. And by the way, one of the guys did drive him to the Hosp. When folks think of the good old days or so called freedom, they do either not realize most of the way things actually were, or are just plain ignorant.

Not one of those guy's I worked with came to see me or try to find out if I was OK. And most of them I had worked with for many years. While I know phones work both ways, and I made no attempt to contact any of them, I guess they weren't very concerned. Only now when I have a lot of time on my hands, do I even think of such things.

[brax]

I know it was a different world back then. After my dad lost his foot at the grain elevator in todays world he probably could have almost retired with the type of settlement he would have gotten. Back then they paid him less than his regular pay while he was off work. They did cover the hospital bills. Then they gave him his job back, NOT an easier Job, his same job. He worked on his feet there another 20 yrs developed tumors in his stump and had to have his leg re-amputated just below the knee. They of course weren't responsible for that injury so he had to get on disability and take early ss benefits for us to survive during the year or so it took for his leg to heal again. It gave him trouble the rest of his life.

My son works at the pork plant here in town. He is single now and has his 3 kids, a 1,2,and a 3yr old. There is no way he can afford childcare for 3 babies, so grandpa has to watch them. They have him working from 9 at night to until 5 in the morning. With him needing to dress when he gets to work (off the clock) and walk clear across the plant (off the clock) he really works from 8:15 until 5:45. 6 days a week. Here lately they have been having pull 12 hrs shift on sat night. He comes home and needs lots more sleep after throwing 100 lb boxes all night in a cold dock. i asked him when they were gonna get a union down there thinking that surely a union would pull the work load back to 40 hours a week and get them paid from the time they were actually at work. He said that he was in the union, and his contract said that he had to work 7 days a week if they want him to. i said man the 40 hr work week was fought for back in the early 1900's. It appears labor is moving backwards.

I agree the "good ole days weren't all that good" and it appears that in a lot of areas we are heading back to those conditions.

By the time he works, sleeps, and runs a couple errands to get the kids what they need i have these babies practically around the clock. On his one day off he is so tired he wants to sleep and has lots to do to get ready for the next week.

I've been divorced twice. The first one we were just too young and she wasn't really ready to settle down after she got me to marry her. The second one ended when i started getting crippled up before my time. I've stayed single since then. I really wish i could have found a good woman who would be there through the bad as well as the good. I'll stop complaining, i'll play the hand i'm dealt.

I usually set up late, I'm getting used to running on less sleep, to get a few hrs to myself after i get these babies to bed.
I'm too damn old and crippled up to be taking on raising these babies, but they don't have anyone else and i love them.

Hang in there Sully, I'll catch u later, better get off here for a while.