Sunday, March 16, 2008

My Husband is Happy

The man my husband has been training apprenticing with went on vacation this past week. That means my husband got to bring home the high-railer. This is a high railer:

(That is not the railroad my husband works for)

It's a one tonne pickup truck that goes on railroad tracks. The one my husband has also has a big box on the back full of equipment, roars when it's started and beeps when it backs up. This is a manly truck. Needless to say, the first day he brought it home he had a goofy grin on his face.

It's nice not to have him doing unpredictable shiftwork. It's nice not to be scraping by in low income territory. But the best part of this new job has been Shannon not coming home empty of energy and interest.

9 comments:

molytail said...

Wicked truck! How do those little rail wheels work - do they hide tucked up and then come down with a button pressed inside, or do you bring them down by hand, or do they even tuck up and away? Hmm, they must. Can you tell I've never seen one live before? LOL

Wonderful to hear that your hubby isn't coming home drained - work should be challenging and interesting, and too many people are stuck in jobs that they hate and find about as intriguing as watching wall paper peel.

>^..^<

Dawn said...

You know you're Maritime hick when big trucks put a smile on your face, eh? Honestly, even though I know there's some major pollution going on, my still still jumps when someone starts some huge 8 litre diesel. :D

I'll have to ask Shannon but I don't think the wheels are manual. You can still see them tucked up under the bumper when they aren't down. My dad was puzzled for awhile because he couldn't figure out how the transmission would work withtwo sets of very different wheels but it turns out the track wheels are nothing but guides and the trucks is still moved by the regular tires.

Noodle said...

Those trucks are totally cool. My DH works for a RR too, but he doesn't have one of the high-rails. His is just a big ol' monster. :)

DH just came by and said, "Why are you looking at a picture of a high-railer?" LOL!

Anonymous said...

Tres cool set of wheels. It *is* nice when they love their jobs, I agree, my hubby loves his too. Michael and I want to know how it gets up on the tracks.

molytail said...

You know you're Maritime hick when big trucks put a smile on your face, eh?

yep ROFL

None of those here though - no trains...the last train left the island in '89, I think... they tore up the tracks and turned it into walking/running/biking (snowmobiling in winter) trails all over the island....

Dawn said...

Talked to the husbad and found this out. The trucks drive onto the tracks at crossing. At the crossing they line the truck up with the rails and then manually put the train wheels down, first the front two and then the back two. Then they ride around, To get off they have to get back to a level crossing again.

Noodle! You're husband's a RR man too! Why we're practically sisters then! :D

Noodle said...

LOL! Now I'm wondering if they work for the same one since "ours" is based up your way. :D

Dawn said...

Chances are! Most of the track up here is owned by one big corporation and that's our company. :)

Noodle said...

Probably then. Ours isn't the one on that truck either. :)