Unique job opportunity

[DnStClr]

Congrads Thirsty. When you get a little ahead, buy the shop foreman a gift certificate to a restaurant in the area to show your appreciation for the opportunity. He won't forget your gratitude and you never know where it can lead to later on.

[Tx_Phil]

Congrats... I'm betting you will have a blast ! !

[thirsty]

Well it's only been 3 days there so far and it has lived up to being a unique job.
The people there are great. The shop is a blend of new technology with old school ways. History just oozes out of the buildings. Thoroughness and safety of the passengers is the name of the game and hard work with quality is the playbook. That's ok with me.
I'm still like a fish out of water finding my way there but we are almost finished assembling a locomotive that was torn down before I got there. Once that is out of there we will start another immediately for a transmission service. It will be much easier understanding things being there from the start of a tear down. We have two more to get done before the middle of April among other projects. Plenty of work! Then they have plans to build another locomotive for next year.

One a side note: I will never say that changing a wheel bearing on a passenger car is a lot of work ever again.

[bake74]

One a side note: I will never say that changing a wheel bearing on a passenger car is a lot of work ever again.

     Are they much larger or just harder ?

[thirsty]

Every thing is just stupid heavy on those things
To get the wheel out the train has to be lifted so the wheel can be rolled out on the track. It's pretty time consuming.
I'm going to try and get some good pictures of the locomotive that we are tearing down now.

[Blazin]

Thats like when I worked on trucks every day. Then my buddies would whine about working on their cars! I told them to come back, and see me after they have swapped ten tires on a log truck!

[thirsty]

Thought I should update this old thread. Also it will explain where I have been.

So after taking the job I realized that I was a good fit for what they needed. The shop foreman was right. It didn't take long to feel at home there. I was pretty happy to have steady pay instead of working for myself. I learned a lot in a short period of time. With only two of us actually turning wrenches on the trains during the winter tear downs we were real busy (my truck just sat waiting). Then we started to build another new locomotive while still learning the job for the operating season and also being an engineer when needed. I never did any work to my truck that first year. I also had made commitments to people for work during that summer that I needed to honor from being self employed.

Fast forward to last winter...I found myself doing the majority of the wrenching on everything and taking on more and more. I was ok with that though. I was still the new guy learning after all. So another winter goes by and I still haven't done anything worthwhile with my '86.

That winter we also found out about some changes in management at the railway. All the core employees are like family there and everybody was nervous about loosing the general manager that was responsible for making the railway what it is today. My boss threw his hat in for the general managers position but didn't get chosen. He was not happy with their choice and left to pursue another career. 

That left quite a hole in our shop with only me turning wrenches on the diesels. I was offered the shop foreman job and took it along with being the head wrench and the only wrench. Not that there is nobody else there but they all do other things (machinest, millwright, equipment operator, etc...) which the shop foreman is in charge of also.

Everything is working out so far. We had a record setting year in 2014 and have moved on to winter tear downs with a new passenger coach being built and another locomotive in the works for this summer.

Seems like it was not that long ago that I was sharing with everyone here about being contacted by The Mount Washington Cog Railway. I feel fortunate to have the job this has turned into. The place is home to me now and the men that work for me are all top notch workers. Even though it was a tough season for me this year I can honestly say that I never woke up saying "ughh...I don't want to go to work today".

Hoping to get something done on the '86 this winter.

[fitz]

Thirsty,
Glad to hear that everything is going well for you.
Hopefully we will get some updates on the 86 soon.
It's good to hear from you.
Fitz.

[Captkaos]

Sounds like it turned out really well, congrats.  Anxiously awaiting truck updates pending free time.

[zieg85]

Great to hear that.  I would love to find something in NW Arizona like that...

[Blazin]

Yup, he has been busy. Lots of his reply texts to me are that he has been busy, & didn't have time to reply to the last few. I understand, no worries.
This past spring I was in his neighborhood one night. Stopped & had a couple wobbly pops, did some bench racing, etc in Suitors Garage.

[thirsty]

It was great seeing Blazin at Suitor's Garage! Trying to get him to go check out the Cog. Pretty sure though that he is worried that he would end up on the payroll.