WOW! GUESS WHAT I GOT TO DO!

[countershot]

Yesterday i had a job shadow for school, i managed to score a ride with a engineer for a day. when i got there the Engineer greeted me we got to the locomotive. A GP20 #2000. we got in and sat down. we backed out on the a siding on the east yard. Then he stood up and said "Ben you want to drive?" I was so exited i almost for got to say yes. He realy did not need to tell me what was what. i just kinda got to it. after he saw i knew what was what. he told me to move it foward to the dock. so i blew the horn twice, put the reverser in the foward position, released the locomoitve brake, pulled the throttle bock to about 2 noch. the engine started to wine. I got to drive that little GP20 about a half mile down the docks. and across two RR crossings where i got to blow the horn more. that is so cool.

I found that the real thing is much more easy that the simulators. you can feel what was going on.
I would never thought that i might get an opertunity to do this at age 15. (today is my B-DAY) hint* Hint*

i have pic's as soon as i can get a fire wire. my cat ate my other one.

That shift last from 3:30 pm to 3:00 am. was a short night to me.


thanks for reading my adventure.


Ben

[ARTHILL]

That is way cool.

[NZRMac]

That sounds awesome Ben getting to drive as well a very rare treat. Happy Birthday.

Ken.

[GAPPLEG]

Neat, I had to wait till my thirties to run the real thing, I work at GE , ran Loco's on the test track here. Fun , huh !! [8D]

[countershot]

Thanks YOU.......

[David_Telesha]

Fun, but its not smart to brag on a public internet forum.

All it'll take is somebody to read that and that engineer will be out of a job and maybe in jail since Federal law requires a certification to operate a locomotive and at the very least that you be over 18 and have a valid drivers license.

Not trying to rain or your parade, but just something to consider...

[GAPPLEG]

[wow] checked out your photobucket, is that stuff all yours !

[reklein]

Dude.... it was a job shadow. Do you think it might be pre approved????? That is way cool to drive a loco at 15. I'm 62 and still waiting, Hmmm. wonder if they'd let me back in school I could... Oh never mind.

[Anonymous]

what exatcly is a job shadow? is it basically a career day?
i get caree day every every other 9 days....tech skool.
GEARHEAD426
[8]

[Anonymous]

Guessing it's something like work experience - I ended up shadowing the local County Council legal team for mine, spent the week photocopying. Not quite as good as yours!

[Anonymous]

[bday] BEN!

[Anonymous]

Thats really cool,Happy Birthday.I was waiting for Union Pacifics 8444 steam engine too pass by me so i could photograph it in Utah a few years ago,and a freight train with a Brand new Sd70 locomotive was waiting for a green signal and the engineer invited me on board to check out the cab,that was awesome.I got a couple of really cool pics that day.Still waiting for a cab ride.Some tourist trains have Engineer for a day programs.might be something to check out.

[countershot]

this whole thing was all prearanged

a job shadow is like a career day.

My photo bucket photo's are of a museum that I work at. some of it is mine though.

[SOU Fan]

I wish I could do that on my birthday. That sounds really cool. And [bday]

[monkeyman2]

Now why didnt I have the sense to try and do that for mine?? [:(] [:P]

[David_Telesha]

QUOTE: Originally posted by reklein

Dude.... it was a job shadow. Do you think it might be pre approved????? That is way cool to drive a loco at 15. I'm 62 and still waiting, Hmmm. wonder if they'd let me back in school I could... Oh never mind.

"Dude" I don't want to go further with this... I understand a job shadow and the ride was approved by the railroad... I was talking about letting it out about operating the loco publically.

Don't shoot the messenger...

DTT <messenger, speaking from experience

PS:[bday] It is definitely awesome.. I got to pilot a river boat years ago when I was a kid and I thought that was awesome.

PPS: I'm not some crabby old fart. I'm 16, personally know countless employees of more than 4+ RR's, have been in units from a B39, SW7, FL-9, and what the employee might face over things.

[gvdobler]

That's great. I called UP and asked what it would cost me to do something similar and they laughed and said I didn't have that much money.

So apparently you can't buy what you got for free. Nice going.

[Anonymous]

sweetness

[myred02]

I can share the same experience, only my lucky loco was the CF7 owned by the Kentucky Railway Museum. I haven't driven any lately but I did get to climb up into a brand-spankin new GE Evolution a month ago. I have to admit, it is a very fun thing at a young age. I drove my first loco at 15 also. [8D]

-Brandon

P.S. [bday]

[tomikawaTT]

Lots of fun for one shift, yes.

Imagine what it would be like, day in, day out, year in, year out for an entire career.
Imagine running from El Paso to Tucson in the middle of July with no air conditioning - air conditioning not being the highest priority repair when motive power is in short supply.
Imagine running through a blizzard, not being able to see a locomotive length ahead, straining your eyes to pick up signal indications on which your life depends - literally!
Imagine how you'll feel the first time some idiot in a motor vehicle misjudges your approach speed at a grade crossing. How about the thirty-first time?

Railroading for one day, or in small scale, is fun. Railroading as a full-time career is hard, dirty, dangerous work.

BUT - Somebody has to do it.

Chuck.

[Anonymous]

Ben,
That is great news. I had to wait until I was 23 before I got to drive my first locomotive (SW 1500) at my new job in 1979 when I was hired by SP to be a Brakeman in Oakland, CA. Keep it up maybe the railroad might have a career for you? Don't worry I don't believe that the FBI, NTSB or Railroad police will come looking for you any time too soon. Good job.
Happy Birthday,
Brad

[loathar]

SO COOL!!! Got to drive an F unit when I was about 8 so I know the feeling.

[emdgp92]

Sweet!

I got to run the local museum's Plymouth switcher a few years back. It was like driving a big truck--the handbrake and gear levers stick out of the floor, along with an actual brake pedal. Visibility was pretty bad though. The windows were pretty tiny, and it was easier to see by sticking my head out the side door :D

This engine has since been rebuilt and repainted...while the one coupled to it has been dumped in the weeds. These units are 3-foot gauge and were used by the museum to move the preserved steam engine around.

http://toyotameister.tripod.com/wbgharvest/switchers.jpg
http://toyotameister.tripod.com/wbgharvest/switchers2.jpg
http://toyotameister.tripod.com/wbgharvest/controls.jpg

[ereimer]

now that's a good birthday present !
congratz !