Second trick was always my favorite. Didn't have to get up early or rush to work, still some nightlife after work, still going to bed while it's dark and arising in daylight. Perhaps some of us are just normally outta sync.
CSSHEGEWISCH I wouldn't wish a swing shift on anybody. In our college days, I had a straight second shift summer job at a steel warehouse and my brother had a swing shift at a steel mill. He always seemed a bit out of sync with everybody even when he was on first shift.
I wouldn't wish a swing shift on anybody. In our college days, I had a straight second shift summer job at a steel warehouse and my brother had a swing shift at a steel mill. He always seemed a bit out of sync with everybody even when he was on first shift.
Out of my 51 year career about 30 years of it was working 11 PM to 7 AM or thereabouts. Several years of Relief Jobs (multiple tricks) were included. Never liked setting a alarm clock and having my life dictated by the clocks operation.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
[quote user="BaltACD"]
When I was in my 20's I had a 'Relief' job - 2 Firsts, 2 Seconds and 1 Third - piece of cake.
In my late 40's I was forced into another 'Relief' job - 1 First, 2 Seconds and 2 Thirds - damn near killed me. I could make it through the first Third but couldn't get enough sleep to make it through the second Third. (note at the time I didn't have enough seniority to hold a straight Third job.
Before UP went to centralized dispatching and the ACDs were governed by hours of service the best jobs, IMO, were those that included both trick and ACD positions. For awhile I worked 3-3-1-1-2 with Tuesday night Rawlins to Green River, Wednesday night Green River to Ogden, Friday daylight Green River to Ogden, then Saturday 1st trick ACD and Sunday 2nd trick ACD. Didn't have much of a weekend and your system seldom knew what to expect, however, it was one of the best jobs I had insofar as variety.
Some people stayed on third trick because they didn't like maintenance of way (who could blame 'em). For over a decade before I retired I worked 12 hr. shifts that rotated 3 days, days off, 3 nights, back to days and on and on. That became rough with advancing years, although I realize it is a cakewalk vs. train service. In any event, generally to bed around 12-1am and up anywhere from 5am to 9am. Still have a thick blanket across the bedroom window to blot out the sunshine.
PennsyBoomer BaltACD When I was in my 20's I had a 'Relief' job - 2 Firsts, 2 Seconds and 1 Third - piece of cake. In my late 40's I was forced into another 'Relief' job - 1 First, 2 Seconds and 2 Thirds - damn near killed me. I could make it through the first Third but couldn't get enough sleep to make it through the second Third. (note at the time I didn't have enough seniority to hold a straight Third job. Before UP went to centralized dispatching and the ACDs were governed by hours of service the best jobs, IMO, were those that included both trick and ACD positions. For awhile I worked 3-3-1-1-2 with Tuesday night Rawlins to Green River, Wednesday night Green River to Ogden, Friday daylight Green River to Ogden, then Saturday 1st trick ACD and Sunday 2nd trick ACD. Didn't have much of a weekend and your system seldom knew what to expect, however, it was one of the best jobs I had insofar as variety. Some people stayed on third trick because they didn't like maintenance of way (who could blame 'em). For over a decade before I retired I worked 12 hr. shifts that rotated 3 days, days off, 3 nights, back to days and on and on. That became rough with advancing years, although I realize it is a cakewalk vs. train service. In any event, generally to bed around 12-1am and up anywhere from 5am to 9am. Still have a thick blanket across the bedroom window to blot out the sunshine.
BaltACD When I was in my 20's I had a 'Relief' job - 2 Firsts, 2 Seconds and 1 Third - piece of cake. In my late 40's I was forced into another 'Relief' job - 1 First, 2 Seconds and 2 Thirds - damn near killed me. I could make it through the first Third but couldn't get enough sleep to make it through the second Third. (note at the time I didn't have enough seniority to hold a straight Third job.
On CSX the ACD positions were not covered by HOS - at Jacksonville or the distributed offices. I worked for money, not prestige; and worked more than a few doubles. All Dispatcher and ACD positions on CSX are contract positions covered by the ATDA. I understand all Dispatcher positions on UP are non-contract with them being considered 'company officials'.
In retirement, I also continue to have my windows blocked as I did when I was working.
BaltACDOn CSX the ACD positions were not covered by HOS
I erred in saying ACDs on UP were governed by HOS. They were not, however, worked 8 hour shifts and thus one could move between trick and ACD jobs without conflict in this regard. During my thirty yrs. with UP, dispatchers were non-agreement and remain so today. UP's website says dispatchers have rejected the ATDA eight times, most recently in 2018. I believe they went non-agreement in the mid to late 1960s.
Balt, PennsyBoomer, you have thrown in a couple of acronyms which I do not recall having seen before: "ACD" and "ATDA."
I am thankful that I never had any rotating shift work; workiing 7 pm to 7 am (not for long, thankfully) was the worst I ever had. I did not mind working noon to midnight 3 days one week and 4 days the next week. One of my brothers worked first shift one week, second shift the next week, then the third shift for a week, and then back to first in the wire mill in Ensley, Alabama for many years.
It is wonderful being shiftless.
Johnny
[quote user="Deggesty"]
As in BaltACD - Asst. Chief Dispatcher. ATDA is the American Train Dispatchers Assn. that represents dispatchers on a number of carriers.
[quote user="PennsyBoomer"]
Deggesty Balt, PennsyBoomer, you have thrown in a couple of acronyms which I do not recall having seen before: "ACD" and "ATDA." As in BaltACD - Asst. Chief Dispatcher. ATDA is the American Train Dispatchers Assn. that represents dispatchers on a number of carriers.
We have only so many days left on this planet....don't waste them sleeping when you're getting closer to "the Big Sleep"
Not quite my demographic, but I'll offer an answer anyway.. habit. I spent time in the military early in my career and part of my enforced early morning daily ritual was physical training "PT"..After all these years that habit has stuck with me.. Didn't make that much of a difference in my 20s and 30s but makes a HUGE difference to me now. And I have the military to thank for it!
In my working days I generally got about 7 hours of sleep a night. In days in the field, I would be driving back in late afternoon, and would get groggy. So would stop for a coke and a cookie. Since I retired, I found 9 hours of sleep a good start. At least I don't need to nap in the afternoon.
67 here. Bed is midnight, get up is 8:15am.
prior to retirement bed was 11pm wake-up was 4:45, a 4 mile 1 hour walk, shower and head to work. Did that the last 21 years I worked. Took 2 years of retirement to break that cycle, now the walk is 2 miles in 35 minutes with the wife.
TomO
This is my second post.
When I was built like a rooster (all c... and ribs), and running marathons several times a year, I was up at 0600 to run 10 miles. I'd get home, clean up, grab something I could eat on the run, and head to work. Twice a week I would also run to the local track and do repeats or a ladder workout at lunch. The other lunch hours I would play singles badminton. Those days were memories 15 years ago. Time marcheth on...
I think the internet has not been so good for me. I stay up far too late sleuthing, looking for music or philosophical/political opinions or 'facts', or watching biographical documentaries and history. I rarely awaken later than about 0700, no matter when I finally fell asleep a few scant hours earlier. So, I have to be careful because too much of that affects the immune system and my waist line.
Since retiring, I'm noticing exactly the opposite.
When working, I'd wake up at 6-6:30 AM,. with or without an alarm clock, and after a full day at work I could find very little that would justfy me staying up much beyond midnight.
Now without the exertion of work, I'm usually wide awake until 3 AM, and have no problem (or regrets) sleeping through til 10-11 AM.
As far as the oldsters who are up, out, and about earlier in the day....there are some people who just can't roll over and go back to sleep...once they are awake the mind starts churning and they just can't find peace enough to fall back to sleep. I suspect that is a factor. As are the aches and pains of old age that wake them up in the first place.
Just read about it!! Waking up early because its your routine is actually a good sign that your body trying to tell you. I assume for this old man, he woke up without an alarm clock..
For most of my working years I was going to bed in the 7AM - 9AM range and would wake up when I woke up normally in the 1 - 2 PM range. I would rarely wake up knowing that I had had any dreams.
In retirement I go to bed sometime after Midnight - sleep eight to nine hours if I don't set a alarm and recall having dreams most every night.
I once worked with a teacher who actually slept only one to two hours per night.
She normally worked on paper work until 1:00 or 2:00 a.m., slept for an hour, then worked again until leaving for school.
At first, when she told me this, I didn't think she was really being accurate. But her husband said that, yes, it was unusual for her to sleep more than one hour per night.
This was 35 years ago. I do not know how long she lived. If it was me doing this, I would live about 48 hours.
York1 John
York1This was 35 years ago. I do not know how long she lived. If it was me doing this, I would live about 48 hours.
Howard Johnsons had the best pancakes!
highball6868Howard Johnsons had the best pancakes!
During the time I was 'commuting' between Akron and Baltimore, I would generally stop at the Midway Service Plaza on the PA Turnpike and have a breakfast of Howard Johnson's blueberry pancakes (Howard Johnson's was the concessionaire for all the PA Turnpike service plazas in the late 60's and early 70's).
HoJo is just a memory and the tolls on the PA Turnpike are higher than I want to pay anymore. I-70, I-68, I-77 with no tolls.
The HOJOS in Dewitt NY (NYC Dewitt Yard) was bought by a local Black enterapunuer who ran it for 5 years and "put at risk" and "in recovery" low income people a chance. College Kids and Older People loved it!! But tastes and costs change and the buisness was on the way out even before Covid.-https://goo.gl/maps/T9iwEh4kQcK85gG16
https://www.syracuse.com/restaurants/2016/04/macs_local_yolk_dewitt_diner.html#:~:text=Mac%27s%20Local%20Yolk%27s%20entry%20into%20this%20market%20runs,Boulevard%20East%20and%20East%20Genesee%20Street%20in%20Dewitt.
York1I once worked with a teacher who actually slept only one to two hours per night. She normally worked on paper work until 1:00 or 2:00 a.m., slept for an hour, then worked again until leaving for school.
A bit late on this, but...
Supposedly Napoleon was the same way, getting by on very little sleep but only taking hour or two catnaps and being totally refreshed.
Whether this led to his famous saying about "Two o'clock in the morning courage" I don't know. Possibly.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.