Day 169 – The Day of Headache

Last night I went to sleep with a horrible headache and it is still very bad this morning. I ran out of medicine last night and didn’t think much of it, well – bad idea :(

I called in the prescriptions this morning at like 04:00.

I went to the store before going to work, it was like 15 minutes the other way so I didn’t get to F Tower until like 09:30. My headache is still very bad. I hope it clears up soon!

Alright, now I am at the Detroit airport and I still have a headache… This is horrible.

So, I decided yesterday that I was going to leave my current employer because I feel very unappreciated. I don’t ask for much and when I do it must be important and they just refused to work with me so here we go on a new adventure :) Not sure where I am going yet, but all I know is that I am going to be better off and happier!! Let’s GO!!!!

Day 168 – The Day I Spent in F Tower!!

First, something I forgot to mention that happened the other day, I spilled an entire cup of water on my Macbook! Luckily everything is fine, but I had a slight heart attack as I watched the water covering my keyboard. Oh yeah, my phone was soaked too, but it is NOTHING compared to the computer!

Now, for the rest of the story :)

F Tower. I walk up to this old brick building in the middle of no less than 4 sets of tracks (not sure the exact count). I see in the upper left corner a simple monogram in stone weathered from all the years of service F. We go into the door and you can smell the age of wires and equipment that has been running for so many years. I am there no more than 5 minutes and the amazement and terror of this location is realized, a huge freight train blows by the building at maximum track speed. The entire building shakes and you realize that you are at the absolute mercy of the railroad!!!

Ok, that’s my shot at a dramatic writing style :) But seriously, I have been scared – legitimately frightened over only two things in my career and I have experienced BOTH in the last 2 years. The first is high railing over a bridge and the second is being inside F Tower. High railing for those who don’t know is when you ride in a vehicle, truck, on the tracks. The thing about the railroads is that a train isn’t like a car and it doesn’t need guardrails for bridges. It can’t accidentally veer off to the right and need a guardrail to keep it above the water. It is very scary to ride over a bridge – especially one of any height :)

Now for the second, F Tower. You may not have ever heard of Fostoria, Ohio, but “railroad” people have. it is a very busy area for trains and there are multiple railroads crossing each other and while it is not the fastest speeds, it is fast enough for such tight spaces. There is a place you can see from F Tower that is called The Iron Triangle where railroad watchers go to take train pictures and just watch the trains go by. It is kinda a big deal :)

Anyway, this place is actually one of the first projects I worked on when I started in the business. I started in 1996 and we did this job in 1998. It is nice because I am a month away from my 20 year anniversary being a railroader. I think it is kinda cool :)

This morning on the way to the office, we had a little bit of extra time so we had breakfast at this diner in town called Dell’s. It’s been here for 75 years!! It was probably the best biscuit and gravy I have ever had, and I have a recipe y’all!!!

Then I worked all day helping get this location all right. It’s not that it was wrong, but because it is so big and complicated it needed to have some special attention to organize it a little better.

We had lunch in town at a Chinese place, not great, and back to work :) I got back to the hotel, grabbed me some Subway and watched all my YouTube people and now I am in bed doing this :)

I am going to wrap it up though because I haven’t managed to find a new book yet and I have a long flight tomorrow.

Enjoy the pics and see you tomorrow 😉

Looking from the tower.
Looking from the tower.
Another set of tracks.
Another set of tracks.
The F stands for Fostoria (dirty minds)
The F stands for Fostoria (dirty minds)
This is an old set of plans!
This is an old set of plans!
I drew this whole sketch.
I drew this whole sketch.
Proof - DRS in the house :) I
Proof – DRS in the house :) I

Day 167 – The Last Day

Today is the last day for training here in Indianapolis. I am finished with the morning class and as soon as I finish the afternoon one I will be off on the road trip :)

I got me some coffee this morning, they do pretty good here – almost like a real Starbucks. I am about to grab me another muffin!!!

Oh, last night I finished my book, The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America’s Most Famous Residence!! It was very good. I wish it had more pictures, but those are easy enough to google. Very good book!

I have like a 3.5 hour drive this afternoon so I am hoping to get out of here before 14:00. I really don’t wanna be on the road in the dark, but it has actually been very light here until like 21:00. Must be a Yankee thing :) ha ha ha.

Just after I get done raving about the food here and lunch was a real miss… It was just not great. oh well, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad :)

I have just one more demo to give and then hitting the road. Gonna meet one of the managers at the hotel and then we will go get this location straightened out. I will talk more about it tomorrow, but where I am going today is one of the first real big projects I ever worked on in the railroad. Memories :)

Made it to Findlay!! Going to go out to dinner with the manager here and then going to go to bed! I am still feeling a bit bad, nowhere near as bad as the beginning of the week, but the drive did feel very long.

Alright, we had some seafood which was very good. I have had crab cakes more in these last couple months then ever! Very good though. Going to bed – goodnight :)

Cool church by where we ate.
Cool church by where we ate.
Bobby photo bomb!
Bobby photo bomb!
Where we ate, Bru Burger - very good.
Where we ate, Bru Burger – very good.
Dancing girl - should have done video very random.
Dancing girl – should have done video very random.

Day 166 – The Day the Website Was Down

So the website has been down for a while now. I am writing this on Wednesday so it’s a bit of a recap :)

Yesterday the classes went well. I am still not feeling great – very snotty. I think I am going to grab some over the counter stuff tonight to help dry out.

This hotel has good food – probably the best from any like buffet that I have had. We had meatloaf, yummy.

We went to a place called Bru Burger Pub – really good burger. It was so good I was so stuffed, but I wanted to finish it! It was downtown and Indy has a nice downtown :)

Paul and Samantha went to the house today so that is nice. The parents lost the remote and Samantha found it. I was just happy that Nickel didn’t get it again :)

Alright, gonna start today’s blog :)

Day 165 – Day of Training 1!

This morning was a bit hard to get moving. I have wrecked my lips by being a mouth breather and my nose is killing me with these harsh tissues! I am in the class now, they are working on something else. The talk went well this morning, have another one this afternoon. I don’t suspect I will have very many questions but we will see.

They have really good muffins here :) I had 2 :)

I did my expenses from the beginning of the year – we will see if I can get paid for them. I can see them being upset with me for not turning them in during the month they were for.

I am kinda just waiting on lunch :)

Lunch was really good. This hotel, the Crown Plaza at the airport, really does good work on the food offered – snacks and meals. I guess CSX does a lot of business here and I can see why.

I finished my afternoon session and it went really well. Had a bit more interest with this group :)

My co-workers are going out for dinner, I am so unsure if I want to go. I feel bad and want to go to sleep – ugh! I just don’t know. I was able to make my flight changes to come home on Friday and so I will be leaving here and driving to Fostoria Wednesday and then leaving out of Detroit that night. Lots of travel, but the flight home is direct and I am so happy I just can’t stand it :)

Day 164 – The Travel Day

Today is a travel day to Indianapolis, IN. My flight leaves at like 11:45 so I am off to the airport!!

Well, the first flight went alright. My ears didn’t really wanna pop, but I was able to airplane sleep so that was nice. I am sitting in Atlanta now and just waiting for my next flight. I have a bit of time so I am just relaxing.

Sitting in my hotel now – whew, that was a long day of traveling. Not really but being sick has drained me. I stopped at a Subway on the way here and got me a sandwich and I am going to finish it up and go to sleep!

So, I fell asleep last night before I could post this :) I didn’t get any pics from yesterday so I will make a point to do it today!

Atlanta – 05/2016 Photo Gallery

 



Day 154 – The Day Spent In the Trailer

No, not a trailer like a trailer park :) the cutin trailer.  Today was nothing but paperwork and Chimichangas – and Reeses mini cups :) ha ha ha ha

We worked so hard yesterday and today getting these locations ready to be put into service on Monday, it makes me very happy.  I think it will go so smooth :)

I was out like a light yesterday, read I think a page of the book.  I woke up in a panic at midnight though thinking it was morning 😉  Guess you know it was good sleep.  I am very snotty today and am very happy I am not flying home.  That would be miserable, but I am not certain a 5 hour drive will be much better.

I think we are going to wrap up here pretty soon and then I am going to crash again and see if I can feel a bit better for tomorrow.

Instead, I am driving home tonight -BYE!!!!!

The Doghouse - can you guess why?
The Doghouse – can you guess why?
Just some rail and stuff :)
Just some rail and stuff :)

Day 153 – The Day I Worked Like a Railroader!

Oh my goodness today was a long day working on the railroad.  We were supposed to spend a day in the cutover trailer doing paperwork and ended up needing to visit 6 locations to gather information before we could do the paperwork.  Now we are sitting in the trailer and we just finished building that!!!!!!

I am pooped – it is hot outside, I got rained on, and walking on the ballast (the rocks) is HARD with little feet!!

I am back at the hotel now.  I went and got some food, nothing special, but more importantly I went to CVS and got some cough medicine.  I am about to clean up and take lots of drugs that will make me sleepy (I hope).

Got a couple good pics today so here they are and have a great night!!

Train :)
Train :)
The inside of a relay.
The inside of a relay.
New and old signals.
New and old signals.
View of the track.
View of the track.

Day 152 – The Day I Drove FOREVER!!

Today I have 2 meetings, one at 08:00 and the other at 14:00 and then I leave to drive to Fairburn, Georgia – basically Atlanta.  I am not really looking forward to it…

The first meeting went well and now I need to pack and put the rest of my laundry away.  I think that Nickel knows I am going somewhere because my suitcase is out.  He is hanging a little close by this morning :)

Alright, second meeting also went well, thought no one was going to join for a little bit but then like 40 people joined so that is good turnout.  I am about to walk out the door, gotta say goodbye to the folks and the puppies :(

And 5 hours later I am in the hotel.  Goodness!!  Ran into just a little bit of rain but no real traffic so really it was smooth sailing, driving rather :)  The lady gave me a room like with no other room around, which turns out to be pretty good because I am coughing like crazy.  I hope I am not getting what mom had, but this stinks.  I ate lunch really late on the drive so I am just gonna take these meds and get to bed!

I did not take a single picture today – what a bummer :(

Night all :)