# Night run



## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Storm inspections aren’t fun anyway, even less fun at night








had a strong fast storm go through so ended up with flash flood warning’s








thankfully there wasn’t a lot of train traffic so I got it covered fairly quickly


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

Are you a track Forman or something?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

No, he drinks a lot and likes to drive down railway tracks for fun…..


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Track Supervisor


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Old_Hobo said:


> No, he drinks a lot and likes to drive down railway tracks for fun…..


You’d be surprised how many calls I take because someone did that


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Like this one
















Drunk female, person of color, decided to fight the cops, got pepper sprayed and handled roughly, then claimed the officers were racist and profiled her


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Actually, for some strange reason, I ‘m not surprised at all about how many times that happens…..

You can’t fix stupid…..


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Yea, there’s been more than a few drunks who hung turns at grade crossings thinking that they were intersections. 
“Boy, they really need to repave this road, it’s so bumpy and hey look, that guy coming at us has got only one headlight but it sure is bright!”


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

prrfan said:


> Yea, there’s been more than a few drunks who hung turns at grade crossings thinking that they were intersections.
> “Boy, they really need to repave this road, it’s so bumpy and hey look, that guy coming at us has got only one headlight but it sure is bright!”


In some parts of metro Detroit, the tracks are less bumpy than the roads.


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

Really interesting job that you have Trackjockey...I imagine your route is pretty extensive.
I am curious what is the worst part of your job?
Finding qualified workers or motivating a crew during winter cold....
I imagine repairing rails after a derailment, maybe being on the oppisite side of the route and getting a trouble call a half hour before quiting time, on the other side of the boonies.
Not having the right tool in the truck for a job, or subbing for a co-worker on a derilict route, while they are on vacation.
It would be cool to read a daily diary of a Track Supervisor.
You should start a thread on the forum so we can hear about some of your trials and tribulations. 
Duh...in this thread, I suppose you are doing just that! _giggle_ ....thanks for sharing!


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

SF Gal said:


> Really interesting job that you have Trackjockey...I imagine your route is pretty extensive.
> I am curious what is the worst part of your job?
> Finding qualified workers or motivating a crew during winter cold....
> I imagine repairing rails after a derailment, maybe being on the oppisite side of the route and getting a trouble call a half hour before quiting time, on the other side of the boonies.
> ...


The worst calls I get are train vs vehicle or pedestrian, or the suicides


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

I'm glad most of my area is rural, I get to see alot of cool stuff lots of wildlife, during the winter we run alot at night when we have the cold restrictions on, its very peaceful at night, not much traffic and almost no radio chatter








A cold quiet night at Clinton IA








Westbound overtaking me at Clinton IA








A clear green signal on the outskirts of Dixon IL








Early morning at Dixon IL








A crop duster lifts off from Morse on the Peoria sub








Look real close, see the tornado? this was just West of Morrison IL, I almost drove into its path, it was rain wrapped and I didn't see it until I noticed trees and debris flying, I backed up fairly fast, it got almost to the track then vaporized, didn't last long


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

I see alot of wildlife in my travels








Its funny how abundant these guys are until deer season, then they seem to disappear








I enjoy seeing the eagles, they used to only show up during the winter, but the last few years they've been hanging around all year








Not the easiest creatures to photograph, they always seem to take flight just as you get them zoomed in and are about to click the shutter
















Get to see lots of waterfowl








The best thing about what I do is the opportunity to get pics most railfans can't
















And where else could I get the chance to ride a surviving caboose across my territory


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

This is the caboose I rode


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Even a “dream job” is still a job. Meaning some days you’d consider trading up. Everything has trade offs. Like working from home, which I was doing before Obama was elected, sounded great! No commute, etc. But the home phone becomes the office phone, you’re always there, you can’t leave work at the office, etc. 

I like SF Gals “captains log” idea. In fact, a dash cam “series” on youtube would be pretty cool to watch. Almost like COPS but without the foot chases. It’d be like a remote ride-along. Call it “take a foamer to work day.” Lol


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

Very cool thread....subscribed!!!!!
Make it like a diary or your weeks adventures so we all can be there!
Love the photo of the BNSF locomotive overpass!
What is crazy about the photo is the railroad company spent a huge dollar to make it a overpass when a crossover would have worked ...unless they are both high traffic mainlines.
I think you have a pretty neat job...service is never fun, but the down time can be pretty fun and interesting!
Thanks for sharing! Keep the thread going please! Cool beans!!! 🤪


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Heres a scary pic for you, which track is the oncoming train on? are you absolutely sure?








This usually prompts me to check my track authority just to make sure


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Jockey, I was just about to ask you that very question.
A little bit of pucker factor?

Magic


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Magic said:


> Jockey, I was just about to ask you that very question.
> A little bit of pucker factor?
> 
> Magic


I have several curves on the east end of my territory that are wooded and in cuts and the creepiest thing to me is when you see the headlight glow from around the corner, train still isn’t in view just that glow, no matter how many times I’ve done this I always sit up a little straighter when I see that, it’s quite startling in the day time when your in a blind curve and all of a sudden a train pops into view as well


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Trackjockey05 said:


> Heres a scary pic for you, which track is the oncoming train on? are you absolutely sure?
> View attachment 583256
> 
> This usually prompts me to check my track authority just to make sure


I get the same uneasiness on hiways, even in the daylight. The difference is when on rails, you can't do anything to avoid the potential accident.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I wonder how self driving cars will handle that situation….


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Even having checked where he’s supposed to be, seeing this I think of that CN/VIA accident that happened somewhere up vaguely around Old_Hobo(?) years back. Was a single main, not a double, but a train ignoring signals, busting through turnouts and in the wrong place could happen anywhere.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Fire21 said:


> I get the same uneasiness on hiways, even in the daylight. The difference is when on rails, you can't do anything to avoid the potential accident.


You hit the emergency brakes and jump!


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

OilValleyRy said:


> Even having checked where he’s supposed to be, seeing this I think of that CN/VIA accident that happened somewhere up vaguely around Old_Hobo(?) years back. Was a single main, not a double, but a train ignoring signals, busting through turnouts and in the wrong place could happen anywhere.


That was near Hinton, Alberta, in 1986…..

Hinton Rail Disaster

Hinton Crash Simulation


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

You should be on a base leg with an approaching aircraft when parallel runways are in use. You hope like hell the other guy starts his turn in time so he doesn't overshoot his runway. He's thinking the same thing about you. And try it at night for extra excitement.


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

What’s in your rearview mirror?








while this train really is behind me, it’s not what it seems


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Must go faster…..


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

So the block ahead was red and the Engineer crept up on you to pull your chain?


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

SF Gal said:


> So the block ahead was red and the Engineer crept up on you to pull your chain?


Train was tied down, no crew on board on track warrant territory, there is a crossing between the train and my truck, that’s where I got on the rail, there are different rules for CTC territory, the train was tied down at MP5 (the crossing) so I got from that milepost Southward


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Got called out in the wee hours today grabbed this shot just before sunrise at Nelson Illinois


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