What if it Snows?

WOW... yeah.. that was a heck of a day sir... and you are a perfect example of what I real professional o/o truck driver must be... You said "savings for the company" so I am not sure if you are referring to the company you work for or if you own your own company.

 

I'm just a company driver... But I wrench on my own truck if I know how to fix it myself. Saves me lots of time, and the company money.

I would love to be an o/o... But I dont have the capital to get a Truck of my own... And to be honest, its a little scary to think of going out on my own... Lol

 

Sometimes engines of her weight and size cannot travel in parts of our North American Rail Network. She is either too big, too heavy or both. Type and water source is another very big consideration.

Finally you just cannot crew it and drive off anywhere. FRA regulates movements. If you needed to transfer that engine from say Cheyenne to maybe what I remember as Spencer NC you will need a number of modern road engine sets with own crews and current tracking and signalling technology to haul her there as freight. She will keep steam up to not get arthritis or flat wheels, but for all assents and purposes she is a freight movement when off UPRR System rails.

It is a miracle of technology of itself to have the Big Boy certified for service in American Rails under FRA and UPRR policies among other challenges. And it takes a hell of alot of money.

There may be others. 8 exist still. Several of those 8 theoratically could be rebuilt and brought to code to where they too can run.

2019's UP steam program is all about this engine this year. When we get towards Spring time revisit the site and see which engines are going to be coming through and visit. If you have children, then it's a opportunity once considered extinct, a living breathing engine working steam on a train in their lifetime. And sometimes the UP puts her to work on some really big trains on pretty tight schedules. I am looking forward to learning how well she does when they do finally hook er to 14000 ton 140 car train and tell the crew they have 16 hours to make Omaha. Get going they are late already.

 

LOL... A little "scary"....? For you sir...? You mean... the headaches and all the expenses of owning your own truck maybe...?

 

Exactly... And the fact that I'm the sole income for my family makes me a bit more "Risk Adverse." I dont want to gamble that big with the financial stability of the lives of my wife and children.

 

I thought soooo many times about buying a truck.. and I have the money... However, if I had a truck now... what would I do with it? And all the payments while I am in Brasil taking care of other things...? This was one of the reasons why I never bought one.... I thought that at some point I would have to travel to Brasil on an emergency and if I had a truck, I wouldn't be able to sell it in a hurry and would have to keep making payments for who knows how long while I am abroad spending money and more money...
Besides, I know very very little about mechanics.... and I wouldn't have time to deal with the driving + the cooking in the truck + the planning + paperwork + customers + taxes + math + truck maintenance + etc, etc, etc.... I am afraid I would be overwhelmed....

 

And another reason is the fact that I like less and less the changes trucking has been going thru.... and I keep still looking for other ways to support myself in the near future...

 

That's very wise sir...

 

You all have a very restful and safe evening, night... I am going to bed soon....

 

Dam i overslept!!!