I'm sitting here looking out my window thinking about the time I was working on the old N&W RR back in '66/'67 and am just wondering if the kid's would hit the right-of-way at -15 degree's below zero for a paycheck??

Life was good back then........ Imho..........

pdq67

I have to work out in that cold all winter long. The only time we get a break from having to workin the cold is when it gets so cold the insulation on our wire breaks off, then we shut it down because it is just wasting money. It has to get pretty dam cold for the insulation to break off though.

Jeff

I worked on the mechanical refrigerator cars on the old C B & Q RR.
I would jump up into an engine compartment and put my hands on the exhaust of the diesel engines.
I wore so many clothes I could hardly move and always took my insulated boots off when I came in for lunch to keep my feet from sweating.

The coldest job I ever had was working on roof top units in the freezing rain or snow, some were pretty hard to figure out the problem when all I could concentrate on was that I WAS COLD.
Seemed like they always broke down at 02:00 at the 24 hour restaurants.

I have to work out in that cold all winter long. The only time we get a break from having to workin the cold is when it gets so cold the insulation on our wire breaks off, then we shut it down because it is just wasting money. It has to get pretty dam cold for the insulation to break off though.

Jeff

Jeff you mentioned having to work out in the cold in another post. That has to suck, nothing worse than being cold. We got around 12" of snow last night. I spent a couple hours clearing the driveway but the temp was around 30 so that was no big deal. Never had to work out in the cold, only play in it and I can always stop playing when I've had enough. I give you guys that can go out there and work in those temps a lot of credit, you're a lot tougher than me.

Reminds me of 10 months ago! Cept it only got down to 6 or so, but the heater in our motor that day didn't work and you could put your hand in between the door and the cab, no weatherstripping to be seen. This was on a local freight.

I loved the job but saw the writing on the wall. They hired too many guys in 06. Economy did not pan out the way UP expected to and I would have been laid off for the 2nd time a whole month ago, had I stayed. Most guys as new as me worked maybe 9 months in 2007.

I'm 32, so to answer your question, I would do that for a paycheck!

In the early 70's I was an Inspector for SLSF Railroad (Frisco) I worked 11-7 in the train yards inspecting transfers and making up trains, I have pictures of icicles 3-4 inches long hanging off my beard. Life was good, but I sure don't miss it.



Rocky

When I see a lineman up on a pole or in a bucket on the coldest day it sure makes me glad I don't have their job.

I give you guys that can go out there and work in those temps a lot of credit, you're a lot tougher than me.

It's not as bad as many would think. Keep moving and keep doing your job and you kind of forget how cold it really is. After enough years you learn a few tricks to keep yourself warm. Thankfully it is january now, I never throw on the long underwear until January. I figure if you wear every bit of cold weather clothes you have too soon, you are screwed when it really does get cold!!! This has been a cold winter so far, it got cold way sooner this year than it has the past 5-8 years. I don't see the global warming happening around here.

Besides, working out in the cold can really make you appreciate a good can of hot soup. Its the simple things:)

Jeff

When I see a lineman up on a pole or in a bucket on the coldest day it sure makes me glad I don't have their job.

A few years back, the company I was working for had an account to replace a large number of tornado sirens in Wisconsin and a number of other states. Coldest day of the year I get sent 2 hours south to Milwaukee with a bucket truck and a new guy that is afraid of heights to install the horn heads and do the final wiring and test fire 6 new sirens. It was so cold I could hardly turn the nuts to start them to get the horn heads on. The new guy was useless as he was just cowering in the bottom of the bucket. We test fired the last siren at 9:00pm at night. We had some really ticked off people in that neighborhood;):D

Jeff

100% on dont wear too much winter clothing before you have to. Force your body to try to adapt to the cold. To me, cold isnt so bad, its the wind chills. -20C or so isnt too bad on a calm dry day, once the wind picks up, clothes dont matter it gets through.

Would i do a career of working outside all day in the freezing cold? If I had to I would, but I would choose a warm dry job over that.

Would i do a career of working outside all day in the freezing cold? If I had to I would, but I would choose a warm dry job over that.

Unless that job was behind a desk, then I would choose the cold. I have tried the desk job, and it just isn't my thing. :noway:

Jeff

When my wife was the bakery manager for a high volume bakery, I used to help her every week rotate stock in the deep freezer. One week, I forgot my coat and gloves. I could do a couple minutes before I had to go back out to warm up. Reminds me why I like this place. :D

I never throw on the long underwear until January. I figure if you wear every bit of cold weather clothes you have too soon, you are screwed when it really does get cold!!! Jeff


I'm not in it near as much as I used to be , but really enjoy the fresh cold air out there:yes: I still follow that regiment when I'm out there.
I get guys on my crews in Nov, so bundled up they can't move and I keep preaching " you'll be sorry when it really gets cold" :yes:
Same holds true when it starts to get hot..... don't start shedding those layers too soon. ;)

A few years back, the company I was working for had an account to replace a large number of tornado sirens in Wisconsin and a number of other states. Coldest day of the year I get sent 2 hours south to Milwaukee with a bucket truck and a new guy that is afraid of heights to install the horn heads and do the final wiring and test fire 6 new sirens. It was so cold I could hardly turn the nuts to start them to get the horn heads on. The new guy was useless as he was just cowering in the bottom of the bucket. We test fired the last siren at 9:00pm at night. We had some really ticked off people in that neighborhood;):D

Jeff

Did you get his days salary? You should have.

I work out in the cold and wouldn't have it any other way. I've tried indoor jobs and just can't do it, been doing it for about 18 years now. I run heavy equipment and it takes me about 2 weeks or less to adjust to the winter temps but once I do I'm out there in a hooded sweatshirt with a long sleeve under it. If it gets below 0 I usually throw on a set of carhart bibs. The wind is the killer, if it does get windy I have a carhart coat but I hate wearing it unless its needed. We usually quit working when the frost gets to deep but it doesn't usually happen until Feb. if it happens at all.

I also ice race quads in the winter and wear pretty much the same thing.

Did you get his days salary? You should have.

You ever been fully extended in a 90 ft. articulating boom? I got that thing rocking so hard from side to side I am fairly certain he pee'd his pants. Good enough for me:D

Jeff

I did my fair share of cold weather working the flightline full of B-52s in the northern Maine. Saw -59 quite a few times on nightshift. Loved the indoor washrack for keeping my truck clean in the winter though (allowed to use it after regular duty hours) I also got to experience the other extreme of working the flightline in the desert of Las Vegas too ( besides the Saudi Desert). I prefer the cleanroom and constant 68 degrees of my current job to either of the previous :).

You Northern boys are tough. We Southerners whimp out when it gets cold. Supposed to be 17 here tomorrow night and back up to 60 again this weekend.

I do feel for the linemen especially after an ice storm. They work incredibly long, hard hours. I would rather have a hurricane over an ice storm any day.

You ever been fully extended in a 90 ft. articulating boom? I got that thing rocking so hard from side to side I am fairly certain he pee'd his pants. Good enough for me:D

Jeff

Can't say that I have, but I spent 4 weeks at Fort McCoy and another 4 in Norway for cold weather training. Then, 30 days in PoHang Korea for the Mountain Warfare Training package. I then spent a few hours face down a mountain, the "hell hole" and the slide for life across the mountain base, across the only road and into the treeline on that slide. Few hundred feet off the ground on all events. But, I will stick to doing my work...you can have that articulating boom thingy. :)

Jonathan...let's not lump all Southerns in the "wimp" category. ;)

I have worked on Air Force flight lines for many years. The two coldest places I ever worked at were Minot North Dakota and Suwon AB Korea. I went to Misawa Japan ounce but didn't stay long there and also Goose Bay Canada for a day...brrrrrrr.

Gotta wear those parkas and muklucs to keep warm as I have witnessed as cold as 102 below zero wind chill before. :wacko:

The wind always blows cold on an Air Base in the winter. :(

And now since I retired, I am working for a government contractor on the flight line again, go figure. :noway:

I can tell about some dang heat too, I have seen 135 in the shade! :yes:

I stop working in the cold when all roads close. Not just some all. If there is some open route out of my center I go. If the truck is jelled up get a different truck or wait for it to thaw in a building this just makes your day longer you still do all your work without any extra pay/overtime pay. If the customers building is buried in snow dig a route to the door. If it is Christmas day or any other holiday I go. The Mail man has nothing on me. No I am not in the military and I do not make overtime for the delays/headaches the weather causes.

I'm sitting here looking out my window thinking about the time I was working on the old N&W RR back in '66/'67 and am just wondering if the kid's would hit the right-of-way at -15 degree's below zero for a paycheck??

Life was good back then........ Imho..........

pdq67
Working on the RR sounds like fun, actually.

I worked for the railway as a brakeman/conductor in the late 80s/early 90s. I am still a a railroader, but I am an engineer now. I worked into Churchill, Manitoba ( famous for Polar bears ). Churchill is basically in the arctic, on the shore of Hudson's Bay. I remember switching Churchill rail yard when it was -62 degrees with a 2700 wind chill factor. This is -85 or something ridiculous like that. Airport was shut down, schools were closed, hospital was taking emergencies only, but here we were out switching boxcars. If you had the proper clothing and dressed in layers you could handle it, but it was brutally cold.

i'm in construction and i have to work in all types of weather. it's -8 right now with the wind chill and i am trying to stay inside as much as possible

Damn, it's -8 in Florida? ;)

I was going to leave my military stories out of this one, but since Wally started it. I've spent nights outside in a patrol base when it's been below zero, windy, and snowing, more than once. That means out in the middle of nowhere with no buildings to go into, no exhaust to warm you up, and you stay somewhat stationary. I've woke up with my body cramped up from the ribs down from being in the fetal position and shaking so bad. Like the others said, if you're in the military and out in the field you're either freezing cold or hot as he**. There's just no such thing as comfortable with that job for some reason.

Now I'm in law enforcement and there's an old saying in that profession that goes, If you're cold, wet, or hungry then you're wrong. I try to live by that as much as possible, I mean who am I to break tradition.:D

Was outdoors all day today... started at -3 @ 7:00, got to a soaring +7 by lunch.

As long as you're prepped/dressed for the cold it's no big deal. The hardest part is when you've gotta do something that requires dexterity, and the gloves have to come off!.. Your fingers lose effectiveness in about 5 minutes at zero or colder!

The trick to staying warm?? Remember the word COLD.
C = Clean. Keep your clothes washed, fluffed up, & clean. Compacted fibers don't absorb or insulate!
O = Overheating. Be aware of sweat. If you're sweating, you're gonna get cold - vent a little and get rid of the excess heat.
L = Layering. Wear a "wicking", then "insulating", then "barrier" system of clothes layering. NO COTTON - only wool or poly products.
D = Dry. Stay dry! If any of your layering system gets wet, you've totally negated its effect.

Wear a headsock/balaclava (or at a minimum stocking cap). Fully 40% of your body heat can go right out of your head!

If you're "just standing" and doing something, wiggle your toes around while you're doing it! The 1st thing your body shuts down is the extremities (to conserve core temperature). Wiggling your toes keeps the blood flowing and those parts warm.

Blow the diet and eat high-calorie foods while you're outdoors. Your body needs fuel to keep warm!

Drink plenty of water! You can get dehydrated nearly as fast as if it was 100+ when it's -10! Without getting rude, if you don't have to "pee like a racehorse" at breaktime/lunch you are not drinking enough! To get even more into the TMI... if your pee is anything but nearly clear or has a strong odor, you are not drinking enough water and you are dehydrated!

Lineman for the power company,
been doing it over 20 years now. When it's raining, snowing, and blowing , we're usally at our busiest ... I'm all in favor of global warming ..:D

Also sweating your grapes off in the summer wearing those thick rubber gloves & sleeves. But it's a great job & pays the bills.

At least we're not in Bastogne :P

Speaking of linemen, how many guys does it take to repair a 3 strand power feed I just scrapped the coating off digging sewer and water to a new basement?

Answer--- 7 guys, 4 trucks and 1 backhoe, 2 guys in the hole, 1 on top to gofer this or that,`another 1 on top to watch, another 2 to go pull the meter off the house next door and 1 more to sit in the truck and write it all up :thumbsup:.

First time I've hit power in a few years due to mis dig being way off with their flags but wow, I didn't think it took that many people to do a 30 minute job. They were there and gone before I got my inspection so that was a plus, didn't have to wait around to backfill.

Last time I hit power was probably 6 or 7 years ago and the 1 guy that showed up to repair it gave me a hand full of assorted tape they use to make repairs.

Ever hit an oil line? Lots of people with flashing lights stop by and they dont leave for a while.

Speaking of the Military, you guys ever notice how Uncle Sam puts bases, forts, ports and camps in some of the weirdest places! :clonk:

When I see a lineman up on a pole or in a bucket on the coldest day it sure makes me glad I don't have their job.
Thanks Dean, I'm a lineman for our utillity and it gets colder the older I get. Five years to retirement GOD willing!

We were talking about this last week when I visited ElPaso. I don't mind cold, like has been said if are dressed right it's ok. I've been out in -35 hunting in the Sawtooths in the 1980's and was fine. We hunted for a week, thought it was a little colder than usual and found out it had been -26 in Stanley (6500') and we were at 8500+ with wind chill.

Worst conditions I've been in were at Ft. Bliss in the desert in January 1972 under simulated combat conditions. We had winter gear for that climate, but a storm blew down from Canada and temperature went to -15 with 40+ winds. It was so cold we rotated guard posts every 1/2 hour instead of usual 2 hour shifts and I kept circulating between posts to make sure no one fell asleep. We had standard issue GP tents and the diesel heaters couldn't keep them above 0. I had a truck run into the post and got extra sleeping bags so everyone could have two layers. We were out for 4 days.

When I was a kid around 10 years old I got really cold hunting and oddly since then cold has never bothered me much. Also my body temp runs 1.5-2 degrees below normal so I figure I must have a better internal heater, or I'm a zombie.

My dad used to walk to school in 6' of snow uphill both ways :D

My dad used to walk to school in 6' of snow uphill both ways :D

I musta went to the same school as your Dad.;)

Was outdoors all day today... started at -3 @ 7:00, got to a soaring +7 by lunch.

As long as you're prepped/dressed for the cold it's no big deal. The hardest part is when you've gotta do something that requires dexterity, and the gloves have to come off!.. Your fingers lose effectiveness in about 5 minutes at zero or colder!

The trick to staying warm?? Remember the word COLD.
C = Clean. Keep your clothes washed, fluffed up, & clean. Compacted fibers don't absorb or insulate!
O = Overheating. Be aware of sweat. If you're sweating, you're gonna get cold - vent a little and get rid of the excess heat.
L = Layering. Wear a "wicking", then "insulating", then "barrier" system of clothes layering. NO COTTON - only wool or poly products.
D = Dry. Stay dry! If any of your layering system gets wet, you've totally negated its effect.

Wear a headsock/balaclava (or at a minimum stocking cap). Fully 40% of your body heat can go right out of your head!

If you're "just standing" and doing something, wiggle your toes around while you're doing it! The 1st thing your body shuts down is the extremities (to conserve core temperature). Wiggling your toes keeps the blood flowing and those parts warm.

Blow the diet and eat high-calorie foods while you're outdoors. Your body needs fuel to keep warm!

Drink plenty of water! You can get dehydrated nearly as fast as if it was 100+ when it's -10! Without getting rude, if you don't have to "pee like a racehorse" at breaktime/lunch you are not drinking enough! To get even more into the TMI... if your pee is anything but nearly clear or has a strong odor, you are not drinking enough water and you are dehydrated!
Great info John, our hanger couldn't keep up with the cold yesterday. Supposed to be -17C here today, going up to +12C by the weekend. Wait, if you want to complain about the weather, give it 24 hours, it'll change. :D Daren

Working on airstains as a young man was a very cold experience. Worked the ramp at Albany airport and nightshift as a mechanic. It was fun trying to adjust a turbo prop while it was running on the ramp leaning on the nacelle , and it is -20 out! And you don't want to chop your head off! We would drive the tug to get parts across the airport, and man it was so cold out there with all that open space. Brings back a lot of memories, now I remember why I put myself back in school, to get out of that enviroment! All of you that do it now, more power to you! Grew up in central NY and am use to it, -4 this morning, just got to let the car warm up longer!

Been in the communications business for 20 years, and unless you have done it, you really don't believe there is a difference in temp. between the ground and 40 ft. in the air. Days like today, and through February, you usually don't warm up until 7 or 8 at night. I was a Cable Tech for the first 13 years, up in the air most of the time. Now I am a Fiber Optic Technican, have been since 99. Talk about how many people it takes to fix a line, it just takes me, but it usually takes about 20-40 hours. I love the Miss Dig program.
Jeff

Speaking of linemen, how many guys does it take to repair a 3 strand power feed I just scrapped the coating off digging sewer and water to a new basement?

Answer--- 7 guys, 4 trucks and 1 backhoe, 2 guys in the hole, 1 on top to gofer this or that,`another 1 on top to watch, another 2 to go pull the meter off the house next door and 1 more to sit in the truck and write it all up :thumbsup:.

First time I've hit power in a few years due to mis dig being way off with their flags but wow, I didn't think it took that many people to do a 30 minute job. They were there and gone before I got my inspection so that was a plus, didn't have to wait around to backfill.

Last time I hit power was probably 6 or 7 years ago and the 1 guy that showed up to repair it gave me a hand full of assorted tape they use to make repairs.

Here we run with 3 man crews ... I'm in overhead, we have a didn't Dept that takes care of the underground.

Thanks Dean, I'm a lineman for our utillity and it gets colder the older I get. Five years to retirement GOD willing!


Sweet another Lineman On Team Chevelle.

Local 210 Atlantic City NJ.

Been doing it since I was 21 started back in 1987. Still got a few years to go before retirement, and your right The older you get the more you feel the cold.
Mostly my fingers & toes. Those rubber gloves & sleeves, plus standing in hooks cut off your circulation BIG time !!!

unless you have done it, you really don't believe there is a difference in temp. between the ground and 40 ft. in the air.

40' in the air ??? Are they running cable and fiber on the TOPS of the poles in Mich ?:D

Where I come from we call you guys 18' Dare Devils ..... :yes:

J/K
I'm sure it just as cold at the top of the pole than it is at Bell Telephone level....

Today we were in the meadows/ marsh behind Atlntic City pulling in P-lines to get ready for a fiber pull. Wind was blowing 30 MPH plus all day. They said with the wind chill it felt like 2 degrees ..... :(

They said with the wind chill it felt like 2 degrees ..... :(

Man would I like for it to feel 2 degrees with the wind chill right now!!! we are about 2 degrees without the wind chill. Supposed to be a nice warm up this weekend, supposedly into the 40's. Perfect time to get the christmas decorations down.

Jeff

Sweet another Lineman On Team Chevelle.

Local 210 Atlantic City NJ.

Been doing it since I was 21 started back in 1987. Still got a few years to go before retirement, and your right The older you get the more you feel the cold.
Mostly my fingers & toes. Those rubber gloves & sleeves, plus standing in hooks cut off your circulation BIG time !!!
Hang in there brother Running Man Local 148 Pittsburgh, Springs right around the corner!:yes:

I'm sorry guy's, I forgot about this thread I made earlier!

I asked b/c the day before we hit the tracks back in '66/'67, it was like 25 below temp that Tuesday morning.

And my old RR Buddy and I talk about that morning every so often!!

He and Joe went out at 7:00 AM that morning and the snot froze on the end of their noses and no way were we going out in it, but the old men salaried operators had to and we ended up pulling up their crooked track on the Des Moines River RR Bridge and re-gage spiking it after it warmed up!!

And I was hanging over the edge using a 5' long spike-bar to pull the spikes so know all about this crap!! 50' off the river's frozen water!!!!

pdq67

I been lookin at the weather network, havent found much for "cold" on the us cities i looked around in. -8C was about the worst ive seen, -13C with a windchill in several places in Wisconsin... I know up here we're in a bit of a warm spell sitting at -5C right now, should get down to about -8C with a -14C windchill factor. Week forecast is showing highs as low as -9C and lows as low as -19C.

Speaking of cold, today we got freezing rain (the weather man did not predict this...hmmm) and cold 30 MPH winds. It sucked on the flight line today. We all broke out the insulated coveralls and delt with the brrr. :sad:

Work in the cold? Heck we play in the cold. Had the quad runner out just the other day dragging the kids around on sleds on our acre of land. I think it was 8 degrees without wind chill. The kids and myself had a blast. Played outside for 3.5 -4 hours. The cold just reminds you that your alive!

You Northern boys are tough. We Southerners whimp out when it gets cold. Supposed to be 17 here tomorrow night and back up to 60 again this weekend.


I work in a plastic compounding plant. We have one manufacturing line where the operator is busting open over 1000#/hr of mineral on a hot mixing deck. Temps in the summer reach over a 140 F. They work 12 hour shifts. Now they are some tough men. I don't do cold.

Phil,

"Working on the RR sounds like fun, actually."

I can still drive a RR Spike to this day faster than most can by "rolling" a spike-maul.

And I figure that I can still drive a spike using a pick too like my old RR Buddy and I have way back then just for the fun of it.

pdq67

I guess working on the RR being "fun" depends on what you do.

Switching cars, that is fun. Mainline conductor, what a snooze fest.

I forgot about my other "real" cold weather job, I worked one winter at Mt. Bachelor ski resort in Bend, OR. Got to stand outside ALL day! I didn't have to move a whole bunch either, which made things even better.

You Northern boys are tough. We Southerners whimp out when it gets cold.

HaHa!! The last few week's worth of Scout meetings have been getting my "boys" ready for "North Wind". (I've got a crew of older "newbies" this year, so we're doing the adventure-level weekender..)

Take a few minutes and watch this: http://northernstarbsa.org/Camping/BoyScout/Winter/NorthWind/Video.aspx

Last year we were at Okpik for a week: http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l86/CobraPatrol/Okpik%20Feb%2007/?start=0
(Our warmest day was -3F!.... I was with the "younger" boys, 12 to 14, so we had cabins.... luxuriously equipped with a 1500W heater....)

It's all in where you live, or were raised... if it's zero outside, and you want to "go play", you either suit up and play, or stay indoors and watch your friends having fun....

We had it down to 20 below F yesterday. I work in farm construction and we usually go out. I only froze once in more than 30 years of outdoor work. Both ears and the end of my nose turned white. Itchy as *** for a few days, everything turned out allright inthe end.