Locomotive Keys
It's only a short story, but If you want to see photos of locomotives and railways in the sunshine don't read on ...
Well, I could tell you a romantic story, but I won't ... Because it was pretty hard to receive these keys and become a locomotive engineer ! I had to do a laser surgery on both eyes and succeeded many difficulties. The training and exams were tough and not all colleagues were collegial guys. In fact the professional Railway wasn't waiting for me with open arms as I expected - and still doesn't ! I'm just a replaceable worker who operates a machine and has to do his responsible duty all alone and copes with physically demanding working conditions. But if you are spared from a forced coexistence with annoying workmates, the solitude is also a benefit. Nevertheless operating a machine all alone gives you no human development possibilities ...
However, driving a locomotive and a train is a great feeling ! But it's not so cool how you think it is, before you really routinely experience it. Especially when you do it always and many times a day. So you have no perception of the landscape or surrounding details as you probably romantically imagine. But you are responsible for a lot of issues, when you are the only one in the forefront ! Your view is always focussed between the same quickly passing tracks, signals and poles, concentrated at the duties and devices in the cab and the stops at the stations. If you overrun a red signal, you will be suspended from the cab and job temporal or forever ...
So far so clear. When other people enjoy free time activities and meet friends, you are at work ! At weekends, at evenings, at holidays. And what about the wake-sleep cycle and potential sleeping problems, if you sometimes have to start work at night ? No comment, better don't ask ... Of course, like every other job the work of a locomotive engineer has advantages and disadvantages. But if we talk about the health risks of variable long workshifts the negatives definitely prevail and certainly also reduce your lifespan ! Anyway, the predictable automation of technical processes will kill this job within 30 years. So I belong to the last generation of this legendary profession and after all I have achieved what I was dreaming about:
The Railway determines and dominates my life ...
Timetable-Book, 07 / 11
Locomotive Keys
It's only a short story, but If you want to see photos of locomotives and railways in the sunshine don't read on ...
Well, I could tell you a romantic story, but I won't ... Because it was pretty hard to receive these keys and become a locomotive engineer ! I had to do a laser surgery on both eyes and succeeded many difficulties. The training and exams were tough and not all colleagues were collegial guys. In fact the professional Railway wasn't waiting for me with open arms as I expected - and still doesn't ! I'm just a replaceable worker who operates a machine and has to do his responsible duty all alone and copes with physically demanding working conditions. But if you are spared from a forced coexistence with annoying workmates, the solitude is also a benefit. Nevertheless operating a machine all alone gives you no human development possibilities ...
However, driving a locomotive and a train is a great feeling ! But it's not so cool how you think it is, before you really routinely experience it. Especially when you do it always and many times a day. So you have no perception of the landscape or surrounding details as you probably romantically imagine. But you are responsible for a lot of issues, when you are the only one in the forefront ! Your view is always focussed between the same quickly passing tracks, signals and poles, concentrated at the duties and devices in the cab and the stops at the stations. If you overrun a red signal, you will be suspended from the cab and job temporal or forever ...
So far so clear. When other people enjoy free time activities and meet friends, you are at work ! At weekends, at evenings, at holidays. And what about the wake-sleep cycle and potential sleeping problems, if you sometimes have to start work at night ? No comment, better don't ask ... Of course, like every other job the work of a locomotive engineer has advantages and disadvantages. But if we talk about the health risks of variable long workshifts the negatives definitely prevail and certainly also reduce your lifespan ! Anyway, the predictable automation of technical processes will kill this job within 30 years. So I belong to the last generation of this legendary profession and after all I have achieved what I was dreaming about:
The Railway determines and dominates my life ...
Timetable-Book, 07 / 11