bhiatt
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2012
Posts: 1,532
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Post by bhiatt on Aug 2, 2013 8:29:38 GMT -5
Im working on a big interstate project, resurfacing bridge decks and paving, in Collinsville, Illinois, very close to St Louis for laborers union. Please no hate mail please because Im in the union. Im very happy where Im at.
Working with paving crew that use this setup. Very cool and massive equipment. Im backing trucks up, controling the feed of the asphalt and maintaining the shuttle buggy. Total project will be around 1200 dump trucks worth of asphalt. Did 117 trucks yesterday. Tim 'The Tool Man' Allen would love this stuff.
The last 5 days been hard work. Lots of shoveling asphalt in the heat. Now it all paving machine. No hand work. Long stretches. Long hours. Miles n miles.
Asphalt plant broke down yesterday afternoon. Got the day off. 3 day weekend. YES!
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bhiatt
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2012
Posts: 1,532
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Post by bhiatt on Aug 2, 2013 8:32:22 GMT -5
hmmmm, dont know why the letters are so small. Can barely read it.
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robsrockshop
has rocks in the head
Member since August 2012
Posts: 715
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Post by robsrockshop on Aug 2, 2013 8:54:08 GMT -5
I'm fascinated with the different types of asphalt machinery as well as railroad machines. Not so much in operating them though lol. I was union for 15 years. Nowadays I don't like union or nonunion it all sucks. LOL.
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bhiatt
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2012
Posts: 1,532
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Post by bhiatt on Aug 2, 2013 9:10:12 GMT -5
yeah the railroad machines are fascinating for shure. My moms dad and one of her brothers worked for Terminal Railroad close to St Louis. One of the bigger compainies. Terminal Railroad was the ones who transfered all the material to build the St Louis Arch. The rail line goes right next to the Arch. They actually own one of the bridges that crosses the mississippi river in st louis. Bridge is just for rail line no cars.
My dads dad worked railroad also until retirement. I still have his old log books and union stuff like agreement books. They are dated in the 40's. His daughters threw them in the dumpster after he died when they were moving everything out of the house. I snatched them out. I thought they were pretty cool.
My moms brother worked for terminal railroad for 46 years. Started working full time when he was 16. We had a big suprise retirement party for him. Had a big turnout of old railroad workers. It was a good time. Some good ol boys.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,709
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Post by Fossilman on Aug 2, 2013 10:15:50 GMT -5
Cars,trains,bikes,trks,semis and machines......RRRRUUUUFFFFF RRRRFFFFFFF!!!!!!! Love em all!! I don't like boats,but ships amaze me..Won't ever go on one,but they are still super cool... Working that asphalt,you must have a heck of a tan and how the heck to you stand the heat!!! I'll give ya' a thumbs up for doing that kind of work,thats for sure!!!!
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bhiatt
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2012
Posts: 1,532
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Post by bhiatt on Aug 2, 2013 12:44:41 GMT -5
yeah those huge ships are amazing. Mind boggling that they float.
The heat sucks. Get kinda use to if you do it daily but if your not in the heat as much its harder to get use to it. All the labor work out of my hall sucks. Its harcore labor work. Basically all road, work which means concrete and asphalt. No gravy train jobs, ever. Local is 100 year old and one of the oldest, smallest remaining labor locals in the usa. ot too many have been open longer than ours. Labor locals started in Illinois, I think, coming down from Chicago. I think most of the problem with staying cool in the high heat is keeping your blood pressure low and trying to have calm nerves. If your blood pressure is high or your pizzed off your temp goes up. Then add that to being in the sun for a minimum of 8 hours and your roasted. Most every day doing asphalt you dont get a lunch break either but they pay double time,so you get $50 for skipping a half hour break. You just eat your lunch on the fly with asphalt and diesel hands.lol. Not hard to clear a 1,000 week with a interstate paving crew. Yeah, you get tan(farmers).
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bhiatt
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2012
Posts: 1,532
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Post by bhiatt on Aug 2, 2013 12:49:34 GMT -5
forgot to mention the shuttle buddy Im working along side of is bigger than the one in the video. The tires are 7-8 ft tall.
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