02-04-2014, 06:20 AM
These businesses might not be able to unload completely during a station stop,
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Andrew,There is no way a fully 40' boxcar could be unloaded during a normal station stop..Having unloaded boxcars by hand it can take up to 5-6 hours-lumber even longer.Even with a forklift it takes about 45 minutes to unload a boxcar..
Even a half loaded boxcar with 2-3 men unloading would still take about 2-2 1/2 hours..
Here's why.
First when you open the door you must start the unloading process there and if the load has been jammed by slack action or hard coupling during switching it makes the work that much harder since you have to work each box loose starting with the top box and that is usually above your head..Then you need to stack the boxes on to pallets,have that pallet move once its loaded,throw down another pallet and continue the unloading.
Its not a speed job either..It is back breaking work that pays good.
As a 15 year old(I lied about my age) I average $150.00 a week during the summer unloading boxcars. The pay was $30.00 per car.That was in '65.There was three of us unloaders and a forklift operator.
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Andrew,There is no way a fully 40' boxcar could be unloaded during a normal station stop..Having unloaded boxcars by hand it can take up to 5-6 hours-lumber even longer.Even with a forklift it takes about 45 minutes to unload a boxcar..
Even a half loaded boxcar with 2-3 men unloading would still take about 2-2 1/2 hours..
Here's why.
First when you open the door you must start the unloading process there and if the load has been jammed by slack action or hard coupling during switching it makes the work that much harder since you have to work each box loose starting with the top box and that is usually above your head..Then you need to stack the boxes on to pallets,have that pallet move once its loaded,throw down another pallet and continue the unloading.
Its not a speed job either..It is back breaking work that pays good.
As a 15 year old(I lied about my age) I average $150.00 a week during the summer unloading boxcars. The pay was $30.00 per car.That was in '65.There was three of us unloaders and a forklift operator.
Larry
Engineman
Summerset Ry
Make Safety your first thought, Not your last! Safety First!
Engineman
Summerset Ry
Make Safety your first thought, Not your last! Safety First!