hello, I am glad you find thisj stuff interesting. I just got home two days ago from a 28 day "hitch". just a coulple things that may help you out, when the barges are strung out and breasted together in tow, say 3 wide, you have a starboard, center, and port string, which you had bacwards. lol. more if you are on the lower mississippi river, up to 35 barges, boats dont work a 12 hour shift, we work 6 hours on, 6 off and rotate with the other watch, when I am sleeping another crew is working
Thank you SO MUCH for this video! Nothing equals the thrill of watching barges/tow boats plying the rivers & going through the locks. It's been a LONG time since I've seen such an event ~and for those who enjoy 'river watching' It IS an EVENT!
My son just got hired as a deck hand and this was such a good post. I am a truck driver but I wish I had what it takes to work like these folks. Great commentary.
Thanks guys [all of you] ......... had such a good time recording this video. Haven't been back to Mehldahl since. Want to get back up there this spring and record a tow entering from this downstream side !
These people do work hard It was funny when you were talking about how hard they work they were sitting there and looked like were ready to take a nap.
They do work hard. Most men couldn't carry their tools. They themselves can't carry some of them. Big, heavy stuff. 1/2 to 2 inch cable., rope etc, huge ratchets , winch assist etc. Every thing is heavy,
I worked on the river for 6 & a half years. Started out working for Walker Towing.this guy has no idea how life is on a towboat. it was 28 days on & 14 days off. worked in 6 hour shifts from 5 till 11 am & pm. another couple guys works 11 till 5 am & pm. the port side is on your left. the starboard side is on your right looking over the barges from the wheelhouse (boat) 3 barges wide is 105 feet. 5 barges long is around a 1000 feet. the boats are genrally 125 to 150 feet long. The locks at the damns are 110 feet wide & 1200 feet long. I started out making $50.00/day I quit Walkers to work for Midland. quit there to work for Ingram. after working for a total of 6 & a half years I ran mate on a smaller boat that ran from Paducah Ky. to Mobile Ala. making $117.50/day. the work wasn't that bad it was being gone for 4 weeks at a time that sucked!! great job for a single man!! bad job for a married man. I got divorced over working on the river. My wife would step out on me when I was gone. Got a chance to work for a shortline railroad & jumpped at the chance. Took a little cut in pay but working 8 hours a day off on weekends 10 paid holidays a year & a 2 week paid vacation a year made it well worth it. I don't miss these towboats at all. lol!!! Thank You RailRoad!!!!
The guy sitting on the timber head should learn not to do that. It's very unsafe. 27 yrs out here on the river ... #1 rule ..... Stay away from the edges. I'm actually at Melhdalh lock now
