Saturday, April 1, 2017

We had a Daily car for the weekend so this morning we decided to do some "tourist" stuff.  We drove over to Strasburg, PA to the Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania.  It was very interesting and a lot of fun. Here are some photos of it.

Then we rode the coal burning steam train that boarded across the street at the Strasburg Rail Road Company.  

We got the best seat on the train in the President's Car.  

After that we went to the National Toy Train Museum.  It was OK, but nothing special.  I have seen a lot better layouts.

Right next door to that was a motel unlike anything I have seen anywhere.  All the rooms were real train cabooses.  It's called The Red Caboose Motel.  

After that we were done for the day.  Went back to the hotel.

Friday, March 31, 2017

Rained and cold all day!!  Went back, with my trainee, over to the JLG plant in McConnellsburg, PA and loaded another man lift.

When we got back to Carlisle, unloading didn't go so smoothly.  As I got the wheels to the end of the trailer at the unloading ramp, one side of the trailer sank causing the machine to lean.  Also the trailer ended up being too low for the machine to drive off onto the ramp.  The tire ended half off the trailer.  Was not a good thing!!  

I went inside the shop and got a bunch of help.  They brought a big fork lift out, and to make a long, cold, wet, story short, I was able to drive it off without any further problems.  

After lunch, went back for another.  Loaded another man lift.

When we got back to Carlisle I unloaded it.  The trailer did it again, but this time I was able to compensate for it.  Wasn't easy, but I did it.  Plus this machine was not as heavy as the other one.  After that was done, I dropped the trailer in the yard and was done for the weekend.

I have a new dispatcher starting Monday.  I have been transferred to the Heavy Haul Division.  My truck should be ready Tuesday.  I'll be in the hotel until then.  I have my next two loads lined up already.  First one loads Wednesday.  Looking forward to getting back to a normal routine again. 

Thursday, March 30, 2017

This morning left the hotel and drove back to the Daily yard and picked up a step deck trailer.  Then I went with two other trucks over to the JLG plant in McConnellsburg, PA and loaded a JLG fork lift.

Took it back to the Daily yard in Carlisle, PA and dropped it off.  While there picked up a new guy and took him with me to do some training.  Nice guy, but has very little experience with flat bedding and no experience with oversize loads.  That is his back in the photo below.  He was photographing how to secure that load.  Then we went back for another.  This time loaded a JLG  man lift.

Left there and went back to Carlisle and dropped it off.  Done for the day. Went to dinner and then the hotel.  Will do it again tomorrow.  My new guy will be with me again tomorrow too.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Got up early this morning and finished cleaning all my stuff out of the truck into the new (to me) truck.  Then took the old truck over to Cummins in Harrisburg to the repair shop.  When I got back I took my new truck over to our shop for them to get started on the repairs to it.  They said it would most likely be at least a week before it is done.  Then got the other truck - the one that I was initially going to get yesterday.  I will be using that one until my truck is done in the shop.  Starting tomorrow I will be going with several other trucks to do "shuttle runs" bringing JLG man lifts over to our yard in Carlisle.  More on that tomorrow.

Now I am checked into the Best Western hotel.  Will be "living" here until my truck is done in the repair shop.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

This morning I left real early and got to Bethlehem, PA right when they opened.  Delivered the fans.  Then drove back to the "home office" in Carlisle, PA.  Dropped off my trailer so it can get serviced.  Then talked to the truck shop guy about my truck.  It has been using a LOT of oil since I got it.  So tomorrow it is going to the shop to get fixed.  Here is where it got yucky.  I had to swap into another truck because my truck was going to be down for at least a week, maybe longer.  They had three available.  One was gross!!  Was one big ash tray.  No way was I going to be in that one.  The other one was a bit better.  The third one was still in the shop in Harrisburg but was ready to be picked up.  Decided I'd wait to see about that one.  It was supposed to be in better shape.  I went with another driver to Harrisburg and picked up the truck and brought it back to Carlisle.   It was OK, not great, just OK. After lunch I started to swap into it.  I was not a happy camper at all.  Just after I got started I was told to go look at another truck.  That truck was going to a Daily driver that had been at Daily for a long time but had quit.  He was coming back and was to get that truck.  Apparently he changed his mind and had just told them he wasn't coming back.  They offered me that truck instead.  I happily took it!!  It was much better.  Spent the rest of the afternoon moving into it.  Only got half of it done.  I'll get the rest of it later.

The only thing is the truck is not ready to go yet.  It has a few mechanical issues so it will be going to the shop to get fixed before I get it.  There is more to the story, but I'll fill you in on more of it tomorrow.  Long day, I'm very tired, my back hurts, and I'm going to bed.  Good night!

Monday, March 27, 2017

This morning went back to Louisville, KY to a decommissioned power plant that was being demolished and loaded two large industrial fans that are going up to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 

Left there in pretty good time this morning.  No issues on the road today.  Drove up to the "home office" in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for the night.  Will deliver tomorrow.