Western Railroad Discussion > What is your most painful picture

What's your most painful pic to date. I mean what was the physical pain endured to get the shot.

Couple weeks ago on my second Great Eastern Safari found me at the bottom of Keating Summit waiting for the Driftwood turn. Silly me, mistook a balsa wood tree for some sort of hardwood. 10ft off the ground I stepped on a popcan size branch and it snapped like a toothpick. Immeadiatly I became aware of Newtons theory.....I was reaching for the trunk as it happened and failed to grasp it. My tail failed to do me any good as well (been called monkey before). Somewhere else, my feline side bid me adios as well. So much for landing on my feet. Speaking of feet, why are they walking in the sky?? THUD!!! "UCK"!! in a hoarse whisper. Seen by the two girls in tow. The B-unit in my life is only capable of loading one traction motor at a time, if she loads, comes in after to help, yelling "don't move". I roll over to my knees. See previous hoarse whisper. GASP! I shout "get back,I can't get you out as well!!" Quick overview reveals no sharp pain, except why am I getting wet at my knees?? Bleeding?? B-unit slid down the slope into the marsh. Mental check reveals the prime mover is still loading, not sure how much. GASP!! still not getting air in, comes out fine. Water, not blood why I'm wet. Found the wet spot on the first try. GASP! OW! Chest seems to hurt..Imagine that. Great, here goes the trip.(All this going through the noggin) B-unit gets turned around and is facing up the slope. I crawl forward a step, not too bad. Another crawl and I stiff arm the B-unit in the rear and make six notches in the throttle. Up she goes to pavement. GASP. Back to idle. B-unit protesting. What the hell?? Somebody wrap a corset around me?? GASP! Up comes one knee, then I stagger upright. GASP! Somebody turn the oxygen back on... Two feet up the embankment and GASP! qmans girlfriend grabs the 40D/28-300 IS L I thoughtfully saved....and instructs me to lay down.(she is a savvy nurse) Yelling at qman to
hurry up. He chose a spot 200yds away. I sprawl on the pavement behind the truck. Felt like a snow angel. GASP. Whistle!! Burble burble!! Crap!! I holler(squeek) where is my camera as I stagger up. B-unit to the rescue!! I stoop over and snap two shots. Good thing we are near sea level, must have got some o2 in there somewhere. Camera taken away and ushered to the back seat. Soon that became uncomfortable. Damn, I hate wet pants. qman digs out a change from the back as the girls aim for the E room. He got the shot as well. Even got a shot of the offending balsa tree..Found E room half an hour away, good thing girls like to stop and ask for directions, three tries later we scored. Messed up the rest of the day. Fractured T10. PA said here are some pills, nothing else they can do. Amazing how good hospital food is when you are starving....Rest of the trip went ok, just a little slower. Only hurt to get in and out of bed. I didn't draw blood until later in the trip, just a flesh wound.
Moral of the story: KNOW YOUR TREES!!!! Colorado pines good for 200lbs per 1 inch dia. limb. Not so much back east......



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/12 12:35 by SD45X.

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Dang, I laughed till I cried. Do you have any other episodes?????

I did cry while laughing! The only thing worse might be having to be picked up and put in an ambulance by your own firefighters! Wet shoes, wet steps...airborne!!! THUD! Been there, done that. Great story -- glad it was "only" T10.

Great story:-) Too funny:-)

George Cataulin
San Diego, CA
Left Coast Rail Videos

The "culprit" branch can clearly be seen in the tree between the speed sign and the Suburban. DANG PA. trees !!!!!

I figgered since he's already on (in) the ground it wouldn't make ANY sense if we BOTH missed the shot, he'll live till I shoot the ALCo !! In the shot, the 638 AND the Suburban are visible. Onward we went ....

qman



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/12 13:31 by qman.

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You turned a bad deal into a great story, thanks. Oh, no balsa trees east of the big muddy. West either if you want to know.

Thanks fer the tip SeaboardMan !!!!

qman

The important thing is you got the shot and saved the camera ;-)
JB

Not sure from qman's picture of the offending tree, but the tree in question seems to have several dead branches on it to begin with! BTW -- balsa (Ochroma pyramidale aka O. lagopus) grows from Brazil to Mexico! I know there is a Brazil in Indiana and Mexico is found in several states but our ecosystems are not conducive to balsa's survival!!

Take two aspirin (and maybe an Iron City or Rolling Rock or....) and call TO in the morning!

It's amazing how much stuff can go through your mind while gravity is in control at 32ft/sec/sec. My shoes were wet and I slipped while getting on the back end of my brother truck (box truck.) I remember thinking, "When am I going to hit the ground" and "This is going to hurt." I ended up breaking my butt (pelvis) in two places. My pants were wet also.

Never got hurt chasing trains other than a slight rock rash on the palm of my hand. Guess I just aint that serious about it.

John

Trying to out do James Spearker again?!!!!

Rob

SD45- LOL-brought some smiles in my day. I hope you recover in a hurry. Keep shooting those PA trains.

Paul Brennecke
Golden, CO

I broke my leg when I was 18 trying to get a photo of a California Northern train in Petaluma, CA. A broken fibula and a shattered ankle in one oops of a moment while negotiating a steep hill down to the Petaluma River.

Jamie Miller

I almost had a heart attack chasing a train up Raton Pass at the Wootton ranch....but not that bad...