Section Gang: a group of workers who take care of a section of railroad track.
Our section gang worked hard this week to replace a railroad tie on the stairway. Plans are still underway to eliminate the need for these stairs; however, until then, they continue to serve as our primary route down from the parking area. Last week we noticed one of the ties beginning to crumble underfoot creating a serious safety hazard.
Moving railroad ties isn’t easy due to their weight, often exceeding 200 pounds each. Thankfully, we had an authentic railroad tool specifically designed for this task – a pair of One-man Tie Tongs. This specialized tool, which resemble a pair of giant salad tongs, makes it possible to grasp and lift a railroad tie without needing to crouch down or bend over. Even with the tool, moving a railroad tie is still a big job.
Once we had moved the replacement tie down the stairs, installation went quickly.
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