power crews

Reading the post's about line men , the last two days, reminded me of what I watched this past summer. I have 3 Bonnevile transmission lines crossing my place.A Bonnevile helecopter comes down the line, once a month, or oftener, I would guess that they are keeping a check on their lines. This summer a trailer loaded with insulators appeared on a corner of the place, and later on in the morning about 4 Bonneville trucks with crews showed up. A helecopter came down the line, hovered over a line, and dropped a man down to the line, left him and the guy worked his way down the line from tower, to tower. I guess he was checking the integrety of the wire! Then I noticed that the tower away from me, had 4 guys, about the size of ants changeing the insulators. Now I have worked building a grain elevator, at Florence Ill. and then 50 ft up on overhead cranes at Boeing, for the last 20 yrs. I am no stranger to hieght's, but you wont find me dangling from a helo, or a power line, or climbing up where the Redtailed hawks roost! These guys are either crazy, or have a set that won't quit. Bigger than my Angus bull!And after the height issue, they are supposed to remember their training, while working on live wires, at who knows what voltage ,and still come home alive!NO THANKS

I am not fond of heights at all . Alain Robert (in pic) and Alex Honnold and other free solo climbers are my heros. The skill level here is unmatched in any sport .

Watch this video of this guy changing the lights on a 1768 foot tower. I have jumped out of planes many times but climbing on something like that gives me the willies.
Climbing a 1768 foot tower

had a friend that did that; rode a trolley from mountaintop to mountaintop in West Virginia. Never for me!

I would hardly call that idiot a hero. My idea of a hero is one who puts his own life at risk to save another or to further the common good. Not some fool who puts his & others lives at risk for the thrill & the publicity.

I have done a little climing for Telephone Co. But I felt much more at home at the other extreme, 400 feet below the surface of the water in a WWII submarine!

There was a doco on TV about these men, they traverse the line on small trolleys, wear a suit that withstands 50 thou. volts,click a safety strap to the wire, just a few mils between life and the alternative.They were raised to the line via a cherrypicker.
Not my cuppa.

JDSeller, why did you post that video. I have seen it before. But like a moth drawn to the fire I had to watch again.
There I sat, feet sweating,heart beating rapidly and telling myself over and over I am OK I am on the ground and looking down occasionally to reassure myself.

Mark (not particularly scared of heights).

FINALLY! a statement that i can totally agree with.

How tru

Do they belong to a union?

If so we know what they are...just joking.

Seriously, skills, talent, and courage are something we should all value. We really can not live without our unsung heros.