More work boots...

Solution: promote to engineer, walking on ballast is for trainmen, and maintenance of way.

 

Haha, 11 years in and I'm still a long ways away from becoming an engineer. Tucson is HIGH seniority.
Honestly, I won't ever become an engineer, unless forced. I like the yard and having a schedule.

Where do you work out of?

 

Edgemont, SD with BNSF.

 

Ahhh, okay.

UP Tucson.

 

It’s about to get sporty for our new guys.

The furloughs are coming.

Tried to warn those dudes not to buy a bunch of stupid shit they don’t need. Not many of them listened. So they get to learn the hard way.

 

Yeah, they just don't understand until it happens to them.
I was actually furloughed for four months in 2019 with over 6 years of seniority at that point. Didn't see that one coming. That's when UP brought in Vena the first time for his PSR bullsh!t. The cuts were deep. Of course nothing moved, but the operating ratio was great and stocks went up. We all know that's all they truly care about, haha.
I was also furloughed for four months in my 3rd year, too.
I didn't mind the furloughs, personally, but I also had other revenue options.

 

The powers that be want to cut $500,000,000 this year to boost profits. Heaven forbid the C suite shitters don’t make their bonuses, or Warren Buffet is disappointed.

So they’re going to fuck over customers and employees per standard RR operating procedure.

 

They wouldn't have it any other way! Got to love having a monopoly. Don't like it, tough. I feel bad for customers. And of course employees. But, guess we're the dumb one's. We return daily for more beatings!
And with that, duty calls, time for me to go Build America!

 

LOL.

Give them 100% rules compliance.

Always fun to face fuck then with their own precious rules.

Moving yesterday’s freight tomorrow. LOL.

 

My go to are thorogood made in the USA!!! I have the 8” Moc toe with safety toe and they’re great. Been wearing them for 5+ years now. The leather is still good so I’m going to pay for the sole to be replaced. I’m on my feet 10+ hours a day and no complaints.

 

Just went through this myself. Tried on red wings, danners, Thursdays (way too wimpy). Then I tried on thorogoods and they just totally outdid all the others. More comfortable. I was lucky to find a pair in person that fit. The thorogood 8.5 fits me great. The others I had to go to 7.5. I’ve loved them so far.

 

Exactly!

I tried 3 pairs of redwings and all took too long to break in and hurt my feet. The thorogood have zero break in period. I haven’t tried Danner but heard good things from coworkers. I will stick with thorogood since they have worked out so well for me.

 

This is the exact boot I have. Love it!

 

Origins in the streets; Crispis in the sheets, err…woods.

 

We are supposed to wear 'UPS' socks if we wear shorts.
They are crappy thin brown socks with the UPS logo on them.
Not only that but we have to pay for them, they furnish every other of part of our uniform.

I wear brown Thorlo socks and fold them down when I wear shorts.
They can bite me if they want to bitch about it.

With all the woke BS the dress code is barely enforced anymore anyway...

 

Unrelated...lol'd first name "DADA"

 

That's what my wife calls me, usually in reference to the dogs......
My adult kids call me Daddy-O...

 

I’m really hard on boots. When I was younger bought whatever I could afford, then went to redwing/Irish setter for awhile, but then I didn’t feel like paying again for another pair. Rocked a pair of Ridgecut boots from tractor supply last year,waaay cheaper and lasted a season. Probably will do the same this year.

 

I've worn dozens of brands of safety boots. My current go-to (I'm on my 4th pair/ the longest streak for any boot I've worn) are Keens.

KEEN Utility Men's Keen, Dover 6" Boot Earth

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NVX3GP7?ie=UTF8

These will probably be my next pair:

$150 KEEN Utility Men's Davenport Mid Composite Toe Waterproof Work Shoe, Shitake/Forest Night, 8.5 Wide US

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J27DPQM?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

I could run a marathon in my Ariat square toed Workhogs. Have a pair that I've used on and off for over 15 years now. Still my most comfortable boot.

https://www.ariat.com/WORKHOG_SQ_TO...dwvar_WORKHOG__SQ__TOE__M__FOO_width=D_Medium

 

The break in period was rough, took a solid 2 weeks, 8 hours shifts. Boots feel great. Don’t forget to get some new socks with your new boots. Dickies work socks feel great with these boots.

 

Can't go wrong with Darn Tough socks either. Good warranty

 

I have a few co-workers who got Brunt boots and love them. They say there's zero break-in and are super comfortable.

 

I finally bit the bullet a few years ago and ordered a pair of White's thru Baker's Shoes in Eugene, OR. Due to the makeup I wanted, composite toe / Vibram 430 sole, they built them inhouse under their Drew's brand. They've been going strong since 2018, with one resole a couple years ago. I supplemented them with another pair to wear when one is getting resoled and they should last me the rest of my working career (I'm 43) A bonus for me is the arch-ease lasts really fit my feet and I'm not stuck wearing my prescription orthotics inside boots. Wearing those, I was set on Thorogoods as a decent quality MIUSA boot, but had to replace about yearly.

If they fit your feet, you really can't go wrong with any of the "PNW handmade" boots, Whites, Drews, Franks, JK, Wesco, etc. They will be heavy, but wear like iron.

 

Red wings over Thorogoods.

Had a pair of redwings for the past 7 years, in the meantime I tried out carolina, ariats, & thorogoods.
I came back to redwing ($250) irish setter a couple months ago and swear I will only buy redwings from now on.

 

Summer thorogoods, winter redwings.