Read on Twitter
Prior to moving to Indy I was a underground coal miner for 3 years
I worked 10-12 hours a day 6-7 days a week on a swing shift.
Midnights/Afternoons/Days
During this time I trained 6-7 days a week, ate Chinese carry out, smoked marb reds & sniffed pills/Coke
Stories below
I worked 10-12 hours a day 6-7 days a week on a swing shift.
Midnights/Afternoons/Days
During this time I trained 6-7 days a week, ate Chinese carry out, smoked marb reds & sniffed pills/Coke
Stories below
Prior to going underground- don’t forget your light
After all.... it’s pitch black underground
After all.... it’s pitch black underground
The elevator to cage down was a +700 foot drop
Smelled like cigs, coffee & bad breath
Smelled like cigs, coffee & bad breath
Welcome to the bottom of the elevator
Powhatan #6 mine - (now closed)
Was a great place to earn a living
Union work, gritty- real men who was doing the best they could with what they had
Powhatan #6 mine - (now closed)
Was a great place to earn a living
Union work, gritty- real men who was doing the best they could with what they had
Make your way to the “tack” & Jump on the ground transportation
Ran off a trolly wire- a solid 30-45 min ride underground to get into the section I’d be working that day
If it’s your turn to drive- drive.
If it’s not, pile in & get comfy. Time for a nap!
Ran off a trolly wire- a solid 30-45 min ride underground to get into the section I’d be working that day
If it’s your turn to drive- drive.
If it’s not, pile in & get comfy. Time for a nap!
Arriving into the section the first equipment you’ll find is the “scoop car”
A utility piece of equipment used for supplying the section. Grunt work. This is the first machine you’d learn when going underground
A utility piece of equipment used for supplying the section. Grunt work. This is the first machine you’d learn when going underground
The shuttle car- a massive piece of equipment used to carry coal from the miner to the belt
Ran by a large power cord
Stay out of the way- the driver can hardly see & the equipment takes up most of the entry
Easy job, boring at times, fun to learn
Ran by a large power cord
Stay out of the way- the driver can hardly see & the equipment takes up most of the entry
Easy job, boring at times, fun to learn
The Miner
A massive piece of equipment That cuts coal
The hardest to learn in the mine
Ran off of controls standing back to keep the operator safe
This was the coolest job I ever had
A massive piece of equipment That cuts coal
The hardest to learn in the mine
Ran off of controls standing back to keep the operator safe
This was the coolest job I ever had
Heading into an “old section” of the mine
The top is caving in- we set post to help keep it up as we will need the entry for supplying fresh air into the mine & pulling air out of the mine
The top is caving in- we set post to help keep it up as we will need the entry for supplying fresh air into the mine & pulling air out of the mine
Crawling at this point
An old section nearly completely caved in but still needed for air travel
These sections, while extremely dangerous.... where only traveled by those who check for methane (gas) & those doing repairs
A great place to curl up for a nap- if the earth
An old section nearly completely caved in but still needed for air travel
These sections, while extremely dangerous.... where only traveled by those who check for methane (gas) & those doing repairs
A great place to curl up for a nap- if the earth
Didn’t cave in on ya
Coal mining was one of my most favorite jobs
I loved it.
Men down there where gritty. They didn’t get offended
Simpler times in my life
Sleep, eat, work, train
I had next to no life outside of working & training
Thankful for those hard lessons
Coal mining was one of my most favorite jobs
I loved it.
Men down there where gritty. They didn’t get offended
Simpler times in my life
Sleep, eat, work, train
I had next to no life outside of working & training
Thankful for those hard lessons
