The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

This is the place to tell us about the stupid things fellow employees can do.
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Zazu
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The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by Zazu » Wed Dec 14, 2005 7:40 pm

On any given day, any cast member can have a sudden attack of the stupids. Happens to all of us.

On every given day, some guests will show evidence of BDS (Brain Deficiency Syndrome).

But for regular, dependable, day-in-and-day-out stupid-on-a-stick, nothing beats contractors in the Park.

Today, two painters and two roofers nearly met their ends.

Main Street Railroad Station is being rehabbed while still open. There's another project to rehab the adjacent stroller barn. Because it's all a rush job, trying to get it done in time for the Xmas rush (HA!), they're working during the day.

The painters have been warned not to come onto the train platform without checking with the station conductor first. This is particularly important as there's no way for a conductor at Main Street to stop an arriving train but to run down the tracks yelling, "STOP THE TRAIN!!!"

One did just that, sauntering down the platform like he belonged there. I called it in to management, as directed. Next thing I know, we had brass from four different departments and two outside companies wanting to know who it was so they could fire his butt. I decided to get forgetful, as I thought putting a scare into the crew would be more constructive.

As my manager was repeating the need to call in every last such incident, *another* painter stepped over the fence and followed the first.

Now let's not see the same hands every time -- yes, the manager saw him and did nothing at all about it.

Later, two roofers literally crawled through the bushes to stand on the track and survey the roof of the stroller barn... while standing in the middle of the track... as an approaching train whistled. They seemed surprised that I was so agitated.

"Do you weigh 85 tons?" I asked.

"Not hardly."

"Then you're probably going to lose the pushing contest you're about to have with a locomotive. Now let's get you out of here before I need a sponge!"

"Gee, you don't have to get so excited about it."

"Easy for you to say, you won't be around to do the paperwork!"

:oweye:


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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by GMC » Mon Dec 19, 2005 3:04 pm

you have NOTHING at main street to stop the trains? we have at least one radio (usually the train answers) and a ride stop, for which all trains, in theroy, will stop. I love it when people think ride paths are play grounds.


Gimme some soft serve!

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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by Zazu » Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:13 pm

GMC wrote:you have NOTHING at main street to stop the trains?
Yup, you read me right.

At Frontierland, we can hit an E-stop switch at the Big Thunder crossing to set a signal red. At Toontown we can throw the switch to the roundhouse to do the same thing. At Main Street we've got bupkiss.
we have at least one radio (usually the train answers) and a ride stop, for which all trains, in theroy, will stop.
Please tell me how this works. I may start a campaign to get them for us.
I love it when people think ride paths are play grounds.
You'r either being facetious or you haven't had to clean up after as many train/human collisions and grade crossing accidents as I have. They're particularly bad with hot steam locomotives because the clothing and body parts pretty quickly start to burn.... :gross:

(Note: My sad experiences with train collisions were *not* on Disney tracks.)


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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by Scott45 » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:07 pm

Maybe next time you can ask them if their name is Clark Kent or Bruce Banner


:D:



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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by CBeilby » Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:13 pm

Zazu wrote:
You'r either being facetious or you haven't had to clean up after as many train/human collisions and grade crossing accidents as I have. They're particularly bad with hot steam locomotives because the clothing and body parts pretty quickly start to burn.... :gross:

(Note: My sad experiences with train collisions were *not* on Disney tracks.)
Actually, Zazu, I suspect that he was being sarcastic. It's not something that comes through in text very well.



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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by felinefan » Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:15 am

When I worked at Knott's, our train crews on the Calico R.R. were the real deal. One time the head engineer was degreasing the track between the depot and the Calico Pedestrian Crossing, and since the train was out, he asked me to keep an eye out for the train, and said that when I saw the train coming, to wave something back and forth across the tracks, as this is the signal to stop. When the train came around the bend by the roundhouse, near the Fiesta Village crossing, I took my conductor's hat off and waved that back and forth across the tracks. The train slowed, and stopped well back of the section of track the head engineer was degreasing. Also, the signal for a broken down train--or one undergoing maintenence--is a blue flag attached to the rear of the train. These signals go 'way back, and a book available at the Anaheim Central Library is titled "Train Wrecks"; in addition to the title subject, it also depicts the evolution of safety signals used by the railroads. Maybe you can talk to your safety manager or whoever about implementing these signals to your train. You might want to keep a blue flag (about 12 inches by 12 inches, on a 2-3 foot long pole) handy to wave across the tracks if there's a problem, like careless contractors, etc.. Hope this helps!



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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by Zazu » Tue Mar 21, 2006 4:17 pm

felinefan wrote:When I worked at Knott's, our train crews on the Calico R.R. were the real deal.
And we aren't?!?

Come to think of it, most of the train cast aren't. There's only two of us on cast right now with any prior railroad experience. Scary thought, that.
Also, the signal for a broken down train--or one undergoing maintenence--is a blue flag attached to the rear of the train.
I'm well aware of the blue flag rule. It's saved my butt from maceration more than once. The problem is, the *rest* of the train cast aren't aware of it.

As a result, I could end up "dead right" after an incident.
Maybe you can talk to your safety manager or whoever about implementing these signals to your train.
Sadly, our safety manager isn't the other CM with railroad experience. Nor much common sense.
You might want to keep a blue flag (about 12 inches by 12 inches, on a 2-3 foot long pole) handy to wave across the tracks if there's a problem....
Forget the flag, just give me that 2-3 foot long pole. I'll whack some safety awareness into them! :duh:


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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by hhsrat » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:52 pm

Zazu wrote:And we aren't?!?

Come to think of it, most of the train cast aren't. There's only two of us on cast right now with any prior railroad experience. Scary thought, that.
Well, compared to our train at AK, yes, you guys are the real deal. Us? Well ... I've heard our train referred to as a "tractor pretending it's a train"

Hopefully your cast is at least aware of common whistle signals. One of my friends was driving, gave a whistle signal (one long, two short), and was asked by his conductor upon arrival into the station "What's that signal mean?" (at AK, that's the whistle signal for "Crew on the track" ... not sure about MK)



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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by felinefan » Thu Mar 23, 2006 1:19 am

Sorry, Zazu, no offense intended. What I meant was our trainmen at Knott's have actual train experience, and are walking train history books to boot. Yeah, whack some sense into them! Reminds me of an old joke: There was this Unity minister who lived on a farm and plowed his fields with a mule. Every day he'd take the mule, hitch him to the plow, then go up to the mule's head. He'd take one of those long, brown ears and bend it down so he could talk to the mule:"Now, we're going to plow this field, we'll make the rows good and straight, and you're not going to give me any trouble." Then he'd let go of the mule's ear, go back to the plow, loop the reins over his shoulders, and sure enough the mule would do his job without giving the minister any trouble. One day the minister was informed by his superiors that he was to go to a new parish, so he sold most of his belongings, and put an ad in the paper to sell his mule. He stated in his ad that this was a Unity mule, would do anything you told him. A farmer answered the ad and bought the mule. Next day, as instructed by the minister, the farmer spoke in the mule's ear--but the mule wouldn't budge. The farmer called the minister,and said, "I thought you said this was a Unity mule, but when I did as you said, he wouldn't budge." The minister said, "I'll be right over." So the minister drives up a few minutes later, gets out, takes a two-by-four from the back of his truck, and whacks the mule upside the head with it. The farmer, shocked, said, "But I thought all you had to do was talk to him." And the minister said, "You do, but you've got to get his attention first." And if anybody out there is Unity or an animal lover, please no flames! Zazu, all I'm saying is that this is a major safety issue, and you need to make people aware, one way or the other, of the importance of safety around trains. If your safety manager doesn't respond, go higher up the chain of command and, if necessary, contact OSHA/DOSH. As for the train signals, at Calico R.R. the whistles were: 1 blast, stop; 2 blasts, go forward; 3 blasts, reverse; 4 short blasts, repeat last signal; and 4 long blasts, assistance needed. The accident you prevent could be your own; ditto the other people. Put your concerns in writing, and send them to the top, if necessary. You never know if it'll do any good unless you try. According to http://www.themeparkinsider.com, Disney parks have the greatest number of accidents--check it out for yourself. With the horrible state of maintenence at Knott's, I'm amazed KBF isn't the most dangerous. But with the way things are there, that could change any day now, especially with summer right around the corner.



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Re: The Amazing Paintbrush of Death

Post by Notatourist » Thu Mar 23, 2006 6:15 am

Having met Zazu, all I can say is, so is he....the man knows his trains...


I'm not a tourist cause I work there...

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