If you had to drive for a living, what kind of vehicle would you drive and why?

We think alike.

I know a train driver; not of electric but of the high-speed diesel trains between SW England and London.

I don't think he ever has much chance to chat to passengers, but he does enjoy what he says is a "desk job" with fine views. (The equivalent of the road vehicle's dashboard is called the "desk", at least in British railway language). Though he doesn't see too much of the ever-changing, mainly lovely scenery at full chat on the fast stretches, over 100mph!

He also tells me he likes being alone in the cab, away from the crowds, leaving him to concentrate on the work.  I've told him that as a passenger waiting on the platform the trains look eerily as having no driver at all, thanks to the tinted windscreen and very small side windows, and the seat being quite a way back from the screen. (I believe that is partly to protect the driver from the hypnotic stroboscope effect of the sleepers as the train rushes towards them.)

It's not always a scenic run though. Your mine train presumably has a headlamp, and you would be wearing a cap-lamp on your helmet, but my friend says there are times when driving his HST at high speeds in dark Winter night conditions when even the shiny rails are barely visible takes a lot of route-knowledge and steady nerve... I don't know if they now have some form of sat-nav to help them know where they are, but you still can't see what is ahead!  

Another driver I used to know might have preferred to talk to lumps or ore rather than many of the people the staff meet on the stations!

Some people might think it doesn't take much skill to drive a train but there is a lot more to it than just going faster or slower. I used to have to use the weight of the ore cars to get over the ramp to dump ore and stuff like that. I also got to blast clogged up ore chutes that was pretty exciting.  Cheers!

Oh, indeed, and not only being able to judge speeds and stopping distances. There are also all the rules and regulations, the procedures in case of emergencies or break-downs, etc.

Mainline drivers also need be familiar enough with the route to know where they are all the time; even in darkness. Many modern passenger trains now have car-type headlamps brighter than the old head-code lamps, but as a retired railwayman once told me, they only show you what you are going to hit.

A brother-in-law does the same thing in Australia. Sydney to either Taree or Junee (where crews are exchanged for Brisbane and Melbourne, respectively), overnight in the regional town and return.

That was VERY interesting to me! Thanks for sharing. :)

I think it would be good to drive a snowplow here in Minnesota because I  wouldn't have to worry about getting stuck in the snow. 

Randy's 'Harem-mobile'.

 

  Try the Toledo chapter!

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There aren't that many girls that look that good.

"Here's to the dogs of Toledo, Ohio ... ladies, we bid you goodbye!"

Some gave you the wrong  photo of the Minneapolis chapter. 

 

  (((You know me: I’d still do ’em.)))

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  Ethel: “That rascal of a bus driver has done it again!”
  Ethel’s friend: “Wow, maybe I should drop that restraining order I filed against him . . . “

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You're right. It just looks fast because all the other cars have to stop.