The Lineman By Chan Gardiner

By Chris Dodds on 14th October, 2015

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This poem by Chan Gardiner identifies the creed, dedication and mighty mind-power of the Lineman as they face the worst and most dangerous of working conditions.

In times when any other person would be at home with their family, safe from the storm, Linemen brave the weather to protect and serve. Gardiner sheds light on what a Lineman will go through to ease your burdens in these times and what little recognition they receive.

 

The Lineman

By Chan Gardiner

They sings of the men as goes down to sea;
Of the heroes of cannon and swords;
An' writes of the valors of dead chivalry,
An' the bravery of old knights n' lords.

They sighs 'cause the romances of knighthood is past,
'Cause there ain't no ideals any more;
They says that this old world's a rollin too fast
To develop that "esprit de corps."

But them as complains are the ones as don't know,
Who sits loose where it's warm and then kick --
They ain't never seen a line saggin with snow
An' had to get service back -- quick!

They ain't never struggled with Death at their side,
A-snappin' and hissin' and pale --
Nor clung to the towers and grimly defied
The assaults of the blizzards and gale.

They sit and are served with never a thought
Of the fellers out pluggin' like Hell --
To supply at their touch the service they've brought
With a light, or the sound of a bell.

These fellers ain't togged out all shinin' in steel,
They don't ride around on no horse --
They don't sing no songs about how they feel
In the gales when the feeders may cross.

They don't wave no banners embroidered in gold,
In Latin nobody can read;
They don't do no braggin' of deeds that were bold,
Their motto is "service and speed."

Their armor ain't nothin' but slickers an' boots
Their weapons are climbers and pliers,
Their battles are fought up where hi-tension shoots
An' Death lurks unseen on the wires.

They're fightin' on gales and the blizzards an' ice,
Protectin' the towers and span
With effort not measured in hours or price --
For one cause -- service to man!

So here's to the Lineman -- the son of a gun
That can do without sleep for a week!
That sticks to the job 'til it's every bit done
And the feeders can carry the peak.

For his is that Knighthood that's noblest by far
That highest and mightiest clan,
That's fightin' the battles of things-as-they-are
In the cause of the Service of man.

 

Man, Nature, Elements & Electricity 

Allteck is qualified to perform live line barehand techniques on voltages up to and including 500kV.

• Insulator Replacement : This overhead line project consists of changing approximately 80,000 units of deadend and suspension insulators on double circuit and single circuit 287kV. Allteck’s crew performs the services by using both de-energized and liveline/barehand methods. Down below at ground level black bears and grizzly bears roam the Kitimat wilderness.

Images : Allteck Contractors

 

• Further reading 

Video : A Day In The Life Of A Lineman by Allteck Power Line Contractors  

 

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Category:  HV Cable Jointing & Terminating

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