The Rail
Posted by delta on September 15th, 2008
I finally got some shots of “the rail” the other day. People keep saying my previous explanation was great, but they wanted to see it…
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To the left is the rail shot from USL (Upstage Left). You can see the lines-sets that we need to move (all the ropes). All the red handles are the brakes…
If I’m running the rail, my show spot is all the way at the end of the shot to the left… Below, is my average view of a show, and to my right I’m looking up… |
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So, when I say I didn’t see the show (in most cases) I’m not really joking. This is an unobstructed view – usually there are set pieces, and/or people, in my sight-line of the stage…
I got a few emails asking why I don’t workout the weeks I “run the rail”. See those ropes? My job is to pull them all day, usually 12+ hours a day, for the run of the show (set, show, and strike). This in itself isn’t a big deal, it’s just another day at the office; but when I add my training in during the run of one of these shows I “burn out” (over-train) almost all my “Pull” muscles.
It usually hits me hardest on my right hand, which is an old (military) injury. Usually, I have a hard time holding anything in my right hand for a month or so. I mean: I can (and do) do it, but every once in a while my hand just lets go of whatever I’m holding – not good when at least 50% of what I do is lifting heavy things…
The guys who call me to work, and the guys I work with, have come to expect a certain level of “fitness” (I really can’t think of a better word right now) from me – I have to be able to lift/push/pull without issues (I expect no less from the guys on my crews)…