A conversation with the conductor

3

Разговор с проводником

The train Saratov-Moscow a long snake settled on the second way station Michurinsk-Ural. On adjacent routes were other trains, cutting off passenger from first platform station. Only a narrow asphalt track, a second platform remained accessible to all passengers two long-distance flights. There they were, who in sneakers, who in shorts who with a cigarette in his mouth, to stretch your stiff limbs or breathe in the fresh night air. The stop lasted for twenty-five minutes according to my reasons are quite enough to pass five cars and get to the station platform and buy in the stall a couple of sausages in the test, to eat them and drink the juice.

Happiness a number of stalls were started from the very edge of the platform, so buy your own supplies hitches were not, if not pay attention to prices. Sausage in the dough the morning, and the sun had long since gone, was worth 60 rubles. Half a liter of juice drink 70 rubles. As they say, for convenience, and to pay the owner of a stall on the edge of the station platform also was aware of the marketing business. Total late dinner under the open sky Michurinsky cost nezapalliva the passenger is 190 rubles. On the one hand, not much, on the other – not enough, but a late dinner I add on to the ticket price in 2000 rubles on the top shelf in the wagon and coupe have quite a standard amount of 2,200 rubles for a trip from Tambov to Moscow.

After swallowing the first hot dog at a stall, the second I decided to still eating a doughnut next to his car, so calm, so train not to miss. On the third path part has not been and onlookers could curiosity to see how the FPS etapiruyut the wards of the train cars with bars and flashing lights. The procession moved slowly enough not to passing passengers on the platform, two official car in reverse backed away. And I just got to the entrance to your car.

Next to the entrance Desk the woman is the guide of middle age, I don’t remember why, but a conversation ensued and gradually moved to the “professional” theme is not for me, of course, but for her.

Do You know why the cars were given old and no toilets?

– It is good that old and no toilets. Now hot, and many stations we have are not suited for pumping of the portable toilets. Car to drive can’t. Here, and have “full tanks”, so to speak, to ride. And they smell so that Mama do not cry. Recently five days with overflowing toilets and went we are the conductors and the passengers simply hang. So it’s good that the cars are old.

– That in Moscow and Saratov is not drained?

– When fully drained, and when not full, can not merge – it is expensive. Send in the next flight. It now says that the Saratov-Moscow, but the composition can be removed from this route, and together with the staff to steer in the other direction, where the end station in small towns. There this is even worse. Here, passengers think – the toilet and pour water on it to no end, paper toss, but in fact they quickly overflow and then it all depends on the circumstances. Quickly this one will not do.

– How many hours a day do You work?

– How many hours? (smiles). While the train is traveling so much and working – day there, a day here, and this is without changing. Sleep does not always work. Sometimes one flight is over and all of us send to another. Last time that seven days of riding. Tell me, how can a person 7 days without sleep? Here and there are different excesses: that is to put someone they don’t, they open the door to release. We Wake, and suffer passengers.

– Why do You have change no?

– Guides are not enough. Students do not go to work, even part time, little pay, and loads are large. Now in General practice in the Railways one conductor on the 2 train.

– It’s like?

Come into the carriage to sit on the door with the arrow hanging sign – a sign in another car. And, accordingly, double the load on the guide rests. Women particularly hard, for example, linen. What is the amount of Laundry you need to peretaskat. I’m on 100 roubles gave to man, to the bales of linen on the second shelf I scored. The bales are very heavy, no strength. As a new flight, nedokomplekt, spoons were missing, the clothes, and the auditors still need to take the train, and he left for lunch. In compartment four people, and only two hangers. People pay for comfort, and they have even the hangers are missing. I complained recently, I don’t know where, but hangers they got.

Now, why do You think the AC is not working in the car? Cool for a few days was the user saved and “forgot” the freon to fill. Now heat and air conditioning not working – freon no. People pay extra money for the coupe, and you get… Well, You can see that.

– That’s for sure. Old cars without air conditioning, toilets and hangers.

Yeah that hanger, I have the whole car five Cup holders. Five and glasses get just three! How can you? How can I apply a Cup of boiling water to the passenger without cupholders? But if he’s going to scald it with boiling water? Guide excuses by saying that we have a service class 2K. What if 2K, then there are not people going?

Mess around. Reader poorly. Man came in with an electronic ticket, and we are unable to land, stuck device. This is turn creates the crush. But if the planting is small, you know, scandals happen, the nerves. And pay us at the rate of 70 rubles per hour.

And if You have two conductors?

Same for 70 rubles.

– Ie. You work for two underpaid?

– No, if just two cars to follow, then the above payment.

– And You can refuse to work if hard, the cars don’t make?

– Don’t want don’t take the car, do not sign, you send in another team in another direction, work there with “other” people. But then again, will have to work. To live it is necessary…

Whistled the whistle. The train was about to start. We guide went about his business. Rather, it is for, and I went to antediluvian coupe to sleep, it was late. With me in the coupe rode a couple with a six year old child, the woman also was pregnant. The family occupied the two lower shelves and one upper. I am reminded of a new trend in the Railways is to sell more expensive top of the bottom shelf, now elderly, pregnant women, children have to empty your pockets more for the comfort of sleeping close to the floor. Remembered and enforced passengers in the compartment meal that is not explicitly reduces the cost of the ticket and life insurance remembered when buying the ticket “choice” from various companies for 120 rubles.

Then his word said stifling heat and lack of air conditioning. A pregnant woman was unable to sleep and already four o’clock in the morning sat and looked out the window, hours five supported her husband. I’m in the drowsiness and delirium and spent the night on the curve of the top shelf wet from sweat. Another old car rattled and squeaked so that was the thought, not whether it will collapse on one of the turns? Well sleep only six-year-old girl, in the morning she was alert and cheerful.

Interesting, and the children will ride on these cars and see if they have this mess called capitalism? Can current parents to bring their children and grandchildren a brighter future? With such happy thoughts and not enough sleep from the station I went in the morning Moscow to his family, and then to work.

K. Poles

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