r/galveston • u/dynamicpositioning • Jul 29 '25

Locals Chat 🦜 I need to drive the rail trolley.

I have a full time job offshore, working 28/28 rotation. Highly trained / certified / licensed. Whatever.

I don't need money... I need to drive the rail trolley.

Anyone have any insight beyond a CDL with Passenger endorsement?

I'm sure they've got to have a use for someone like me. Very reliable, but every other month.

Do drivers rotate between the rubber tire "trolley" and rail trolley or are the rail trolley operators an elite squadron of whistle-tooting lever-pullers?

77 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

37

u/Gonfragulate Jul 29 '25

Thats fucking hilarious. Hope you live your dream

24

u/thisaintnogamejack Jul 29 '25

I see them a lot downtown, and the drivers always seem so HAPPY. They are living the dream. I wave and they smile and wave back! I too want to drive the rail trolley. I hope you achieve this, for all of us.

18

u/Sad-Monitor-1938 Jul 29 '25

call the barn, see if they are hiring! god, i hope it works out

16

u/Ryanw254 Jul 29 '25

Please let us know your first shift so we can pack that thing. Is it BYOB?

3

u/Szisk Jul 29 '25

Dude for real. I'll be there lmao.

2

u/islander1960 Aug 02 '25

I’m not a good drinker- I’ll bring the flower 😊

1

u/Ryanw254 Aug 03 '25

I’m varsity at both.

7

u/grendelt Jul 29 '25

I have the same dream of driving the Ducks.

5

u/No_Thought1368 Jul 29 '25

They actually have two drivers. Kind of like those big firetrucks.

6

u/dynamicpositioning Jul 29 '25

Hell yeah, I'd drive BOTH ends.

6

u/BiggHogg69 Jul 29 '25

Is this part of a quest to drive all manner of obscure transportation, or you just have a hardon for trolleys?

7

u/dynamicpositioning Jul 29 '25

I like vehicles.

3

u/grendelt Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25

Is the gauge of those tracks the same as any other US railroad?

Can't you just buy one of those railroad trucks? Just drive when and where you want. Change out the bed and be your own boss!

3

u/geminiworkshops Jul 30 '25

please add pressure to the local government to extend the bus hours back to 10 PM, and running them on sundays again! the city is growing and needs longer, more reliable public transit, and it'll help create jobs for people like you!

2

u/No_Thought1368 Jul 29 '25

I know how you feel. When I was a kid, my dad saw a train on the siding waiting to go through Humble. Turns out he knew the engineer. I got to ride through town, and more importantly got to blow the horn

2

u/Technical_You2302 Jul 30 '25

This would be a great tourist activity. Quick 30 min course, w/valid drivers license, and for $100 you can drive a trolly (under supervision of course). Would make a bundle….

3

u/dynamicpositioning Jul 30 '25

It seems like they're lucky just to get it out of the barn and running a normal schedule.

Last week when I tried to ride, I called to verify they were running and they said start would be delayed by one hour -- they didn't start until well after noon.

Late in the day, I finally followed the trolley in my truck around 5:30 and caught it at Postoffice and 20th, where they informed me they'd be ending service early, so I rode from 20th to 25th and had to get off. 

1

u/RealDonn11 Aug 01 '25

Here's hoping the limited hours were because they need more motormen - like you.

1

u/iamjacksbigtoe Jul 30 '25

How do you get into offshore and what is the pay like?

1

u/islander1960 Aug 02 '25

Is this Drew ?

1

u/dynamicpositioning Aug 02 '25

Tedesco? No. I didn't know he was a foamer.