Doing tow work and making locks are part of the deck crews job duties. Tow work can consist of dropping or picking up one barge or a dozen barge's at one time. Tow work may take as little as one hour or all day long. It all depends where the barge's drop as to where they go into your tow. If a barge is a box or a rake you might have to rearrange some of your barge's as to where the next drop is or pick up may be. Working out on the barge's can be a very hot and dirty job in the summer. It can be also very bone chilling cold during the winter. It may be raining, snowing, sleeting while you are doing tow work or making a lock.

Opening the lock gate.

Closing the lock gate.

Train bridge over lock 15.

Looking down the lock-wall..

While working out on tow you may be making a lock, coiling up a lock line, or tightening the tow. It may be hot or it may be cold. It may be raining or snowing but the work must still get done.

Barry coils up a lock line.

Coal barges.

Barry tightens the tow.

Boat rigging that holds the tow together.

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