He doesn't ride a desk with banker's hours. He's a lock and dam operator pulling graveyard shifts at the Amory Lock on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in northeast Mississippi. Wilson is one of about 100 unsung heroes who mind the District's navigation business during the midnight hours while the rest of the world sleeps. These lock operators manage 22 locks in the District's area of operation. Each day is a new challenge.
Safety is a priority.
In fact, tonight we have 3,000 tons of gasoline and 2,800 tons of diesel fuel coming through the lock. That's a real safety concern. His major challenge is keeping the lock running smoothly during his shift. Lock operators perform routine maintenance, he said. We do a lot of preventive maintenance.