Entries 401
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Although class lights are not used in modern railroading, they once served a purpose. In the days of train orders and first and second class trains, these were essential. The identification of ...
There are major inspections, that are not only a railroad maintained requirement, but a Federal Requirement. One of these is the 3 year air. You basically remove and change out all the air brak...
The South Central Power Desk BNSF NOC, Ft. Worth, TX
I am in Ft Worth now. July 1997 thru November 1st 2001. They (BNSF) did an reorientation of the Santa Fe and the BN, as they tried to streamline and make the power desks more efficient. Yes som...
CB&Q/NP/BN U-25 and U-28-C's
Working on the Joint-Line, we got whatever the BN or C&S would make up for power. The U-25 and U-28-C’s, were a one of a kind locomotive. There were a standard U-25 or U-28 with a six axl...
Frank and the Rules Exam Mid 1975.
I got called again with Frank for a Coal Load for the Comanche Power Plant in Pueblo, CO. It was a late evening run, and I think our call time was for 1000 or 1030 pm. Like the grain extra’s, a B...
The Railroad would perform efficiency tests from time to time. They were unannounced. This was per the Companies policy and also the FRA (Federal railroad Administration). These were made to e...
I was running as a promoted engineer. I caught a grain extra, due to no rested engineers. I am in the seat, lol, was that good for me!! :) Yeah!! Young n dumb, but I have always liked runnin...
This is an introduction, so the blog/journal is not so long.. The Rock Island was always a railroad that sparked my interest. Denver was the terminus. Colorado Springs as well, as a southern o...
Firing and Training.. Long time past
In my 40 years of railroading, I have been called all hours of the day and night. Working the road, you were subject for call anytime after you were legally rested for call. You could update with...
Goddamn This Yard Stinks !!!
That was a story from Van Hargrove, a Cajun I worked with. This occurred in Temple, TX. Sometimes yer Co-workers whether trainman, switchman or engineers, could be horses-asses. The grit in the...
Sugar Beet extras and Rice yard
You never knew when the Beet extras would start coming in. There was a sugar factory in Johnstown, Co and in Loveland / Longmont area. The Rock Island would bring them in with a rag tag consists...
John Harmes .. C&S yard engineer
John worked the day shift. I believe the 630 am or 700 am goat, and I don’t remember if it was the west end or east end, or an outside yard job. We had the goats all lined up and ready for depa...
John Womack Engineer Santa Fe Railway
John was another man that fired for a while. When the Powder River Basin and grain traffic started flowing in hard and heavy, he got a running turn. John was a real nice guy off the job, but a r...
BN B-30-7 in helper service.
I am called for a 1100 pm helper. I get to the 23rd Street roundhouse and look for the foreman. Roger Bell, is the foreman for the second shift. They are getting slammed now, because power fr...
Railroading Quotes in my Career
There are some good ones, PG, R, and X rated… so be aware. A poor me classic: Russell Heath: “Every time they call one of the rotten Sons a Bitches, I’m, on it”. No we all got those. “That’s a ...
Dynamic Brake Grids when they short out and ground
During the night, this is your own personal fireworks and light show. In the day maybe a flame, but the result a bell will ring. A ground relay condition will result. For those that haven’t rea...
Amtrak 188 derailment
I really have no information other than what has been released. The NTSB, like me are awaiting the event recorders to be downloaded. The event recorder, is the “Black Box” in the railroad indu...
Pueblo work train mid 1980's
This was probably an old Open Diary entry and I either didn’t copy it or may not have sent it. I checked the archives here and didn’t see it posted, but I could be wrong. I am working the De...
I was still in the shops in summer of 1973 Art was a relief foreman, and we were “blessed” with Art for 2 nights. For those that did not read the previous entries, Art was a prior rights C&S...
Dennis Scheie Brakeman / Conductor
Dennis was unassuming and could be quiet. Had a quick wit and a dry humor. Dennis too was a good rail and I always enjoyed working with him. Dennis passed in the mid eighties at 52 years of a...
Storms on the Joint-Line summer 1980
This is one I remember. Clouds were gathering toward the Springs as we left Pueblo on a coal empty. It was close to 730 pm, so Palmer Lake, depending on traffic is about two and a half to thre...
The 1965 Floods Denver, Colorado
I was 13 years of age, when this occurred. Eight years later, I was working in that area with the Santa Fe Railway, in engine service as a railroad fireman. http://www.710knus.com/peterboyles/ ...
This is about Eddie. Eddie is pretty low key, not too excitable. Eddie do ya have a pulse?. At this writing, and before I went back into craft in 2002, Eddie retired. Eddie lived in Granbur...
Dave could be a joker, especially on nights. We always got the work done, and helped put out “fires”, with in our respective territories. The night side was a little laid back. It’s not that ...
Another tale with Dave. Our Conference calls for the eastern part of the Santa Fe were at 730 am and 730 pm. We at the Power desk had made the change and ready to what awaits us. I’ll back u...
Book Description
Tales of the Jointed Track
Railroading my career from September 15th,1972 thru September 5th. 2012
This is my first attempt of writing down my thoughts. I have been asked or have been suggested that I do by my Co-workers or others that know me. This will be about railroading throughout my career, first starting out in the Roundhouse and then changing railroads and going into engine service, which I finally retired from in September of 2012 forty years.
I hired out with the Burlington Northern in September of 1972. I was called by the General Roundhouse Foreman, one week before my hire date. “Do you still want this job”…”yes Sir” I told him. He said come down get physical papers , get that done see the clerk and you’ll be a Midnight Machinist helper. “Okay” I told him… I was working at a bakery for a major Grocery chain, in Denver at the time… also on midnights so not a big difference. I got up went to the Railroad physician and took my 5 minute physical. Returned to the shops and turned in the paperwork. “When can you start?”…I need to give notice and I will firm up with you. I gave my notice to the bakery and started a week later on nights ..
I introduced myself to the night Roundhouse Foreman.. Taylor Gregg....mid to late sixties …skinny as a rail…and always wore his hard hat cocked at at angle..and always started the night out at the coffee vending machine… ready to delegate the nights task. You’ll work with Sandy Ortiz .. we have a bunch of Goats that need Federal inspection and repair… ( a Goat is a slang term for a switch engine ) ..
I entered my midnight shift as a Machinist Helper, working with Sandy. He was Hispanic ..( didn’t care that he was ) and elderly, about early to mid sixties. He had terrible arthritis and shuffled when he walked… I always wondered why a man of his age, worked nights ? He had the seniority to work days, or really any shift he wanted. But as I continued to work for the railroad, there are those that prefer nights, Night Fighters they were called.
The Diesel shop had a Three stalls or tracks in the main shop… The old roundhouse stalls were west of that location but “did” join up… Line one was the running track for inbound inspection and minor maintained. After units were fueled, they came into line one, line one had another exit on the other end of the shop and the track extended out toward the depot. That track was the “Buck Main” that line one connected to. On line one units had cooling water added as needed, Lube oil, compressor oil, and someone went underneath and checked the Traction Motor suspension bearings for lubrication levels. Also the gear cases were looked at and “Crater Bags” were added as needed to provide lubrication to the gear cases. These were bags of heavy grease in a plastic casing that broke down after meshing with the pinion and spur gears. During the winter they were kept in a warm water bath to stay supple. I always said when these were hard you could kill someone with it…like a blackjack .. plus if they were like that they would jam the gearing and slide the wheels or drivers of the locomotive.
Line two was a run through track in the shop, and connected to line on about 300 feet west. this was an inspection maintenance , track…
Line three…well that where Amtrak had units that laid over and it was stubbed.. Old early FP-7 FP-9 E-8 and E-9 a and B units… They were from all railroads, and the US government bought em… some were really trash…I’ll elaborate on that later : ) … We also performed general maintenance and certain Federal inspections as needed…If heavy repairs of a big inspection was needed they went to one of the older roundhouse stalls and remained till completed.
Sandy and I were assigned a SW12 switcher for completion. The second trick, ( afternoon shift ) did the diesel engine requirements and the electricians did their electrical cabinet, auxilliary generator and main generator work. We were to complete the bottom end… Brakeshoes, truck maintaince, suspension bearings, lube the cooling fan bearings..and check or replace cooling fan belts, air compressor, lube the center bowls ( where the trucks meet the carbody of the unit ) and change out and air brake or air equipment not done and and filters not changed out or replaced.
We finished off the inspection and started on another…after lunch that was completed as well and they were “carded off” and ready for service. Sandy had me do the heavy work, and I will always be greatfull because I learned and I still remember to this day, and it served me well when I went into engine service.
