Brakeshoe Bob ⋅ 72 ⋅
I am a retired Railroad Locomotive Engineer. I hired out with the BN in September of 72 as a machinist and went with the Santa Fe in engine service in 1973 as a Locomotive Fireman. I was promoted to Locomotive Engineer in July 1974. I retired in September 2012 after 40 years. During the period I ran the Joint-Line (Denver to Pueblo,CO) and the Interdivisional between Denver and La Junta, CO. I had almost 8 years in management with the Santa Fe and BNSF.
Entries 464
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SF MUNI the Cable cars 08/26/2016 in Tales of the Jointed Track
Went this past weekend to San Francisco, for my oldest sons birthday. A wine tour, a lot of walking, around town, overall it was good. I said, ” Okay whether ya want to or not, or, if ya go o...
Eye Surgery 09/01/2016 in Misc. Thoughts opinions, the whole trash can.
I developed a gray fog and spots and/or floaters,in mid July, shortly after my annual eye exam. The exam went well nothing noted. I also paid extra, apart from the insurance, where they comput...
This was probably an OD exchange, but lost in the archives. Okay you Joint-Liners, Santa Fe, C&S, Rio Grande, admit or not we prostituted ourselves at Gino’s. What got this thought, r...
Old Big Lift Local Circa 1988 in Tales of the Jointed Track
Yep the Santa Fe is doing good, bringing in TOFC/COFC into the Denver market. This is pissing off the BN, but let the marketing departments worry about that. We are on duty, and if the morning “Q...
Saturday Early summer Caboose Hop NOT!!! in Tales of the Jointed Track
I was called on a Saturday. The crew caller said Bob Extra south 730 am. I am out on rest, I usually ask for who the crew members are, but didn’t. I report at 31st Street, beca...
SaturdayMay 21st Rocky Ford, CO in Tales of the Jointed Track
As we age, so you lose people you work with. Rusty Rogers, a Switchman, Brakeman, Conductor I worked with for 30 plus years passed about a week ago. Rusty developed terminal cancer, w...
The Local, the Rainstorm, and the stall in Tales of the Jointed Track
It had been a while since I have last written. I was working the Big Lift / Colorado Springs local in the early 80’s . It is an early spring morning. It had rained most of the night. We...
I wrote about this a while back, while I was promoted and a fireman. Truth be known I operated em, when they failed, while in the training program. LOCOTROL the early Distrubuted Power in Tale...
Wiggins Colorado Head On Collision 0355 04/13/1984 in Tales of the Jointed Track
this has been in “draft” since 11/22/2014. I misplaced some of the old news paper clippings. I have tried to make them readable, so if you can magnify em you can get most of the story. It was ...
Rex Trefethen a tale from the Santa Fe power desk in Tales of the Jointed Track
I liked Rex. He was tough crude… He was Dave Lackey’s EAMLU (East Locomotive Utilization) power guy. Like I said in other posts I was Rex Trefethen, more than, Rex Trefethen was Rex Trefet...
Another FIELD WELD story in Tales of the Jointed Track
Working the Section is hard and tough work Tribute to those that maintain the roadbed, so us Prima Donna’s can operate Watch part 1 and Part 2 Thanks
Pueblo Yard B-30-7A a quick but true tale. in Tales of the Jointed Track
I got called for an Extra North, what again? !!! LOL Per Rule, an Extra is a train not authorized by Timetable schedule. WE are all extras on the Joint-Line, whether it was the 594, 151, 78...
Welded Rails in Tales of the Jointed Track
Although this is in Europe or Scandinavia somewhere, the principle is still the same, like on the US Railroads. This is a “field” welding of rails, whether a replacement is in, or joining the l...
A Compressor failure BN B-30-7A in Tales of the Jointed Track
Yeah, Monument again. I have an extra North out of Pueblo. We are heavy, but have the power to make the summit, even if we lose one. I have a BN SD-40 on the lead, followed, by three B-30-7A b...
The BURLINGTON ROUTE Smoke Stack Denver 23rd Street Roundhouse in Tales of the Jointed Track
This may be an OD re-post…or maybe the old Dork, dumb old rail has lost his mind. So that being said .... Growing up, and driving, or being driven over the old 23rd St Viaduct, you went by the CB...
Things break, and on the railroad it does. I got called after a railroad strike for an Extra North out of Pueblo, CO. We were out for 3 days, and the President, who doesn’t care about affiliat...
Water Trailer Big Lift and a few hacks in Tales of the Jointed Track
A call on the radio, “Can ya inspect our DP’s?” “Yeah bring ‘em on” I had a cheat sheet, and on LISS (Locomotive Information Service System) I had an idea on what was on the rear DP consist. ...
A load test GE EVO or ES-44 in Tales of the Jointed Track
You may have heard the term or may not Load boxing. Back when I was in the shops, if you needed to check for main generator output you load boxed em. They rigged a set of old dynamic brake gri...
Well walked it again. Few aches and pains, but made it. Beat my time from last year by 2 and half minutes. My cell phone, which I listed to radio stations ran out with an hour or so to go. S...
Newer AMTRAK Power in Tales of the Jointed Track
AMTRAK has evolved over the years since its inception. When the US Government, instituted AMTRAK, they had no locomotives, or cars. Thinking back, how silly was that, and what was the overall p...
Naperville, IL 1995 early spring AMTRAK / METRA in Tales of the Jointed Track
I was off on rotation. I can’t remember whether I was day or nights. Kids are home from school, but at friends. The edict 630 no later, I am picking your mom up at the Naperville Train stat...
Fireman training tales Part 2 in Tales of the Jointed Track
I was running as a promoted engineer. I had a fireman working the program, with me this trip. Steve had left the ranks of management, with the Santa Fe, by a personal choice, and was allowed t...
Animal Crackers rant ( in good fun ) in Misc. Thoughts opinions, the whole trash can.
Really Really when did they goof up animal crackers. In the ADULT PROOF Package!!!! The wife at Christmas gives joke stuff. Me, I like the animal crackers, yes the dumb old rail likes ani...
Fireman training tales in Tales of the Jointed Track
I got a nice e-mail from a young man who was training to be an engineer, shortly after I came back running an engine. He sent note, this past Christmas 2015. He has since become a Road Foreman ...
Notes From the Troubleshooters Notebook Part 2 in Tales of the Jointed Track
0955- 1000 (circled was the 203 inspection card log time) -1035 9671 2206 gallons 9712 mem battery ( computer memory back up battery) TCC2 under voltage ( Number 2 truck TM’s 4-5-6 not at ful...
