Dave Lackey .. MCO Jay Ferris..Dispatcher Night shift SOC Santa Fe Schaumberg, IL in Tales of the Jointed Track

I was working the night rotation doing Locomotive Utilization for the Santa Fe. I was on the “Eastern” half of the railroad. My territory was Chicago to but not including Amarillo, TX. At Emporia,the cut off to Newton Kansas to La Junta, CO. La Junta to Albuquerque over the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Subdivisions including the York Canyon branch for Coal loading. La Junta to, but not including Dumas TX. La Junta to Denver, CO, At Mulvane, KS the railroad went south into Oklahoma and Texas. That basically started at Arkansas City,Ks all the was to Houston / Galveston, TX. At Temple I went west to but not including Dumas, TX . Out of Temple, Tx on the Conroe sub to Silsbee, TX. Silsbee to Longview, TX and Silsbee to Beaumont, TX. I also had the newly operated trackage rights from Houston to New Orleans,LA.

Dave Lackey was the Eastern MCO or Chief Dispatcher. Eddie-bob (That’s what we called him). His real name was Eddie Moore. He was the TEXAS Chief. So I worked with two Chiefs mainly. On the 2nd,3rd and 4th, subs , I worked with the Central chief. I would be called on an as needed basis for them, if there were concerns.

Jay Ferris Train Dispatcher:

I always liked Jay. He too, was a free spirit, and a good dispatcher. I met Jay in San Bernardino, at the SOC. He worked the night shift on the Needles sub, which was Needles, CA to Barstow, CA. Jay, at one time was a minor league hockey goalie, with the old San Diego Gulls. He was married at that time, and his wife hated, being a hockey wife. I think he said he played for 2 or 3 years and gave it up. He hired out on the Santa Fe as a railroad fireman, between Needles and Barstow. The24/7 on call did not set well with him or the wife, and they split. I never knew the details and I didn’t ask. Jay found out the Santa Fe was looking to hire and train, Train Dispatchers. He took a dispatcher job. Jay worked most of the California end, and grew tired of the TRANCON, and when in Schaumburg bid the night job working the Emporia Cut-off (NR JCT) to La Junta,CO (Las Animas JCT) and the associated, branch lines. There was a safety valve on the Newton Sub, that they could re route as needed off the Transcon via Newton,KS. So HOT intermodals could “visit”, coming into or off of Mulvane,KS and back on to the TRANSCON at NR JCT.

We became close. when he found out I played. I told Jay, I was an beer league’r, my skills were very mediocre. I played defense, and helped protect the goalie. He said I always liked defenseman. Back to the story.

AMTRAK 3 and 4:

Amtrak comes off at NR JCT and proceeds via the La Junta sub to Las Amimas JCT, and then into the control of the Central Region Chief via the Raton ( old 2nd sub) Las Vegas (old 3rd sub) and the Glorieta (old 4th sub). Confused? Get That Timetable out!!

Amtrak 3 eastbound is late. The “wire” off the printer from the Amtrak Director says : Amtrak 3 is 45 minutes behind schedule. Time can be made up to complete these sections. Please make sure all available means are employed to meet our requirements.

Amtrak was laid out due to problems on the Transcon, coming into the cut off at Rio Puerco, into Albuquerque. There are slow orders on the La Junta sub as well.

Dave is watching the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatching), to see Amtraks progress over the La Junta Sub.

Jay is being Jay, we get quotes from Star Trek, quotes from the movie Slapshot, and he does a damn good impersonation of Jabba the Hutt.

The Jabba mutter: “HOHOHOHOHO. Eschuta Amtrak en Dodge City!! HOHOHOHOH. A bunch of nonsense speak.

Dave needs an update to inform the Amtrak director. “Hey Jabba, I hate to break in on your fun, but How is Amtrak doing and time into Newton?”

Jay stands up from the pod, slams his head set off. An in the high pitched voice, mocking Duane Batchman , the Wynoka sub dispatcher, says.. “Goddamn it Dave!! I am a train dispatcher not a fucking prophet!!” “Well I need some times” Jay now is somber, “He’ll be 12 minutes late into Newton, and I have him lined all the way to NR JCT, I’ll hand off to the Emporia Dispatcher and let him know when he leaves Newton”. “Thanks”. LOL we get a good laugh. Nights, ya we goofed around, but business was always done and completed.

Another reader Larry…He dispatched at the SOC and the NOC, before retiring. He knows the cast of characters as well.

Last updated March 19, 2015