Dennis Scheie Brakeman / Conductor in Tales of the Jointed Track

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 age. He had a fatal heart attack, while painting his house, on vacation. Who knew, I may have written a blurb about it, in prior writings. Here are a couple or more if I can think of them.

Dennis on the way to La Tronica’s restaurant in Minnequa, CO:

La Tronica’s is an old Pueblo institution. An old Pueblo Italian establishment. It is up near the steel mill in the Minnequa district part of Pueblo. When the blast furnaces were going, a smell of sulfur and other odors in the air. Was just Minnequa, hey you’re less than a mile from the mill.

Dennis has the yard car, that he shares with the other brakeman who is off.
We are nearing the Arkansas River bridge, where the road branches off eastward toward Blende, and Avondale, and toward Minnequa.

We are taking the branch toward Minnequa. We are behind a truck towing a horse trailer. There is a horse in it, the tail bounces and swings in the breeze. In pure dry Dennis style he states “Hey is that Pennington up ahead there?’‘ Lol.. That was for his Conductor Richard Pennington, who could be a horses ass.

A Coal Empty North winter 1981:

It’s been a cold and snowy early January and February. We got out on 12 hours rest, which was good, I needed some hard sleep, a good meal and ready to tackle the elements. The crew is Dennis Scheie, Conductor, Eddie Garcia Rear Brakeman and Rich Salamena Head Brakeman. Our train is in Yard 11, the caboose is walking distance from the yard office. We get our orders and are registered out. The crew van is waiting for the head end. I load up and the Dennis gets in. I said “What about the head brakeman?’‘ “Oh I decided to ride the head end, since I haven’t for five years”. “Right on works for me”. Little did I know.

We board the consist, and I check out the power. We get the okay to depart from the yardmaster. I call the rear end. “BN 5573 to the waycar, ready to pull if you are”. “Roger..Highball all on 85 lbs of air all released”. “Released here we go”. “5573 rolling”. “Rolling”. Later as we, get off the Highline and on the main, “5573 all on the mainline”. “Mainline here we go”.

At Bragdon, the rear end calls, “5573 through the cross-over and on the northbound mainline”. “Rodger, through the cross over”.

Sounds standard doesn’t it? It wasn’t. I found out later, that due to Monument Hill being closed due to snow and visibility, Dennis told the brakeman to stay in Pueblo. They drove a car to 29th St and Highballed us on the main. They drove out to Bragdon, and watched us through and gave the Highball. This is how I found out.

CTC Crews station beginning of CTC single track:

We made good time. Light snow and it is still bitter cold. We are called that we will meet two at Crews. We will fit between Mesa Road and the Crews CTC signal. The second train goes by. We will get the signal soon. No we won’t. “DS La Junta to BN 5573 North over”. “BN 5573”. “Cant get the switch to lock up. BN 5573 has authority to pass signal displaying stop, at Crews, taking switch on hand. Need the rear end to place switch back in power and line it for the southbound main movement”. Instructions were repeated.

I call the caboose. Dennis repeats the instructions. Now wait.. Dennis is here with me on the head end. It is now I am told, that he told the brakeman to stay in Pueblo. I am worried, we could get run off.

Dennis walks up and places the switch machine into “Hand”. I get a highball via lantern to proceed. Dennis will roll the train by, stop me and realign and place the switch into power. That was done and he’ll ride the caboose, till we clear the Widefield crossing. We will fit between Widefield and Security. “BN 5573 we have a few sticking brakes, I need to look those over. Give me a deep set”. Dennis is walking back up to the head end. The DS calls, and I relate that there are some cars sticking, give us 10 minutes and we’ll be on the way. Dennis gets to the head end and we take off. The DS is notified that we are on the move.

We meet two at Colorado Springs and take off for Denver. The Hot Box Detector at MP 60.4 sounds off “Rio Grande Detector MP 60.4 no alarms … repeat no alarms train speed 23 mph .. Detector out”. We are lined through to Palmer Lake.

The trip is non descript into Denver. We are told on arrival Coal 2, tie down, get in the crew van and tie up. Almost to the clear in Coal 2. “BN Bill clerk to 5573” “5573” “Yes your conductor did not turn in the waybills” “Yes he is on the head end this trip has them in his possession, will turn them in when we get to the yard office”. “Okay thanks BN waybill clerk out”. Dodged another one.

Who knew we were the first two man Conductor only crew that operates now.