Art Phillips C&S 7th Street Relief Roundhouse Foreman in Tales of the Jointed Track

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 man. I do not know or remember what craft he came out of. Art was about late fifties early sixties. He was lazy, and did not communicate well. Art would mumble an inbound line up, and give a paper copy, for what cuts or adds were to be made or if the power went through.

The roundhouse area was basically, rails and ties covered in dirt. This was due to the 1965 flood, in Denver when the Platte overflowed, and inundated the lower downtown area. Now why walk, and tell us something, when you can get into your Cadillac and drive out to us.

First plan of attack Art would walk to the turntable area , remove his hard hat and wave it above his head, and try to whistle. Like we were gonna hear that, with idling locomotives, and were fixated on that area, on Art whenever he would give a “papal” appearance.

In Art’s mind, it was easier for you to stop your job, every time and walk to the office and back, for something that was not crucial or critical. It was something that popped into his mind. After a while, we made Art come to us.

We were working an outbound consist of 4 locomotives. They were the standard 6 axle configuration, of GE’s and EMD’s with about 12000 to 14,500 total horsepower hooked up in consist, depending on the model. I had a helper and he was working the tops, I was inspecting the bottoms. I had one laborer fueling the locomotives and I had the other cleaning and re supplying the cabs.

One of them came up and said just glance over to the office. There was the large imposing figure trying to whistle and waving his hard hat. Yeah he wants something, and it’s probably stupid, and we’re too busy, he can come down here and give us instructions. So after 3 minutes of futile waving…

Plan B came into effect. The Cadillac!!! The lights came on and Art drove to the pit lumbering over the rails, with the dust flying,

This wasn’t Art’s actual car…but this is the model. The precursor to the Super Star Destroyer..

“We need to make up a Sugar Beet extra NOW!!” “Okay Art right NOW!! when did they call it ?” “About 5 minutes ago, for 0230 am” ” Okay that’s about an hour and 15 minutes from now. What about 78 that’s on the pit? The crew is boarding the consist, and we still have about 10 15 minutes work. Give the word will let it sit. I’ll guarantee the train master will here talking to us”. He frumped, hemmed and hawed. “ART !!! give me the motors that are going out. We’ll track ‘em down and get it ready. Line up a laborer for the lead and have him work on that cab”.

Damn it Plasma Physics. 78 was finished and the flags pulled. The Santa Fe crew took it off the pit. We found the 4 SD-9’s, most were ready and just needed fuel and sand. We assembled the power, made the locomotive air brake test and called the west end for permission to foul the lead and get them fueled. Just as we came off the pit here comes Art again. “It’s ready”. “Yeah well they want them
lined up this way now”. “What !!, why did you give us the numbers lets us get them all hooked up and wait to that the last minute.” A shrug, no reply.

So we broke them up at the pit, there was a run around track so it took about another 20 minutes to break them up and place them back together again. The air test was made and we called the west end yardmaster to move them back on the ready track, because another 2 inbound consists had just stopped on shop 14 track.

The power was moved over and the handbrake set. The automatic and independents were left in full service position. One of the Laborers I could trust hostled the first consist over to the pit for service. We’re working the motors and here comes the Cadillac again.

“Yeah Art” …“Well that beet turn?” “Yeah”..”well they want it this way now” “What” “You know Art? This is now the third time we have switched this around”. “Ya know Art?, I don’t mean any disrespect and we’ll do it…again” “But you and the Power desk and the Chief DS and the train master better get it straightened this time”. “You’re all on for all the delay, since we’re stopping our work again, to play musical chairs with this beet turn. Also after we get this switched around for the third time, and get it hooked up and tested. If you come back out and say we need to switch it around again, you’ll be doing it yourself. I mean where is the planning and co-ordination on this Art?”. Well Art frumped, and hemmed, and hawed got beet red, storming off in the Cadillac.. We got it switched out for the third time. The trainmaster showed up and said, “Why is this beet turn not out…and 77’s power and the Extra South power”. I said…“Well why don’t you talk with Mr. Phillips, and ask why after we made up this power 3 times, someone keeps changing how they want this lined up?” ” What !!!” ” yeah What!!!, ” and we went back to our work. The trainmaster stormed off to the office. Well this shift neared completion. we got all our work done.. I carded off and was told “Go see M.I. Smith the general roundhouse foreman”.

I went into see M.I. “What went on last night? Why were these trains delayed?” “Did Art tell you what went on with the “Beet Turn?” and that after we made it up and switched out again 3 times per his insistence. And while everything fell behind?” “No he seemed concerned that the whole crew was angry and not co-operating”? “Okay you understand that we took the Beet turn apart 3 times and he waited till after we had it all back and air tested, only to change it again”.. “No I didn’t” “That was the major portion of this whole delay business” “Ya know Mr. Smith, I don’t care what needs to be done, but what bothers us is this” Art sits in the office and when he comes out. It’s a panic, a crisis, and stop everything. No plan, no thought, so what’s left is, it has us running around, doing multiple tasks, plus leaving other work uncompleted. Then to change the Beet turn around 3 times, because someone can’t make up their mind, that started the anger. It was out and out raw hiding of the crew and myself, and because I am now explaining, where he should have, because he is the supervisor”

Did Art tattle and take off, yeah he did the Boo Hoo and left. M.I. said he’d talk to Art tomorrow, and get to the bottom of this, and bring in the whole crew if needed.

So the next shift M.I. was there at 2330 pm, just before we came on. We all were called in, along with Art. Well Art didn’t have it together and hemmed and hawed, and was uncertain on who instructed the changes etc. Well we were told leave and GET TO WORK!!!!! The door closed and Art got his ass reamed pretty well.
Art was quite a bit better to work with after that. He still drove his car over the tracks, how it survived the time he was there I’ll never know. Who knew that a 68 ‘ Sedan de’Ville was a precursor to the 4X4 Escalade....lol Thanks for reading.