Don McDaniel Engineer / George Arnold Conductor and the Air Hose in Tales of the Jointed Track

This might have been an open diary story, so my apologies.

I followed this crew into town. George Arnold was the Conductor. We were both called on Coal empties out of Pueblo, CO. Was a typical trip nothing monumental, just a run back home. George had just returned from a six week vacation and Gall Bladder surgery. George overall was a nice guy, but had a cranky streak in him.

South Denver, CO Late 1978:

The empty, ahead of me, was calling the train order operator at Rice Yard. They would get the line up and the Rice yardmaster West end would let the trains know how to proceed or hold up. The train I was on, is on their block, and pacing, so not to tie up the towns we’re going through. It is coming on late afternoon, Gates Rubber Company is changing shifts, rush hour for Denver is beginning. Trains, well we are personna non grata.

The instructions are received, through the Depot, talk to 31st Street, and change crews . We are to follow watching out for train ahead. I am about 10 minutes behind them, and I have to obey the yard limits rule, because I am not on clear signals. This too, will allow them to get a little further ahead, and I can position myself and get in between crossings.

Darmouth Ave at MP 730.1 goes to a double yellow. I can fit here between Dartmouth and Evans. Nearing Evans, the intermediate near Louisiana Ave winks clear, we are lined through South Denver. I take the signal at South Denver, about 3/4 miles north of the Mississippi Ave crossing. The Caboose of the empty is about a quarter of a mile ahead, and I see it disappear around the curve. I’ll wait about 5 minutes after we clear Mississippi Avenue and ensure they are still rolling into Walnut Street and heading for the Depot. I will fit between Kalamath and 13th Avenue.

Suddenly over the radio, “Goddamnit Mac how the hell did you hit a car on I-25!!!!?” The coal empty ahead just went into an undesired emergency application. NO THEY DID NOT HIT ANY BODY ON I-25. One of the air hoses on the locomotive consist struck an abandoned tire laying between the rails. That in turn, parted the air hoses and vented the brakepipe. I am sure, even though it wasn’t Mac’s fault he roughed the rear end up as well. “Kid we’re in the Big Hole up here, make sure ya can stop clear of Santa Fe and Kalamath”. “We are stopping George thanks”. “Shoe we are clear of Mississippi by 10 cars off the circuit”. ” Roger all clear”.

The head brakeman on the empty ahead walks back, 5 units and re-mates the air hose. Calls the head end and rear end that the air is cut back in and walking back up. “Air is coming back up Mac”. “We have 80 lbs on the gauge give a quick set. Air set up here Mac, take off, when ready”. “Pulling, Operator, Rice Yard we are heading for the Depot again”. I call George .. “George lemme know when you go under 6th Avenue, and we’ll start up as well”. “Okay Kid. Rolling Mac”. George’s tone is a little curt, and I think Mac may have beaten them to death on the way down from Palmer Lake.

We are told that they are clear of 6th Ave and have the line up into the depot. On approach to 13th, the Rice yard Operator is called, and we are told to proceed to the depot. We follow them in and make our crew change as well.

George is still reaming Mac, in the Yard Office. “Kid he beat the living shit out of us all the way down to South Denver. He was rough after we started through the Depot. I had Gall Bladder surgery and still sore. Plus I was stupid and had a fish sandwich from McDonald’s as something to eat on the way up. What a mistake that was!!”.

Well George survived that trip.

Last updated June 21, 2015