Sedalia Turn, Littleton Depot Southbound, 1975. in Tales of the Jointed Track in Tales of the Jointed Track

At this juncture, the Sedalia turn came, off the pool, both Train and Engine crews.
We are still Double track, South Denver to Bragdon, no CTC between Palmer Lake and Crews, All is still 251 ABS territory and under the Joint Line No.6 Timetable.

The call, Terry … Sedalia Turn 1000 am. I show up. The Crew is Conductor George Jacobsen, Jerry Bethurum, rear Brakeman, and an extra board brakeman, who I can’t recall at this time.

The head Brakeman, and I report to the 7th street roundhouse, grab the assigned Santa Fe motor, probably a GP-20 or GP-38, stolen from the 495 outbound train. It will be added back when we return. A call to the West-End Yardmaster, we grab cars and the Santa Fe caboose.

The train orders are delivered, for the trip Southbound, Rio Grande dispatched to Sedalia, for our trip. The Rio Grande dispatched south South Denver to Bragdon. The trip northbound, via the Santa Fe DS, Castle Rock to South Denver. These were our limits, the Santa Fe dispatched, Bragdon to South Denver. We’ll run around the train at Sedalia, shove up maybe a mile, and use the cross-over, line up and wait 5 minutes, and occupy the Northbound main.

Englewood Depot:

I was told to stop across from the Englewood depot ( Santa Fe Side). A 200 foot walk and get marching orders from the Station agent Meenk. LOL He used a scooter to supervise as needed, when we switched the northbound track lists, if any changes. We leave Englewood, have the running order. A clear signal at MP 8.3 says Highball!!

Littleton Depot:

Yard limits, and per rule, we’re on Clear ( green) signals. It is 25 mph thru here, due to timetable rule. The order board is down. I am doing that with 4 cars, and as I blow for Littleton Blvd, The train order board goes RED!!

Okay we have Littleton Blvd, both ways, and Prince street tied up. I full serviced the brake valve and throttle down. George “Jake”, says “Did ya hit some one kid” “No, the Littleton Order board went RED in our face”.

Jerry bails off, and flags behind. Okay we are in Yard Limit Rules, and this is proper. “Shove back, until the gates go up, and wait for instructions”. Repeated and we shove back to clear the circuits. George bails off at the depot.

The gates go up, calm is for the populace at Littleton. Jerry still flags, per rule. George calls, “We are all on, proceed to Sedalia”. While running around the train, I found out what occiurred.

George “Jake”, is no non-sense period. This is an old style rail. His dad was a Conductor on the Joint-Line and, he follows in that realm. Being an Engineer, and a new runner, well, you know where I rank.

He says to me, while running around the train at Sedalia, ” That Damn Rio Grande Station agent, tossed that order board in our face, only because he wanted to be sure we talked to the Englewood agent for our work!!! I ripped his ass, because he had no business, in the Santa Fe’s business, unless we were northbound, and something changed!!!”. Well, I bet he ripped that agent a new one.

We ran around the train, crossed over,and did our work. A call to the Rice yard operator, a line up. The West-End Yardmaster was called, and instructions were issued. Power to 7th Street, tie up. You Joint-Liners can relate..