The "mentor" Troubleshooters job how it got started in Tales of the Jointed Track

The railroad had decided to operate a "Loop" operation. Coal loads, one way in to Texas, and the empty trains back another. The only log jam, was the single track between Palmer Lake and Crews.

Crews, is a station about 10 to 12 miles south of Colorado Springs. Palmer Lake was the northern start.. 52 miles, on the grade south of Denver. Denver Terminal, could present problems as well, but BNSF 31st Street has been dysfunctional, for at least 35 of my 40 years railroading.

The loaded trains, would take the old Santa Fe track at Pueblo. You basically ran from Denver to La Junta, Colorado, roughly 186 miles. You rarely made La Junta, before hours of service overtook you. So they, were, "dog catching", with relief crews. You were then transported 86 miles to Trinidad, Colorado, on a treacherous road State Highway 350. After getting rest, you worked your way up call, and took the next train back. From Trinidad, you ran back on the C&S / BN trackage, to Pueblo, and met up with the "Joint-Line". There, you took it into Denver, 251 miles running.

Not that I couldn't or was unable to perform, this run, I didn't want to be on duty for this. Trips were and still are brutal, a "Kevorkian Pool" I called it. I went to a local, that "was a preferred" job, and I held the seniority. What was not to like ? Monday thru Friday.. Off Saturday and Sunday. 800 AM til 500 PM at the worst. They paid you a basic day for Saturday, because the industries shut down. Yes, there were times, they called us in to work Saturday. WE SHOWED UP...period...plus we got the full 158 miles pay...

There were failures on the hill left and right, crew would go dead on the hours of service limitations. They ate up a crew base, like drunks at a free tequila bar.

So enter the " Mentor" program. These were troubleshooters. They can arrive on scene at a reasonable time, diagnose and correct the problem. Get the train rolling. Save time from the Conductor or the Engineer walking back to the DP consist.

Some times this worked great, sometimes, well it didn't. and it truly depended on the failure. But as the program got rolling, and the NOC Chief Dispatchers and train dispatchers, started to trust, and it became a success. Division Management and the NOC Senior Management, started seeing that the costs were far out weighing the failures expeditures. The operations cost was swaying back into the Railroads favor.

Also ,the Mentors had to be promoted Locomotive Engineers out of craft. So , if a failure was data radio or air brake, we could run the DP consist, take it to a siding, until replacements could be set out, but opening up the mainline.

I will try to relate somethings that I remember and stand out. This will be continued