Jack Powell Midnight Hump Foreman Pueblo Yard in Tales of the Jointed Track

When I hired out in December of 1973, into engine service, it was an eye opener. The old heads scrutinized, every move. You had to prove yourself, to them, PERIOD!! There was no political correctness, you either did the job and showed them, or you were doomed. The Division management didn't have to worry about, having to terminate you during this period, they already knew, through the workforce. I railroaded for forty years, so I guess I passed muster.

I was working as an engineer, I was set up, and doing a "round trip", then back to the Fireman's board. I'm first out, rested, and figure on train 151 back to Denver. It's due around 100 am, and its a RED BALL freight, hi priority and powered up. The phone rings at 1000 pm, its the caller. "Terry need you for the 2359 (1159 pm ) Hump job. You'll dead head home after completion of shift, back to Denver. I accepted the call, and yes they could do that, per agreement. Even the "old heads" fell victim to that.

I report about 1145 pm to the switch man's locker room. Jack is there, in his Bowling shirt...that has "JACK" embroidered on the pocket. Jack could be an asshole, yes literally, and he'd bite just to bite. He's talking to the switch crew, and says "Where in the hell is that Goddamned engineer!!!". I said, "I'm right here". He spins around and blurts out "Who the Fuck are you?" "I am your engineer". "god dammit, where they dig you up? Where is Brown did he mark off?". I said "Well I am off the engineers away from home pool board, I work out of Denver." "As for Kenny?, he must have, he didn't let me know". "Shit...you work this before?" "Yeah a few times". "Shit, well you do what your told!!!"

This is another pleasure cruise, a baptism under fire. We get the power, get permission to head up to the hump tracks. The Hump "crew" get dropped off at the hump shanty. Jack ( the foreman) and a pin puller.. The other switch man stays with me. We head up Hump 1, and crossover to Hump 2 , and head up toward Hump 3 switch. There is about 100 cars in Hump 3 and this will be our first task. We'll get the Hump 2 later. That is 47 cars of red ore, for the morning's Hill cut. I get a stop sign from the switch man. We are 30 cars from the end of the string of in Hump 3. He goes in and cuts the train line angle cock, closing it. He leaves the other open. This gives me the air, to help handle the cut as we switch off the hump. The retarder operator will line those free rolling cuts, into the proper tracks. The open end of the angle cock, will cause an emergency application, when they get close to the end. These cars are bled off, so they can switch out and roll on the hump. They will bleed the rest of the cut, and then switch those out as well.

We have our "special" radio channel..and so the humping of the train begins. It takes about an hour to switch this one out. 3 mph, they have the list, and cuts of one..maybe two, maybe five cars are released. The retarder tower operator lines them into the proper tracks. The south lead jobs will take them off, as needed and reassemble the blocks, to make up other trains.

We have a problem, and I am told to stop. Seems the retarder operator, placed a car(s) in the wrong track. We will fish them out all will be good. Jack is pissed, so what else is new? "I need you to come down easy and pick this off the retarder, it's going to the wrong track and hung up". "Okay" I get a car count, I still have a lot of heavy tonnage, plus my 30 "air" cars. "Go easy so we don't knock 'em off the retarder." The tower has captured one, so we need to couple soft, the clamp shoes has the car held by the wheel sets. We're getting close, I am a 1 mph, easy easy..I add a little more air and we stop. OH THE HORROR!!! "GOD DAMN I didn't tell ya ta STOP!!" Spare me Jack. We grab the offending car pull it back and resume our work.

We get on hump 2, 47 cars of red ore, There are handbrakes on the south end. I have all the air for the cut. We charge up the air brakes, make a set and the handbrakes are removed. I was told, you will not be able to handle this, so the retarder operator will help brake as well. The South lead job, is waiting on the south end of 12 track when were done. The air is released, and about 5600 tons of ore is ready to roll. I hold off as long as i can, make a set...a light blow, and increase the reduction to 10 lbs. They are starting to grab, I'm at 10 mph, and it still gaining. I feel a slack change, the retarder operator is clamping the cars as well, as they pass through the retarder bank. We are told to stop. The switch man cuts the angle cocks on both ends. The retarder operator has us still clamped. The South lead job, cuts in the air, charges the line and makes a set. We report cut off and clear. The tower man releases the retarder, and the south lead job is ready, to shove it into the yard side for the "Hill Cut".

We hump three more trains, during the shift. I tie up at 745 am, and get my bus ticket back to Denver. It is a 900 am Trailways. I sleep most of the way, call the crew caller in Denver on my arrival for a ride. I get picked up and get taken to the roundhouse. I tie up again, and place on the Fireman's board. Get rest and await the next call.