Ed Carver .... in Tales of the Jointed Track in Tales of the Jointed Track

When you worked with Ed, who knows what type of Ed, you were getting.

This is 1974, and I am close to getting into the training program. Right now, I am a “fireman”, by craft, I might be asked to run, or not. I was learning the trade as an engineer. Keep ‘em running, get over the road.

Ed was an old established engineer. Ed could be a good one, or a sloppy one. Ed also was a drunk. It was not, when I hired out, like it is now, and when I retired. It was a different era, was it right, no, not at all.

I was called with Ed, on train 78, out of C&S Rice yard, for 1230 AM. 78, was and could be a drag freight, coming out of Billings, MT and ending in Ft Worth, TX. It was filled, at Denver, to tonnage. This train today, was a little more special, it had five big six axles on it , and came in light tonnage. It was filled with extra Coors Beer cars, so it was a faux train 152, and it became “hot”. The BN wanted this to roll, and we had the power to do it.

I met Ed at the roundhouse, got the power, and headed toward it, after we signed in. Ed was in usual “Ed” regalia, Overalls, a white T-shirt, a light jacket, worn out socks that, draped down over worn out shoes. An odor of stale cigarettes, and other odors prevailed. The droopy bloodshot eyes, yep typical Ed. Ed was in good form, and that was good as long as he was sober.

We got on the train, doubled over, made the air test and ready to go. The yardmaster barked his okay, the operator lined us off the lead. The Conductor was out there with our train orders, and I went out on the step and picked them up. They rolled the train by, and knocked off handbrakes, as needed. The “Highball” was announced that they were aboard . We had a good run up the hill, 2 hours, 20 minutes, nothing unusual, down the grade, or over the flats, south of Colorado Springs. We arrived in Pueblo, about 615 AM. We were lined in the yard, down into Yard 11. The C&S crew took over, and they had a 15 car pick up before leaving town.

I caught a ride to up the yard office and signed the sheet. The whole crew as staying here at the “old Downtown” motel. We went to our rooms , Ed headed for the Pioneer Tavern. It opened up at 700 am.
I was gonna eat breakfast, but I laid down, and thought okay, lets hit the bed . I slept for a good 9 hours.

The phone rang, it wasn’t the crew caller, but someone asking if i wanted to eat. “Sure, gimme 15 minutes and I’ll go with ya”. We went to the China Lantern, roast pork and dressing..lol. The waitress old Bea, she was in rare cranky form, but did smile once, and only once. Steve, was the owner, he was Chinese, but his name wasn’t Steve. I always liked, when he counted the change back, tee, fo, figh, ten, twenty…thank you !!.

Side note.. I visited the China Lantern, about 6 years before I retired,in 2012. Bea was gone, and had passed, Steve we were told was in a “home” and not doing well health wise. I’m sure he has passed as well

I went back to the room. We were three times out, looked like 1030 or Midnight. We’ll get some Held Away From Home pay. Blood money. I watch a little TV, maybe a small nap, and the phone sounds off at 1115 PM.. ” Need ya for 151 at 1245 am”.

I took the call, got ready, and went to the lobby. I met the train crew there, and in staggers Ed, fresh from the Pioneer Tavern. The Conductor is pissed, and Ed never went to his room. He spent the whole time at the Pioneer.

We get to the yard office, Ed is spouting off, loud and obnoxious, in the parking lot. The Conductor grabs, the head brakeman, Ray Hill ( Finnish descent ) and says “Place this stupid ass in the locker room and keep him there, till this train shows up”.

I sign us in, and the Conductor says, “Hey Kid, can you get this into town”? I told him I could. I wasn’t going to guarantee the smoothness of the ride, but I would do my best. He told me, “Screw the ride, get it over the road”. I had run off and on, for 3 months, so I had the basics and what to do.

Train 151, comes up the main and stops, usually we change on the fly at 2 mph, but old “Luke” Smith is running. Luke isn’t gonna change on the run. His teeth weren’t in, and says “Gahd damm, good ting he idnt ruun tis F’in train. Dere all on line, ith a gud hand’ler”. We load our grips and pour, Ed into the fireman’s seat.

I call the rear end, “here’s the release”. “Brakes releasing, rolling”. I slowly stretched out the slack, and got them to 10 mph. “Under 4th Street, about 15 cars”. I have the throttle in 1 position, stalling the train to about 2 to 5 mph. The C&S crew hops off, our rear end get on, and I get “HIGHBALL we’re on.

I keep the train around 15 to 20 mph, till the caboose rounds the 20 mph curve at Canon City Jct. ( pronounced Canyon City). The signal is green at 29th Street, we are about a quarter of a mile, from the crossing. The crossing gates start to wink, as the arms are dropping down, I blow for the crossing, and start throttling them up. At 29th Street, we’re already making 42 mph, and top Bragdon Hill, at 53 mph.

The rear end, tells us we’re through the 40 mph Crossover and all on the northbound mainline. I widen on ‘em, and we’re making track speed across the flats. We’re around 60 mph, and we are still,a double track railroad, between Bragdon and South Denver. Ed sort of perks up and says, “Stop in the Springs and get some Coffee”. Yeah “okay Ed”. Lol yeah right. He dopes off again, good, shut up.

We top Palmer Lake summit, about 2 hrs and 30 minutes, after we left Pueblo yard. Ed wakes a little…“Don’t stop at the ‘Springs”. Yeah Ed, we didn’t. We call the Rice Yard Operator, at Littleton, 55 minutes later. We call the yardmaster at Dartmouth Avenue, and report the cars being brought in. “Down the inbound, Hi-one, Gas one, talk to the east end for the Double over”.

I call the rear end with the arrival time at 8th Avenue, and we start yarding the train. Ed comes alive, barking this barking that, he’s sobering up and being the usual asshole. Ray, reads him the riot act, and says “STFU”, till we’re at the Roundhouse. Ed mumbles but keeps quiet.

We call the east end yardmaster,and get our double over track. The west end tells us when we clear. Ray hops off, makes the cut, and we shove into 16 track. The power is cut away and we take them to the house. Old 14 track at the roundhouse is open and clear. We park the power, make sure the brake valve is in full service and the independent applied. I tie a handbrake, and head for the yard office.

I give the departure and arrival times to Ed. He fills out the time slip, and says put yer god damned name and number on this and turn it in. He barks at the crew caller and storms off home. He was and could be an ass hole. I check my information, and place the slip in the box. I check with the caller, and find out where I stand. I was told and with the remark of “I guess that was a pleasant trip”. Well it was til the fucker woke up.