Gordon Euell ...Engineer in Tales of the Jointed Track

How do I describe, Gordon Euell, unassuming, quiet, not braggadocios, and he could run an engine.

I was fortunate, when I could work with Gordon. If he trusted you, the words of trust was, “say ya wanna take her”.

Gordon was a man that could handle the grade, laugh, tell stories, seem not to pay attention and the speed recorder would never vary. Yes he was that good.

Gordon was patient, and he interjected as needed. As I gained more confidence, I knew he was a train handler with air brakes only. I wanted that knowledge, and maybe one day be able to pass that on as well.

Let’s do this,, try it this way, and a hard lesson I had to learn, “Don’t let the engines....BANG…run out”. Gosh, when that happened, I got totally deflated.

What am I talking about ? The engines running out?. When you are in a downgrade braking, with dynamic braking and air brakes ( for the train ), you bunch slack. As the train slows, you are coming to a stop, dynamic braking decays, and looses retarding forces as well. and the combined weight of the locomotives, will start to stretch out the slack, unless you get the independent brake valve under them, and keep the power bunched against the train. If not, they’ll drift, and pop the slack and, maybe you get away with it, maybe not. If not you’ll pop a knuckle…and you’ll be the goat for breaking the train in two.

“Don’t let the ....BANG…slack run out… Damn, I hated to hear those words. And like a stupid ass…I heard them, but I caught on.

Gordon had his air sets, where and how and how much to set. It works , and I’ll bet with technology, it will work to this day. Since when is everything perfect ??

Until, I retired, no matter, what I did…If I happened too do that…Those words… He made me a better engineer. He has passed, I have retired after 40 years. He was someone I always respected and tried to live up to and pattern my career.

I remember a work train with Gordon. We got called out of Pueblo, with a GP-38, 8 gondolas, and a Caboose. The train crew was ......... Conductor, Bob Flynn, was a squat gravely voiced man. He was a terrible railroader and lazy. Frank Patterson, a drunk, just back from a rule G violation. Frank was the rear brakeman, so it was worthless and even more worthless. EK “Earl” Jones was the head brakeman. He was the railroad Hippie…Long Long hair, but the guy was reliable, was a good hand and a good young rail overall. Unfortunately, Earl could’nt really stomach the railroad, the hours, etc. He went back to school, after he quit. never knew what happened to him. How he got on this turn I never knew… His fellow trainman, were no help at all.

We were called for a 0530 am call. The gondolas held switch frogs, ties, and the Signal masts and signal target heads, along with the CTC Bungalow and associated hardware. We were, to meet the section and the Track Supervisor there at Crews. This was going to be, where the single track was to end on the southern part, when the relocation was taking place .

We reported, got the engine assignment. The yard track, we were on was Yard 1, one of the shorter tracks in the yard. We got the train orders, from the Santa Fe..and from the Rio Grande for the return trip back to Pueblo.

We also had a track message:
” Upon arrival at Crews, stop short of the Fountain Gas crossing, wait for instructions from the Foreman in charge. Proceed when told to do so and unload the Company material. Arrange to set out Gondola Number’s in Kelker yard Track 4 and return as a Caboose Hop back to Pueblo”.

We got on the train. The carmen did the air test, got the “blessing’ to leave the yard, and called the Operator to have the DS, line us up. Gordon, handed the engine chores over to me, at the Fuel track. We left, and made time, across the flats to Crews siding.

On arrival at Crews, I stop. The radio crackles …“Hey Euell !! whats that fireman doing stopping here?” “Ya have a set of train orders”? “Yeah”, “well bring them up here!!? Conductor Flynn waddles up to the head end, and comes into the cab. “You have the message?” “Yes” … “then turn to the message”… Gordon reads the message to him. “Now you understand why he stopped here!!?” “Yes” “okay that is why we’re stopped”. Flynn waddles back to the Caboose.

We laugh… The section foreman calls, and is ready for us to start unloading … They have a boom truck and a small crane to unload all the material. We get cleared to proceed to Kelker, and set out the Gondolas in the yard .

We place them on Track 4 on the Santa Fe side of the yard. Old man Patterson, ties a handbrake. Gordon says calmly and in a dry tone…“That’s the most work, that man has done, in 20 years”!! And he was serious when he said it. We drop the Caboose into track 2, they ride it down with a handbrake. We take the unit and go down track 1. Since we have, a clearance card and a running order from the Rio Grande, we line the Southbound mainline…wait 5 minutes, and get on the main. The rear end lines the switch back and we proceed to Pueblo.