Virginia Pykiet Santa Fe Train Order Operator Pueblo,CO Part 1 in Tales of the Jointed Track

Virginia was your typical “Old School” Train order Operator. She was that way till she retired, in Pueblo, CO. When there were train order stations at Sedalia, Orsa, Castle Rock, Palmer Lake, Colorado Springs, Virginia filled those till her seniority allowed her to place.

I met Virginia, in my early fireman and engineer career. She usually worked the second trick, ( 1500 to 2300 ) out of Pueblo Yard. She worked with the Santa Fe dispatchers out of La Junta. That entailed to Joint-Line and the Pueblo sub. She worked with the “Then” Middle McCook DS on the BN to issue train orders from Walsenburg to Southern Jct and , Main 2. The Rio Grande DS for orders southbound on Main 1 Southern Jct to Walsenburg. There was a train order operator stationed at Walsenburg, BN/C&S/D&RGW (Rio Grande), who filled the territory, but Virginia or any other Santa Fe operator was a failsafe, if Middle Division McCook, needed help, or the Walsenburg station not open.

Virginia was late 50’s early 60’s and she retired in the late 70’s. She had jet black hair, wore it long, and the “REDDEST” lipstick you could get. I would bet a half’s wages she dyed it. She was a wonderful person to work with, but the Eagles song Witchy Woman, did not apply.. STOP IT!!! Virginia, had her quirks, but overall, beside that shrill voice on the radio, she was a good rail as well.

Virginia lived in Rye Colorado, about 40 minutes or so, southwest of Pueblo. She loved her collie dogs, and talked about them. I’ll relate some Virginia tales on the old Santa Fe.

Virginia and the Pueblo Subdivision crew eastbound:

Sometime in the mid to late 70’s, the Santa Fe said, everyone in the crew, will get a copy of the train orders and messages issued. This was issued via a General Order, till a new timetable and Special instructions was issued.

Enter the X-RNHNE-1 (Extra Pueblo-La Junta East) crew is leaving Pueblo, and is La Junta, CO bound. There are about 8 crews in the office, some south on the C&S to Trinidad, some northbound Joint-Line crews. Some are tying up, and there might be another Santa Fe east crew. It is busy. The operator had issued train orders and they are on the sill, that separates us, from the train order operator.

The X-RNHNE-1 left a copy behind. Okay, lots of things could have happened. Someone grabbed that copy, or it was inadvertently left on the desk. Someone said, HMMM that doesn’t belong to me. So it was placed on the sill. The Santa Fe extra has left town, and Virginia sees that “single copy” on the sill. It belongs to that Extra East.

Now to explain further, the rules state ” Each must have a Copy to whom addressed” Okay When you have C&E (Conductor/ Engineer) on the Clearance card and the orders… Well that covers the rule. Virginia is gonna ream ass over the radio.

In the shrill agitated Virginia voice… “Santa Fe Pueblo yard Operator to ATSF 3530 East..Over”. “3530 East, go ahead Virginia”. “Do you guys have all your train orders”? “Yep head end has a copy”.. “Rear end has a copy and Clearance card Number XXXX”. Okay, if the head end has one or both, or the rear end has one or both, they are covered. Well lets go into BEAT THE DEAD HORSE MODE. Virginia…“NO YOU DON’T I see a copy of one train order left on the sill”. Hey let’s broadcast this over the radio, the crew is still in compliance for the rule.

Well several people got on her for that, and said hey there was a time when the head end and the rear end just got the copy, they are covered. Virginia bristled, but, yeah one copy was left behind, so what. If each had a copy in their possession, the rule was fulfilled. Plus YOU DO NOT leave the terminal, without a copy of your train orders in possession.

Last updated June 19, 2015