Jack Powell Hump Foreman 1130 pm Job.. Part 2 in Tales of the Jointed Track

I wrote about Jack, many entries past. We, us young ones, laughed at Jack, not to his face, because he had several bowling shirts, with “JACK” on ‘em. Jack bowled in several leagues, at the Mid-Town Shopping Center. Jack usually came to work, right from his league games.

The Mid-Town was the “BIG SUPER ULTIMATE” shopping center for Pueblo, at the time. There was a SEARS, and several other small town merchants. The Pueblo Mall, years afterward took it’s place. The Pueblo-Mall too, unfortunately has fallen on hard times. There was a small “Hallway” between the Sears and other shops. There was a stairway that lead to the “depths”, and the bowling alley was there. It was a 26 lane alley. During league times, it was always busy. The dumb ol rail, when younger, bowled during layover times, .... :) Not league, just did it.

Jack was an old school railroader. He was a switch man / switch foreman his whole career. If Jack did venture out of Pueblo Yard, he may have been a brakeman, from time to time, on the Pueblo Subdivision, during his earlier time on the railroad. Jack was abrasive, and let you know where you stood on no uncertain terms. I worked with Jack, maybe two or three times on the Hump, usually off the freight pool board. We interacted with Jack, after yarding trains in the inbound receiving Hump tracks, if we came in during the night.

To give a layout of the land, and I am trying to find photos, to no avail.
The CTC signal at North Pueblo, this is what we call 29th Street. There is three ways here:
1) Down the Main Line
2) Lined down the Highline, which you will get to the northern end of the Yard throat at 19th Street overpass. You will access, switch lined straight , yard 3 through yard 6. If you go down yard 3, there is another pair of switches, that will take you into yard 2 and yard 1. These are the smaller length tracks in Pueblo.
Again at 19th Street, line the switch, opposite, yard 7 through 11.
3) Into the Hump tracks.

Going into the hump tracks, you drop drastically, after going past 29th Street. This is a 3% drop, for 600 feet, welcome to railroad logistics. There is a switch, at the end of this drop, so be able to bring them to a stop, if the route is not right. This switch, will line you into Hump 3, or into Hump 2. If lined into Hump 2, further down about 800 feet, another switch off of Hump 2 takes you into Hump 1. I could get more detailed, with crossovers ect, but will lead to confusion.

You are told either at Johns-Manville, or at Highway 50, calling the yardmaster, for instructions, on how and where to yard. If yer a drag, yer humping. 78 or an extra 78, you’ll Yard 8 and the C&S will double to a pick up track. Train 152, down the main or Yard 11 to change out.

At the south end of the Hump tracks, there are switches that lead you over the hump crest. If you have to take the first set of retarders to Class 12, you have to be at 5 to 6 mph, over the retarders. The reason is the engine steps, hang a little lower, and they don’t want you clipping the retarder actuation cylinders. Plus, if the Retarder Operator, knows the engine crew..He’ll clamp ya, just to mess with ya..lol

Okay back to the story.

1950’s, and still looks the same during my time. The Hump shanty, where this was taken, and the retarder operators tower, were torn down in the early eighties. the signals are still there. Left to right Signal off of Hump 3 to the main. This also had an associated derail ans well. Middle signal.. Mainline down to South Pueblo. This will also line you into the yard via Class 22-23 . Where that boxcar is spotted,is an extension of Class 23. Place about 25 cars, and a RED-OVER-YELLOW, that’s where I got into trouble, and out of service for thirty days…Another entry, a while back. The far right, is the CTC signal coming in to the main off the Canon City (Spanish Canyon City) branch

The trains yard in the hump, to be broken down. They are sorted in the “CLASS” tracks. The lead jobs, are given what tracks to gather, by the yardmaster, via a track list or speakers in the yard. They will take those to the “Yard” side to make the trains North, East and South. They may shove high, and leave space for a southbound pick up for the C&S. Sorry, it is simple for me, because I did it for 40 years. I am trying to do my best to help you understand the operation.

Jack, and the bums in the box car midnight shift:

It is probably a late September, early October night. Cool, a light jacket, you can work the lead. You have gear if it gets colder. They are humping trains, and Jack barks out the instructions. “Cut three, cut six, hold, cut the next five. All at 3 to 5 mph, all is good. The move is stopped to allow the retarder operator to catch up and recharge the air for the retarders. He will get an alarm when air pressure, is too low to continue, plus there is a gauge he monitors as well.

The pin puller has a list as well. They will cut about six off. The first out car over the hump has the doors open. He shines his lantern in, and there are about 6 to 10 people riding in the car. It is the “migration”, southbound as the weather gets colder up north. “Hey, you guys need to get out of there, we’re humping, and this car is going to roll free”. Profanities, from the car, and they are standing their ground. “No really you’ll get hurt, ya need to bail off”. More profanities. Jim goes to the hump shanty, and tells Jack, that there are bums riding, and they won’t get out of the car.

Jack, the great diplomat, that he is, walks to the hump crest and shines his lantern in there. “You goddamned Sons a Bitches get out of this F’in car right now”!! Wow, that worked well. Profanities, and cat-calls, and Jack says, “I am not messing with you sons a bitches, either get out or I’ll make you leave”. Well, that went over good too. Jack vs the Sons a Bitches..lol. Jack is pissed and goes back to the Hump shanty. He calls Lou Beard, who is the Retarder Operator . “Lou..the next six go into Class 20. I have bums that won’t leave. We’ll cut this one off, and line it into Class 9, into those loaded ore cars. Then we’ll, take the remainders and send to Class 20. We’ll fish that one out later. Let it roll”.. LOL that’s all Lou needed. So here it goes, with the Sons a Bitches.

“Shove one for pin and stop!!” That was for the hump engineer. That allowed the pin to be lifted, and our group is now on the hump crest. It gathers speed, Lou doesn’t even touch the retarders. The second set, into Class One through Ten, Lou gives it a quick clamp and release. This is still, going about 7 to 10 mph. The target, 4800 tons of loaded red ore for the steel mill. They are tied down and skated, so they aren’t budging. Jack is out on the hump crest, probably with an evil sneer. KAAAABAMMMMM!!! That box car impacts about 11 mph. That is a really rough coupling and a resulting shock. The bums stagger out, and they are shaken as well. In Jack’s victorious triumph, like they heard him. Lantern raised and the “I TOLD YOU SONS A BITCHES”.

They continued to hump the trains till the shift ended.

A picture of the Pueblo Yard Office. It looks like this to this day. The Santa Fe / C&S is replaced with BNSF now.

Thanks for reading

Last updated August 07, 2015