Pueblo Yard mid '74 to '76 Part 3 I am on a Road Job in Tales of the Jointed Track

Okay, I never condoned this, I never was pulled for Rule G, which and still is substance abuse. It is what it is, we policed ourselves, and if ya had to ya bad ordered a crew.

Train 151 Pueblo,CO 0030 am on duty

Yes!!! 151, eight powered units and 30 cars. We’re told to stop at 29th street, and the switch crew will make a fill. Like 80 cars of a fill. These were pre tested, so a set and release will make us legal.

We reported at the yard office, the fireman ( student) and the head brakeman. No rear end crew. I grabbed the orders off the Operators shelf, took the head end copies, and checked the rear ends. The speaker bellows, “He’s at the south end of the yard, change out front. The switch crew will spot for the fill at Canon (Caynon) city Junction”. The instructions were repeated, still no rear end, okay this is not looking good. We make the crew change on the head end, and I get the count from the inbound C&S crew at the yard office, they are off. “Switch Job to 151 give us 10 to clear” “TEN” “151 stop, we’ll cut the caboose, then pull up to 29th Street” “Stop” They took the hack off, and into the class tracks for the fill. We took the remainder of the train to 29th Street.

The joint was made and we can here the air being cut in. “Switch Job, is cut off and clear” “Rodger, cut off and clear”. A van shows, to pick up the field man who just made the joint, and ready to rejoin his crew.

Yardmaster calls to see if we have made our set and release. I said “Nothing from the rear end”. Well after a time guess what no rear end crew, they showed 45 minutes later. Yep an pulled out of service, they were Rule G, big time. They called another train crew, and paid them all for the trip.

Well we’re pounding the pud so to speak. Billy and I break out a deck, for Gin. We have played a bunch, and the can door opens. Gene Curtis the asst Trainmaster, comes in. Okay we’re dead meat too, but we’re ready to roll, have been for the past 3 hours. He tells us what has transpired and we have a new rear end crew, our train orders are good to go. “Yes sir, we’re ready to go, Penny a point Dollar a game”. “another time”. Nothing was ever said. We made the set and release and left town. We walked the dog, even though the delay, 7 hours and 45 min on duty. Damn that could have been a killer trip…lol

That rear-end crew was out of service of 45 days, and on probation. Me retired 40 years of service Sept 2012..Billy he retired three months later 40 years too.