Fireman training tales in Tales of the Jointed Track

I got a nice e-mail from a young man who was training to be an engineer, shortly after I came back running an engine. He sent note, this past Christmas 2015. He has since become a Road Foreman of Engines working the Cajon Pass. Tom is from the former Santa Fe, LA to San Bernardino. San Bernardino to Barstow, as a trainman. I liked Tom and he was like a sponge, he wanted to know and that’s all I needed. He talked about appreciation of my patience etc. Well, I had those with Frank Kasulas, Gordon Euell, Elvin Bethurum, Ray Redman ( the Chief) and Domonic Valenti. I’ll put Ernie Zumbrumn in there too, but due to blind luck I didn’t catch Ernie much.

Gordon Euell MP 44.1 reverse curves Northbound:

God Bless Gordon. He always said, when training, or if firing, “Hey want to take her?” YES throttle fever LOL. This was a train handler, a top notch engineer, and someone to emulate or glean knowledge from. Gordon told tales of times past, like I do too, but this venue wasn’t available. BUT!!!, don’t think that Gordon didn’t know what was going on.

MP 44.1 we hit two torpedoes, meaning an unannounced flag, about one mile and a quarter. Signals clear, BAMM BAMMM, we are under control, air, dynamic braking. ME!!! Clueless. Gordon walks calmly over and sets a little more air. “We’ll release at 20 mph, and it will drag us down. The flag should be at the old Larkspur crossing”. F!!! I am never gonna get this. Yeah I did . We stop and previous, acknowledge the flag, via whistle signals. Gordon called the Caboose that we hit two guns (torpedoes) and will be stopping close to MP 42.8, near the old Rio Grande Larkspur siding.

An example of an old “Torpedo” fastened to the rail. There will be another about 80 feet to 100 feet either side of how this photo was taken, depending on the flagging rule of the railroad involved. (Rule 99).

Fusees another staple of the flagging rule

Yes, there was a flag, but due to our release, we are at 10 mph and ready to stop. Gordon has me bring in the independents on the locomotives, keeping the slack bunched, and not allowing the tonnage of the locomotives to run out and tear the train in two. The stop was made, and the flagman boarded the units. An explanation was given, due to two “pop cars” delivering supplies and man power, to do routine track work, in a place that was hard to access, with other trucks and vehicles.

A Rio Grande Fairmount “Pop car”, without a small 4 wheel trailer(s).

Examples of the trailers. could hold ties ( old or new) transport tools. Span a few 50 foot rails as needed. Might have to make a few trips. That’s the way it was back then. It’s different now.

We saw the “Pop Cars” returning into the clear at the old Larkspur siding/house track. The foreman walked up to the flagman to release out train. We were asked if anyone else was close. We said as of this time, no one close, but update with the Santa Fe DS at La Junta. They were on the trackside call box, as we left. Being delayed in block, we still had to flag in, till the signal at 42.5 was passed. Also we were asked to blow the whistle as a warning to the section that was left around MP 41 to MP 40.

MP 41, we give the warning, all is in the clear and we blast through. Denver beckons about an hour away.