August 1974 ... force assigned yard job Part 1 in Tales of the Jointed Track

I successfully passed my, Book of Rules, Air Brake, Mechanical, Simulator, the "check ride" with the Road Foreman Barney Steele. I was given the okay to mark up, where I could hold. I could be called, to operate as an engineer in the pool, or I could be force assigned, to protect a vacancy, that was not filled, or vacations.

I was told one August evening, by the crew caller, you're force assigned to Pueblo Yard. You are protecting Bill Davis' vacancy for three weeks, he is on vacation.

Okay, I am bumped, and " the cloud" of Pueblo yard, could hang over me for a long time. I knew this was part of the job. If I had to move to Pueblo, well so be it. Let's not go goofy, this isn't a crisis. It's three weeks. I was fortunate, I have a little more than 20 hours to prepare. I pack for at least 5 days, worth of clothes. These are 7 days per week jobs, at least on the engineer's side. The switchmen, had five day assignments. I figured, when we got an "early quit day", I'd make the trek back to Denver, do laundry, grab the mail, pay bills...

I head for Pueblo at 930 am, my first stop, the Downtown Motel. This is where the road crews laid over. This is where I laid over , and going to "really" be my home away from home. I talked to the "Head Desk Clerk" and told of my dilemma. This hotel bill is on the "KID", not the railroad. I knew that. I was told $125.00 per week, because I was a railroader.. wow great. We'll clean the room, once a week, change the sheets. No problem, and I'll let ya know when I get released. I wrote out a check for my first week's rent. " What room do you want?" ... I had my favorites, but I said the "pinkhouse, I'll take 138 its a good room".

The Pinkhouse, okay ..LOL I know WTF is that. This is a 50's early 60's motel. Is it really downtown, well sorta... not central, but it there..by 4 or 5 blocks. This had like a quasi 2 apartments, then 3 extra motel rooms. I think the apartment(s) were for the original people that owned the motel. It adjoined, the main motel..but it was separate from the noise etc. I place my "stuff' and eat lunch.

I then head to the yard office. I report to the day caller and say I am here, like Monte Shranz really cared. He was an asshole as well. I am about 30 minutes early. I told him, who is my crew? Wow, like I asked for a million dollars and his firstborn child. "Look at the crew board!!!" I told him, hey I don't work Pueblo yard I am force assigned. I got another condescending comment...And I bit back. I found out early, if you don't stand up for yourself, they'll walk all over you. I told him " go back to yer "fuckbooks", you hide in here, I'll go to the switchmen's locker room and find the crew".. I got another barrage, but later for this loser.

I get to the locker room, and find my crew. The Switch Foreman is Danny Maulin, Bill Bailey, pin puller, and Larry Pacheco, field man. I'll have these guys for 5 days, and a relief crew will fill in the 6th and 7th day. So begins the Odyssey.