Entries 399
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The end of Rice Yard, and Track 17 in Tales of the Jointed Track
The west end and the train order operator on the C&S is the only bastion left out of Rice Yard. The East end is closed, and there are few operable tracks left. The City and County of Denver, ...
LISS and LMS Locomotive planning tools
Wow … During my early career in Locomotive Utilization, (The Power Desk) many things occurred. My early on was the Eastern Power desk, was hard, but my nemesis the Western power desk, became my ...
Basically how I started
Railroading my career from September 15th,1972 thru September 5th. 2012 This is my first attempt of writing down my thoughts. I have been asked or have been suggested that I do by my Co-workers o...
Trains ... blowing whistles a comment a memory
| desertoasis ⋅ January 06, 2015 I always smile when the train comes thru town, past the back of our church which houses our child care. As soon as the children hear the whistle blasts at the cro...
Storms....
My best and prayers to all that are suffering from Hurricane Ian. During my time on the rails, I’ve seen a lot of weather. No Hurricanes, although when I did power for the Santa Fe, I managed p...
The Santa Fe Park branch circa 1975 Now A Walking Trail
I wrote in April of 2017 about the “branch”. I walked it, finally about a week ago. We’ll start out at where the switch came into the Santa Fe Park Siding, and up to where it crossed the Highl...
IDP and DPU how this works
This is how this works . Some stuff is redacted, but you will get the overall gist on haw this all operates. Linking takes time, and unlinking as well. The terminal would get frustrated, beca...
Fresno Neal Bedstead
I worked with Neal, when I did a “stint” in crew planning. Neal ran the Fresno to Bakersfield pool. This is a primo pool . Get called to Bakersfield, tie up and jump on a train back. HORROR ...
Orsa in Mid-1970's and Now in 2021
I posted about the Larkspur bridge. There was a BN Taconite pellet train, going over. While I was looking for that picture, I stumbled on an Taconite train at Orsa. This was on a sunny Friday ...
Radio Can Lock a Small tale
What is a Can lock? You see them on Pop and vending machines, or on other applications. You see the lock face with a circular, entry way for the “Key” That is a can lock and key application. Y...
Screw Drivering...LOL yea it worked
What is “Screwdriving” the Independent brake valve? Well, if ya goof it up, or if they find out..You’ll get run off. Like Bridge braking, you’ll get fired for it. Okay if a rules violation, w...
Sedalia MP 24.2 "The Dog"
Your on a Coal load. The symbol, could be a myriad of what I ran. Four on the head end and 2 on the helper. Between MP 23 and MP 24.7, before the cut-over to Santa Fe MP’s near the Sedalia Cro...
Derailment, Tonnage coming in Train forces and Dynamics
I was asked, when walking out of Bible Study.. You work for the Railroad. Yes I did 40 years Retired. Asked about derailments etc. Yes it happens..Unfortunate, and hopefully, no HAZMAT involved. ...
Palmer Lake Snows
A weather warning, for tomorrow 10/23/2019.. Snow is coming, Wednesday…a weather warning. My wife will be in Tucson, for a conference. LOL!! Palmer Lake late 1970’s If you are on the extra...
Pisser Bill .. A related Railroad expirence, ex BN
I worked power with these guys in Ft Worth. Gary Schimdt, was a former Dispatcher, Assistant Chief with the old BN out of Laurel, Montana. I worked with Gary off an on in odd power rotation. He w...
The "Pink House" Claymar Motel Pueblo,CO
This is the Downtown Motel, then the Claymar. The railroad put us up there. This was and odd layout The left of the lobby was two floors then the building took a left hand turn. On the rig...
Runaway Cars, released from Colorado Springs, Vandalism Part Two
Who knows how these things occur. There was ore involved, maybe a bad order set out at Colorado Springs. Brought over to the Santa Fe, repaired and awaiting transfer back. There were two car...
Rain.... On the Rails
A cool and rainy night here in Colorado. Lightning , Thunder the whole deal. Late July - early August 2004: I got called south, off the extra board, to head for Pueblo. They are short crews,...
I was working the South Central power desk, after the merger in Ft Worth, TX. Let’s just call this person Dee. A male, a young management candidate. His first name was Demetrius, and Dee was the ...
Bragdon .. Bradgon siding the whole Thing
Okay, we are working a freight, LOL save me we are all freight. Loads south, Empties back. Or yer on a drag, a mish-mash of slough tonnage North or South. What is your call. Let’s see a f...
Conference calls. Santa Fe SOC 1994
Wow what can I write here ? The Conference calls, yes important, the confessions of sins and demands and needs are expressed. The terminals are saying this is what is projected, this is actual,...
Big Lift, circa 1980's "The Shepard's"
I am working the Big Lift Local, by choice. Long hours, but I am off the freight pool. My crew, TL Tim Bryant, Conductor, Steve Barto, brakeman, Billy Ray Bryant , brakeman. On duty at 800 AM...
Spring Station Agent Lodge Again 1975
Remember I had been released, from the Colorado Springs switcher. Also under the scrutiny, and watchful eye of Station Agent Lodge. Who knew we were to meet again. Summer 1975 Train 414: The 4...
Colorado Springs Switcher 1975.
There was once upon a time, at Colorado Springs. There was a separate Depot and yard for the Rio Grande on the southbound, and the Santa Fe on the northbound. This was Rule 251 territory, which w...
I took my son home yesterday, since he doesn’t drive. He lives in the old Harvey Park, Ruby Hill area in South Denver. So that means traversing the old Joint-Line on Highway 85 or South Santa Fe ...
Book Description
Tales of the Jointed Track
Railroading my career from September 15th,1972 thru September 5th. 2012
This is my first attempt of writing down my thoughts. I have been asked or have been suggested that I do by my Co-workers or others that know me. This will be about railroading throughout my career, first starting out in the Roundhouse and then changing railroads and going into engine service, which I finally retired from in September of 2012 forty years.
I hired out with the Burlington Northern in September of 1972. I was called by the General Roundhouse Foreman, one week before my hire date. “Do you still want this job”…”yes Sir” I told him. He said come down get physical papers , get that done see the clerk and you’ll be a Midnight Machinist helper. “Okay” I told him… I was working at a bakery for a major Grocery chain, in Denver at the time… also on midnights so not a big difference. I got up went to the Railroad physician and took my 5 minute physical. Returned to the shops and turned in the paperwork. “When can you start?”…I need to give notice and I will firm up with you. I gave my notice to the bakery and started a week later on nights ..
I introduced myself to the night Roundhouse Foreman.. Taylor Gregg....mid to late sixties …skinny as a rail…and always wore his hard hat cocked at at angle..and always started the night out at the coffee vending machine… ready to delegate the nights task. You’ll work with Sandy Ortiz .. we have a bunch of Goats that need Federal inspection and repair… ( a Goat is a slang term for a switch engine ) ..
I entered my midnight shift as a Machinist Helper, working with Sandy. He was Hispanic ..( didn’t care that he was ) and elderly, about early to mid sixties. He had terrible arthritis and shuffled when he walked… I always wondered why a man of his age, worked nights ? He had the seniority to work days, or really any shift he wanted. But as I continued to work for the railroad, there are those that prefer nights, Night Fighters they were called.
The Diesel shop had a Three stalls or tracks in the main shop… The old roundhouse stalls were west of that location but “did” join up… Line one was the running track for inbound inspection and minor maintained. After units were fueled, they came into line one, line one had another exit on the other end of the shop and the track extended out toward the depot. That track was the “Buck Main” that line one connected to. On line one units had cooling water added as needed, Lube oil, compressor oil, and someone went underneath and checked the Traction Motor suspension bearings for lubrication levels. Also the gear cases were looked at and “Crater Bags” were added as needed to provide lubrication to the gear cases. These were bags of heavy grease in a plastic casing that broke down after meshing with the pinion and spur gears. During the winter they were kept in a warm water bath to stay supple. I always said when these were hard you could kill someone with it…like a blackjack .. plus if they were like that they would jam the gearing and slide the wheels or drivers of the locomotive.
Line two was a run through track in the shop, and connected to line on about 300 feet west. this was an inspection maintenance , track…
Line three…well that where Amtrak had units that laid over and it was stubbed.. Old early FP-7 FP-9 E-8 and E-9 a and B units… They were from all railroads, and the US government bought em… some were really trash…I’ll elaborate on that later : ) … We also performed general maintenance and certain Federal inspections as needed…If heavy repairs of a big inspection was needed they went to one of the older roundhouse stalls and remained till completed.
Sandy and I were assigned a SW12 switcher for completion. The second trick, ( afternoon shift ) did the diesel engine requirements and the electricians did their electrical cabinet, auxilliary generator and main generator work. We were to complete the bottom end… Brakeshoes, truck maintaince, suspension bearings, lube the cooling fan bearings..and check or replace cooling fan belts, air compressor, lube the center bowls ( where the trucks meet the carbody of the unit ) and change out and air brake or air equipment not done and and filters not changed out or replaced.
We finished off the inspection and started on another…after lunch that was completed as well and they were “carded off” and ready for service. Sandy had me do the heavy work, and I will always be greatfull because I learned and I still remember to this day, and it served me well when I went into engine service.
