Entries 462

Page 9 of 19

This might have been an open diary story, so my apologies. I followed this crew into town. George Arnold was the Conductor. We were both called on Coal empties out of Pueblo, CO. Was a typi...

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We got into Pueblo about 1030 pm and it looked like out on our rest. Nothing is really open this late. I had eaten before I reported at Denver. Leuthey’s Kitchen, Swiss food, great portions,...

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Virginia and the lost car on the Extra North: We were called for a extra drag north out of Pueblo. Was a bunch of BN power, and a rag tag bunch of cars as trailing tonnage. This is still the e...

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Virginia was your typical “Old School” Train order Operator. She was that way till she retired, in Pueblo, CO. When there were train order stations at Sedalia, Orsa, Castle Rock, Palmer Lake, ...

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I got up at 530 am. Cup of coffee, and logged into the mainframe from home. I look in TRNBRO, for an inbound look coming into Denver from the south. What is called or going to be called South. Wh...

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It is a warm December day in La junta about 530 pm. It is near 65-70 degrees. When we tie up art Big Lift, it will be in the low to mid 30’s. Southeastern Colorado vs Central front range Colorado...

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I got called for a Comanche coal train at Denver. 130 cars 16, 800 tons..five motors on the head end. We will have a helper and on it goes. “Santa Fe’s he’s coming by 38th Street”. We’re out ther...

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It is cold and the snow is coming down. I am inbound with a coal empty, and I have a chance to make this game. I am a season ticket holder, I have them with me. The Rockies in the late “70’s...

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We are all Santa Fe here..I worked with most of these guys,either entirely during my career, or at least 25 years of it. Well here we are one is 73 a couple in the late 60’s and us “new” kid...

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A reader and I have talked about Minor league baseball. I grew up with the Denver Bears. This was way before the Colorado Rockies got MLB into town. The Iowa Oaks and the Omaha Royals were a ...

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Okay a disclaimer !! Before reading this, this bar was near the Roundhouse. It was at one time a workingman’s drinking establishment. It fell on hard times, and as the LODO ( Lower Downtown ) ...

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Although class lights are not used in modern railroading, they once served a purpose. In the days of train orders and first and second class trains, these were essential. The identification of ...

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There are major inspections, that are not only a railroad maintained requirement, but a Federal Requirement. One of these is the 3 year air. You basically remove and change out all the air brak...

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I am in Ft Worth now. July 1997 thru November 1st 2001. They (BNSF) did an reorientation of the Santa Fe and the BN, as they tried to streamline and make the power desks more efficient. Yes som...

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Working on the Joint-Line, we got whatever the BN or C&S would make up for power. The U-25 and U-28-C’s, were a one of a kind locomotive. There were a standard U-25 or U-28 with a six axl...

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I got called again with Frank for a Coal Load for the Comanche Power Plant in Pueblo, CO. It was a late evening run, and I think our call time was for 1000 or 1030 pm. Like the grain extra’s, a B...

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The Railroad would perform efficiency tests from time to time. They were unannounced. This was per the Companies policy and also the FRA (Federal railroad Administration). These were made to e...

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I was running as a promoted engineer. I caught a grain extra, due to no rested engineers. I am in the seat, lol, was that good for me!! :) Yeah!! Young n dumb, but I have always liked runnin...

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This is an introduction, so the blog/journal is not so long.. The Rock Island was always a railroad that sparked my interest. Denver was the terminus. Colorado Springs as well, as a southern o...

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In my 40 years of railroading, I have been called all hours of the day and night. Working the road, you were subject for call anytime after you were legally rested for call. You could update with...

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That was a story from Van Hargrove, a Cajun I worked with. This occurred in Temple, TX. Sometimes yer Co-workers whether trainman, switchman or engineers, could be horses-asses. The grit in the...

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You never knew when the Beet extras would start coming in. There was a sugar factory in Johnstown, Co and in Loveland / Longmont area. The Rock Island would bring them in with a rag tag consists...

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John worked the day shift. I believe the 630 am or 700 am goat, and I don’t remember if it was the west end or east end, or an outside yard job. We had the goats all lined up and ready for depa...

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John was another man that fired for a while. When the Powder River Basin and grain traffic started flowing in hard and heavy, he got a running turn. John was a real nice guy off the job, but a r...

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I am called for a 1100 pm helper. I get to the 23rd Street roundhouse and look for the foreman. Roger Bell, is the foreman for the second shift. They are getting slammed now, because power fr...

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