Radio Can Lock a Small tale in Tales of the Jointed Track

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.

You’ll laugh at this I worked as an engineer for the Santa Fe. I ran BN and Santa Fe Freights over the Joint-line. Radios.. How many BN radio communication sets were removed and not replaced? Many!! You could change them out, and Viola!!!, you had a working communication radio. BN locked them in. One day, I found a lock, was loose and it was locked and on the ground in the nose of a BN locomotive. I took it to a locksmith, I asked “Can you make a key for this?” ..”Yes”. “How much?”. “$20.00”, “It is a deal”. “Be ready in 5 days”. I made a trip, got the key and the lock back. I returned the lock, and locked it into a blank radio holder. Ya served me well. We always had a working communications radio. Bob prior rights Santa Fe/BNSF engineer retired

Side Note If we got into a jam, no working radio on the head end. The brakeman had a packset. Now, we turned it on every station to make sure, all is well. Work on line? I’d switch to another locomotive, so if it was third out in a consist of 5, just have to look out on the reverse movements. The caboose had a trainman’s valve, they could set the air from the back end. I’d notice on the gauge a drop of air pressure, we’d call in. It all worked out.
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Last updated June 02, 2021