The worst performing hand brakes were the old end sill mounted ones on tanks
and flats where the catch was on the frame and as you turned the wheel the
catch would slip between the teeth of a gear at the frame. There was so much
slack between the wheel,handbrake chains and brake rod that you thought your
arms were going to fall off before the brake grabbed the wheels. One night I
was sitting at home between runs minding my own business when the phone rang.
It was Bob Tappan (crew caller) asking if I would call my brothers wife and
let her know my brother was injured at work?! As he didn't feel comfortable
making the call. After I picked myself up off the floor and questioned Bob as
to brothers condition and where he was I called my sister in law and advised
what I knew and passed on the word that it sounded serious w/severe injuries.
I arranged to pick her up and head for central Dupage Hospital in Winfield,IL
which was the closest hospital to General Mills in West Chicago where the
injury had occurred. Upon arriving we found Ron sitting in the emergency area
waiting room dragging on a cigarette. Once we resolved that the injury was
minor I had to know what had happened? Seems he was working the 9:00PM mail
and switching the old warehouse where the bulk commodities were spotted for
unloading. Now for those unfamiliar w/this location its downhill into the old
warehouse on a sharp curve and the practice was to leave one or 2 idle or
"respot" cars outside the double trk overhead door as idler cars as the
engine cannot enter the plant. They were just about done spotting the plant
and pulled out to cut off the idler cars and while RJ was putting the door
down a certain brkmn who is now a card dealer on the casino boat on the river
at Aurora cut the 2 tanks off '"on the fly" on the side of the hill. They
started to roll back toward the now lowered door as RJ walked up the hill. He
ran to the now leading car,climbed aboard and while trying desperately to
wind up all that slack in those old staff mounted brakes,watched helplessly
as the car "coupled" into the door and he went flying to the ground. Luckily
only bumps and bruises and the railroad paid General Mills door repair bill.
Leo
|