Russ,As mentioned previously between 1/73 and 3/80 I only went thru the
handthrows twice,both when"dead on the hours of service".I never ever saw
anybody(except the west yd engine, when switching the paperboard or junk yd)
use the handthrows. Even in the late 60s and early 70s when hanging around
watching trains and "working" at the Eola rdhse as an unpaid Machinist
helper/hostler I saw jobs like the alley come up the main from Aurora to go
into the west yd instead of coming up the lead and then behind the tower(i've
got a photo or 2 of that move). The Aurora switch engine would come up the
lead to Farnsworth and then onto the mains.The Irish Mail always came and
went from the west yd via the mains(worked it several times). Leo
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