Based on my experience of working every job on the old Aurora Div several
times (trainman/bkrmn,switchmen) the absolutely best job on the Division
was(were) the five extra collector jobs on suburban service(now eliminated
like so many others). These positions" worked" one to two cars on each job
they were assigned to.You started out of the Aurora depot or Hill yd and
worked east to C.U.S. and then laid over or flipped mty to Cong Park or
Downers and then worked east w/the same crew.A couple of the jobs didn't
"flip" but worked inbound,laid over and then worked west in mid day to
Downers or Western Springs,step off and work east again and then flip w/that
crew in p.m. rush home. If not this version then you worked east,laid over
and then worked west and flipped in the P.M. rush w/another crew.Either way
you didn't have to go to 14th st,didn't have to "try the air"(participate in
the walking of the train for brake operation)unless you felt like it,didn't
have to fill out federal registers,didn't work Sundays(only 2 or 3 Saturdays
a month depending on rotation),etc.Like I said the absolutely best jobs on
the division and I might add some of the best payers.Needless to say these
jobs were always held by the 5 oldest seniority "drones" on the division.They
all had summer vacations so you did your best to get on the passenger extra
board during those months.If you caught one of these on a Monday you were set
for the week! Nirvana!
Leo
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