Ok Pete here goes. I dont claim to be an expert and I refer all to the
excellent explanation provided about a year ago here on the list by someone
other than me.
But here's my shortened explanation.
The "stepoff" referred to the practice at Aurora,IL of passenger train crew
members relieving their inbound (Eastbound)counterpart at the Aurora
platform.This saved the eastbound guy the 38 miles of working to C.U.S. and
then the deadhome home back to Aurora. All paperwork,timeslips,federal
register,etc all showed the assigned guy working to Chicago. The practice was
not sanctioned or acknowledged in any official negotiated work "schedule".It
was widely and clearly known(as I remember the crew caller would tell you who
your step off counterpart was and if his job was on time) to all and was
winked at by mgmt as long as nothing "happened".
So you were on the platform in uniform when your eastbound counterpart
stopped at Auora,he stepped off with the unloading passengers and you stepped
on.You performed his duties to and at Chicago.The next day he did the same
for you.
Each of you gained 2 to 3 hrs of home time each trip this way. Remember you
had to get to C.U.S. anyway to go to work on your own time and the Zephrys
were sure quicker than the dinkys.
As far as I recall engine crews did not utilize the step off. Yes,depending
on who was working the job(Aurora men or Galesburg based men) the whole train
crew could step off at Aurora or any part thereof. The most extreme case of
stepping off was done by Galesburg men who worked each others entire
Eastbound trips(Galesburg to Chgo) so as to make a round trip in a day
instead of one leg each day.The timeslips etc showed the man working each
day.
Per Petes comment there was a step off in other locations where the work zone
did not match the supply point. I seem to recall a step off at Galesburg
eastbound from Burlington,Ia(?)
Leo
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