List,
On the Milwaukee, a brakeman had three chances to pass the Conductors exam. As
I recall, and recollections can get foggy, a brakeman could not take the exam
until three years of service or 1 million miles in service as brakeman.
Brakeman averaged about 500 miles a week, allow 50 weeks of work/year, makes
about 4 years. Those that took exam and passed jumped ahead in seniority as
Conductor,in relation to senior brakeman that either did not pass or elected
not to take exam. After third fail or non attempt, brakeman was forever a
brakeman until Fred took his and Cabooses position at the end of the train. At
that time all brakemen, including yard snakes, of which I was one, ( I passed
test in 1975 on first try), were given test, and no one failed, not a single
person. Now you have to be a Conductor to work in train service from day one
upon hiring out, and from what I hear from those still active, the newby's are
scary.
When passing the test, the passee, fell in seniority order, seniority districts
whithstanding, and on subsequent tests, prior rights brakemen fell behind all
that had passed test regardless of seniority district. To put it a bit more
clearly, Milwaukee Rd D&I (Chicago to Savanna Ill) was one seniority district,
the Chicago terminal another. In 1972, the districts were topped and bottomed,
so that the Chicago terminal was put under existing D&I men, and D&I district
was put under Chicago terminal men. Thereafter all hired could be force to
protect either district, although there was seldom any forcing. In 1975 the
Conductors exam was offered to Chicago terminal switchmen/brakemen for the
first time and the first time on the D & I since before 1972, 1970 I believe. A
number of switchmen accepted the offer, and some passed. A sizeable number of D
& I men did not choose to take exam, and remained as brakemen. This counts as a
test opportunity missed. On subsequent test, a number of D & I brakemen took
test and passed. They fell behind Chicago Term Conductors on the D & I
Conductors list, and Chicago term list.
Hope this explains a little, and does not muddy the air, so to speak
Ron Burkhard
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