Leo and list
Well I guess I'll make a morning of it...I threatened a few days ago to give
you a combination drone and flagging story and since you've put one on I'll
just do mine now.
It was the summer of 1958...I had just re hired out for my third summer on
the Q at Lincoln..This time the Wymore was hiring first so that's where I
went.
For my first trip I was called on a Sunday morning for No. 78 or 80..One of
these trains ran out of Lincoln in the morning and the other in the early
evening..I don't have my TT here so let's just go with No. 80 for sake of the
story. I think the call was for 10:30am...No. 80 is the through train
Lincoln to St. Joe...actually it' a through Billings-KC train, but anyhow
it's the closest there is to a hotshot on this line.
We had to usual power...AB plus SD9 plus AB...The engineer was "Tiny"
Darnell, the Conductor was "Dinger" Daigh and his flagman was Frank
Tebo..Frank was one of those old non promoted brakemen...Dinger was probably
in his 60's and Frank maybe even older...They were both pretty decrepit.
As we sat at the east end of the yard waiting for the carmen to finish the
air test, and reading the orders and a message which told us we had a car of
stock to set out at Humboldt (Between Table Rock and Napier), the dispatcher
called us on the radio..that was about as far the the radio would reach in
those days..From the depot to the yard...Tiny answered the radio.. We had a
meet with No. 61 at Humboldt as well as the car of stock to spot at the
chute. The DS said.."let me know right away if you have any trouble...I'll
need to change that meet with 61 if do...OK.
Well we got right out and moved along having no trouble...I really didn't
know the layout at Humboldt as I had only been over the line a couple of
times before...When we approache Table Rock the order board was clear, but
the operator was out with a hoop...I picked up the message which was a note
telling us that 61 was by Napier at XXX. Just a bit of helpful information
which operators would do on their own to keep things moving and everybody
informed...
A quick break here to describe the setup at Humboldt where we had the meet
with 61, we were to take siding, and the car of stock to set out....The track
is running straight west to east as you approach Humboldt...The east switch
of the siding, which is on the north side, is just west of the depot which is
also on the north side. The siding parallel's the main track which makes a
long curve to the south east of the depot...you can't see around the curve to
the east end of the siding....The stock track is about a quarter mile on east
of the depot,still on straight track, on the south side. The car of stock,
of course, was first out behind the motors. Keep in mind that we had no
right to the main track beyond the west siding switch under our. meet order
with No. 61. Tiny called me over to his side of the cab and said..now you're
not going to get any help from the rear end in setting out that car of stock
so here's what we'll do at Humboldt. I'll stop at the west switch, he'll
(indicating the fireman) drop off and cut behind the stock. We'll leave the
train at the west switch and run down to the stock track...When we get over
the stock track switch, you get off and "get your ass up the track with a
flag"....and we'll set that stock out and he'll(the fireman) will spot it and
we'll go back and get the train and head in.
Well that's all I remember him saying...Well we cut offf the train, and ran
down over the stock track switch...I got off with my flagging equipment and,
following Tiny's instructions hightailed it down the main track toward the
east siding switch which was around the curve and which I couldn't see from
where I got off.
As I trotted along the main track my mind was racing, thinking about what I
needed to do...If 61 shows up do I stop him right there or just give him a
slow sign or what...Tiny had given me no instructions other than to "get
my......flag"
Then I thought, well I've got to listen for the whistle signals to know when
he is in the clear..Here's what I'll hear...When he get back on the train and
is ready to head in the siding he'll call Frank (the rear brakeman) in with 4
longs...(Flagman return from West or North)...when he gets in the clear,
he'll call me in with 5 longs (Flagman return from East or south)...gosh I
think that's right I thought...
Anyhow I continued to walk all the way to the east switch...Now I though what
do I do..do I put down some torpedoes...Thinking of rule 108 (in case of
doubt.....) I walked a couple of carlengths east of the east switch I put
down two torpedoes and walked back to about where the clearance point would
be...and waited.
Pretty soon I heard the 4 longs calling in the rear flagman....I maintained a
watch to the west looking for the engine coming around the curve on the
siding...Soon I saw him coming around....No. 61 had not shown up yet....In a
few more minutes, I heard the 5 longs calling me in and indicating that our
rear end was in the siding...I walked back to where the torpedoes were and
picked them up....and returned to the switch, being careful to stand on the
side opposite the switch stand.
It wasn't but a few minutes until I saw 61's headlight showing...When he saw
our train in the siding with headlight dimmed he "picked em up again" and was
moving right along when he passed me at the east switch...After 61 cleared
the east end I lined up the switch for the siding and gave Tiny a come ahead,
and stood by the switch..
When he came by I climbed up into the cab.
As I entered the door, Tiny turned around and said to me...."That was a damn
good job of flaggin kid"....That compliment meant as much to me as any
compliment I've ever received and I've never forgotten it.
Well, my wife just came in and said..."well the boys are really at it
today"...so I guess that's a hint for me to get up and do a few things she
wants done.
Pete
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