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[BRHSlist] re: boarding flat cars

To: BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [BRHSlist] re: boarding flat cars
From: "Virginia Edgar" <vje68@hotmail.com>
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 10:21:02 -0500
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Memories are coming back now (it's been 15+ yrs) - we did prohibit boarding 
Trailer Train flats on C&NW but not conventional ones.  I only recall 
boarding a flat once while working Proviso during a BRAC strike.  This was 
one case where height was a disadvantage whereas boarding house cars was 
tougher on shorter men (& I keep using the male pronoun as all train service 
people at the time were men; ironic in a way as C&NW had a big push at the 
time for hiring minorities in train service but the thought of women working 
trains didn't even cross anyone's mind).  That said, men switching flat 
yards were generally in good shape as the constant running to switches, 
boarding and stepping down from cars AND hanging to the sides could be bone 
wearying especially with hot weather and long switch lists.  The romantic 
photos of guys hanging "off" the sides of box cars are just that - real 
rails held their bodies close to the side of the car to keep  more of the 
weight off their arms.  ABout the only time you would really stretch out was 
to see the engine on a curve (or the track ahead) or an occaisional 
'stretch'.  A big yard, or working a long passing track could mean some 
l-o-n-g rides.  Getting back to the flat, the other problem was there was 
nothing easy to hang on to while riding and standing atop a flat on rough 
track is not advisable.  And on rare occaisions that a flat had stakes in 
the pockets, they were a no-no as some could snap off (we lost an 
experienced switchman in St. Paul that way as the stake broke and he fell 
down a long steep hill hitting his head on a rock.  Best to ride a flat was 
to lean over some but the taller you are the tougher that is. Tank cars were 
indeed rougher than house cars but they varied a lot due to wide range of 
ages and construction style - I seem to recall an easier time with old 8,000 
gal UTLX's than big new ones.  In any case, even though a man might be 
tempted, especially with a long ride on a covered hopper to ride the end, 
that was forbidden as you would no longer be in sight of the engineer (in 
event of a fall OR the need to suddenly signal a stop).  I always recall one 
of my Sunday School teachers in Dubuque, a long-time Milwaukee switchman - 
never have known a man with a stronger grip and years later I learned why - 
yrs of boarding & riding cars, throwing (bending) switches and making hoses 
on cold days made for strong hands.   He was also catcher on a semi-pro 
softball team but then I've known a lot of brake & swtichmen who were pretty 
athletic.  And to bring things back to the Q, at Grand Crossing Shops (No. 
LaCrosse) the main pastime during beans for the shop forces was pitching 
horseshoes - for the oldtimers it was a question of when they DIDN'T make a 
ringer according to my grandfather & his friends!  (And for your modelers, 
the pit was on leeward side of a shop building with tie stubs for a 
backstop).   Gerald

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