Leo,
I don't know how it was then in Chicago, but even today, crews regularly operate on the trackage of other railroads, both for interchange and road operation. To the best of my knowledge, they don't take specific tests for other RRs' rules, but they are required to know the other RR's rules and to follow them when operating on "foreign" trackage. My son works as an engineer on the U.P. out of KC and he regularly operates U.P. trains on other RRs, both yard and road, including BNSF, KCS and the KC Terminal. Many southbound U.P. trains leave KC on BNSF tracks to Paola, KS and all trains operating past Union Station, are on KC Terminal trackage. When operating on another RR, that RR's rules apply and the crews must know those rules. However, when he takes a rules test, they are U.P. rules.
I am sure that the same applied and still applies in Chicago. It might be a little easier, today, with a few less RRs, but a transfer across Chicago probably involves operation on several different RRs' rails. On each RR, they must know the rules that apply, but I am not aware that crews were ever required to take a test specifically on another RR's rules. In addition, they also have to be able to pick up that RR's radio signals and communicate with their personnel.
Bill Barber Gravois Mills, MO Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:40 pm (PDT) . Posted by:Every operating employee working in/out of Chicago Union Station was
required to pass its' book of rules and remain qualified to work on their
property in addition to his home roads rules.
Did all the many crews working in transfer service have to be qualified
and re-examined on the various roads they could be called to run across ?
Imagine an extra board engineman or switchman who from day to day might work
on any number of freight transfers or at 14th st and run over to another
road/station to get mail or express cars. Did they also then need to be
qualified on the other stations book of rules ? Seems one would be in rules
classes a lot of the time.
Anybody have any insight into how this worked ?
This came to mind after looking at a photo of Bill Shoeners dad in the cab
of # 540 the other night. I know strange minds....................
Leo Phillipp
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