Doug,
As far as hogger training you're describing the mid to late
70s. Prior to that a review of engineers seniority lists shows just the
opposite. A guy could spend a decade or two as a fireman before being set up to
loco engineer. He knew the job and the territory inside out by the time he got
to the right hand seat. (Did you know I told Dick Flaar "no thanks" on the
promotion to fireman ? Yup talk about 20/20 hindsight. I think he picked up the
phone and called you.)
No brag,just fact. Gene Barnes was standing there. I thought I
could hold better jobs quicker staying where I was. Little did I know the jobs
would be gone.................
Pretty much the same for brkmn to Condr. You and I went from
the left seat to the right in 3-4 years. Back in the day,again looking at
seniority lists it took one to two decades. I never forgot what Elmer Fick said
one night at Congress Park on the Congo standing in the yard.
We were an all extra crew as all the regular men had laid off.
Elmer simply said pay attention kid because someday your going to be in the same
spot on a job or this job with an all extra crew and wondering what the XXXX
goes where. It happened, in I think '77 going around the horn on the
wayfreight.
Like you, I'm not in the day operations any longer but from
what I'm told by those who are and what I read in the trade pubs(still in the
business) there has been a real culture change.
For example no getting on/off moving equipment, every single
person has a radio and a cell phone,no trying to catch a waycar going by at 5-6
MPH,. How did we do that with a grip in the dark,night after night ?! Many,many
other changes but on the other hand I'm told it is more military style than when
we were on the property. Probably why the UP is proud of being a ex-military
favored employer.
I didn't see one smile in any of the crew members coming and
going from the Best Western at last years annual meet. I was really struck by
that compared to what I remembered of the "fraternity".
Your posts sure bring back a lot of
memories
Leo