In summer 1974 I got bumped off my dream job, the Earlville Turn. I had no idea
how I won the bids in the spring but I sure wasn't not going to place on it. I
enjoyed being home every night in my own bed and making a day and a halfs pay
each day.
That came to screeching halt in June when I was bumped. Too my surprise there
was a recession ongoing(could have fooled me after working 12 hours a day for 3
months). To my amazement my 15 months seniority wouldn't even hold a pool turn.
The extra list was only getting out about every 3rd day....... So I looked
around.
Somehow my 15 months seniority entitled me to hold days in the East yard at
Eola(for one whole shift ). Then I had to Bump to 4 o'clocks on The swing job.
Two days east yard,two days west yard and Saturday nights at Aurora.
So one of the first nights we pull the 5 or 7 something o'clock dinky up to the
depot from the hill yard via the incline(of course). So I go to cut the train
off from our engine and the pin lifter acts like its stuck on the E unit. The
foreman and other helper got a good laugh out of my efforts to open the
knuckle. They then showed me the lock lifter feature on all passenger equipment.
It was clear they would be glad if this road guy would go back where he came
from so one of their "snake" buddies could come back on the job. I did so in
August. But not before we worked in the Aurora division famous Alley a couple
times .
In the future the BRHS members can look forward to an article on the history
and day to day operations of the Alley Job. Very similar to Lumber District
jobs in the Windy City. Stay tuned as while its written; were still working on
visuals. Not exactly a job the railans searched out to photograph.
Leo
Sent from my iPad
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