Re: [CBQ] Re: Student Trips

["William Jackson macon249@yahoo.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

Hi, Mike hope the retirement is going good. The foot latch has got about 
everyone at one time or another. Most of those was taken off, as you know with 
CTC electric lock.
That was the way, with most rail lines, it was "keep your head down, and back 
bent' that's what I heard my first day on the tie gang. Was not much different, 
in other departments.
Does Edgemont still glow at night, just kidding. send me some photo's of your 
RR when you get the chance, still got the ones from before, looks neat. Guess 
the snow plow is put up now. Running full steam.
Bill Jackson

Sent from my iPad

> On May 21, 2014, at 1:08 PM, "mdecker@gwtc.net [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> I got done with Brakeman class in Alliance in June, 1977, and Bob Deford, the 
> personnel guy and Glenn Saylor, the Supt., said I should go up to Edgemont.  
> They figured I'd get back into Engine Service faster in a smaller terminal.  
> When I got there, Jim Dickey, the Trainmaster was waiting for me.  He said: 
> "Are you that shortline guy from Wisconsin?"  "Yup"  "Ready to go to work?"  
> "Ya, but they said we'd have to make 5 student trips first."  "Tell those 
> guys in Alliance we haven't got time for that stuff up here.  You got your 
> book, keys and lamp?"  "Ya"  You know what you're doin' don't ya?"  "I guess 
> so."  "Well then go have Alice (Haave, the wife of Dick Haave, a friend off 
> the Rock, who was firin' there at the time) mark you up."  I went to work at 
> 4:05A the next day.  The only problem I had that first trip was when I got 
> down to throw the West switch at Upton to let us out onto the main.  I 'bout 
> broke my back trying to throw the switch, until Marty Wolf stepped out on the 
> nose and pointed over to the far side of the track.  I'd never seen a pedal 
> lock before, and all they showed us in class was how to "hand job" one of the 
> new dual control switches at the West end of the Alliance yard.
> 
>