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Re: [CBQ] Yard foreman(yard conductor) vs Conductor,an inside view

To: "CBQ@yahoogroups.com" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Yard foreman(yard conductor) vs Conductor,an inside view
From: "'Carroll, Ed' ed.carroll@heartland.edu [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2016 16:46:44 +0000
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Thread-topic: [CBQ] Yard foreman(yard conductor) vs Conductor,an inside view


Hello Leo,


What, if any, was the relationship between an Assistant Superintendent in some place like Clyde Yards and Conductors in the yards?  I remember my father was an Assistant Superintendent in Clyde Yards in the early 1950s. He was in charge of some big expansion construction project and replacement of switches of something. I wish I could remember. He was apparently the youngest asst. sup. in the history of the road because he was underage when a neighbor signed him on as a flagman in January 1944 and he became a foreman in early 1945.


I remember him talking about a couple of conductors at Clyde Yards, but I don't remember anything about what he had to say. In late 1955 they moved him to LaCrosse for a project and told him he would be a Superintendent, but then they decided that they were folding that subdivision into another one. He went to Galesburg for a while and then to be back home he returned to running the section crew out of Ottawa and being in charge of section and extra gangs replacing the old rail with the welded rail between Sandwich and Galesburg.


So what, if anything, would have taken place between him and conductors in any of those positions?


Ed






Edward V. Carroll
Distinguished Professor of History
Heartland Community College
1500 West Raab Road
Normal IL 61761

309.268.8582

ed.carroll@heartland.edu 
_____________________

Understanding the past requires pretending that you don't know the present.
Paul Fussell

From: CBQ@yahoogroups.com <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> on behalf of qutlx1@aol.com [CBQ] <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2016 6:39 PM
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CBQ] Yard foreman(yard conductor) vs Conductor,an inside view
 
 

Don't ask me why this subject popped into my head. Somethings can't be explained but I thought the group would enjoy. Not trying to start an argument about who was more important,but suspect my biases will show.

A yard foreman was a promoted helper. He could work as a foreman if his seniority entitled him to do so or as a helper anytime he wanted. Foremen were promoted by yard masters when they felt a man had enough experience and smarts to do the job of supervising the crew. Often this happened in a pinch when a crew was needed or someone didn't show up. His responsibility encompassed the yard and yard limits on the mains and branches that yard crews could work within. No exam was required to become a yard foreman.

A Conductor on the other hand, had to be employed in train service as a brakeman, for a minimum of two years, the prior 90 days in road freight service and pass an extensive book of rules test on signal aspects,train orders, train rights,safety rules,etc. when your you notice to attend the test you had a set period of time to study. If you failed the test you remained a brakeman. You had two more opportunities to pass the test. If not you were a brakeman for ever. Many men chose to "Chuck their rights " and remain brakeman rather than starting over at the bottom of the seniority list as a Condr.

This meant they could hold a better job but could never work as a Condr. Many guys did this to stay on preferred passenger jobs or certain freight jobs. Problem was later on,as passenger jobs disappeared and these guys got older there were far fewer chose spots where to land.

On the other hand,if you took the test and passed you were now an examined Condr., this meant you were lower than low. You kept your brakemans seniority and your current run but whenever the extra board was exhausted your phone rang and you went or "chucked your rights". A guy who was my brakeman in the C&I pool lost his Condrs. Rights that way by refusing to go when called as a Condr. He had a law degree and had practiced as a lawyer.

So for a long time you got pulled from your nicer brakemans job and ended up working some less desirable night or far away from home job. You could be "forced" to the least wanted job on the division. That clause was a real downer if you were the youngest "examined,non working Condr ." On the division. So when I got my letter to attend the
Exam class I was pleased to note the large number of names below mine.
I was never in danger of being "forced" to some god foresaken job.

On the other hand my phone started ring at odd times when I didn't expect to be called for work. The real problem was most of time the entire regular crew had "laid off" so if you hadn't work the job before as a brakeman the crew was really lost(that's why the 2 year rule was in place).

Gradually you moved up the seniority list and ended up having brakeman twice your age under you,especially when working the Condrs. Extra list,filling in for the regular Con.

Leo




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Posted by: "Carroll, Ed" <Ed.Carroll@heartland.edu>



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