Nostalgia & History > Santa Fe engineer & Fireman register books

Enjoyed looking at the Southern Pacific engineer's arrivals posted by OPRJPM last week. I got to thinking and digging, and discovered a short stack of these in my Santa Fe paper collectibles department. The first one is from the Engineer & Conductor register book at Concordia, KS from Sept 1975, until the end of train order operation in Dec. of 1982. (if everybody registered) The other page is from the register at the Emporia, KS depot, 1979 or '80. The sharp eyes will find at least one TO's member on each page. I found several more register books from Emporia in the early 60's, and they have quite a bit of passenger train data, I need to post those too I guess, sometime in the future.( And, after posting the above, I just noticed that the photos are flipped, the first one is from Emporia, the second is from Concordia).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/15 16:45 by ddg.

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Is that BLE local chairman Dick Lyon second out on the first page?

Chico43 Wrote:
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> Is that BLE local chairman Dick Lyon second out on
> the first page?

yes it is, he's retired to.
 

ddg Wrote:
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> Chico43 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
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> > Is that BLE local chairman Dick Lyon second out
> on
> > the first page?
>
> yes it is, he's retired to.

Dickie and I were on the general committee together. I also recognize Engineer Wheat but I don't remember his first name. 

That's pretty cool!  I'm looking forward to the vintage 60's register, especially if you have an engineer Barker for Emporia.

Bill.

skinem Wrote:
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> Bill.

Thanks..............

These are interesting, Dennis, Thanks for posting.  

Wouldn't it be a violation of the rules if the crew didn't register?  I can't believe they got
out of town without doing that.  Seems very odd.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

rantoul Wrote:
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> Can someone explain: When were register books
> used?  Were the books carried on the train to
> destination?  Page 1, why is there no information
> in column ‘Time Set to Depart’?

The register books were kept at locations where crews went on and off duty. Page 1 shows the arrival (switch) time in the extreme left column and the final tie up time under "time of arrival" for the engineers and firemen who worked first in - first out in the freight pool. This information was used by the crew clerks to mark the board properly and it was up to the employee to show if he was run around enroute for proper placement. The 'time of departure" would be on a duplicate facing page to the left not shown in the photo. Engineers entered their train symbol and on duty time on this page when reporting for work. This info was used to determine your standing at your distant terminal so that you could get some idea as to when you would be going to work there and on what provided the line up was anywhere close to accurate, which it usually isn't.

Page 2 is most likely a "check of trains" at a station where the conductor was required by rule to register the arrival of his train  where main track authority was conferred by timetable and train order. This info was used by employees on movements in the same or opposite direction to determine which superior trains had arrived and/or departed that station depending on their timetable and train order authority.  DDG can probably expand more on this particular instance.

Here are a few pages of the Emporia register from an infamous date in history, Nov. 22nd 1963, and the 23rd too.

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Chico43 Wrote:
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> skinem Wrote:
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> > Bill.
>
> Thanks....
You're welcome. Sorry to be so short (and I come by that naturally!)...was up way early,expected to be called and couldn't sleep. I've no doubt that you know the drill.Bill went on to be an RFE later on I believe, but he was still good to a green-know-nothing brakeman. And it was appreciated by your's truly.

skinem Wrote:
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> Chico43 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > skinem Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Bill.
> >
> > Thanks....
> You're welcome. Sorry to be so short (and I come
> by that naturally!)...was up way early,expected to
> be called and couldn't sleep. I've no doubt that
> you know the drill.Bill went on to be an RFE
> later on I believe, but he was still good to a
> green-know-nothing brakeman. And it was
> appreciated by your's truly.

Indeed I know the drill very well and I don't miss it at all. One of the best things I like about being retired is that I'm home every night in my own bed.

DDG - nice to see some old friends-
   Bob Foster
   "Fearless Phil" Tolbert
   and some kid named Garrett (lol,lol)

Thanks, Dennis

I was the 2nd Garrett on the roster, I usually signed "DD Garrett" on the resister. The other was an engineer named Bill Garrett, no relation.  I got out firing with him one trip, and we thought Garrett & Garrett was easy enough for the crew clerk, but next trip at in the middle of the night at Wellington, my door got knocked on instead of his because the new girl at the lodging didn't know which was which. After that I put my initials, and I notice he started signing "WJ Garrett" most of the time. He's still around Emporia, in his 90's. He had seniority back into the 1940's.