Nostalgia & History > Flagman's shanty 4th & Townsend San Francisco

These were a common sight around SP's Third & Townsend Station. This one was where Fourth St crossed in front of the station. A Trainmaster is about to back up to its train to be part of the afternoon fleet heading to San Jose. I would guess none of these were saved from being demolished. I took this shot in the late 1960's.

Robert Morris Photography

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Superb shot Bob, thanks for sharing this one!  Those Trainmasters sure had a unique sound.  Many good memories of them hustling through College Park.

Kent in CArmel Valley

LOL! Back in 1973, I think it was, during one of my occasional forays to 3rd & Townsend, when I wandered pass the watchman's shanty with my camera and hippie-length hair, some old badger stuck his head out and said, "Hey kid!" Me Yeah? Him: "Get a job!"

This episode, coupled with the many-years-earlier profanity of a drunken hostler who used to give me steam engine rides, gave me a fully-rounded understanding of railroading that became invaluable after I hired out.

Thanks Bob. Truly great photo!

EO

I see the sign says "....Daily 6 AM to 12 PM". To a working rail that would be only a 6 hour span but I suppose
to the public that meant an 18 hour span. Built in O.T. for someone?

Charlie

cewherry Wrote:
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> I see the sign says "....Daily 6 AM to 12 PM". To
> a working rail that would be only a 6 hour span
> but I suppose
> to the public that meant an 18 hour span. Built in
> O.T. for someone?
>
> Charlie

Well Charlie, since many of those old switch-tenders were ex switchmen missing, say, a leg, it seems reasonable that they should get at least twelve hours for having to use the remaining leg twice as much. And, if they were also missing one arm, that should be good for an additional six hours. The math works.

EO

Are there any TRAINMASTERS still running??

coach Wrote:
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> Are there any TRAINMASTERS still running??

An ex-CP T-M is still extant in a museum, but I believe that it is not operational. That's it.

EO

Good photo and thoughtful to have taken it. These little buildings were mostly taken for granted.
ALLEN

No, trainmasters don't run, just sit at a desk and bark orders. HA just kidding! I lived on the peninsula as a kid, and really miss the REAL trainmasters! :-)

coach Wrote:
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> Are there any TRAINMASTERS still running??

Do you mean the Train Master diesel electric locomotives manufactured by Fairbanks-Morris?    As stated above, Trainmasters usually sat at a desk.

I remember that old shanty. Haven't thought of it in decades! When my father and I went Commute-watching way back, if he knew the flagman, he'd stop and chew the fat for a minute or two. We always started out at 7th, to see if any of his apprentices were working (usually were) , and after shooting the breeze with them, we'd drive toward 3rd a bit. He used to like seeing the fleet rounding the corner at, what was it, 5th?  I was just a kid, so the flagmen all seemed a hundred years old, to me.

Thanks, Robert.

Walter



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/16 06:55 by drumwrencher.

Similar flagman's shanties existed and were manned at Stockton and Emory Streets in San Jose into the mid-1960s.

Stan Praisewater

Great that you included the shanty in your excellent photo. The details are the things I would otherwise forget:

Switchman's lantern hanging from the eaves
Drop-rod door keeper
Dial thermometer mounted on the N/E corner
And the important pieces of rail sunk into the ground to protect against automobiles

hogheaded wrote:

> Well Charlie, since many of those old switch-tenders were ex switchmen missing, say,  a leg, it seems reasonable that they should get at least twelve hours for having to use the remaining leg twice as much.

Crossing watchmen weren't switch-tenders.
 

Unless it came from an underground circuit, I don't see any power lines to the shanty.  How were they illuminated in the early morning and later evening hours?   Looks like heat came from a stove.  Maybe the same type as found in cabooses?

- Norm

Not that too many care but this is a rare photo as all of the H-24-66 had Nathan M5 horns except 3021 for a short time in 1972 -1973.
One of the rather rare photos of this locomotive sporting a Nathan M3 horn.

Regards, Jim Evans

The shanty has a stove pipe on the roof, so I doubt there was a dial thermostat to use. If you mean the small circular thing on the outside wall above the rail, that  looks more like a reflector for oncoming automobiles.

Dave



 

johnsweetser Wrote:
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> hogheaded wrote:
>
> > Well Charlie, since many of those old
> switch-tenders were ex switchmen missing, say,  a
> leg, it seems reasonable that they should get at
> least twelve hours for having to use the remaining
> leg twice as much.
>
> Crossing watchmen weren't switch-tenders.

Rats, another great quip ruined by accuracy...

EO

The last switchtender on the SP system was Jimmy Adams, who manned the puzzle switch at the top end of Bayshore. When he retired, he took the job with him.

One thing you could say about the trainmasters: they could really get a train out of the station.  Impresssive acceleration.