Railroaders' Nostalgia > Business cars, superstitions and rumors....

Someone recently posted some pictures of the lounge area of UP business car "Sunset", with commentaries about the choice of upholstery and colors. That reminded me of several tales of riding on business cars during my career and even post-career.

I had to learn the proper etiquette of riding business cars during the early days of my work as a railway supervisor and manager. For instance, just after I was transferred and promoted to Winslow, Arizona, in 1968, the Division Superintendent "Earl the Pearl" Gilmore, told me over coffee that John Reed, President of Santa Fe was coming thru Winslow in a couple days on the rear of the Super Chief, train No. 17. Of course, he would be riding in his business car. The Super wanted to be sure that all the division supervisors were on hand when the train stopped in Winslow about 930pm. About 8:30pm, I drove the few blocks from my company house to the La Posada Division Office building, and met my 12 or so fellow supervisors in the dispatcher's office. About 900pm, we wandered out to where the rear of the train should stop.

Now I had a little experience with business cars from my days on the SP as a trainman, where I had seen the entire division staff lined up in position/seniority order, to greet the arriving dignitaries. I thought I would move toward the end of the line since I was the junior supervisor on the division, but the lineup was not at all formal, but rather casual. Mr. Reed detrained, and took a moment to greet every one and shake hands with all. Reed was a very well liked and respected man. I told my wife I would never wash my hands again after shaking his.

If you were summoned to ride over your territory on a business car, it was wise to study the timetable and operating bulletins carefully, and try to be able to answer any question asked of you. Inevitably, the ranking man on the car would find some question you didn't have the answer too. It was best not to guess!

Upon boarding the car, you would always wait for the porter/waiter to open the trap, wipe the handrails, and place the step box. Then you would step aboard the car, and upon entering the lounge area, you made a quick note of who was seated in the 6 or so seats. If you were not told where to sit, and if you were junior by rank or seniority to those already seated, you would greet everyone and then proceed to the dining room and wait to be summoned. Moving down the hall to the dining room wasn't really bad, though, because you might escape some of the grilling the "Big Man" could give you, and the waiter was always quick to bring coffee and apple pie, day or night!

Seating in the lounge area was "assigned" in a tradition, with the senior person, by position, taking the rear facing seat on the engineers side, the next ranking person across the aisle, and so forth to the three seats on the couch/berth. I was told to never stand in the doorway to the hall or to sit on the arm of a chair.

On many railroads, certain jobs had a business car assigned to the job. A regional general manager might have a car that he used for inspection trips and entertaining customers, politicians and labor leaders. When a person would be appointed to a job, he would immediately spend a lot of time getting acquainted with his position, people, and territory. His spouse, meanwhile, would be occupied with moving into their new home. Frequently, the spouse would also undertake redecorating the business car to bring it in line with their tastes. When I bought my car "TIOGA PASS", it was one of 7 that CN had decided to sell. I saw several of them, and they were all done in very different décor. One of the cars featured velour wallpaper with nude nymphs in the pattern, and lots of mirrors. My car was done, and then redone, in a somewhat 1950's art-deco mod with suspended egg-crate ceiling and grasscloth wallpaper. That's all gone now, thank heaven.

On another railroad I know of, the chef on the business car had a side-line selling Christmas cards, which, while quite nice, were very pricey. How to avoid the "bite" from Chef Burt was a lively topic among supervisors. While you didn't want to pay those prices, discretion said you had to avoid hurting Burt's feeling lest he make the wrong comment about you to the boss!

Norm

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/14 12:39 by aronco.

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Sounds familiar, I know when Downing B Jenks would tour the Mop, preparations would begin at least a week in advance by cleaning up the right-of-way, trash etc, and painting any structures that needed painting. From what I understand from people have been on his trips, that there was a "pecking order" in who got on first and off first. From what I observed, conductor would come back and open and close the traps, and then retreat to one of the other cars. Employees were not told to stay away,but if they were there , they were to be neat and clean and if on a train; to give the special a roll by. Crews for DBJ Specials and any other specials were hand picked and were required to have a uniform. From the stories I have heard, failure to have the ROW cleaned up, crew not on the ground, or failure to answer a question was met with an immediate rebuke from DBJ or the Gen Manager. As one manager told me, "it took all the fun out of a train ride." I always tried to be around when DBJ came through for pictures,but I never got a friendly wave as he went by.

An all to familiar ring to it. But, there were some good presidents. Unfortunately there were more of the other kind.

Norm, wasn't that sofa along the back wall of the observation lounge referred to as the "Mourner's Bench"?

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

When working as a summer brakeman on the Plains Division between Wellington and Waynoka if there was a business car on a train day or night on line there would be radio messages to watch for the Brownie Box on the rear of such and such train. In the shop at San Bernardino if a unexpected official came in the shop a radio call for "Need a box of Rags at door such and such was the alert to the supervisors there.

Jim Wilson

Norm, as always, your adventures are very enjoyable to read.
Best regards, Keith

Norm is there any photos of your car in as purchased interior decor?

Posted from Android

jtwlunch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When working as a summer brakeman on the Plains
> Division between Wellington and Waynoka if there
> was a business car on a train day or night on line
> there would be radio messages to watch for the
> Brownie Box on the rear of such and such train.

Outside of railroading, a "Brownie" is a pejorative term for a person who, well you know, sorta figuratively puts his nose ... Oh well, you know where this is going.

However, in railroading a "Brownie" is the equivalent of a demerit. A "Black Mark" on someone's record. And, who gives out Brownies? Of course, it's the guys who ride around in a Brownie Box!

Don't ask me how I know this. And don't ask to see my service record.

-Larry Doyle



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/14 18:00 by LarryDoyle.

LarryDoyle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jtwlunch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > When working as a summer brakeman on the Plains
> > Division between Wellington and Waynoka if
> there
> > was a business car on a train day or night on
> line
> > there would be radio messages to watch for the
> > Brownie Box on the rear of such and such train.
>
> Outside of railroading, a "Brownie" is a
> pejorative term for a person who, well you know,
> sorta figuratively puts his nose ... Oh well, you
> know where this is going.
>
> However, in railroading a "Brownie" is the
> equivalent of a demerit. A "Black Mark" on
> someone's record. And, who gives out Brownies?
> Of course, it's the guys who ride around in a
> Brownie Box!
>
> Don't ask me how I know this. And don't ask to
> see my service record.
>
> -Larry Doyle

Who were the "Guys who ride around in a Brownie Box"?

On the two railroads I worked for only the Division Superintendent was authorized to issue discipline either it being "Brownies"(demerits), letters of reprehend, or Dismissal Letters.

JLY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LarryDoyle Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > jtwlunch Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > When working as a summer brakeman on the
> Plains
> > > Division between Wellington and Waynoka if
> > there
> > > was a business car on a train day or night on
> > line
> > > there would be radio messages to watch for
> the
> > > Brownie Box on the rear of such and such
> train.
> >
> > Outside of railroading, a "Brownie" is a
> > pejorative term for a person who, well you
> know,
> > sorta figuratively puts his nose ... Oh well,
> you
> > know where this is going.
> >
> > However, in railroading a "Brownie" is the
> > equivalent of a demerit. A "Black Mark" on
> > someone's record. And, who gives out Brownies?
>
> > Of course, it's the guys who ride around in a
> > Brownie Box!
> >
> > Don't ask me how I know this. And don't ask to
> > see my service record.
> >
> > -Larry Doyle
>
> Who were the "Guys who ride around in a Brownie
> Box"?
>
> On the two railroads I worked for only the
> Division Superintendent was authorized to issue
> discipline either it being "Brownies"(demerits),
> letters of reprehend, or Dismissal Letters.


Santa Fe TE employees called their Superintendent's car "brownie boxes" for the reason you explained

On the Santa Fe, trainmasters issued demerits as needed. Demerits had to be accepted by the employee by signing a waiver form. If the employee didn't think the demerits were justified or fair, he could request a formal hearing. For every four months of clear record (no reprimands or demerits) ten demerits would be removed. Accumulating 60 demerits or more could lead to dismissal through an investigation (formal hearing).
The demerit system evolved as a means of removing some of the personalities from employee performance. Many trainmasters would close out an accident by giving the employee 10 demerits for his responsibility. If the employee was a really good man but had made a mistake, sometimes the trainmaster would forget to submit the signed waiver (demerit slip) to the personal record clerk.
Some months later, the trainmaster would return the form to the employee saying "Here. I think you might want this...".

Business cars were not really "brownie boxes". If anything, a trainmaster would be criticized for something the big man saw on his trip across the railroad, and the trainmaster would be expected to handle it with the responsible employee(s).

TIOGA PASS

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar

Good thread, Norm. On the UPRR, I know of a couple of superintendents and general superindents whose careers ended aboard the Armour Yellow Sunset--particularly believe it or not--under President of the RR Jerry Davis (otherwise known as a very decent person). At this time, Dick Davidson was of course Chairman of ghe Board, President, and CEO at the Corporate level, and CEO of the RR itself, while Jerry Davis was President & Chief Operating Officer of the RR. I'm sure that this indeed took all of the "fun out of train rides" for these guys once and for all time to come.

The term "Brownies" derives from the "Brown System of Discipline by Record" which was (from what I've read) the "book" on formal records of disciplinary actions.