Railroaders' Nostalgia > Memories of a past Thanksgiving

Recently there was a discussion on the Nostalgia Board as to whether the RI used green signals (class lights) on passenger trains between Chicago and Rock Island. That reminded me of an article that I wrote a number of years ago for a local railfan publication. At the time that I wrote the article I was working for the Iowa Interstate in Iowa City. I am now retired.

48 years ago tomorrow I was working third trick (11pm - 7am) at Bureau, Illinois. My rest days were supposed to be Wed. & Thu. but due to a lack of people I had to work Thursdays at overtime. At 7:01 am Wednesday I got off work, hopped in my Chevy, and headed for Vinton, Iowa (where my parents lived). The plan was to have Thanksgiving dinner and then head back to Bureau to work at eleven. The first part of the plan went off without a hitch. I made it to Vinton, had dinner with the folks the next day, and in the early afternoon headed back to Bureau. I made it down to Interstate 80 and headed East. I was by Iowa City and making good time...and then the engine quit. I headed for the shoulder and when I stopped rolling was kooking at a green sign "West Liberty 1 Mile". I couldn't get the car started but got a ride to West Liberty. I figured that if I could get to the depot in West Lib (it was open 24/7)that I could eventually make it to Bureau.

In those days, train operations never stopped for holidays. There might be fewer freights but passenger trains kept the stations open. I went into the office and told the operator my story and that I needed to get to Bureau as soon as possible. Only problem was, there were no trains out of Short Line (Des Moines) and the passenger trains would have been too late to do me much good. He checked with the dispatcher and found out there was a Passenger Extra coming down from Cedar Rapids and they would get me on it. Eventually a 400 class engine (FP7) and a handful of cars came down the Long John and stopped. I got in the cab and showed the Engr and Road Foreman my wire pass. The fireman let me have his seat and we were off. As this was a special train they did not want me to ride in the cars.

We stopped in Rock Island for the crew change and of course the new crew had to see my wire pass. The new fireman also let me have his seat. I should explain that RI passenger units were only equipped with 2 seats. Number 4, The Golden State, was scheduled out of Rock Island at 6:05 pm. For operational reasons it is easier to run a passenger train on a schedule than as an Extra. This night Number 4 would run as First 4 and display Green Class lights. We would run as Second 4, but would not not display class. lights. We departed Rock Island about 10:30pm.

The schedule running time from Rock Island to Bureau was about one hour and 10 mins. The absolute signals at the West end of Bureau finally came into view and we were lined up to proceed to the depot. After making a brief stop so I could get off, they were on their way.

The Station "OS" sheet shows Second 4, No Signals, arrived 11:45pm and departed 11:46pm. I was 45 minutes late for my shift, BUT, I had made it.
zr190

What's a wire pass?

It was just a piece of paper (clip) with a typed
message from the Dispatcher authorizing the employee
named to ride the train.
zr190

Thanks for the story. Isn't it interesting that most (maybe all) stories that we tell are because something went wrong, or at least was unusual. So, how did you get your car taken care of?

I had a somewhat similar experience whilst working for the NYC as an extra board operator during the winter of 1962-1963. I was working at Avon (MY) and was told to work first trick at Oakland City,IN the second following day. I left Plainfield, IN in the evening to drive to Oakland City when the oil light came on. I reversed to Avon, and spoke with the chief dispatcher, who told me to catch a westbound from Avon to Terre Haute and thence to the CEI depot to catch a passenger train to Evansville and that the third trick operator at Harwood, who lived in Petersberg, IN would transport me to Oakland City to work. It all worked out, and when my parents retrieved my car, the problem was found to be a faulty oil pressure switch. Shakespeare said it best,"Much ado about nothing."

I plan to write "Part 2" next week.
zr190

Why did you need a wire pass? Would your employe credentials not work?

Posted from Android

BCHellman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why did you need a wire pass? Would your employe
> credentials not work?
>
> Posted from Android




More than likely not as a clerk. I think he would need the pass not being in TE&Y.


V

SLOCONDR

At that point I was an Operator (Telegrapher).
We were still separate from the clerks. At any
rate, not being Train service, I was not authorized
to be on engines, etc. Also I had not worked long enough
to qualify for pass privileges.
zr190

Great story zr! "Long John" is a new one on me. Can you explain?

Andy