Railroaders' Nostalgia > You just can't win!

ValvePilot has recently posted a thread that began talking about 'old' days on the Southern Pacific
around Oxnard, CA and mentioned the "Ice Deck". That brought to mind my experience there during a week in 1969.
 
In December 1968 I had just returned to my trainman's seniority from a 3 year, 6 month stint in my uncles Air Force.
The following February I was called on a Saturday morning to deadhead to Oxnard for service on what was then called
the Santa Barbara local. The caller told me that I was going to be there "until released" because the regular man was
on vacation. Under union rules at that time the company was obligated to 'release' you, if requested, after completing
a minimum of 7 days on the assignment and assuming there was sufficient manpower available. If manpower was not
available at the time of request, then they were required to release you as soon as a man became rested and available
at the source of supply which in this case was the trainmans extra board at Taylor Yard in Los Angeles.
The caller also remarked that the job was off on Sunday.  I packed a lunch and began driving.

At Oxnard I found the crew huddled around their paperwork and introduced myself. Being 'new' to a crew or on a job is
always stressfull. The regulars have their set routine. They don't know you or your work habits and your 'newness' poses lots
of questions and potential problems. They will have to keep an eye on you just to make sure you don't derail something, slow
down their pace or worse, injure yourself or possibly one of them. In short, my presence in the depot that day was about as
welcome as a case of the plague. The crew was a really old head group of guys. I cannot recall now the conductors name.
The rear brakeman was a tall 'drink of water', A.W. Tuttle, who went  by the name of 'Ah Wayne' using his first and middle initials.
The engineer was one of the Senior family of railroaders; but it was not Don Senior. With the paperwork complete we found
our SW1500 and caboose, switched in the yard awhile and then departed for our namesake city of Santa Barbara.

I was not given a switch or train list which was OK with me. I began my trainman days on the Pacific Electric where the head man, or
pin-puller, was seldom given paperwork. His job was to follow the engine and watch carefully for hand signs given by either the Con or
rear brakeman. I was comfortable with this. The only problem on this job is that the Con and Ah Wayne were very skimpy with their use of hand signs.
This was because they had their 'mental' game already mapped out and didn't feel it necessary to share their plan, especially with the new man.
The result of this lack of information was that no mater how vigilant I was in looking for hand signs it was inevitable that I was going to
be 'out of position' a goodly part of the day. Aw Wayne voiced his displeasure with my performance after we arrived at Santa Barbara by
asking: "Been workin' the main a lot?" The meaning was clear. Since it was Saturday, we didn't have much work to do and returned to the
yard at Oxnard and tied-up. Sunday we were off.

On Monday we worked the "Lemon House" at Ventura prior to going back to Oxnard. After we finished our Ventura chores the Con comes up
to me and says: "When we get to Oxnard, we'll head-in on the Ice Deck. The engineer knows where that is. I'll big-hole the train and you bleed
the cars back to the caboose. Then we'll drop the train down into the yard. Got it?" "Yeah, I got it". We did just as he instructed and then tied-up.
On Tuesday, again at Ventura, the Con approaches me and says: "When we get to Oxnard, we'll head in on the Ice Deck. The engineer knows
where that is. I'll big-hole the train and you bleed the cars back to the caboose. Then we'll drop the train down into the yard. Got it?. "Yes, I've got it".
Again, we do as instructed. Wednesday at Ventura the Con says: "You know how we've been doing it at Oxnard?" "Yes", I replied. "Same thing" he says.
On Thursday, this little playlet is repeated. On Friday there is no conversation with the Con at Ventura. I think to myself, c'mon Wherry you don't need to
have someone lead you around by the hand. Show a little initiative. When we arrive at the Ice Deck at Oxnard the Con big-holes the train as we had
done all week. I begin my bleeding chores and get to about three cars from the caboose. Suddenly the Con barges off the caboose.
"What in the blankety blank are you doing?", demands the Con. Incredulously I reply "Bleeding".
He yanks his pocket watch out, points at it and yells: "We don't have enough overtime yet !!" I flip my gloves in the air in disgust and walk away.

Thankfully, this was my 7th day on this circus and I can't wait to get to the yard office at Taylor. I spy the crew caller, Bill. (Again I don't remember
his last name, maybe Virlon will know). "Bill, I want 7 day release off this Santa Barbara local". "Are you sure?" "Yes, very sure". "Well, OK you re released".
"Thanks Bill". On my way out the door I pause to look over the trainman's board of little blue tags. Hmm, I see only about 10 names. Guess I'll be getting
out on my rest I say to myself. I'm driving home on the freeway thinking, 'Boy, that Bill is a great guy', he didn't have enough men for the next
12 hours and he still gave me my release. Yep, that Bill is a great guy. I don't remember exactly where I was on my drive when it hit me.
This is Friday night. I'm going to be rested about 10 hours from now. Wonder where I'll go next? Whoa! I'm going to go right back to Oxnard
for another 7 day stand on that merry-go-round!!. If I worked one more day and then asked for release, the chances of me not  getting called over the weekend
were slim and none and I would dodge that happy little crew at Oxnard, at least for the next week.

I got home and even before shutting off the car engine  I called Bill. "Bill, this is Charlie......" Before I could say another word
Bill asks: "Do you want to work one more day?", "Yessss, pleeze" "Ok, you're on it. I wondered when you would figure it out".

Yes sir, that Bill was a really great guy.

Charlie


 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/16 11:16 by cewherry.

That was a funny story - thank you.

Life on the extra board could be, ah, interesting at times.
 

On the railroad, there are several times when you have "oh S***" moments.  Most of them are varying degrees of bad.  THIS was hilarious...thanks for sharing!

Yeah, that Crew caller was a saint, for sure.
 

Oh the games one must play when trying to sharpshoot the vagarities of the XB.

One of the nicest most knowledgeable crew dispatchers on the SP in the Los Angeles area.  His name is Bill Laigue.  pronouced (Lav a gay)    .  The engineers  name was Jim Senior, nickname was Caddy... he used to caddy at Golf Courses when he was a teenager.   His brother Don was an engineer also., his nickname was Lefty Orange blossom.   

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One of the nicest most knowledgeable crew
> dispatchers on the SP in the Los Angeles area. 
> His name is Bill Laigue.  pronouced (Lav a
> gay)    .  The engineers  name was Jim
> Senior, nickname was Caddy... he used to caddy at
> Golf Courses when he was a teenager.   His
> brother Don was an engineer also., his nickname
> was Lefty Orange blossom.   

Thanks Jim for the reminder of Bills surname. I would have probably gone to my grave before remembering it on my own. Very shortly
after this episode I went back into engine service and as I think now about those events at Oxnard maybe they were a greater incentive
than I had remembered to get back on the engines. ;>)

Charlie

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...  The engineers  name was Jim
> Senior, nickname was Caddy... he used to caddy at
> Golf Courses when he was a teenager.   His
> brother Don was an engineer also., his nickname
> was Lefty Orange blossom.   

One day in the mid-'60's, I rode the caboose out of Oxnard to Ojai with my late brakeman uncle, T.J. (Tom) Gill.  As we passed the golf course, the engineer would stop the caboose so the conductor could step off to pick up stray golf balls.  I understood they were for the con, but he could have been grabbing them for the engineer.

mapboy

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One of the nicest most knowledgeable crew
> dispatchers on the SP in the Los Angeles area. 
> His name is Bill Laigue.  pronouced (Lav a
> gay)    .  The engineers  name was Jim
> Senior, nickname was Caddy... he used to caddy at
> Golf Courses when he was a teenager.   His
> brother Don was an engineer also., his nickname
> was Lefty Orange blossom.   

   Small correction on the Senior family.  Jim Senior and Caddy Senior were too different people.  I'm sure that was Jim who Charlie worked with at Oxnard.  Caddy worked around Bakersfield, and particularly Mojave all the time I knew him.  You would never know Don and Jim were brothers.  Don was a true gentleman, but every time I worked with Jim at Oxnard, well, let's just say we didn't get along too well.  Maybe it was because I wasn't a golfer.  Therecwas a fourth Senior brother who hired out in Bakersfield during World War 2 as a hostler.  After only working a short time, he put a Malley all over the ground in the round hose.  He was fired and never came back.
   It was correctly stated that Bill Lavague was a true gentleman.  He was one of the main reasons I was able to finish college while working for the SP.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO

In my 1965 copy of the "Official Kern County Enginemen's and Trainmen's Time Record", the Blue book,
James G. Senior and Gerald E. Senior are shown next to each other with identical 9-2-42 engineers dates. James was the 'senior'
between the two. Donald Senior with a 8-16-51 date is far behind. Was 'Caddy' Senior the same Gerald E. Senior?

Charlie
 

cewherry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In my 1965 copy of the "Official Kern County
> Enginemen's and Trainmen's Time Record", the Blue
> book,
> James G. Senior and Gerald E. Senior are shown
> next to each other with identical 9-2-42 engineers
> dates. James was the 'senior'
> between the two. Donald Senior with a 8-16-51 date
> is far behind. Was 'Caddy' Senior the same Gerald
> E. Senior?
>
> Charlie

   Charlie, that would be a good hypothesis.  I never heard him called anything but Caddy, but I wasn't around him all that much.  I'm sure the fourth brother never got an engineers date.  I know Caddy had a ton of seniority along with Jim..  He worked the Searles Turn out of Mojave for a long time.

Brian
>  

Thanks for the corrections... it was been nearly 40 years since I have worked around Jim Senior..  Don was a true gentleman all the years I worked with him never saw him upset and say anything derogatory about anyone..  RIP Don..hachcond Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> cewherry Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > In my 1965 copy of the "Official Kern County
> > Enginemen's and Trainmen's Time Record", the
> Blue
> > book,
> > James G. Senior and Gerald E. Senior are shown
> > next to each other with identical 9-2-42
> engineers
> > dates. James was the 'senior'
> > between the two. Donald Senior with a 8-16-51
> date
> > is far behind. Was 'Caddy' Senior the same
> Gerald
> > E. Senior?
> >
> > Charlie
>
>    Charlie, that would be a good hypothesis.  I
> never heard him called anything but Caddy, but I
> wasn't around him all that much.  I'm sure the
> fourth brother never got an engineers date.  I
> know Caddy had a ton of seniority along with Jim..
>  He worked the Searles Turn out of Mojave for a
> long time.
>
> Brian
> >  

Yep, Bill Lavique, a nicer man you would be hard to find.  One of the "Ace, A #1 crew dispatchers at Taylor Yard.  As soon as I read Charlie's, "Bill", I knew which Bill he meant.   Bill was an excellent  'sounding board' for things RR and in the inner workings of the crew dispatcher's office.  'Salt of the earth' kinda guy!  He was one of those dispatchers you would drive down to the 'other' end of Taylor, just to say 'Hi' and chat with... almost a family member!

Take Care, Stay Safe, Have Fun!

Larry​