Railroaders' Nostalgia > Jack Haile

Jack Haile, retired Los Angeles Division Conductor passes away a few days ago. He always had a smile on his face and everyone liked Jack. In his memory I will post this story of a trip I made with him. [I posted this on Facebook's SP Survivors group already]

I had bid in a West End crew with Jack as conductor and Jim Scanlan as the rear bunny. We were on an eastbound drag heading for West Colton [Wet Colon as we like to call it] and the dispatcher put us in the hole at Pomona. The Dispatch said we would be there for a while as West Colton was plugged. So without telling us on the head end, Jack and Jim left the caboose and headed up to a burger stand up on Valley Blvd.

Well of course they had no more than left the caboose and the dispatcher called and said he was taking us up to the 100 lead. We called the rear end and nothing. We figured the radio had quit so we start pulling out real slow as Jim may be walking the train. But after a full train length we go ahead and pick up to track speed. We arrive at West Colton and off the Sierra Ave overpass comes these two clowns running down the embankment.

The Rest of the story . . . When they got back to the siding at Pomona they quickly figured out something was missing, their train! So the ran back up to Valley Blvd a called a cab to find their train catching us just as we were pulling into the W. Colton yard. No one was the wiser. We laughed and laughed about that trip for years. Yes RIP Jack Haile.

Your story reminds me (at my age, everything seems to remind me of something...) of Amtrak conductor James Hines who must by now be long retired. He began as a Red Cap working at SP's Oakland Pier. Hines was the conductor on Amtrak #6 which departed Oakland on time, headed for Chicago. The train was accelerating and making its running air test when something mid-train broke and the train separated, coming to an emergency stop. The story was a bit scrambled when I learned of it a couple of minutes later and headed out of my office on Wood Street to investigate. Because it would have been difficult to reach by automobile I walked to where the train was setting under the Grand Ave / 580 Interchange. Although there were no injuries and no derailment the rear cars were going to have to be pulled back by a switch engine to a location where repairs could be made before putting the train back together and making a late departure.

With nothing there for me to do I started the walk back alongside the tracks, talking with conductor Hines, who was headed back to the depot where he needed to use a phone. When we were far enough away from his train, I could not restrain myself. I told him I was a bit concerned about something and asked if he were on duty for train #6? ("Yes") Had train #6 departed? ("Yes") Are you on board or can you even see your train for which you are responsible? ("No"). While I had a chuckle, he did not share my humor that morning.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/18 23:58 by Westbound.

It’s been about 40 years but didn’t Jack brake for
Charlie Jones? Or have I got him confused with another Haile I later worked with on BN. Maybe I’m a victim of too many ‘Jacks’.

Charlie

Here's Haile working on 10/1/1981, West Colton to LA:

SP 5005 West Symbol: AVLAK
Arrived Taylor Yard 7:25am
52 loads, 1 empty, 4248 tons, 3829 feet
Engineer: Huston
Conductor: Haile



Allen

cewherry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It’s been about 40 years but didn’t Jack brake
> for
> Charlie Jones? Or have I got him confused with
> another Haile I later worked with on BN. Maybe
> I’m a victim of too many ‘Jacks’.
>
> Charlie

Charlie. . Jack worked alot with Leo Brynes.

Posted from Android

Charley,

Jack probably worked with "shower shoes" Charley Jones. We all worked with most of the LA Conductors sooner or latter. Like Jim [SanJoaquinEngr] I remember him working for Leo Brynes.

Cabhop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Charley,
>
> Jack probably worked with "shower shoes" Charley
> Jones. We all worked with most of the LA
> Conductors sooner or latter. Like Jim I remember
> him working for Leo Brynes.

I wonder if Jack was working with us on this occasion:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?18,3931973,3931973#msg-3931973

or this (11 postings down):https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?18,3925147,3925884#msg-3925884

Leo Byrnes was always a kick to work with.

Charlie



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/18 10:35 by cewherry.

"There's more to this than meets the eye." !!

Jack and I caught the Ojai Local off the extra board one time back in 1968. George Cjackowski (sp)? was the conductor. The interior of that caboose was filthy! George apparently cared naught for the interior cleanliness of the caboose.
Anyway, while I'm getting the engine ready with the hoghead, Jack took a fire hose and gave that cab a total bath! There was water running out both end doors. When George came out of the depot with the paperwork, he was greeted by all the seats soaking wet and all the conductors stationary in the desk drawer a sodden, soggy mess!
Needless to say, George was NOT happy!
RIP Captain Jack!

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO