Railroaders' Nostalgia > RR Nicknames LA & SJ Div

Here are two lists of Los Angeles and San Joaquin Dividions railroader's nicknames of Officers, Conductors, Engineers, Brakeman and Switchmen. Retired LA Eng. WR (Rick) Parsley compiled the two list from donation of a number of people. Anyone left out feel free to make any addition. Maybe someone could mark the ones that have gone to Railraod Heaven.
Maybe someone has a program that will put the list in alphabetical order.

LARRY LAW...................RANGER
TOM TELFORD.................TELEPHONE TOM
FRANK ROBERTS...............THE MUMMY
BOBBY GOLDSBORO.............TEAR DROP
JOHN WILSON.................FARMER JOHN
LARRY LARSON................RONA BARRETT
LORI BENSON.................LALA
LOYD NATIONS................BOSS HOGG
DAN GAFFNEY.................DANGEROUS DAD
EL WILLIAMS.................END OF THE LINE
FRANK TORTORICE.............TWO DOGS
GEORGE OTERO................EIGHT BALL
BOB EMERY...................BLACK CLOUD
TOMMY ROGGERO...............TUPPERWARE TOM
RAY SHAFFER.................CATMAN
RUSS BLIND..................RUSSLER
BRUBAKER....................BRUTAL BAKER
WALTER COUGHLIN.............FLAP JAW
FRANK CROSE.................THE NOSE
CHUCK DAVIS.................TATOO
LOU DERY....................HIPPIE
TED FEDDERSON...............TEDDY BEAR
RD HALL.....................MOTOR MOUTH
HALVERSON...................WHISPERING HAL
ADAM HECKER.................THE WRETCH
DK HENRY....................SLEEPING GIANT
CHARLIE HIGGINS.............THE PROFESSOR
BOB HUSTON..................BOB SHIRLEY
DAN KELLY...................BOOK’EM DANO
DOUG KIMBALL................CHOIR BOY
LOYD LARSO..................SHAKY
IJ LEPPLA...................LEAPY
ARRON MCOID.................SWEETPEA
CECIL MEADOWS...............5 0 2 (Original Term for DUI)
RD MONTGOMERY...............RUG PEDDLER
TIM ODONOHUE................RIDDLER
DALE PATTERSON..............GREYHOUND
CARL WHISLER................HOW YOU DO DAT
ERIC ELLIS..................SID VICIOUS
HELEN CHUTE.................THANK YA MUCH
JIM PERRY...................SANATARY PERRY
NICK HARRIS.................THE GREEK
JIM GERIN...................DAGWOOD
TOM LAZLO...................THE SHEEPHERDER
DICK BRAND..................STRETCH
JOHN RAPOZA.................HELPFUL HELPER
BILL KISSINGER..............CHICKEN LIPS
CRAIG RIVERA................INDIANA JONES
JR BOWKER...................DOC
CHRIS CASTRO................POOP SHOES
RICK EVANS..................GRID LOCK
DIEGO ROJAS.................FRISBEE
TOM BRAUNIGER...............GARLIC MAN
JACK PHILLIPS...............JUMPIN JACK
STANLEY PIERCE..............BRAIN DEAD
SAM PLUMBER.................PLUMMIE
LOUIE ROACH.................FROZEN HEAD
FRANK SILVERII..............SILVER EYE
BILL TOMLINSON..............WILD BILL
STANLEY WOLFARD.............WOLFMAN
BOB BAKER...................RED DOG (SWITCHMAN)
PD JACKSON..................HOW FAR
BOB HIRSCHER................MIGHTY MOUSE
LARRY SWAGGERT..............THE SNAKE
MIKE CUDE...................CUDDIE BOY
RICHARD EDWARDS.............BOX BOY
DOUG HALL...................BROOM
FRANK LILLY.................LILLY PAD
MIKE PHILLIPS...............TYRONE
GM RIVERIA..................RIVIE
LARRY SPEARMAN..............SPEARGUN
JOHN WADE...................WADE MAN
TOM TORRES..................TOE
LESTER LYDICK...............DONKEY DICK
RALPH SMITH.................COWBOY
FRED GARDENHIRE.............THE ROOSTER
BOB LINGFORD................THE CAPPER
WW ADAMS....................THE WEEPSTER
HANK SMEAL..................HAMMERIN’ HANK
DAVE KLOSE..................STAR WARS
GROVER PROBASCO.............STEP-N-HALF
STEEVE POOLE................GROVER
GARY LAWERENCE..............CHIPPENDALE (Later AMTRAK Eng)
JOHN KIRKEBY................HOMER
GARY MAYFIELD...............MEDFLY
WISENHUNT...................BLINKEY
PAUL MC GUFFIN..............Mac MUFFIN
CHUCK WALSH.................THE BLADE
CLIFF GOSSAGE...............GOOSE
WARNER......................PEACHES
JERRY GRIFFIN...............TOP THROTTLE
ED HILDBRANT................LURCH
KENNY MELENCON..............THE CAJUN
KENNY THOMPSON..............MAD DOG
JACK FULLER.................BIG FOOT
JEFF BELMONTE...............PEE WEE
PHIL RCCHIAZZI..............SLEEPY OZZY
DARYL SCHMIDT...............TIRE-KICKER
JOE DECOSTER................THE CAMEL DRIVER
BOB BOTTENFIELD.............BOTTONCOSTER
RALPH OLSON.................ALFALFA
BOB KIST....................MAD DOG
BRET BLANCHARD..............BOOGER
DOUG KLAUS..................CAPTAIN
MC MANN.....................MC FOOT
BOB WATERBERRY..............E TICKET
RANDY BLOCK.................BLOCK HEAD
LYLE BRANNIGAN..............CRACKER ASS
JIM HASBROOK................TERMITE
FRANK ROBERT................THE MUMMY
DON SEIL....................JUNIOR
BILL KESSINGER .............CHICKEN LIPS
DICK MOSER ................ INSPECTOR CLOUSE
DAVE KLOSE..................KLOSE ENCOUNTERS/STARWARS
EDDIE FLOWERS ..............AIR HOSE
BILL FARRENS ..............AMBER EYES
BB CUDE ....................BAD BOY
MIKE BANGS .................BAMBI
VINCE SITKER ...............BEANIE
DUANE ELLIS ................BIG DADDY
BRIAN JOHNSON ..............BLE (BIG LUCKE TURKEY)
BILL NUNLEY ................BO
LEE JONES ..................BROTHER
DON BROWN ..................DEAD BODY
JP BROWN ...................NO SHOW
RICHARD BREWBAKER ..........BRUTAL
HAROLD HATFIELD ............BUBBA
WL MORGAN ..................BUGS
LOUIE COLLINS ..............CADILLAC
ME GILLIVAN ................CAPTAIN FLAKE
JIM CRAWFORD ...............COWBOY
LYLE BRANNIGAN .............CRACKER ASS
CC (CLYDE) HUBBARD .........CUP CAKE
WR (RICK) PARSLEY ..........BREFFUS
SP PHARES ..................DA PLUG
GARY SIFKIN ................DANCING BEAR
JAY BELL ...................TINKER BELL
DON CUNTLIFFE...............DIRTY NECK
BILL DESKIN.................DIZZY
JIM KWIE....................DUMB
BOB SOMERS..................DUMBER
DD BURK.....................DUMB DUMB
GARY TAYLOR.................GENERAL ELECTRIC
LOU HINDERSON...............GOOFY
WINSTON B LEWY..............HOWDY DOOTY
MARK LUBISICH...............FOOTBALL HEAD
JACK COLLETTE...............FRUIT FLY
MIKE HOFFMAN................GRANDMA
FREDDY WALDSMITH............HEADLIGHT
EMERY GINTER................HIGH POCKETS
HUGH DONAHOE................HUNGRY
JIM NEELY...................KNUCKLEHEAD
VERN FREEMAN................LAVERNE
RALHO LEE...................MONTEY HALL
STANLEY WOLFARD.............Li’L STONEHEAD
LINDA SEABREEZE.............SEABREEZE
RICHIE LOPEZ................LOPES
MARTY LeFEVER...............MARTO
RICK EVANS..................MR. POLYESTER
ME NELSON...................NELLY
NORRIS LEWIS................NERVOUS NORRIS
BOB EVANS...................NUMBER ONE
GARY ZIEGLER................OSCAR THE GROUCH
JIMMY KWIE..................QUACK
MIKE OSBORNE................OZZY
JIMMY BENSON................PARK RANGER
RENE LE BLANC...............PEPI LE PEW
TIM CLINE...................PIG PEN
PE BRAKEMAN EDDIE...........PINAPPLE
WR BRODERSON................POODLE
RICH RILEY..................PUNCHY
RAY CANPO...................RICKY RICARDO
TOM WROSDICK................ROSEBUD
JIMMY DOAN..................SIDE CAR
SOMMERVILLE.................SLIM
ART GOODMAN.................SMOKE BRAINS
RFE SNYDER .................SMOKEY
CAMPBELL....................SOUPY
RANDY SAUNDERS..............SPIDER
BOBBY SWINDLE...............SQUEEKY
BOB JACKSON.................STONEWALL
NORM LaCARA.................STORMIN’ NORMAN
ROGER WOLFSGURGER...........SUGARBEAR
ROY IGO.....................SIGAR ROY
JIM ESCALANTE...............SWEET BABY JAMES
JIM HASBROOK................TERMITE
LEO BLAZE...................THE BLAZE
LARRY ALLARD................THE BROOM
VINCE CAPOLLA...............THE GODFATHER
STANLEY WORFARD.............THE HALL MONITOR
LOYD DeMILLE................THE KING
SANLEY WOLFARD..............THE Li’L WOLFARD
ED FITAGERALD...............THE PROFESSOR
BILL LYONS..................TIGER
TOM FORD....................SUBURU
TH MOORE....................TURD HEAD
HUDMAN......................WHAMO
WILBER SLOAN................WILBER
WINSTON GARTH...............WINNY
WINNY WATTS.................WINNY
WOODRUFF....................WODDY
ROY DUFFER..................WRONG WAY ROY
RAY CAMPO...................YAVADAVADOO
BILL WOODY..................PAL
DAVE SMITH..................DIESEL DAVE
MA GOLSON................. BO
RALPH REILLY...............HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER
DICK MOSER.................INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU
DENNIS MAHONEY.......THE WOODPECKER



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/18 15:48 by HardYellow.

WOW WHAT A LIST!!!

Many of these are from the mid-sixties!

Here's a few additions/corrections:

Ydm WR Smoot was "Smoot the Root"
Ydm Duane Ellis was also known as "The Marshal"
Ydm Larry Seevers was "Beetface" (The red type, not a sugar beet)
Ydm Kenny Wright was the "Bearcat". Made him really mad to call him the bearcow!
Swm LE Miller was "Bird Dog."
Swm NJ Wallen was "Blinky"
PE Engineer AC Endicott was "ACE" because of his initials.
JN Endicott was "Deuce" because of his father's knickname.
Pineapple's last name was Aichlmayr, (born in Hawaii.)
PE Engr DA Lindquist was "Daffy"
Ydm Norm La Carra was mostly known as "Castro"
Ydm "White Knight" was WR Clark.
Ydm WD Don Terry was "Ridge Runner"
Ydm Doug Blair was "Tweet Tweet"
The "Catman" was mentioned in the first list, RL Schaefer, an original fireman.
Engr HC Hamilton was "Bud"
Condr Glen Wilkins was either "The handshaker or the undertaker"
Ydm AR Halvorsen was also known as "The undertaker."
Ydm WR Schwartz was "Knucklehead."
G

Edit. we forgot:
"Rocket Shoes" PE Condr Don Krentz
"Banana Nose" Condr Al Broda
"Little Big Horn" Condr Roger Broda
"Imba" Don Seil
"Curly" Condr Ira Frandsen
"Elephant Fart" Engr Hank BORUCH
"Fat Bird" Frank Eagle



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/18 19:17 by ExSPCondr.

Going over a 1964 LA engineer's roster here are some more to add. I haven't mentioned every one that comes to mind since there are some that
are better left off. No need to offend since many were certainly not complimentary or could be used in mixed company.

In seniority order:

RD "Alabama" Smith---home state
RF "Stinky Stamer---you could use this one to his face or over the radio, he encouraged it.
JR "Doc" Wamsley---a licensed Chiropractor, per SOB here on TO's
CH "Choppy" Gryde---injured his hand in a skin diving accident.
HT "The Colonel" Moran---Army reservist.
PO "Post Office" Beck, father of conductor Robert Beck.
EW "Father" Devine---obvious
SS "Steamship" Melvin---couldn't kick those cigarettes.
RR "Peaches" Werner---from reportedly 'harvesting' peaches and being caught in an orchard at Banning.
FG "Curly" Crutchfield---bald as the proverbial billiard ball.
LS "Andy Gump" Jones---never read the comic strip; maybe LS looked like the character??
FJ "Flash" Gordon---obvious

Forgot HM "Squeaky" Terhune---his voice said it all.

Charlie



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/18 23:00 by cewherry.

Then there's Nick ("the greek) Harris - engineer.

Love the nicknames. I was called Kdog at Amtrak for reasons unknown, but that's a lot better than some. We had Jay Bell, Jaylight that everyone remembers. My favorite was a pipe fitter in Oakland that used to blow his cool very easily and throw his hard hat. Ibrahrim Markar, the foreman, said "that man is an IDIOT", and so he got his nickname. As always, you can't make this stuff up.

On the Coast Starlate we had legendary former SP engineer Tommy The Rocket De La Rosa
San Jose Newhall yardmaster Russ Danley was The Buddha and Bob Blinkenberg was Blink
Dispatcher Steve Gust was “Coast Niles”
MOW Superviser Israel Bugarin was Boogie
C

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

GARY LAWERENCE (CHIPPENDALE) retired as the Engineer on Amtrak No 1&2 Sunset Limited. When he was working for SP, the company was offering a 50K buy-out. I said to him, Gary, let’s take the money, you can get a job dancing at Chippendales and I’ll give up classical guitar and become a rock star. That’s how his name came about.

WW ADAMS (THE WEEPSTER) Adams was a West Colton Engineer, he could be on the best train of the day/night. If he got a flashing yellow, he was on the radio crying to the dispatcher. His WW got coined as “Weepin’ Willy.” Fred Gardenhire just started calling him the “Weepster.”

RALPH OLSON (ALFALFA ) Ralph was a West Colton Engineer, never owned a comb. His hair always looked like Alfalfa from “The Little Rascals.” Again, this was coined by Freddy Gardenhir



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/18 12:41 by HardYellow.

> Russ Danley was The Buddha

Which is short for "Buddha Belly".

EL WILLIAMS  (END of the LINE, EL) As told to me by SJ Engineer Jack Niehaus, the story goes, Eddie Lee Williams was working a midnight goat in Bakersfield, pulling a cut of cars down the tail track at the east end of the yard, Eddie dosed off and ran off the end of the track... End of the Line.

FRANK ROBERTS  (THE MUMMY) LA Engineer. Back in the 60’s, as a fireman, Frank was working a midnight hosteling job at Taylor Yard. He was called to make a move,coming out of the shanty, half asleep, staggering, he walked right into the turntable pit.

In the 1960's - LA Divn Condr. John Sventek, bald as a billiard ball, was lovingly known as "melonhead".

Norm

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/18 21:49 by aronco.

There was a Bakersfield Conductor we all called “Inspector Clouseau," or Clouseau for short. Anyone here remember his name. He was a lot of fun to work with. Another Bk conductor was Ralph Reilly. He wore a big cowboy hat, we called him the High Plains Drifter.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/18 15:46 by HardYellow.

HardYellow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There’s was a Bakersfield Conductor we all
> called Inspector Clouseau, or Clouseau for short.
> Anyone here remember his name. He was a lot of fun
> to work with. Another Bk conductor was Ralph
> Reilly. He wore a big cowboy hat, we called him
> the High Plains Drifter.

Inspector Clouseau was Dick Moser

Going 'way back now, Del Griffin, Bakersfield switchman who mostly worked either the "West end" or "Quantico" herder jobs, who could forget "Air, power, and whistle."

There was a LA SJ Engineer that had a heart attack on the train, getting ready to leave Bakersfield. I think it was the Oil Train. I believe he was a former California Highway Patrolman. They called him Broderick Crawford. Seems as I remember, he was also Walter Nelson’s son inlaw.

HardYellow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There was a LA SJ Engineer that had a heart attack
> on the train, getting ready to leave Bakersfield.
> I think it was the Oil Train. I believe he was a
> former California Highway Patrolman. They called
> him Broderick Crawford. Seems as I remember, he
> was also Walter Nelson’s son inlaw.


I think that was San Joaquin Division hoghead Bill Akins and yes he was ex-CHP. Reportedly smoked like a chimney and was a nervous nelly.

SJD engineer Dan Gaffney was "Dangerous Dan". He had a couple other nicknames so I heard.

SJD engineer D.Q. Custer was "Dairy Queen".

SJD engineer Ed Platz had several nicknames including "Cracker Ass" and "Black Stack".




Allen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/18 21:50 by bradleymckay.

TONY CATALLANO ..................... TEAR DROP..... Tony worked the West Colton Helpers . He passed away from cancer in the late 1980’s, really had a short fuse.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/18 09:09 by HardYellow.

Carl Foss... Fearless Fausdick

Bill Akens 2150

Chris Livingstone....Dead Rock

Vince Cipolla God father Mama Mia

Steve Thorndill.... number 8 doorman (crashed into the door at Gemco)

Ron Baker.... Billy Joe Royal

Alex Woronovich Maddog

Frank Adams Marslight

Malella.... Magellon

McCutheon Dead Ass

Gillenwater... porn star

Pruitt.... screwit

Honea... Banacek

Hellikson King Neptune

Benson... Parkranger

Downs... Jumper

Walker Prince Valiant

Sprayberry Shirley

Large.... Snowshoes

Haberbosch... Hammerhead

Clutts... Stress tester

Rossman... Rosswoman

Ketchum... Squaredeal

Pattison.. Dirtyneck

bb Hagen... birdbrain

Ernie Hull... Calhoun.. Dirty ERnie

Jerry Weece. Arrogant Texan

Mike Nunn. Lt. Zero

Mike Dowling. Father Dowling


Joe Niemeier....horse race


many more to come



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/18 20:34 by SanJoaquinEngr.

JImmy Kweij... also was known as Quallude

DD Burke Dangerous Dan

Winston B Lewy Screwy Louie

Tim Cline... pigpen

HardYellow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There was a Bakersfield Conductor we all called
> “Inspector Clouseau," or Clouseau for short.
> Anyone here remember his name. He was a lot of fun
> to work with. Another Bk conductor was Ralph
> Reilly. He wore a big cowboy hat, we called him
> the High Plains Drifter.

Inspector Clouseau was R.D. (Dickie) Mosier. A real nice guy.

Brian Black
Castle Rock, CO

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JImmy Kweij... also was known as Quallude
>
> DD Burke Dangerous Dan
>
> Winston B Lewy Screwy Louie
>
> Tim Cline... pigpen


Hey Jim how about Chicots, Zieg, Knapp, Finn, Conn, Fisher, Jim Neal, Chrisman, Jenkins, Hacker, Kerschner, Kerste, and, of course, Norm Schickendanz?


Allen