Railroaders' Nostalgia > Miracle at SP Tracy, CA.

I was cut-off winter of 67 & 68. You're married too so it's no picnic.
So I'm sitting home colllecting RR unemploymant.
Who hasn't done that!
I think it was early January 68 when the phone rang.
It was SP  TM Johnson calling.
Do you want to go to work?
I told him " this  must be a mistake, there are men cut off ahead of me".
Yes said TM Johnson, " but they are not qualified for your position".
My reply was that I would be there the next morning and I was!
Moral to this story is that don't pass up those qualification exams that were available at 1707 Wood St in W, Oaklnd!! (BAYS)

JJB

.   .   .   Who hasn't done that!   .   .   .
Me. Hired on Santa Fe in Los Angeles 5-8-78, cut back to bottom man on switchmans board 1-7-79, went into engine service 5-7-79. Never looked back, never cut off. Just as info, would have been better off cut off as men below me that were cut off were called often in "emergency" for road and passenger vacancies. LA had a unique to Santa Fe Southern California switchman "show board". This applied to all switch jobs in San Bernardino, San Diego and Los Angeles. You had to show up at the yard office to see if you were going to work, a thirty eight mile round trip, which four of five times out of seven I didn't. A lean three months.
JB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/23 12:24 by 3rdswitch.

So you gave up being a "Wharfrat" to being a "Lizard". "Holiday" Harry Johnson" was an interesting Trainmaster for sure.

sp3204 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So you gave up being a "Wharfrat" to being a
> "Lizard". "Holiday" Harry Johnson" was an
> interesting Trainmaster for sure.

Harry had a battery tester when a trainman needed a new battery he would test the old one before issuing a new one.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/23 15:06 by SanJoaquinEngr.

SanJoaquinEngr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sp3204 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So you gave up being a "Wharfrat" to being a
> > "Lizard". "Holiday" Harry Johnson" was an
> > interesting Trainmaster for sure.
>
> Harry had a battery tester when a trainman needed
> a new battery he would test the old one before
> isduing a nrw one.
>
> Posted from Android

Jesus God. These people never change.

A viscous cycle. Morons hire morons who move other morons up on the food chain who hire more morons.

Regards

Posted from iPhone