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From: WSmith5957 AT aol DOT com
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 17:13:25 EDT
Subject: SPECIAL ORDER BOOKS
"Feldman___special_order_books.jpg" - image/jpeg, 176946 bytes, 1700x2340 (24bit)

A while back, there was a lot of discussion on the list about Special Order
books and that reminded me of a little incident that happened in Scranton in
1962.........
It was summertime and I had been called for a TBX (Taylor-Buffalo
Extra). Reporting time was around noon & after checking the power , 4 covered
wagons, we daparted Scranton & went grinding our way up the grade to Clarks Summit &
after that a lovely ride high on the cutoff & across the Nicholson & Kingsley
viaducts with a veteran crew. I forget the headmans' name, but I will never
forget the engineer, 'Butch" Hogan. I'm getting ahead of myself though. We
setoff some D&H cars at Binghamton & were shortly on our way across the
riverbridge, past BD interlocking & thru the city then nonstop to Hornell where we
arrived in the early evening. All in all, a nice trip and we put up at the RR YMCA.
Next day we were lined up to take a train East to Scranton with the same kind
of power. Mr. Hogan and the headman went in the yard office to do paperwork
while I diligently atended to the firemans' duties. I.E. check all the units
for fuel, water in the sightglasses, governor oil in the Woodward governors, as
well as making sure the cab had flares, flags, drinking water, TP and other
items.
As I was finishing my humble chores, Mr. Hogan & the head brakeman
appeared & climbed onto the power and we motored down to the East End of Hornell
yard & backed onto our train. "Butch' Hogan spoke to the caboose s we did an
airtest and after being assured that all was ready there, got permission &
slowly advanced the throttle & got onto the mainline. Only 1 or 2 trainorders which
didn't apply to us anyway...just a beautiful summer day in the Southern Tier
of New York State with nothing to do but call signals & lookover our train now
& then. I remember thinking, 'Hard to believe they PAY me for this - I'd
gladly have paid them.
The miles flew by "CLEAR", "CLEAR", and we relaxed into the
routine.......until.....Just West of Corning Mr. Hogan said"Did you see that guy sitting
in a big upholstered chair right by the crossovers???" The headbrakeman said
"Yeah, it sure is wierd, him sitting in that cornfield in the middle of
nowhere"
We soon were enlightened for as we rounded a gentle curve, we were
horrified to see tie tampers, section men, and other equipment occupying the
Eastbond main track. As spiking hammers & shovels flew through the air when the
gandy-dancers ran for their lives, Butch put the train in emergency. We stopped
short of any equipment (or people) and Mr. Hogan divined the problem. "SMITH,
did you check the special order book?" Me"Well, uh, I was checking the power,
I thought you looked at it." The head brakeman - "I thought YOU guys checked
it."
Mr. Hogan called the caboose, who put out a flag & backed up to the
crossovers. The operator there (for that is what the man in the field was) was
waiting to hear the crash, I guess. Mr. Hogan yelled"Did you call the dispatcher
yet??" Answer "NO". "Then DON'T" The crossovers were lined and we proceeded
East against the current of traffic past the (shaken) roadway people.
I was properly humbled and learned not to depend on others to perform a
duty that was your responsibility too. Mr. Hogan didn't say much the rest of
the way to Scranton & I guess he never said anything to Freddie Hall (RFE)
either. If any of us had checked the Special Order book that day we'd have seen
something like this -
ACCOUNT TRACKWORK AT MP ----- WEST OF CORNING, ALL TRAINS USING EASTBOUND
TRACK WILL STOP AT THE CROSSOVERS & RECIEVE PERMISSION FROM THE OPERATOR AT THAT
PLACE TO CROSSOVER TO THE WESTBOUND TRACK AND RUN AGAINST THE CURRENT OF
TRAFFIC TO MP -----
......of course none of us looked at the book. Over the years, I've learned
from experience and that is why the RR industry always knew that EXPERIENCE
was everything. I also became a little fatalistic, because after a close call
like that, it's as though somebody above looks down & says'OK, Smith, that was a
dumb one, but your number hasn't come round yet'.
Finally, I am putting as an attachment, a picture of Mr. Feldman, yard
conductor at the East End Yardoffice in the DL&W Conklin yard. You can see the
rack above his head containing the SPECIAL ORDER BOOKS.
Regards to all
Walter Smith



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