Re: The cab as a work station

Railroads then (and now) always contained a certain amount of potential hazards and risk for employees. Working in the cab of a steam locomotive included the general hazards (derailment, collision, etc.), but also other occupational hazards related to that job. These hazards included the loss of hearing, foreign objects in the eye, and potential for burns, both direct (steam pipes, fire door, etc.) and from live steam. During the steam era, steam burns, primarily from the cab squirt hose, were very common and high on the list of reportable injuries. Various other opportunities to hurt appendages at pinch points (fire doors, coal doors, cab doors) were always present, in addition to slip/trip and falls on the deck due to scattered coal, spilled oil and other objects. Falls from getting on/off moving or standing equipment were common as well as the potential to falls when retrieving coal, water and sand.This is all on top of the usual sprains and strains from the hard work of moving coal from one place to another by hand.

The progression to engine service varied from railroad and labor agreements, but in general, a young man would start by volunteering to wipe engines (early days) in hopes of getting a job as an engine watchman in the roundhouse. That would hopefully lead to a hostler job, then fireman, then engineer.

Mike Ramsey