Re: DRG&W Switch Crews

John West Wrote:
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> As noted above the conductor or switch engine
> foreman ran the show, planned the moves, and often
> threw the switches. One brakeman was the "pin
> puller" and followed the engine, often riding on
> the footboards, coupling and uncoupling cars. The
> second brakeman was the "field man" and he would
> typically be on the far end of the cuts they were
> switching both watching where they were shoving,
> pulling pins, and making joints. The engineer and
> fireman got to lounge around in the cab of the
> loco keeping warm and dry....I was always glad I
> hired out in engine service.
>
> Here is a picture of a switching move in Durango,
> although the crew is not exactly where I said they
> would be. I am guessing that is the foreman
> standing by the engine, the pin puller is probably
> the guy standing on the ground farther down, and
> the field man is probably walking back on the top
> of the boxcars.
>
> [attachment 65653 DRGWdur1962yard1000.jpg]
>
> I was recently watching one of todays humongous
> trains setting out some cars and I have no idea
> how they do things today, it can be over a mile
> from the engine to the rear of the train. And the
> cuts in the yards must be similarly long
> sometimes. Railroading is a whole new world.
>
> JBWX

Well I'm sure you know that today we have radios to allow communications over long distances and don't rely on hand signals very much anymore. However with the exceptionally long trains today, comms. can still be a problem. The other day we were yarding a 12,000' Z train and I had to have another crew, on another train in the yard, relay my conductors car counts to me as he was to far away initially, to reliably hear his radio transmissions.

Scott