The difference here is the trains in question do not really have a "helper". It is one train with 2 locomotives coupled. I think there is a big difference in 2 locomotives doubleheading across the entire district (and being cut off at appropriate spots) and a locomotive being called to help a train for a certain distance then cut off to go somewhere else.
In the Chama engine dispatch book. There are listings for "Extra East" with 2 or more engines and crews. All the power and crews ended up in Alamosa at the end of the run. On other occasions there is shown "Extra East" then as a seperate entry "Helper" where the helper engine and crew returned to Chama.
This is different from a Cumbres Turn listing which would have both locomotives and crews listed together.
There are almost as many questions raised by the call book as those answered. Photos show the first locomotive listed on a Cumbres Turn is not necessarily the point locomotive out of town.
Example: This is the listing from the dispatch book:
6/22/67
Cumbres Turn - 498 engineer Faucette, fireman Otteson, 484 engineer Degani, Fireman Smith. Call time 8:15.
Photos show 484 leading 498 on both the hill turn and run through to Alamosa. In other words 484 was the "road engine" for the day. However 498's crew had higher senority than 484's.
Another example is a train I referred to earlier using 476 and 493. This one gets oddly twisted around because the crew was accomodating the fans who wanted to see a 470 lead a train up Cumbres. (and I thought we were the only guys who did this)
11/10/67
Cumbres Turn - 493 engineer E. Morgan, fireman Otteson, 476 engineer C. Jack, fireman Cunningham. Call time 8:15am.
476 lead the train up the hill.
Extra East - 476 engineer E. Morgan, fireman Otteson, 493 engineer C. Jack, fireman Cunningham. Call time 12:45pm.
493 led this turn and pulled the train to Alamosa.
Eldon had senoirity over Carl and ran the 476 light to Alamosa.
From this one must guess that both crews got the same (or very nearly the same pay rate). Otherwise the senior man would have taken the train in. Also if this is a standard example that can be relied upon (bad asumption probably) the senior crew was called first to run the "helper" (no difference whether on the point or ahead of the caboose). The second crew ran the "road engine". Both got the same pay, but the senior crew got an easier trip in on the light engine and got to go home earlier as they tied up sooner.
