Re: Persistence Pays II

It is interesting how some of this worked, especially the passenger jobs. There was only one engine crew for the La Veta passenger train. The engine crew ran to La Veta, laid over until the westbound came in, then ran it back to Alamosa as one day's pay. The job worked every day, so unless Caldwell laid off, he worked every day (at night I might add). Train crews worked all the way from Alamosa to Pueblo.

The Alamosa-Chama passenger was likewise done with one crew every day. However, the crew laid over in Chama for about 4 1/2 hours, then came back. They got two day's pay out of it (all straight time as it was a pretty short day of 4-5 hours each way). Owenby and Nissen traded off and worked every other day. The train crews worked all the way from Alamosa to Durango.

The Durango-Chama passenger engine crew required 2 crews as they trains met mid-route at Carracas. One crew ran east, laid over in Chama then brought the train back the next day. Again the job worked every day so unless Connor or Dieckman laid off, they worked every day.

Most of these old guys didn't care much for family life, so they generally worked every day. It took a major event or annual vacation to get them to lay off.

Both Eldon Morgan (in Alamosa) and Jim Pearce (in Durango) caught the passenger trains as fireman off the extra board when the regular man laid off. Eldon seemed to enjoy the passenger run while Jim didn't care for it as it was a two-day adventure without any overtime. Occasionally, the Durango passenger crew would get extra work in Chama or back in Durango by using thier engine to help a Cumbres Turn or help a heavy eastbound out of Carbon Jct. to Falfa.