Re: Alamosa November 4 1948

CharlieMcCandless Wrote:
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> Fireman Thomas J. Eagan (1912-1985) was the person
> between Kenny Faucette and Eldon Morgan on the
> enginemen's seniority list. The trio was promoted
> to engineer on the same day, 1-11-1955. Also
> promoted on that day were Virgil Headrick, Jim
> Pearce and Pinky Lynton.
> Eagan was 34 when he started firing in 1946.
> Prior to that he worked as a machinist helper in
> the Alamosa shops.

All those guys passed their engineer exams together in late 1954. According to the local seniority agreement, The first time one of them got called as an engineer, they all got the same seniority date. I believe it was Faucette who got an engineer call in Jan, 1955. I must have been an extraordinary circumstance as 1955 was tough year for "young guys" (Eldon "only" had 9 years of seniority) in Alamosa. He got cut off the extra board on Jan. 5. He worked one more day that month, 3 days in February, and 6 days in March. In April he took 2 weeks vacation, and worked only one other day that month. In May he worked 5 days the first half then got put back in the extra board for the second half where he worked steady the rest of the month. He was then cut off again on June 1. He then went to work for the Colorado & Wyoming firing a switch engine at the CF&I steel mill in Pueblo and worked for them until mid-July, when he got called back to the extra board in Alamosa. Finally, on July 28, 1955 he got his first call as engineer - running 1136 on an Antonito Turn, called at 300pm, tied up at 1155pm. It wasn't until the end of July, 1956 when he got to sit on the right side again - running 488 to Chama.