Re: DRG&W Switch Crews

Gilbert Lathrop mentions several times that "He broke partners with so and so" He also mentions that when he worked the Gunnison yard job, the only other member was the Conductor. This was back around 1920 plus/minus a few years. When I worked for Seaboard Coast Line from 1980-1989, I went thru the crew consist of 1986. That put the crews down to two, Conductor and Brakeman. Also the cabeese went away as well. Yard work with two was the same as three on the crew except now the Conductor was on the ladder working not in the office. Same in freight service, two still did the work just the position of the people had changed, per se. Radios were another subject, sometimes you did want to go under the radar, sometimes you needed to be surfaced. Over all it didnt matter who was listening in especially on third shift as we were our own and had our ways of getting things done. Enough rambling now, back to reality. Paul.