Modern Marvels-Locomotives

[r.cprmier]

Third Rail;
As an investor in the stock market among other ventures, I have no intention of "screwing the investor".  I do not know what railroad you worked for, but have you taken a good hard look at the New Haven et al
as it
was-say-from about 1900 to 1968?  Do so, and then come back and we can talk about rapacious board members.  I don't give a hang in hell who says what, if there is a chance to make nefarious money, ther are a lot of people out there with the lack of scruples to do so-I do believe they are known as "dirt-bags"...  Among other titles...maybe the Latin  Rattus...

Rich

The old reprobate

[Redtail67]

thirdrail you must have worked for one of the various shortlines or worked and retired before the 1980 era.

I personally saw the Bonus check issued to the Superintendent for two years straight and thet were both 4 times my annual earnings as a Locomotive Engineer who worked 7 days week.
The director of labor relations recieved over 400,000 in a Bonus for one year and all he did was play golf and entertain (4 martini lunches)

Redail67

[RAM]

Back in the late 40s the Santa Fe had trains that ran near 100 MPH.  The speed limit on the 4-8-4s and the 3460 class 4-6-4s was 100 MPH.

[pdlethbridge]

When they ran the Flying Yankee on the B&M, its run time was an hour faster than the current train over the same route. WHAT! They trying to save on fuel costs??? Bring back Mcginnis and his fellow crooks

[Redtail67]

Yep it is amzing how the railroads have changed..service is the last tjing on their minds. They want unit trains and CALENDER based not TIMETABLE schedules.

I asked my brother, who worked for ATSF out of Pueblo, when I was going to hire out on the Colorado Southern just what kind of scheduled operation they had. To this he replied "They operate by the calender!" I said what do you mean to which he replied "Theyt call them on the 1st and hopefully they will get there on the 2nd!"

I had been working for one of the best operations the ATSF had out of Temple, Texas where "TIME" was everything. "TIME literaly was life or death and I as an Engineer wore two watches one a pocket watch and one a wrist watch. Schedules of the Passenger trains had to be respected and your failure to respect them could cost you your job. Time of the Train Orders concerning the "HOTSHOTS" in the no block parts of the operation had to be respected and if not could cost you as well as others their lives.

We ran 79 on 90lb rail and 112lb rail that was changed out to 136lb and TCS (known as CTC on most roads) was installed all the way. We had 120 MPH Scheduled time fromn Bellville Yard to Rosenburg for passenger and permitted freights could run 90MPH with ATS ATC cut in.

The last time I looked they were running 55 MPH top Speed down there. Hell even the Transcon went to 55MPH..just unbelieveable to a Railroad man.

The ATSF smoked the rails going to California since the 1930's now they want to run 10,000 ft trains 10-30 MPH just unbelieveable. Ft. Madison area had the reputation of running the fastest operation the ATSF had. Christ they have ruined it now compared to then.

Bosses Bosses everywhere but not a Railroad man in sight!

There was a day that any Road Foreman of Engines could and would run any train anytime ( you respected him as one of the best) now most will not because they can not run them. They lack not only the skills but the courage it takes to operate at high speeds. No one respects them.

Redtail67