Freight train crews..

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

For a time period lets use 1935 in the U.S. and on a large railroad mainline.
What would be the titles and responsibilities of each of the crew on a steam freight train? Generally speaking.
Jarrell

2

There was usually a five-man crew: An Engineer, Fireman, and one Switchman in the cab, with a Conductor and two Switchmen in the caboose. Some tenders had a small enclosure on top of the water tank for the Switchman so he could observe the train from a higher location instead of riding in the cab with the Engineer and Fireman.

Crew size was dictated by Government safety regulations and railroads had little say in the matter.

3

A lot of times both brakeman rode in the caboose. Space being premium in a steamer cab.

  • Conductor: managed the crew, and handled the trains documents.

  • Brakeman: assisted conductor in picking up/setting out cars and preforming inspections, provided flag protection. Often a conductor in training.

  • Engineer: ran the engine.

  • Fireman: fired the engine, and often was an engineer in training.

Nick

Nick

4

Thanks for the answers.

  • What was/is the difference between the brakemans and the switchmans job?
  • Did the conductor do the actual work or was he more of a supervisor type?
  • Generally speaking, about how long did the fireman remain in that job before becoming an engineer?
    Jarrell
5

Jarrell,

Brakemen worked the road. Switchmen worked in the yard. The jobs were basically the same. With a full 5 man crew, the conductor mostly surpervised, it was a full time job keeping the paperwork updated.

Firemen, often fired for years before becoming an engineer. Many never did, and stayed firemen till retirement. The same applied to brakemen.

Nick

6

Thanks. So in those times I guess there was not an engineer ‘school’ that I guy could attend specifically to become a engineer without going through being a fireman?
Jarrell

7

Nope, no engineer school. You got to be an engineer by starting as a fireman, and cajoling throttle time from the engineer. Then often after several years of this, the Road Foreman gave you a check ride, and pronounced you and engineer. This was common in the early days of diesel too.

Nick

8

First Lets look at the crew.
1.Engineer…Ran the engine and second in command.He would oil and inspect the engine during stops.
2.Fireman…Tended the fire and boiler/water/steam gauge,shovel coal-yes even on large steamers with mechanical strokers he had to tend the fires.he would operate the water scoop on the tender if water was to be scoop on the fly.He would shovel one or two scoops of sand into the firebox to clean the fire.Of course he would shake the grates to remove clinkers and repeat signals called out by the engineer.
3.Headbrakeman…His job was to open a siding switch (if switch was not thrown by the tower operator or DS) watch over the train for any problems and of course help make switching moves.
4.Rear Breakman…His job was to watch over the train for problems,help in switching moves and flagged the rear of the train when it was stopped-This was the job of a flag man for years until that job was handed over to the rear brakeman…
5.Conductor…He is the boss of the train.His job is to see that all rules was obeyed and work was carried out…Also on local freights he was a acting freight agent and would contact the shipping/receiving supervisor.
6. Swing Brakeman.Some times a third brakeman would be added to a local’s crew if there was more then 30 cars in a given local.

BTW…A switchman is a YARD Brakeman commonly called a switch man.
Also do not confuse a switchman with a switch tender.A switch tender would line up inbound and outbound trains by throwing the proper switches.

9

Well I’ll be darned.
Thanks Nick.
Jarrell

10

It looks like the Fireman had the roughest job. I wonder if they were paid more for it.
This part “A switchman is a YARD Brakeman commonly called a switch man.
Also do not confuse a switchman with a switch tender.A switch tender would line up inbound and outbound trains by throwing the proper switches”, is confusing but I’ll try to keep it straight.
Thanks Brakie,

11

Brakemen were assigned their positions on a crew by seniority. The senior brakeman would be assigned as rear brakeman (or flagman) on a freigh train; the junior guy would be the head brakeman.

It was just the other way around in passenger service. There, the senior brakeman worked the head end with the conductor, and the junior guy was assigned as flagman.

12

Actually the head brakeman had the most seniority.Rookies started as rear brakeman…Also a rear brakeman could protect the Job as a head brakeman if there was no “rested” head brakeman available and visa versa…Also a fireman that was a qualified engineer could protect the engineers job and visa versa if there wasn’t a rested qualified engineer or fireman available…

13

Occasionally railroads would assign two firemen. This occurred on hand fueled locomotives where the trains had some with really tough grades. Otherwise the locomotive couldn’t make steam and lose momentum at the absolute worst point. That is not to mention a totally exhausted fireman.