These fellas are about to board 4567 with 530 trailing and a looong string of empty PPLX empty hoppers to head west either out on the old B&O “West End” or up Sand Patch.
Kinda looks like the’re gonna be out for a while, lotsa baggage. As a non railroader, I can’t imagine what might be going thru their minds…do we have good power? Are we gonna have a smooth trip? Will we wait for what seems forever to get goin’?
Back in the day when Jacksonville was handling the dispatching, one dispatcher always told 'em, when it was time to go, “Have a safe trip, Gentlemen”
thats not lots of baggage gee that is normal for a round trip out and back. he probley has a meal to eat some drinks and a change of clothes . that in its self dont need that much room and coold be handled in a duffle bag or small back pack. reason for that much luggage is all the rule books timetables saftey junk raingear more rule books dispatchers bullitin another rule book and a radio for the conductor and lantern and a rule book on how thats used and for the engineer a rule book on how to run the engine, and another rule book on how to read the rule books, and then a haz-mat book. and yes a book on how to use that. Now excuse me i have to go and attend to my hernia…
[soapbox] As a conductor for the Union Pacific I have to agree with the above posts I not only have to plan for a long day or night but I am required to to carry the rule book the special instructions. all changes to those books all new gneral orders for the different sub divisions that I will opreate on. and the latest haz mat booklet my radio a spare battery switch key and other stuff and that all is in my backpack. I also carry a grip with my chance of clothes and meals to eat later and last but not least my lunch box with a meal for the road , you always expect the worst and hope for the best. And yes the dispatcher will wish us a safe trip Ok I will get off my soap box have a Safe Day to all my brother and sister railroaders Larry
Way back when (before lawyers began writing operating rules) the rule book used to be about 200 pages in a 3.5 inch by 7 inch (approximately) book that would conviently fit in a pocket.
Now you almost need a crane to lift all the books that are now required.
That looks like normal grips for the trip, I carry 3 a back pack with my laptop and other reading stuff, a bigger grip for rule book , cora book and other stuff including thermos for coffee (the railroad runs on it lol) and I carry a cooler for various cold items.
I carried my bag and a lap top, when I was a conductor I had a bag with baling wire,duct tape rule books, air gauge, battery, cora book,kitchen sink,etc etc.
Now I jsut show up and go to the car when I need something.But those guys look like a normal trip. I have seen one guy we call him the shirpa. He carries a large and I do mean LARGE back pack,roller luggage and a carry on bag.