By J.D. Santucci
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2002 Archive |
 J.
D. Santucci (a.k.a. "Tuch") began his railroading
career in 1978 as a trainman on the Missouri Pacific. After
a round of lay-offs in 1985, Tuch embarked on a railroad odyssey,
working in many different situations for different roads. This
column tries to explain some of the nuts and bolts of the job
and also demonstrates what we have to deal with on a regular
basis from within and without the industry. Tuch currently works
through freights out of Chicago for Canadian National/Illinois
Central.
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December
23, 2002: Today We Take Another Ride on Santa’s Train
The weekend of December 14th and 15th was the 32nd annual
run of CNIC’s Santa Train. Our usual cast of elves was
present to assist Santa as he greeted all the kids and took
the requests of toys and goodies they wished to get for Christmas
this year.
December
17, 2002: This Time It Is Part Two of Working Our Way Across
Town
If you survived the first part of this trip, part two may
bring you to your knees. I will barrage you with information
in the second leg of this journey. It may put you into overload
and shut all of your thought processing systems down altogether.
Should this occur, I will then have you under my complete and
total control.
December
9 , 2002: Today We Work Our Way Across Town
The Chicago Terminal is a maze or better yet, a labyrinth
of rail lines. This myriad of trackage threads its way here
and there throughout the entire region. There are clearly hundreds
of main line route miles within the entire Chicago Switching
District. If you add up all the main, yard and industrial trackage,
the total amount is in the tens of thousands of miles.
November 27, 2002: This
Time Things Go Horribly Wrong
I know I am way overdue in getting this one out. I had undertaken
another topic and was writing it ever so diligently. However,
it needs more work as it turned out to be more involved than
I had anticipated, make that much more involved than I anticipated.
November 13, 2002: Today
We Do Some Toilet Talk
Or perhaps it could be tales from the can. This will not be
a column about off color or dirty jokes, although after reading
it you may wish for the jokes instead.
November
6, 2002: This Time, We Use a Little Clout
In late April 1983, I took a trip to the Louisville, Kentucky
area. The Louisville, New Albany and Corydon Railroad was having
some sort of an open house. Being that I knew virtually nothing
about this line other than they had quite a few blue box cars
that appeared in the yards where I worked, I decided to take
a few days off and attend so as to see the place for myself.
October 31, 2002: Today, We’re
Humping To Please
There used to be a trucking company out of St Louis that
used a camel as their emblem along with that phrase as their
slogan. While they have gone bust, the phrase lives on. And
it comes in handy for today's lesson, which will be dealing
with hump yards and humping operations.
October 24, 2002: Today, It
is the Tale of a Locomotive
Being that I have been all around the rail industry, or
at least it feels like I have anyway, the opportunity has presented
itself for me to run the some of the very same locomotives under
various operators. That is, a particular locomotive that has
changed hands and gone to another railroad.
October 10, 2002: Today, We
Gotta Eat
One thing railroaders seem to be very good at is seeking
out places to eat. It seems like even in the middle of nowhere,
we can find a place to get something to eat.
October 1, 2002: Today We Pay
Tribute to a Man of Many Hats
On 28 September 2002, CNIC Conductor Kenny McMullen ended
a forty-year career of service as he officially retired. Kenny
is on the short list as one of my railroad heroes.
September 24, 2002: Today we
do the Hustle
Perhaps this has you thinking of that dance from the 70's and
the song the late Van McCoy made famous. In this case though,
you are thinking incorrectly. Well, that's what you get for
thinking. We will look at the job of Hostler and how one had
to be able to hustle to perform the duties.
September 9, 2002: Today we
do another study in Cranial Rectal Inversion
After several rather technical pieces, it is time to have
a little fun as we study another outbreak of Head-Up-Assitis.
As long as there are railroads, there will be "cranial
rectal inversion."
September
5, 2002: Today We Look at Make Up and Handling
No, this is not a column discussing putting on our faces,
doing our hair and nails and proper charm and poise. Instead,
we will discuss such issues as how loads and empties are placed
in trains.
August 27, 2002: Today We Save
a Little Gas
The rail industry consumes thousands of barrels of fuel on a
daily basis. Diesel-Electric locomotives feed upon an exclusive
diet of #2 diesel fuel. Over the years there have been trials
of alternative fuels with limited to moderate success.
August 23, 2002: This Time,
the Hits Just Keep on Coming
Even though I once worked as an on the air personality in
commercial broadcast radio, this will not be a piece about Top
40 Radio in the 60's or early 70's; it is all about railroading.
August 14, 2002: Today
We Ride the Heights Run
In past columns I have mentioned working the Heights Run
during my MoPac days. Today we are going to look in depth at
the job.
August
4, 2002: This Time We Smile and Say Cheese
Today's column has been pre-empted several times already. Finally
this time for sure it gets its turn to appear.
July
29, 2002: This Time We Look at the Life of a Railroad Wife
The beautiful bride has a birthday coming up July 31st. For
quite a while I've been planning to write a piece about how
difficult life in general can be when you're married to a railroader.
This special occasion makes it the perfect time.
July
24, 2002: Today, All Eyes Are Upon Us
Once again, the planned and long written column that has
been bumped so many times gets bumped again. Eventually though,
it will get its turn to appear on the Hot Times network. Today's
column is one that was inspired by the events that occurred
July 20th.
July 17, 2002: Stupid Civilian
Tricks
All too frequently people take the dangers of being around
railroad tracks and moving trains for granted. Other times they
are just totally oblivious to these very dangers. These folks
must have that "nothing bad can happen to me" attitude
when around the tracks.
July
10, 2002: Another Long Day's Journey Into Night
Once again the column I had intended to send out this time
has been pre-empted. The railroad gods were in another one of
their wicked moods and today they bombarded us with lightning
bolts and poison darts. |
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