what did a truckman do in 1917 for the railroad?

[corkydrivn]

My grandfather is listed as having worked for the railroad as a truckman. We are trying to find out what a truckman did for the railroad in the time period around 1917. I have done an exhaustive internet search with multiple findings of guys who were truckmen for the railroad but no description for the job. I am sorry if this is not the right forum for this question, I'm just hoping to get an answer. Also, does anyone know anything about the RA St L Railroad in Springfield, Ohio during the same time period? He wrote down that he was employed at the Freight House for this railroad.

Thank you all for your time,

Jeanie Cook
[email protected]

[GSC]

I'm thinking a truckman was someone who moved hand trucks, baggage carts, other wheeled hand-powered vehicles, and the like. Anyone else have an idea?

[Noel Weaver]

I agree mostly employed in local freight houses handling freight, loading, unloading and transferring freight. I think the job
probably fell in to the catagory of clerk.
Noel Weaver

[chemin-de-fer]

Modern definition is truck driver, according to one dictionary. Or perhaps like Noel wrote, a freight-handling generalist.

Here's an article that might help...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.h ... 946997D6CF

Another...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.h ... 946997D6CF

Click on the View Full article link to download a pdf of the article.

[GSC]

1917 would be a bit early for a "truck driver", what road-type trucks there were back then were rather primitive, Model Ts converted to flatbed was about it. World War One brought the advent of the modern "truck" as we came to know it.

I've seen od photos of electric baggage carts, pulling a train of several unpowered carts, in major terminals. Maybe this is a job for a truckman?