by Westbound31
The turntable has a sticking spot right around where the 360 is parked right now (between the baggage car and where the 501 used to sit. We'd pretty much open the air up in that area to get past it. Once past the spot, it functions fine but we were all trained to know where that spot was and how to get past it without stalling the table. We'd clean that turntable pit regularly and Court would go in and inspect things after. Miss those days...
We went through some pretty extensive training when I was there after passing the rules class. Getting on and off moving equipment safely by making runs back and forth in the yard, studying the yard track map and knowing the names of each track in the yard and where the "normal" positions were of each switch. We'd do yard switching or be working on equipment and once finished we'd need to go through each track and radio in to the depot that all switches in North Conway yard were locked and lined for normal.
Safe train movements were on the top of the list when I was there. We needed to know how to effectively communicate to the train crews with verbal and non-verbal communications. I remember my goal while on train service was to do the complete runaround in Conway without saying a single word or having anyone correct me. We'd all be using hand signals to coordinate the train movements and we could get that runaround done in under 3 minutes without a single word being spoken. Those guys had that railroad running like a finely oiled machine and it was something to behold. We took pride in that.
Court was the master at handling 7470 but I don't recall ever having rough train movements. Court, Paul, Rudy and Gordon were masters at their craft. I always looked forward to being on the train crew when Paul was running. Not only could he handle trains well but he'd do it in style and put on a nice show for the railfans. Those guys never sacrificed one for the other, they did both very well. They knew how to work the throttle (and reverser when running steam) while coming to a stop, gradually letting off the air and coming to the gentlest stop while the last of the air was just letting out. Great times.
Like I said it was a totally different atmosphere during those days, the feeling just isn't the same now. Last time I visited the yard one of the new employees kicked me and my wife off the grounds. I wasn't even behind one the dozens of yellow chains they have set up in their chain maze there. Only to have another new employee gather everyone back up again to bring them to the same area we got kicked off of to watch 7470 on the turntable. I just left, don't think I've been through since and don't plan on taking any rides. All of us former employees still keep in touch, still see each other and have moved on to other railroads or careers where their experience is welcomed and valued.
We went through some pretty extensive training when I was there after passing the rules class. Getting on and off moving equipment safely by making runs back and forth in the yard, studying the yard track map and knowing the names of each track in the yard and where the "normal" positions were of each switch. We'd do yard switching or be working on equipment and once finished we'd need to go through each track and radio in to the depot that all switches in North Conway yard were locked and lined for normal.
Safe train movements were on the top of the list when I was there. We needed to know how to effectively communicate to the train crews with verbal and non-verbal communications. I remember my goal while on train service was to do the complete runaround in Conway without saying a single word or having anyone correct me. We'd all be using hand signals to coordinate the train movements and we could get that runaround done in under 3 minutes without a single word being spoken. Those guys had that railroad running like a finely oiled machine and it was something to behold. We took pride in that.
Court was the master at handling 7470 but I don't recall ever having rough train movements. Court, Paul, Rudy and Gordon were masters at their craft. I always looked forward to being on the train crew when Paul was running. Not only could he handle trains well but he'd do it in style and put on a nice show for the railfans. Those guys never sacrificed one for the other, they did both very well. They knew how to work the throttle (and reverser when running steam) while coming to a stop, gradually letting off the air and coming to the gentlest stop while the last of the air was just letting out. Great times.
Like I said it was a totally different atmosphere during those days, the feeling just isn't the same now. Last time I visited the yard one of the new employees kicked me and my wife off the grounds. I wasn't even behind one the dozens of yellow chains they have set up in their chain maze there. Only to have another new employee gather everyone back up again to bring them to the same area we got kicked off of to watch 7470 on the turntable. I just left, don't think I've been through since and don't plan on taking any rides. All of us former employees still keep in touch, still see each other and have moved on to other railroads or careers where their experience is welcomed and valued.