Wow.I used to listen to PBX conversations in the afternoons many years ago. Krebs and others would ask how things are going on his busy railroad. They would be given stats across the system including dwell times in the major yards, trains held for lack of power or crews and the on time performance of certain key trains including the Blue Streak. Yardmasters would be asked directly about yard performance and politely respond (or defend) current operations. Derailments and even fatalities were sometimes discussed. I remember for instance one discussion about a forklift operator that was killed in the Sacramento shops and the sad response. One memorable conservation was of an excited Krebs in Island Mountain on the NWP. He was watching the tracks disappear into the blue mud during a winter rainstorm . He ordered an extra tamper and ballast regulator be trucked up immediately. The PBX conversations gave you a special insight into the thinking of top management of SP. Most SP officials assumed these conservations were private with no one else listening. This is the first time anyone else has acknowledged PBX radio conservations that I am aware of.