ron Wrote:
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> 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.

NOTHING compares to the nightly sagas with R.L. King in 77 and 78. System run downs went on for 30-45 minutes. So long, King would be home and out of range of the SF PBX. Dead silence when the operator asked " Are you clear, Mr King?"