Well, on the SP it was a little different.

There were a lot of different "Rules" and in a few places, depended on what state you were in. Now some of these dates may be a little off but I am sure there are some guys out there that can correct that. The main item was who to call and if the run needed to filled by a fireman.

The first big change was in 1964. That is when Calif. put the matter on the ballot to the voters who had no idea what they were voting on. It was called the "Feather Bed" vote. The big carriers pushed it so they had ads showing this person sleeping on the engine while an Engineer and two brakeman were working.

Well, the vote passed and the fireman was given his walking papers. Now, we are just talking about people in Engine Service. Ah, but first a lot of loose ends needed to taken care of. There would be changes in the agreement provisions between the carrier and the union.

First, it was agreed that all passenger and work trains and lite engines (helpers) would have a fireman. Now the only full crew state I knew about was Oregon. There may have been more on the SP system but Oregon had a full crew law and it was used until the middle 70s, I think. Someone in the SP thought they had the answer so they stopped calling fireman for lite engine moves on the helpers. Well, most of the time it left 2 engineers on a helper district and no way to get home. Their answer was to have both engineers couple there power together and run lite. Fine. Who gets the 100 miles copying the train orders? Who was the engineer? Who was first out as a fireman in the home terminal to be deadheaded for service? What person was runaround in the home terminal? and who was not called for service on the extra board! It cost the SP a whole boat load in claims and took about 2 months to get it stopped. Oregon had the last laugh. While the SP was trying to figure how to get around the full crew on other states & divisions, the BLE Legislative Board had a state law passed, House Bill 2887. That kept a man on lite engines, etc.

Well, back to the rest of the men that were left hanging out to dry. The carriers and unions knew there had to be cuts made, but how. Here is a short list so to speak and I am sure someone out there can correct it.

Now this is where it gets complicated.

There were NEW seniority lists, one for Engineers and one for Fireman. On those lists were their seniority dates as an Engineer and as a Fireman. They, the carriers and unions, came up with a date which would deal with placement and use of these men. The Fireman were the first to go. They were offered an amount (depending on years of service) but they would never be allowed to work for the SP again. Anybody that didn't take the package would be given a like job for pay and promised to be hired back as the first person hired in engine service. Some took it some didn't.

Now, what about the engineers that were cut? They were given a "C-6" date. This date was used when ever a train was called and they had to run a regular engineer around a blank space. There were a lot of guys sitting at home drawing checks and never had to turn a wheel.

Well in 67 and 68 the SP was out of engineers. (I had a 69 date as a fireman). I would be called where ever a fireman was needed: SF, San Jose, Wat.Jct, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Some 480 miles.

Well, in steps another agreement between the carrier and the UTU-E. When everything was signed the union needed some protection for the fireman. On each pool (freight) there were now an Engineer and a Space Number, called a "Red Tag Veto". Now that space number could be bid in (chain gang paid a lot more) by a fireman. But to make sure the carrier didn't run around it, there was a law that every Red Tag Veto HAD TO HAVE A PERSON IN IT. Period. No excuse. Well, I was working on the fireman extra board and was called for the red tag veto on the Zipper to Wat. Jct. I had just tied up after working 15 hours on a helper. I fell back to sleep. Well, I woke up when it rang again and it was the RFE. He told me about this law, with the receiver held away a good 10 feet. I was told the train I was supposed to be on was going through Chorro. He told me I was still first out and so was the red tag veto. He said don't go back to sleep. The RFE was Lance Proudfit one of the best company officers I met over my many years. The engineer that left without me? I was told he couldn't sit down for a week. All for $2.00, working without a fireman.

I think I may have bored a lot of you but that C-6 agreement was really something. That just scratches the surface.


SP Nudge