RA Phillips Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great Photo story, observation and opinion! I learned something new from this. I didn't know MP ever went to Colorado Springs.

The Colorado Eagle from Pueblo to Denver used MP equipment, but it was, for all intents and purposes, a DRGW train.

> Off the topic question? Did you hire on with Santa Fe before 1979, when San Bernardino West Yard Tower, Colton Tower, and Riverside Junction Tower were closed?

I hired on in October of 1979 and West Yard Tower and Colton Tower were still open but I didn't work them. I think Riverside Jct. Tower may have already been closed. I did work San Bernardino Telegraph and they trained me on some clerical jobs. I learned how to tie the knots in the string to hang the train orders for UP trains and Amtrak. I obviously didn't have to hang orders for crews that were going on duty at San Bernardino. The clerical jobs were using all sorts of machines that are now obsolete. They used key punch cards and that little ticker tape type stuff that had a whole bunch of small circular holes in it.

> I know you worked Mission Tower and Redondo Jct. Of the 2, what one was your favorite and what one did you work the longest?

I think I liked Mission Tower better because it had more traffic but Redondo had its advantages too. At Redondo I could leave the tower briefly and walk over to the roundhouse when the "roach coach" was there and load up on snacks and viddles. It seemed like I spent about an equal amount of time at each. Mostly vacation reliefs.

Are you still working a tower? You may be the last man standing. Open towers are becoming as rare as hen's teeth.