John Bruce Wrote:
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> I'm hearing that there was a difference between
> yard jobs in places like Bull Ring and locals (?)
> or other type jobs like the Air Line or the
> Culver. But the Bull Ring jobs didn't just sort
> cars in the yard, apparently -- they switched the
> freight house when it was there, and then the ADM
> transfer facility before it went to Aurant, and
> the flour mill. Was there an actual difference, or
> was there just a historical circumstance that made
> one type a yard job?

The jobs at the Bull Ring (River Station, actually) were yard jobs with switchmen (a foreman and two helpers) and engineers/firemen. The other jobs mentioned such as the Air Line or Culver were locals with trainmen (a conductor and two brakemen) and engineers/firemen. The two types of jobs had different collective bargaining agreements, different rates of pay and different working conditions. The Bull Ring jobs were SP while most if not all of the others mentioned were PE. Others can give you more info on that.

As trivia, the first job I could regularly hold after hiring out as a fireman in September 1971 was the First Trick yard job at the Bull Ring. It worked the yard and the freight houses across Alameda Street, and switched Capitol Milling. It's where I came to have an undying respect for the lugging ablilities of Baldwin switchers.