SP Crew Change Rules - Mid 50s

[COLTSPGUY]

Hi ...

I'm a new guy here so don't know if this is the right place to post this question or not...

I read the Crew Change rules in the current Model Railroader and I was wondering if anyone can explain to me how Southern Pacific did crew changes in the mid 1950s time frame... I don't understand the 100 mile rule mentioned in the MR article ... Any help would be appreciated!

I am modeling a layout in N Scale set around Fernley NV in the 50s ... Thanks!

Bob

 

[Espeefan]

Go over to the yahoo groups and join the Espee list. Plenty of gurus there who will be able to answer your question.

 

[COLTSPGUY]

Go over to the yahoo groups and join the Espee list. Plenty of gurus there who will be able to answer your question.

Hi Espeefan,

Thanks for the tip. I will give them a try and see what happens!

Bob

 

[dave1905]

The "100 mile rule" doesn't exist.

Up until the 1980's or so, crews were paid a basic day of 100 miles or 8 hours plus additional pay for time or mileage over 100 miles or 8 hours. The 100 miles was teh basis for pay, it had nothing to do with how far the crews went.

Most crew districts, the distance one crew went, was typically somewhere between 75 and 150 miles. Passenger crews might have runs double that distance. The length of the run had nothing to do with the 100 mile rule, it had to do with how far apart the towns were and how far the trains could get in a reasonable time. Modern crew districts typically range between 100 and 300 miles.

Typically a crew would run from their "home" terminal to their away terminal. At the away terminal they would get rested and then run a train back to their home terminal.

The vast majority of intermediate crew changes were step on-step off crew changes. Some areas didn't have the train even stop. The inbound train would slow down to a walking speed and the new engine crew would get on the train and the old engine crew would get off the train and the rear crews would do the same. The train never stopped. Modern rules against getting on or off moving equipment prohibit that.

 

[COLTSPGUY]

The "100 mile rule" doesn't exist.

Up until the 1980's or so, crews were paid a basic day of 100 miles or 8 hours plus additional pay for time or mileage over 100 miles or 8 hours. The 100 miles was teh basis for pay, it had nothing to do with how far the crews went.

Most crew districts, the distance one crew went, was typically somewhere between 75 and 150 miles. Passenger crews might have runs double that distance. The length of the run had nothing to do with the 100 mile rule, it had to do with how far apart the towns were and how far the trains could get in a reasonable time. Modern crew districts typically range between 100 and 300 miles.

Typically a crew would run from their "home" terminal to their away terminal. At the away terminal they would get rested and then run a train back to their home terminal.

The vast majority of intermediate crew changes were step on-step off crew changes. Some areas didn't have the train even stop. The inbound train would slow down to a walking speed and the new engine crew would get on the train and the old engine crew would get off the train and the rear crews would do the same. The train never stopped. Modern rules against getting on or off moving equipment prohibit that.

Hi Dave1905,

That clears things up... Thanks for the information!

Bob