Brake sticks

[NW Mailing List]

True, and I am a product of that time.  At first they were allowed but 
nearly impossible to get, then banned, then required, and now optional 
but encouraged.  Just another example of the ever changing and locally 
variable rules we live with.  When I say that we are supposed to use 
them, it's not a rule violation not to, but our officials have been 
known to ask why one was not used.  For a little while they were 
actually required, until a couple people got hurt using them.

I remember a time when conductors collected and jealously defended brake 
sticks, radio handsets, radio batteries, lantern batteries, even entire 
lanterns.  I still have all of the above (except a brake stick, which I 
never had) from my conductor days.  Now they are handed out as needed, 
or (in the case of the handsets) secured to the locomotives.  Now, as an 
engineer, I collect reverser handles, and I even have a spare brake 
handle.  I want one of each in brass, but I haven't found any yet.

On a personal note, how is Jeremy doing?  I had a regular job with him 
at Linwood for a while, and I loved working with him.  We have similar 
opinions of our employer, it seems. :)

Ken Rickman

On 7/24/2012 10:13 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:

> /"//I think that all conductors on NS are supposed to have and use 

> them, although not all do."/

> Ken,

>     Brake sticks are optional. I've heard at one time the Piedmont 

> Div. wouldn't let their guys use them.

> Jimmy Lisle

-- 
Kenneth Rickman
Salisbury, NC
Fundamentalism: from "Fund" : Give me money, and "Amentalism": No brain.

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