well my dad was what the rr called train order operator, and div of labour called telegrapher/towerman/clerk) for the southern pacific every since we moved out to california when i was 3 years old in 1951. until they made him retire in 1980.
i was a heavy equipment apprentice for them in the early 70s, 72 and 73.
neither of us was in train service. he sold tickets and freight, copied trainorders and all that, coordinated communication between dispatchers and trains and mw people. this what when the dispatchers radio/microwave didn't yet reach the actual train cabs and dispatching was on written clearances. my truck mounted cranes and back hoes were assigned to mw, with system rights, which ment they could send us all over, which didn't happen often, mostly i worked the then 'sacramento' devision, between roseville ca and sparks nv, as did my dad in his job.
the couple of times they sent the machine i was on, its opperator and myself out of district, they put us on full expenses which was great.
i remember one time we had to fill up at a regular truck stop fuel station and this was when they still had trading stamps and they brought out book after book of them cause it took about 80 gallons.
this was all on the line over donner summit in californa, which is where i still live next to.
=^^=
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