Questions about crew assignments

[jecorbett]

Was it typical for a train crew to be assigned to the same train all the time or would they be assigned to the next train out when their crew's turn came up. Also, would there be crews that only worked locals or only worked through freights. I ask this because in his classic book about layout design, John Armstrong mentioned that labor agreements at one time specified that each crew was assigned its own caboose so I'd like to know if I should be attaching the same caboose to the same train all the time, or could I just take the next caboose in line regardless of which train is departing next.

[dehusman]

There are several types of crews. Pool crews operate basically first in-first out between two points and catch whatever the train is when its their trun to run.
Assigned crews (often on locals) operate on the same pair of trains everyday.

Dave H.

[red p]

we work in pool rotation. Back when there were cabooses, they were assigned to the conductor.
So you see it was the conductor that had his own caboose.

[nbrodar]

Most of our road trains run in pools, so the crews work first in first out.
All our locals and yard jobs have assigned crews.

Nick