A Question For Any Former Erie or Erie Lackawanna Employees

[pajrr]

Hi, I am in a discussion about "Smiley", the happy railroad worker who was a "mascot" of the Erie and later the E-L, "The Friendly Service Route". I am thinking that Smiley was an internal, motivational type character, vs a public character like Phoebe Snow or Chessie. I see Smiley on Erie and EL employee magazines and shop towels and things, but I have never seen him on any type of public advertising. Does anyone know the history of Smiley? Thanks for any info anyone can give me. This link takes you to an Erie magazine with Smiley on the cover.    http://elmags.railfan.net/ERIE_Dec1948.pdf

[BaltACD]

Smiley is braking the cardinal safety rule - standing in the middle of the track!

Found it interesting that various tobacco products were advertising in the company magazine.

[wanswheel]

The Hamburg Sun and Erie County Independent, July 15, 1948

"Smiley" Is Cited for Safety Violation After First Run

“Smiley,” the Erie Railroad's ambassador of goodwill, has been cited for violating a safety rule on his first run over the system. A life-like puppet created exclusively for the Erie Railroad, “Smiley” represents all of the Erie employes in a new series of on-line newspaper advertisements designed to portray the railroad's role as a hometown partner in local community life.

“Smiley” was outfitted with specially tailored overalls, work gloves, bandana and shoes — ready to go to work with his lunch box. Thus equipped, he recently visited every community served by the Erie Railroad through the pages of the local papers.

His wide good-natured grin in the first Erie advertisement was enjoyed in many homes — but created quite a stir where Erie Railroad employes lived.

In the Erie homes, wives, mothers and sisters who take care of clothing for railroaders immediately spotted a flaw in “Smiley's” outfit. Letters were sent to the Erie's headquarters in Cleveland. “Smiley's turned-up overall cuffs violate safety rules,” the letters stated. “Loose clothing is apt to catch on something and Smiley will get hurt. It doesn't represent Erie's safety program and will spoil our safety record."

Cited for a violation on his first run, “Smiley” visited a tailor shop for alterations. He'll be dressed to work safely for the Erie during future runs of the advertisements.

[Anonymous]

The majority of railroad men smoked, not only the steam locomotives they worked around, so it was common for tobacco advertising to be seen in the magazines that the railroads printed for their employes. The advertising also helped pay for the cost of publishing the magazines. I wonder if the US Department of Agriculture ran Smokey the Bear ads in railroad employee magazines when the danger of forest fires was a seasonal hazzard?

[RME]

BaltACD

Smiley is braking the cardinal safety rule - standing in the middle of the track!

That's much more like his buddy of the same vintage, Willie Noitall!

(Of course, look at his Godzilla-like size, similar to that Breitspurbahn axle and gear the sales people are inspecting a couple of pages in -- looks like a paste-up job to go with the Varityper 'typesetting'...)

Question -- does your carrier have policies on what kind of braking to avoid where important safety rules are involved?