"Featherbedding"

[jchnhtfd]

Amazing, wasn't it? But way back, all those folks had something real to do. Times changed; work rules changed (or sometimes state legislation) much more slowly. At least in some cases the "Trainmen" on passenger trains functioned much like Assistant Conductors. The Conductor, as always, having ultimate responsibility for operating the train on schedule and to orders, and the trainmen helping (a lot on a crowded run) in collecting fares and all that. The Pullman people were, before the breakup of Pullman, completely independent of the railroad and took care of the Pullmans and their passengers -- they were Pullman, not railroad, employees.

[BNSFwatcher]

Back in the post-Dieselization days, many states had "Full-Crew Laws", New York, among them.  They required a 6-man crew on freight trains.  The crewmen were:  1.  Engineer:  Duties obvious.  2.  Fireman:  Duties?  Extra eyes, perhaps.  3.  Head-end Brakeman:  He threw the switch into the siding.  4.  Rear-end Brakeman:  He closed the switch.  5.  Conductor:  He did the paperwork.  6.  Flagman:  He protected the rear of the train in case of unforseen stoppage, even in CTC or ABS territory.  I have seen "Trainmen" on passenger trains.  What were their duties?  Did they have them on freights, too?  Some passenger trains also had Pullman conductors, and assistants, in addition to the regular crew.  I guess that guaranteed the equitable (honest) division of fare money.  Nowadays, the two-man crew is normal, adding a brakeman if much switching is going to be involved, en route.

Guess the question is:  what did Trainmen do?

Hays