Punching Conductors.

[Clutch Cargo]

While mindlesly googling the web I came across this.

Enjoy.

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-sa-railroadties1aug23,0,895932.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

When Punching Train Tickets, Railroad Conductors Leave A Mark Uniquely Their Own
August 23, 2005
By Mark Ginocchio, Staff Writer On Metro-North Railroad, hole punches are a lot like snowflakes. No two are alike.

"This is our signature," says Thomas Wyen, an assistant conductor on the New Haven Line.

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He unleashes his hand-held silver puncher faster than a cowboy in a Wild West shootout. With three quick clicks, Wyen showcases his prized punch on a sample ticket.

"Have you seen 'Lord of the Rings?' " he asks. "Because I think it looks like the sword."

He holds the ticket to the light, and the hole does look like a sword -- a moon-shaped blade guard and a rectangular handle -- although likeness to anything in the "Lord of the Rings" films is debatable.

"I think mine looks like a little airplane," conductor Tom Wnek says. "We're guaranteed that no two conductors have the same one."

That's because a conductor's hole punch is a vital form of identification for the railroad. Conductors use the punches to track tickets they've checked. If a passenger says they've already had their ticket punched, but the shape left behind doesn't belong to anyone working the train, he'll know someone is trying to cheat the railroad, Wyen says.

The railroad's revenue accounting department also keeps a record of the shapes issued to each conductor. That way, the punch mark can provide evidence in case of employee misconduct.

Ticket punching began in the 1860s and is unique to railroads in the United States, Metro-North spokesman Dan Brucker said. Once conductors were able to request punch marks, but now they are issued at random.

Ensuring each punch is unique is a challenge for the die-maker, Brucker said. Once the common shapes, such as diamonds, hearts and spades, were distributed, the manufacturer had to tweak some of the shapes in minuscule yet identifiable ways.

Conductors develop an attachment to their punches, which they use almost 2,000 times a day. Wnek has had his mini-airplane for eight years and doesn't plan to turn it in for a new one.

Not all punches were built to last, especially when the die wears away.

"Sometime it sticks when it punches, or it doesn't take it out clean," conductor Clement Clarke says. "That's when you know you have to get a new one."

Wyen, who has worked with the railroad for 17 years, says his sword is his third hole punch. Clarke has gone through four punches in eight years.

Passengers rarely notice the punches, although some children are fascinated by them, Wyen says.

"I see kids collecting the tickets," he says. "It's fun. I'll sometimes make a smiley face for them."

He demonstrates, clicking furiously until the ticket grows two sword-shapes eyes, a nose and a toothy smile.

The hole punch can bring joy to conductors, too, if they're lucky.

"I like to play the four numbers," Wnek says, turning the puncher upside down to show a four-digit serial number. "But I haven't had a hit yet."

Kurt

[Sterling1]

Cool . . .

[egmurphy]

I never knew that. Thanks for posting it.

Ed

[FThunder11]

Intresting...I know when i took amtrak this summer though, both my tickets looed the same...but i think is differetn...

[miniwyo]

Interensting

[CSXrules4eva]

Yes this is interesting I would of never guessed that much about "punching conductors".
Sometimes on Septa the conductors like to make little designs or signatures on their passangers' ticket. I honestly all this time thought it was a form of speacial purchase that Septa told their conductors to do. OK so now I know what that is. THANKS!

[Anonymous]

Punch brother,
Punch with care.
Punch in the presence
of the passengare.

Just a bit of crazy poetry I heard or read many years ago. I guess if you have a ticket for the conductor to punch you don't have to pay

Per tuppence
per passenger
per trip.

[BNSFGP38]

My punch looks like the out line of the 48 United states. Hasnt got much use though since I became a engineer at the musuem. Occasionally I still put on a tie and go in the cars.

[Anonymous]

Pretty amazing the different styles of punches that are available for conductors to use.

[Big_Boy_4005]

I actually own 5 different punches. Somewhere in a pile of papers I have information on a company that makes them. The information is kind of old, and I haven't tried a web search. If I remember correctly, anyone can buy them. Of course they aren't cheap.

Sometimes, you run into them for sale at train shows, mixed in with the switch keys, button covers, silverware, china, timetables, etc.

It's fun to be the conductor, you get to punch the passenger's (tickets).[:0][B)][;)][:D]

That was an easy search.

http://www.holepunchworld.com/

[Jordan6]

Oh, it's not the topic I thought it was, but none the less it's pretty interesting.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jordan6

Oh, it's not the topic I thought it was, but none the less it's pretty interesting.

Me too, I thought of someone punching Kevin. [;)]

But he would probally punch them back. Than they would probally both look like this [B)] l o l

[UPTRAIN]

Quite a lure to the topic in it's title, lol. I just got out my Amtrak ticket stubs from earlier this month, VERY COOL, 4 different conductors, 4 different punches, that's cool!

[Clutch Cargo]

A Lure??..A Lure?????

This topic is Hook, Line and Sinker. [:D]

Bow Down!

Kurt

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm. I know of a few conductors who have been punched. Not byh me, of course...

LC

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kurtconi

A Lure??..A Lure?????

This topic is Hook, Line and Sinker. [:D]

Bow Down!

Kurt

Hey Kurt

DON'T give up your day job. [}:)] [:p] [;)]

[UPTRAIN]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

QUOTE: Originally posted by kurtconi

A Lure??..A Lure?????

This topic is Hook, Line and Sinker. [:D]

Bow Down!

Kurt

Hey Kurt

DON'T give up your day job. [}:)] [:p] [;)]

Yeah, save it for tomorrow night over in the Diner, say 11 or so, no cover charge, everybody come out!

[tree68]

I've got an old punch that came from who knows where. My father (not a railroad man) gave it to me to use on my paper route (to punch the subscribers cards, indicating they'd paid for that week). I hated it - pretty strong spring, much stronger than the office supply store variety.

I recall seeing catalogs of such punches. They did come in a variety of patterns, ranging from common things like stars to some truly unique forms.

I still have that punch - I use it on the tickets for my model railroad when I give them out...