I can really agree with Bob on this issue. True the general
population was familiar with big business' use of the term
"featherbedding" when they thought the fireman was no longer needed to
"shovel coal". Unbenownst to that general populace, stokers eliminated
the need for the fireman to shovel other than the occasional
scoopfull. However, watching for signals or other obstructions while
keeping an eye on the "glass" and other gauges kept him more than busy.
In the diesel era, the fireman had plenty to keep him occupied,
going back to restart a shutdown unit, or fire up a steam generator on
passenger while not always continual "nose to the grindstone" work was
important none the less. In yard duty the fireman became the
engineers' extra set of eyes as no radios were in use back then and
any passing of signals by the groundmen on the left hand side or on
curves was essential duty by the fireman. Picture driving your car
with a sheet of plywood on edge down the center of your hood blocking
any view from the passenger side.....its the same sensation on a switcher.
Also back in the day before simulators and training schools, the
fireman position was like an engineer's apprenticeship, and to me that
training was far better than the hurried classes the RR's give today.
There's nothing more scary than being a conductor with a rookie
"expertly trained" engineer who doesn't know exactly what he's doing
and running by the seat of his pants (even if a bit damp!)
So I get a little riled by the term featherbedding myself and I
started railroading when firemen were being eliminated gradually with
hardly a reasonable replacement engineer training program.
Bud Rindfleisch
retired brakeman/conductor/engineer, 31 years worth.
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