Deadliest Train Accidents
On November 1, 1918, the Brighton Beach Line Accident, also known as the Malbone Street Wreck, killed ninety-three people instantly and another five, who died later from injuries. The accident occurred in Brooklyn, New York when a subway (or, rather, the 1918 version of a subway) was taking a turn at too high a speed. The turn, meant to be taken at around 10mph, was instead tackled at a whopping 30-40mph. As a result, the wooden train cars were torn apart.
Even deadlier, was the Great Train Wreck of 1918, officially making 1918 the worst year for trains in the United States. Two passenger trains experienced a head on collision near Nashville, Tennessee. Both trains were expected to share the same mile long stretch of track. However, one of the trains was found at fault for not having properly accounted for the other, which had the right of way. As a result, a hundred and one people died and another hundred and seventy-one people were injured.
It’s Not All about Derailments
Obviously derailments can cause a great deal of damage. However, it’s not enough to make sure your train stays on the tracks. Trains can experience any number of other issues that can have expensive or deadly consequences, not the least of which was the boiler explosion we mentioned above, which resulted in the death of a crew member.
On May 4th, 1840, a bridge collapsed under the weight of a train. The train, traveling between Catskill and Cairo New York on the Canajoharie and Catskill Railroad, fell into the water. Thankfully, there was only one fatality. The incident may seem relatively minor but it makes an important point. You can’t control everything that might go wrong. Obviously, neither the conductor, nor anyone else on board, could be held responsible for the poor condition of the bridge. It is, therefore, all the more important that the conductor and crew be vigilant and prepared to react as best they can to unexpected situations.
Of course, sometimes accidents that don’t involve derailments are still the fault of train crew. The Norwalk Rail Accident of 1853 resulted from human error. The train was due to cross a drawbridge and the conductor failed to check for a signal that would indicate whether the bridge was up or down. As you can probably guess, the train nose-dived into the water below because it planned on bridge that wasn’t there. Forty-six passengers died.
The Moral of the Story
I know you’re probably wondering why we are burrowing so deeply into discussing the more morbid aspects of train travel. In short, it doesn’t do to sugarcoat any of the darker aspects of train travel if you’re looking into it as a potential profession. True, more often than not, you’ll have a clean journey. It’s not like conducting a train is some video game where you’re dodging obstacles left and right. But knowing what could happen is essential when it comes to truly understanding the gravity of the position you hold. Maybe the conductor in our last example would have been more alert had he known what was at stake. Maybe the Brooklyn driver in the Malbone Street Wreck would not have been so hasty if he knew what could have happened. It’s important to understand these disasters and how they came about to foster the proper respect for the position you seek to hold.
Chapter Seven: Modern Rail Unions
If you are coming from an office job, you may not be that familiar with labor unions, how they function, and what they do to protect the interests of their members. Labor unions are essentially collectives of workers who band together to protect their mutual rights and interests. They tend to come about in industries where workers with particular skills are likely to be taken advantage of or otherwise under-treated. They are also very common in high risk industries where they often appeal for better safety standards.
For example, public school teachers have labor unions. They pay union dues to enjoy the benefits of their union. In other words, a small portion of their paycheck goes straight to the union and this money is used for things like legislation, lobbying, and more. Unions protect teachers from unfair administrative practices, unfounded accusations, and wrongful termination. They also support policies like tenure that help protect teachers.
Railroad unions would operate similarly. Railroad workers are typically expected to pay union dues. The unions then represent the workers in various ways. They might push for higher pay, better safety standards, or legally represent you if the railroad company accuses you of doing something unsafe or illegal. Unions also organize strikes, organizing their members in an agreement to refuse to work until union demands are met.
The Pros and Cons of Unionization
Unions can be highly beneficial, but have also come up against much criticism for their practices. Strikes can have damaging effects on industry and economy. Of course, that’s largely the point as union want the industry to feel the hurt so that those in charge are more likely to make compromises. However, strikes can also be seen as unnecessarily stubborn or belligerent and many accuse unions of forcing unfair or unrealistic demands on employers.
Some people also criticize unions and employers alike for what some called forced representation. In other words, some employers and unions may strike bargains that require all members working for said employer in a particular role to pay union dues and, thus, be part of the union whether they want representation or not. However, this is largely frowned upon and many states have laws that prevent such agreements from happening.
If you choose to join a railroad union or are subject to one of the aforementioned agreements, get involved. Learn about your union chapter. Meet your representatives. Go to meetings if you can. The union will be taking action on your behalf whether you chose to join or had to join. You might as well figure out what that means and become a positive influence.
The Evolution of Rail Unions
When we were discussing the compensation that a prospective conductor might expect, we mentioned in passing that unions have a large role in determining said compensation. Revisit the chapter on the history of the conductor and you’ll recall that railroad unions are long established and highly respected institutions. The ORC (Order of Railway Conductors in America) was one of the first railroad unions and sought to promote the interests of conductors. At the time, this meant they wanted “to unite its members; to combine their interests as railway conductors; to elevate their standards as such and their character as men for their mutual improvement and advantage, socially and otherwise..." The ORC sought to have a positive impact on the overall quality life of train conductors and to earn them the same respect and admiration that ship captains and similar occupations.
In the mid 20th century, the ORC merged with other railroad unions to form the United Transportation Union (UTU). The UTU was the largest railroad union in North America and managed the interests of nearly all American railroad workers, including conductors, brakemen, switchmen, engineers, yardmasters, and more. The UTU is still technically around. However, we use the word “was” because as of 2014, it merged with the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association to form The International Association of Sheet, Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART).
Covering not only the United States but also Canada and Puerto Rico, SMART protects the interest of an even larger collection of rail workers (among other professions). SMART professes to strive for better contracts for its rail employees. This includes higher wages, better benefits, and a lucrative pension. SMART also strives to provide resources to members in need of assistance and to protect those workers from potential hazards associated with their jobs.
SMART Departments and Leadership
Given its wide-ranging interests, SMART has a thorough organizational structure, each with its own goals. Although these departments are not specific to the transportation portion of SMART, it’s worth taking the time to explore SMART’s inner workings in order to better understand the extent of the union and how it operates.
The Communications and Research Department provides union leaders with accurate information regarding research, policy, and more. Additionally, it supports leaders and members when t
hey must speak publicly about issues that concern them.
The Department of Canadian Affairs does pretty much exactly what it sounds like. They promote SMART interests in Canada.
The Department of Government and Legislative Affairs support members where it matters most by helping to push beneficial legislation, supporting politicians whose interests align with theirs, and teaching members about key political issues that have bearing on their lives.
The Department of Jurisdiction concerns itself with tradition. It does more than just settle disagreements between jurisdictions; it encourages consistency and integrity within all jurisdictions. In its own words, it seeks to “perpetuate the performance and dignity of trade from generation to generation.”
The Education Department provides training to elected or appointed representatives so that they might better represent union members.
The Legal Department advises union leadership on all relevant legal matters. It also supports local unions with legal issues and educates members and leadership alike on labor laws.
The Mechanical and Shipyard Department (also known as the Mechanical and Environmental Department) specifically handles matters related to shipyards and railroads.
The Organizing Department works on recruiting new union members. It also concerns itself with expanding its market share. In other words, it wants to earn a bigger piece of the pie for its members, getting them consistently higher wages.
The union has three main officers: the General President, the SMART Transportation President, and the General Secretary Treasurer. There are also a plethora of General Executive Council members, General Vice Presidents, and other roles at various levels within the organization.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Although the United Transportation Union under SMART is the largest railroad union in North America, it is not the only one. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) was created in 1903 with the merger of several smaller unions, including The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), sometimes referred to only as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
Although the word “teamster” is commonly used to refer to a truck driver, the IBT represents a wide range of skilled workers in both the US and Canada. In fact, their website brags that they represent everyone from public defenders and brewers to vegetable workers and zookeepers. However, the BLET makes up a large chunk of the represented workers.
Railroad Workers United
Even within their respective collectives, the United Transportation Union and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have occasionally butted heads. So much so, in fact, that Railroad Operating Crafts United (ROCU) was formed. This organization was comprised of non-leadership members of both the UTU and the BLET who wanted to end the divisiveness between the groups.
Now known as Railroad Workers United (RWU), this organization continues to try and bring together railroad workers from different roles. RWU is not itself a union, but seeks to bridge the gap between unions representing different roles in the same field.
To Unionize or Not to Unionize
To be honest, you aren’t faced with much of a choice. If you plan to work on the railroads, you’ll likely be part of the relevant union. But while you may not be looking forward to paying your union dues, you can look forward to some solid representation and a community of people that understand and respect the important role you play.
Chapter Eight: The Uniform
If you were to look for a train conductor outfit for Halloween, you’d likely find yourself wearing a formal and old-fashioned suit, complete with slacks, vest, jacket, pocket watch, and billed hat. You might think you’d look like a caricature, but you wouldn’t be far from reality. The train conductor uniform is inspired by a sense of prestige and professionalism. When conductors first started dressing like Tom Hanks from The Polar Express, they did so because they wanted to distinguish themselves and elevate the impression that they left with people.
Although the uniform has evolved somewhat over the years, for many rail lines, it hasn’t changed as much as you’d think. These days, many conductors retain formal attire partly to maintain the air of professionalism that they cultivated so long ago and partly out of a sense of history. This is driven home by the fact that most conductors who maintain this formal dress and the classic billed hats work on passenger trains, where they are more in the public eye.
Whether we are talking about conductors in the early 20th century or conductors today, we are faced with a similar difficulty. In short, what a conductor wears depends on a variety of factors, including the rail line for which they work and the type of train they work on. This is truer today than in the past, but the fact remains that rail lines of the past also had their own set of specifications.
Here, we will discuss common threads between past and present train conductor uniforms. We will also examine specific uniforms for the past and present day to give you an example of what exactly a train conductor might have worn.
Early Conductors
Very early railroad workers didn’t wear uniforms. They wore standard business attire. However, the need for uniforms became apparent when there was some confusion on the train lines. Railroad companies quickly began to recognize the need for a consistent way to distinguish between railroad employees at different levels. Given the aforementioned status of the conductor as the effective “captain” of the train, it was particularly important to distinguish him in an official way.
Railroad companies began issuing strict standards for how railroad employees should dress. Depending on the company you worked for, you might have a double-breasted jacket or a single breasted one. You might have pockets or collars measured at different lengths. However, certain details were largely universal.
Historically, early railroad conductors wore navy blue, this color, among other things, distinguished them from other crew members on the train. They also wore jackets with vests, ties, and collared shirts underneath. Conductor hats were typically billed and sported badges labeling the conductor as such. Finally, they carried the quintessential conductor’s pocket watch. At the time, this was a largely practical addition. After all, conductors needed to be punctual and pocket watches were the timepieces of the day. However, this tool soon became a symbol, as conductors continued to carry them long after more practical timepieces were invented.
Northern Pacific Railway Conductors
On October 22, 1913, The Northern Pacific Railway Line made official a detailed manual specifying exactly how conductors and other railroad crewmen were to dress. This manual, called the Rules and Specifications Governing the Uniforming of Employees, came complete with photographs and diagrams. According to the manual, all railroad employees were required to wear uniforms and badges in keeping with their position. They were also required to be “neat in appearance.” Conductors, in particular, were required to wear matching navy blue slacks, vests, and jackets, underneath which they sported ties and white collared shirts. The jackets had to be single breast with four buttons holes down the front and one on the lapel. The buttons had to be made of black hard rubber. The jackets were required to sport one outside breast pocket, two inside breast pockets, two outside ticket pockets, two inside ticket pockets, and two outside skirt pockets. The pamphlet even dictated the exact dimensions of the pockets and width apart of the buttons. The jackets were meant to be lined in wool but for the sleeves, which were lined in silk. The vest and slacks had similarly stringent specifications, dictating the number of buttons and pockets and the length, stitching, and fabric. The hats required a certain height and were accompanied by a bill. They all had double chords running across the front and just beneath a badge identifying the wearer as the conductor.
Contemporary Conductors
These days, the formality of the conductor’s clothing is largely dictated by the type of train upon which they work. This difference is most pronounced when talking about freight train versus pass
enger train conductors.
Freight train conductors, given the relative solitude in which they work, dress in a more leisurely manner. As their jobs are more physically demanding, they tend to have looser clothing, easy for getting around in. Freight train conductors also generally wear reflective vests for safety reasons.
Passenger train conductors are generally required to be more formal. After all, they manage passengers and larger crews. It is necessary that they be seen as authority figures and dress is no small part of that. Here, the nature of the dress can vary dramatically depending on the train.
Subways and trolleys that still employ conductors, like the New York City subway, tend to wear simple button down shirts with pants and belts. Occasionally, they might wear ties. This is about as casual as it gets for a passenger train conductor. Larger passenger trains, like Amtrak, require more formality. These conductors likely wear button down shirts and jackets with ties and the classic conductor’s hat. You might even see a vest or two out there although it is no longer a fundamental part of the uniform.
Amtrak Conductors
To get a better idea of what contemporary passenger conductors might wear, let’s take a look at the specifications set by Amtrak for its conductors. Note that, unlike the Northern Pacific Railway, Amtrak doesn’t dictate their uniforms down to the smallest stitch. However, this may largely be due to the benefits of mass production.
Amtrak maintains an honored tradition and dresses its conductors in navy blue and white. Like many other train companies in the past and present, Amtrak uses colors and styles to differentiate between roles. Amtrak has its train employees where epaulets for this purpose. An epaulet is an ornamental fixture on the shoulders of an outfit. Former military wear often has them. At Amtrak, the color or pattern on your epaulet is specific to your job. For example, a conductor wears a navy blue epaulet while an assistant conductor wears one that is navy blue with teal stripes.
Conductor- The Heart & Soul of the Railroad Page 5
