| Over the years of working at CSX in Hamlet, there were many jobs at Yard A. But there was also a job at Yard B called the check clerk. This was a fairly easy job because the main thing you did was write down the car numbers when the switch engines would pull a cut by. You had to keep an ear open because the Yardmaster would call out to the crews over the speakers and tell them what track to get and where to put it - otherwise, you would not have a clue as to where the cut came from and what departure track it was to go to. When you got through checking the cars, you would call the list into the scale clerk at Yard A. It was then his job to line the waybills up for the outbound trains. Of course, the first shift was the best time to work this job because you would come in at 7am and leave at 3pm. Plus you could see the cars a lot better during the day. Third shift was terrible.....I remember many times it was all I could do to keep my eyes open, because, frankly it was a boring job at night. The best time for me to work it was on second shift. But the reason is I liked to work second shift was Jimmy Lassiter was the yardmaster - most of the time. He was constantly cracking jokes. And, like I said, this check clerk job could be boring at times. But when Jimmy worked, he would bring a small TV to work. I know most people remember The Dukes of Hazzard on TV. Me and Jimmy would watch that show and Jimmy loved it. Boss Hogg and Roscoe kept us entertained many days. Not to mention Daisy Duke. I assume Jimmy is retired now but I really enjoyed working with him - probably one of the best yardmasters they had at the time. Other yardmasters I worked with at different times were: Worth Nash, Harold Clayton, Harold Brown, Jack Lancaster, Ed Pate, Ed Ackerman, Oscar Sellars, Ben Davis, Tom Bullock, and Angie Averitte. There might have been more but these are the ones that come to mind right now. The railroad had a wide range of attitudes and opinions.. and the yardmasters were no exception. I remember that Worth Nash and Harold Brown were two guys that loved their job...they knew it backwards and forwards. But if you wanted to hear some colorful railroad lanquage, all you had to do is work with one of these guys. But that is what made the railroad what is was - lots of different personalities that got the job done. There was another job in my career at Hamlet that was very interesting. It was the diesel clerk. No, I wasn't in charge of the diesel engines but I worked all around them. In fact, when I worked there, our office was just about in the middle of the diesel shop so you couldn't get away from that constant rumble of diesel engines around you. Not to mention the smell of diesel fuel all the time. Some names I remember are Mr Summersett, Bill Featherston and Frank Arnall; he was a rough guy to work for, constantly not pleased with the job I did. But, the way I got through working with him is he was that way with everybody so you learned to roll with the punches, so to speak....others were Dave Spence and Jim Hall - now these two guys really caught it from Frank Arnall. They were the electricians that had to make sure everything electrical was working properly on the engines because if not, they would have to be pulled from the train - and this would lead to a delay of getting the train out on time. Old Frank could talk like a dog to you if you did not do your job as he thought it should be done. I know the hostlers - these are the guys that had to arrange the engines from track to track - caught his anger also. I will expand into some of the other jobs I had while working with the railroad a little later and try to portray the way it was for me there. Of course, I don't have the writer's eloquence as some others that have contributed to this site but hopefully my writings will attract others to do the same. Heck, if I can half-way write some stories of my experiences, I know there are plenty other folk that can do the same. So, if anyone can take the time, please do and let others know of your memories and/or life experiences. So, another chapter written of Working on the Railroad - My Story - and another memory of how it was growing up in Rockingham, North Carolina - a small textile town in the South in the '50s, '60s,'70s and '80s. |
| Working on the Railroad - My Story - Chapter 4 written by Joel Bailey February 8, 2009 |
| So, as the Train of Life keeps chugging along, another page written of my Memories of.... Rockingham Remembered. |
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