Post WWII Job

billrunnels · Apr 18, 2018

My first job after being discharged was a telegraph operator on the B&0 Railroad. I started within 30 days after becoming a civilian. My assignment was at the Wellsboro, IN Control Tower. The crossing was used by the B&O(double track), Grand Trunk(double track) and Pier Marquette(single track) railroads. It was a busy crossing running 25 to 30 trains in an 8 hour shift. Sixty seven manual levers controlled the crossing. In hindsight I think I enjoyed this job more than my airline career of thirty two years. I was with the railroad only two years.

I am attaching pictures taken in 1945. One is of a Pier Marquette train.Look close and you will see me at the bottom of the steps and my 39 Pontiac on the other side of the track. The other picture is of a B&O train headed west to Chicago, IL.

Shortround6 · Apr 18, 2018

I think that crossing has shown up in some books/magazines about the Railroads concerned.

billrunnels · Apr 18, 2018

Could very

Shortround6 said:
I think that crossing has shown up in some books/magazines about the Railroads concerned.

These pictures are from the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum.

parsifal · Apr 18, 2018

I went back to Uni after my discharge, and then did a stint tutoring at RANC.

Eight years after leaving the RAN I received my Bachelor of Environmental Science followed by degrees in Regional Planning and a 1 year heritage qualification. I kept working while at Uni, but my first real job was as a planner and environmental "cop", sometimes doing some basic court work along the way. I was in a career path by 1990 and have been there ever since. Until I moved away from Canberra I was still teaching at the officers college but no longer.

Occasionally I have written a few articles for a few rags here and there as a hobby really

When I was in the navy I had wanted to qualify as a flier, but was rejected. I branched in tactical warfare planner instead, which in hindsignt I think I was more suited to adjusted to in terms of temperament.

I took a while to adjust back to civilian life. I had seen time in our version of the coastguard, bumping up against illegal immigrants, refugees and drug runners mostly. it took a while to stop being in that role.....

pbehn · Apr 19, 2018

Great pictures Bill, my father went from being a boiler room stoker on a destroyer to a "fireman" on steam train which must have been like a bus mans holiday.

billrunnels · Apr 19, 2018

pbehn said:
Great pictures Bill, my father went from being a boiler room stoker on a destroyer to a "fireman" on steam train which must have been like a bus mans holiday.

I enjoyed those operating the steamers. As they passed the tower we exchanged smiles and a waive. Special people at a special time.The engineer was respectfully referred to as the "Hog Head". One night I had to stop a B&O freight train for a Grand Trunk using the crossing. This made the engineer mad and he showed me his fist as they past the tower. He was on the same run two nights later. I raised the window, took a long stove poker and swung it at him. From then on every time he passed the tower he would lean back in the cab, give me a big smile and a waive. Fun times.

pbehn · Apr 19, 2018

billrunnels said:
I enjoyed those operating the steamers. As they passed the tower we exchanged smiles and a waive. Special people at a special time.The engineer was respectfully referred to as the "Hog Head".

There is something special about the sound smell and sight of a steam train, I once went on a ride on a train pulled by the "Sir Nigel Gresley". That was a main like express train but now it is used on a rural line with many curves so as a passenger you can see the engine working. Watching the connecting rods fly up and down (that is how it looks) gave a real impression of hard work and it was only going at half speed..

airminded88 · Apr 19, 2018

Nice photographs Bill
Did you employ the knowledge learned in the AAF into your post war career?
And that is a nice Pontiac

Cheers

billrunnels · Apr 19, 2018

pbehn said:
There is something special about the sound smell and sight of a steam train, I once went on a ride on a train pulled by the "Sir Nigel Gresley". That was a main like express train but now it is used on a rural line with many curves so as a passenger you can see the engine working. Watching the connecting rods fly up and down (that is how it looks) gave a real impression of hard work and it was only going at half speed..

View attachment 490337

Sound and smell are special. Thanks for sharing.

billrunnels · Apr 19, 2018

airminded88 said:
Nice photographs Bill
Did you employ the knowledge learned in the AAF into your post war career?
And that is a nice Pontiac

Cheers

When in high school the father of my best friend was an operator for The Wabash Railroad in my home town. Often on Friday nights we would go to work with him. He taught us telegraphy. My friend went to work on the Wabash and became a Dispatcher.

Bad-Karma · Apr 19, 2018

Thanks for posting Bill! You managed to combine most of my favorite things into one post. B17's, Trains, and Pontiacs!

billrunnels · Apr 19, 2018

Bad-Karma said:
Thanks for posting Bill! You managed to combine most of my favorite things into one post. B17's, Trains, and Pontiacs!

I am glad for that Paid $600 for the Pontiac following WWII.Had four bald tires. My sister and family lived in Chicago. She had a good friend in Jefferson City, MO who owned a Standard Oil station. I received a telegram saying "four new U S Royal tires shipped today". When I picked them up four guys were admiring them on the dock. I became the envy of that little Indiana town. A neighbor offered me $1100 for the car I think because of the tires which were nearly impossible to find but I needed it for my job.

Bad-Karma · Apr 19, 2018

billrunnels said:
I am glad for that Paid $600 for the Pontiac following WWII.Had four bald tires.

I love the old tin indian hood emblems. I especially like the ones with the amber in it like the starchief but all were more interesting than the standard arrow head. I have a 67 GTO that I've been restoring but with 2 young kids that mostly means driving it around on the weekends and dreaming of how she will look restored.

pbehn · Apr 19, 2018

billrunnels said:
I am glad for that Paid $600 for the Pontiac following WWII.Had four bald tires.

My mother is a complete philistine, she grew up surrounded by vintages, planes trains and cars and never even talks about it.

billrunnels · Apr 19, 2018

Bad-Karma said:
I love the old tin indian hood emblems. I especially like the ones with the amber in it like the starchief but all were more interesting than the standard arrow head. I have a 67 GTO that I've been restoring but with 2 young kids that mostly means driving it around on the weekends and dreaming of how she will look restored.

Good luck on the restoration. Sounds like a fun project.

billrunnels · Apr 19, 2018

Diffrt

pbehn said:
My mother is a complete philistine, she grew up surrounded by vintages, planes trains and cars and never even talks about it.

rny interests

pbehn said:
My mother is a complete philistine, she grew up surrounded by vintages, planes trains and cars and never even talks about it.

Different strokes for different folks

billrunnels · Apr 19, 2018

I don't know who cleaned up my railroad picture display but thanks. Some times my left hand doesn't know what my right hand is doing

airminded88 · Apr 20, 2018

billrunnels said:
I am glad for that Paid $600 for the Pontiac following WWII.Had four bald tires. My sister and family lived in Chicago. She had a good friend in Jefferson City, MO who owned a Standard Oil station. I received a telegram saying "four new U S Royal tires shipped today". When I picked them up four guys were admiring them on the dock. I became the envy of that little Indiana town. A neighbor offered me $1100 for the car I think because of the tires which were nearly impossible to find but I needed it for my job.

What happened to that car Bill, when did you part ways with it?

Whenever I see a classic on the road, 50s and beyond, I can't help but wonder how it felt driving around in those beautiful pieces of engineering.

Cheers

billrunnels · Apr 20, 2018

airminded88 said:
What happened to that car Bill, when did you part ways with it?

Whenever I see a classic on the road, 50s and beyond, I can't help but wonder how it felt driving around in those beautiful pieces of engineering.

Cheers

I drove it four or five years and traded for a used 1941 Chevrolet. The Pontiac was a six banger with spark plugs' on top of the block. There was a low spot in the road about two blocks from our house that contained a pool of water after a heavy rain. Knowing the engine would ground out I hit the water at 65 mph and coasted in the driveway. It also had a Borg Warner gas heater that would burn the hair off your legs. No defrost so mounted small fan on dash and one near rear window. I spray painted the car a Buick Green giving it class.

Gnomey · Apr 21, 2018

Great stuff Bill!

Post WWII Job

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