06-03-2010
( Reply#: 5645 ) |
Roger D |
Hey Thawk you need to hook up with Tom J, he is a train nut |
06-03-2010
( Reply#: 5655 ) |
Paddy |
quote:
... my grandfather worked at IHB railroad as a locomotive engineer ... .
My maternal grandfather was a carpenter at the IHB's Gibson Yards. When I was in college at PUCC, I worked part-time over two winters as a "Car Knocker" at the IHB yards that served the US Steel plant.
When winter weather prevented ore boats from transporting Taconite to the steel mills, it came by train. The increased traffic required the IHB to staff the US Steel rail yard 24/7. The term "Car Knocker" is railroad parlance for car inspector.
I never did figure out why I held the job description of car inspector. My job was to ensure the integrity of the air brakes between the cars. In normal use, the air hose connections between railroad cars last a long time. Unfortunately, the highly efficient way of emptying the cars of their ore takes a big toll on air hoses.
As the ore-laden cars enter the plant, they are disconnected. Each car passes through heaters that melt any ice that has accumulated during their trip from the mines up north. A side-effect is that the heat can melt through the rubber air lines.
My job began when the empty cars were switched back to the IHB yards. We had to "walk" the assembled cars twice. The first walk was to connect the air hoses between each car. Then we went back to our shack, where where we pressurized the air system, loaded up on spare air hoses (and a 3-foot pipe wrench to replace them), and walked the train to replace any air hoses that had been burned through.
|
06-04-2010
( Reply#: 5659 ) |
Jim Plummer |
My father, O. Neil, was a yard master-2nd shift on the IHB. He worked out of a little wooden building off Calumet ave. The saddest day of his life was when he had to retire at 65. We would get to ride around the yards in switch engines on slow nights. It was an adventure to remember for a kid! |
06-11-2010
( Reply#: 5689 ) |
Jay |
My dad was a car inspector for the IHB railroad. He primarily worked at the Gibson yards in Hammond. But whenever they would call him in for overtime work, it was usually at the Blue Island yards.
My most memorable experience involving my father's job occured on February 24, 1961, when a group of Cub Scouts (including me) spent the entire day touring the IHB Gibson railroad yard in Hammond.
Our tour included:
- The car shop where we watched them install new wheels on a box car.
- In the machine shop, we watched a machinist ground down old wheels and axles so they could be used again.
- Next we watched a carman make air hoses, which are located on each end of the car. They are used to transmit air pressure between cars for the air brakes.
- Then we visited the blacksmith shop where they welded two pieces of 1 by 24 inch long steel rods together the old way and then bend them together without breaking the joint.
- Next thing we saw how cabooses were being repaired. We went into one and saw how the switch men work, sleep and eat on the inside. It is a home on wheels.
- Back into the shop, we watched the upholsterer make all kinds of cushions and arm rests for cabooses and engines.
- The next stop was at the wood mill where we watched the carpenter saw, drill and cut wood on different kinds of machines.
- From there we visited the wrecking train, which is made up of a locomotive, crane, wheel car, tool car, sleeping car and eating car. This takes care of all railroad accidents and wrecks.
- Lunch at the railroad Y or beanerie.
- After lunch, we visited the engine or round house where we saw many diesel engines being repaired.
- Then we went outside where all of us got on a diesel engine onto a turntable track which can line up on 20 different tracks to the round house and on the opposite end 10 tracks in different directions. As our engine turned around twice, we got lined up for the main line track and off we went. We got to blow the horn, ring the bell, turn on the headlight and the windshield wipers.
- Getting off at the station, we went to the hump, or hill, where cars are uncoupled by the switchmen and turned loose down the hill into the outbound yard which has 34 tracks.
- From there, we went to the tower and saw how the tower man pushes all kinds of levers for slowing down the speed of cars and switch them onto different tracks. Each one of us got to push and pull levers controling the electric switches.
This concluded our tour.
What happened to all these buildings and 34 tracks? When I pass over the 9 span bridge today on Indianapolis Boulevard, it is like a ghost town underneath with just a few tracks and lots of vegetation and weeds.
duane ... were you one of the Cub Scouts who took advantage of this unique experience? |
06-11-2010
( Reply#: 5695 ) |
duane |
I was reading your recollections of the railyard visit and salivating, "J". If I experienced that day I would surely remember it. No, I was not there but I don't know why, other than you were a bit older and maybe I wasn't in the scouts yet. Sounds like an absolutely GREAT day spent in the rail yards.
Were you at the session when the scouts met with the ham radio operator and ended up talking to scientists at the south pole for about 1/2 hour? |
06-13-2010
( Reply#: 5711 ) |
Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by duane
....
Were you at the session when the scouts met with the ham radio operator and ended up talking to scientists at the south pole for about 1/2 hour?
I remember a small group of us visiting with a handicapped adult ham operator who lived on 151st street just a couple of blocks west of where you used to live. I think his name was Mr. Carr.
From the ham shack in the basement of his home, he made some contacts with other hams. But I don't remember if one of those contacts was with those south pole scientists.
When I was in college, I also became a ham operator. But I did all of my communicating by morse code at low power (no greater than 75 watts). But after I had contacted a ham operator in New Zealand, I realized that I could reach no farther (in terms of distance), so I lost interest and allowed my license to expire. |
06-14-2010
( Reply#: 5716 ) |
Joel357 |
Jay,
You remember Gil Galumbus W9JZA?
Joel |
06-14-2010
( Reply#: 5721 ) |
Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by Joel357
Jay,
You remember Gil Galumbus W9JZA?
Joel
No that name and call sign does not ring a bell. It has been over 25 years since my license expired. The only friends I remember were WA9WDB and N9AOK.
There was another ham in southern Hammond who had 2meter/telephone access capabilities, so I joined his group to take advantage of that mobile feature long before we had cellphones. But I can't remember his name nor his call sign. All I remember about him was that he was a stout male adult who rarely left his house.
I also joined a ham group that held monthly meetings in Homewood Illinois (I think). I believe they were called the Tri-Towners. |
06-15-2010
( Reply#: 5728 ) |
Joel357 |
Well, I am not on the air much. I operate CW(Morse Code)when I am on the air. I have worked DX all over the world, the old Soviet Union, the Slovak countries, into westerm Europe and Africa. One contact I remember, however, was on voice and I talked to one of the people in Guyana, The Peoples' Temple in Jonestown. I talked to them about 4 weeks before the mass suicide. I got a QSL card from them about a week before it happened. WB6MID/8R3.I was really shocked when I heard that on TV.
I remember who you're talking about, the guy's name was Marty. He had a repeater in south Hammond and I can't remember where it was located. I am familiar with the call N9AOK but can't remember his name.
Joel
|
06-15-2010
( Reply#: 5729 ) |
Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by Joel357
....
I remember who you're talking about, the guy's name was Marty. He had a repeater in south Hammond and I can't remember where it was located. I am familiar with the call N9AOK but can't remember his name.
Joel
Yeah, Marty was the first name of that guy from south Hammond who had the 2meter/telephone access.
As for N9AOK, I remember him living east of Kennedy near the Borman. I believe his first name was Russ.
When I operated below 2 meters, it was always CW using QRP. I never owned or used a linear. When I operated on 2 meters, 220 and 440, it was always voice.
I never got interested in field day or DX events such as WAS, WAC, etc. But before I got my ham license, I was interested in broadcast band dxing. In fact, after I sent in my listening reports, AM radio broadcast stations throughout the USA would send me QSL cards.
|
06-15-2010
( Reply#: 5734 ) |
Joel357 |
Yeah, well I started with a Heathkit HW16, upgraded to a SB104A and ran a kilowatt with that and the neighbors were about ready to lynch me. I played havoc with their, TV, intercom system, telephone, anything electronic. Now, I have a pretty nice radio, a Ten Tec Omni 6. It's a pretty nice radio and is American made down in Sevierville, TN. I also have a couple other radios, a Ten Tec Corsair and a Kenwood TS940S. It's too bad you lost interest but that happens to the best of us. It happened to me but I still get on the air during field day and am going to put an 80 meter zepp up soon. What was your call, Jay?
Joel |
06-17-2010
( Reply#: 5743 ) |
Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by Joel357
...
What was your call, Jay?
Joel
As a novice, I was WN9LOS.
After I upgraded, I was N9BFP.
Believe it or not, I still have my Drake UV-3 Tri Bander (2 meters, 220, 440), along with an external power supply, and a Ringo Ranger antenna. I'm going to sell them once I find the microphone and auto installation adapter. I also have a couple of 2 meter HT's lying around somewhere (a Yaesu and a Tempo).
I didn't own any HF equipment because Uncle Sam supplied that. I only used HF when I was in the military and had access to ham stations on the various bases. |
06-17-2010
( Reply#: 5746 ) |
Joel357 |
Yeah, so you were probably originally licensed 4 or 5 years before I was. I got my license in July, 1976 and my original call was WN9VJE and then the FCC got rid of the novice callsigns and became WB9VJE. I upgraded and was very active for 10 or 12 years. I enjoyed CW alot and still do. In 1996 I decided to apply for my grandpa's call, W9WJU, I got it because it sounded better on CW than my VJE call sign. I remember when I upgraded to my general, had to go downtown Chicago, up to the FCC. Being a 19 year old kid, I felt very intimidated by the engineers administering the tests and I flunked it a couple of times because of nerves.
Joel |
06-17-2010
( Reply#: 5747 ) |
BobK |
I worked with a guy thirty years ago who was a HAM. He lived in Munster and I in Highland and we would take turns car pooling. Don't ask me why but I can still remember his call sign; WB9TOL.
Bob
[img]http://home.comcast.net/~rkekeis/Bob1.jpg[/img] |
06-17-2010
( Reply#: 5748 ) |
Jay |
quote:
Originally posted by Joel357
Yeah, so you were probably originally licensed 4 or 5 years before I was. I got my license in July, 1976 and my original call was WN9VJE and then the FCC got rid of the novice callsigns and became WB9VJE. I upgraded and was very active for 10 or 12 years. I enjoyed CW alot and still do. In 1996 I decided to apply for my grandpa's call, W9WJU, I got it because it sounded better on CW than my VJE call sign. I remember when I upgraded to my general, had to go downtown Chicago, up to the FCC. Being a 19 year old kid, I felt very intimidated by the engineers administering the tests and I flunked it a couple of times because of nerves.
Joel
I believe it was 1972 when I got my novice call. Four of us school buddies took the test at the same time. Three of us were assigned call signs in consecutive sequence. About 10 or 20 other people separated us from the fourth guy.
quote:
Originally posted by BobK
I worked with a guy thirty years ago who was a HAM. He lived in Munster and I in Highland and we would take turns car pooling. Don't ask me why but I can still remember his call sign; WB9TOL.
Bob
I'm not familiar with WB9TOL. |
06-17-2010
( Reply#: 5749 ) |
Joel357 |
Bill, I am, his name is Stan, I believe |
06-17-2010
( Reply#: 5750 ) |
BobK |
Yes, Stan Mucha.
Bob
[img]http://home.comcast.net/~rkekeis/Bob1.jpg[/img] |
