Communications

Special recognition for a special Sister

Dear Editor,

BLE Division 781 in Erwin, Tenn., would like to recognize one of its own. Sister Patricia "Patty" Adams passed away on June 28 after a battle with cancer. Twenty years ago, she was the pioneering woman who became the first female engineer on the Clinchfield Railroad.

At the time, a different world existed for women and Patty was thought of as an "experiment." Anyone else in her position would have felt crushed by the enormous pressure, but Patty possessed enormous courage and determination and overcame all obstacles.

In 1980, a 39-year-old single mother of three children defied conventional wisdom and proved that not only men had what it takes to be an engineer. Knowing that the railroad had a lifting requirement, she practiced with a knuckle that her friend borrowed for her until she was able to lift it above her head. Patty went into engine service in 1981.

Everyone who ever had the opportunity to work with Patty respected her great determination. The members of Division 781 will miss her.

Sincerely,

James Rasnick

Secretary-Treasurer

BLE Division 781

Erwin, Tenn.

 

UP ignores safety problems it created

Dear Editor:

This letter is about the safety issue that the Union Pacific created and ignores.

Union Pacific has taken down Southern Pacific speedboards and replaced them with U.P. speedboards. U.P. speedboards for reduction of speed are posted at a measly 2,500 feet from the point of effect. This is unsafe with today's trains. Years ago, Union Pacific made this decision from the U.P. engineering department. Today's U.P. operating department will quickly tell you all speeds are posted in the timetable.

With U.P. hubs, we all could be seeing new routes with only a mere two qualifying trips, which adds to this safety issue. My road foreman, in a U.P. follow-up on my safety suggestion on this matter of speedboards, told me he also made a similar suggestion but was "cut to ribbons" by U.P.

Since U.P. continues to ignore this safety issue, I ask all members to bring this speedboard issue up at your next BLE Division meeting and have your local chairman write a letter to Union Pacific requesting that all reduction of speedboards be moved back two miles from the point of effect, noting that under the 2,000-foot distance, Union Pacific must be held liable as a contributing factor in a speed rule violation.

Patrick H. Lynch

BLE Division 476

Eugene, Ore.

 

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