Third Subdivision dispatcher Art Crawford is getting ready to make a move at East Green River, WY. He's working the fast railroad between Rawlins and Green River where hotshots could run the 135 mile district in a hair over two hours including two crossings of the Continental Divide at Creston and Tipton. The Third Sub has CTC from Rawlins to Riner (handled by that “pup” machine on the right) and Rock Springs to Green River (in front of Crawford) – a total of 36 miles. The remaining 99 miles are current of traffic railroad at this time. That meant you had a lot of figuring to do on that long yellow Dispatchers' Record of Train Movements to keep the drags out of the way of the fleets of mail, van, auto parts and livestock trains. The wall display in the background is the newer CTC installation between Cheyenne and Rawlins. The standard US&S CTC machine Art is working came from the old Green River office, along with its counterpart that handled Green River to Ogden. By now the eastward sidings at Bitter Creek and Table Rock had powered siding switches and there were powered crossovers at Black Buttes, where coal trains originated – depicted at the right side of the main console. On the far left of the desk is the train graph that functions like an event recorder for activity at each “OS” point. Art was easy going and steady, was good to work with and kept a smooth ship. With his short sleeve shirt this 1984 view could only be during one or two weeks in mid-July, in Cheyenne.
Photo albums dedicated to the Men, and Women that keep the Railroad running around the clock 365 days a year. From Dispatcher to Track Gangs, these are the people that make the railroad moves!
