Tyler Tap Chapter members participated in Tyler/Smith County’s Sesquicentennial celebration by marching in a 65-unit parade through downtown Tyler recently.

Members carrying the chapter’s banner were escorted by Earl and Mary Jones’ two miniature Huskies pulling a small replica of the 819 assembled by Mary.

Tyler/Smith County is celebrating its 150th anniversary with events scheduled throughout 1996.

Old timers and retired personnel of the Cotton Belt will remember Sapp Stone, longtime superintendent of communications on our line. Sapp’s Cotton Belt service dated back to the early years of the twentieth century when the primary method of communicating with stations along the railroad and its branches was by telegraph and hand-cranked telephones. He had witnessed the installation of much of the original telegraph wire and supporting poles along the lines and had personally installed many of the primitive hand-cranked telephones in our offices and stations.

Stone started his service as a pole-climbing lineman in the days when the men in his department worked in all kinds of weather - rain, floods, and ice storms, as well as the torrid summer heat of the midwest and southwest when virtually every operation was performed manually. Stone and his fellow workers were sunburned, weather-beaten types who were anything if not realists in the saga of life as railroaders worked it and lived it. Once when his request for a few much needed reels of new copper wire was denied him, he graphically described his dilemma by raising his thumb and forefinger to illustrate the circumference of the original one-half-inch wire he wanted to replace. "Now," he complained, "The g--damn wire’s been stretched so many times it’s only this thick," closing his thumb and forefinger to less than a quarter-of-an-inch. "Besides," he complained volubly, "it’s been spliced so many times that the telegraph clicks and telephone messages bunch up at the connections and slow our operations to a standstill."

Back in 1955, following the occupation and dedication of the then brand new Cotton Belt General Office Building at Tyler, President H. J. McKenzie and his office staff had all departed for lunch at 12 noon one day, as was customary with all reasonable folks who started their day at 8 a.m. While they were out, a certain Wilton Daniel, president of the old Citizens National Bank (our company’s official depository at that time) telephoned to invite Mr. McKenzie to have lunch with him. Of course, being a bank president whose secretary ordinarily did his telephoning for him, Daniel became indignant when nobody answered the telephone after the first few rings. He hung up and dialed a second time, refusing to believe that nobody was in the office of the president of the railroad at any time of the daily work day. He allowed it to ring seven or eight times and hung up again in exasperation. Obviously, everybody was out of the office enjoying lunch or a brief siesta.

Sometime later that same afternoon, Mr. Daniel again telephoned McKenzie, this time to relate the disappointing experience earlier that day. During the conversation Daniel suggested to McKenzie that he might wish to speak to his staff about business offices being abandoned at any time during the workday, probably citing his bank as a proper example.

A few days later McKenzie called the heads of all departments in the building to a conference including, and perhaps especially, old Sapp Stone in whose jurisdiction the telephones fell. Without knowing what was in store for discussion, the apprehensive department heads trekked to the spacious auditorium on the first floor of the building and awaited the storm.

Standing at the podium, broad-shouldered and six-foot-plus, the imposing McKenzie gaveled the meeting to order, related the Wilton Daniel telephone incident to them, and proceeded to express his own dismay and solution before calling for suggestions from others. "Ought the offices in the building be covered by someone during the 12 noon to 1 o’clock lunch hour in order to answer the telephone if somebody called?" (Note McKenzie’s carefully implied solution.) Not surprisingly, many were fast to voice their agreement with Mr. Mac’s oblique proposal. First to respond was Industrial Commissioner Henry Spragins who declared that he would change the lunch hour of his chief clerk, Guy Potts, from the 12 noon to 1 o’clock hour to 1 to 2 o’clock p.m., in order to effect the desired coverage in his office. General Counsel Clyde Fiddes similarly announced that he likewise would change the lunch hour of his chief clerk, Henry Koelling. Others, of course, followed. And then, noting that Stone, the one man most qualified to an opinion on the subject had not been heard from, McKenzie addressed him directly: "Sapp, what do you have to say about this problem?"

The small, tough, and wiry Stone, a no-nonsense realist with a dour and wrinkled countenance, stood up from his place in the crowd, cleared his throat, looked slowly about him and drawled in a voice loud enough to be heard by all: "Well, it seems to me if nobody answers the d--- telephone there ain’t nobody there! They can call back." Startled at Sapp Stone’s blunt but practical response, McKenzie stood momentarily speechless, then rapped his gavel smartly and announced without ado: "Meeting’s adjourned!" (Editor’s Note: M. W. Hamil, retired Cotton Belt News editor and public relations officer, resides in Tyler, Texas.)

Before electric lights were invented, railroaders needed signals, just as they do now. The first ones were large balls that hung from a tall post. A black ball hanging halfway to the top meant STOP. A white ball hanging high in the air meant CLEAR TRACK. Hence, the term "highball" got its start. Many things have changed since then, but a signal to go ahead is still the "highball." (T&NO Times)

The Tyler Tap Chapter participated in Tyler’s recent Spring Azalea and Flower Trails by conducting public tours of the Whistle Stop Ranch and Railroad Museum located in Flint, Texas.

Almost 500 persons attended the two-weekend event to view the assortment of rail cars and railroad memorabilia owner by B. B. Garrett, a retired Cotton Belt employee.

Members of the Tyler group, dressed in appropriate railroad attire, escorted visitors through antique cars that included a Southern business car; an articulated car set (lounge car, dining car and kitchen/dorm car) used on Southern Pacific’s Lark in California during the 40s, 50s and 60s; and a wooden Cotton Belt caboose. Visitors were also guided through a portion of the ranch house which Garret has converted into a depot-styled museum.

Back in the good old days, before railroad management reduced force and cut off untold millions of railroad employees, hiring out on a railroad created for the employee an entirely new world. Railroads operate 365 days a year, day and night, in all kinds of weather. We worked 365 days a year.

Third Trick was known as the Graveyard Shift, and back then we struggled, along about 3 a.m., with Morpheus, the god of Sleep. Until you got several years seniority, you were usually limited to Third Trick. Coffee helped, but not always.

I was never a day-sleeper, and many a night I showed up for duty sleepy and in a foul mood. I well remember back in 1937 about 3 a.m. on Third Trick at Lewisville, Arkansas, when I fell asleep while copying a train order. I was rudely awakened by the Dispatcher’s clamorous ringing bell, which was designed to awaken the dead. With the train order stylus still firmly clutched in my right hand, I responded to the Dispatcher’s call, and heard him say: "Lewisville, repeat that order."

Embarrassed beyond measure, I replied: "Slim, I’m sorry, but the last word I got was MEET." I feared the worst, but Slim forgave me.

I can recall at least five times when I delivered orders to freights bound for Shreveport, when all on the caboose would be fast asleep. Trains to Shreveport headed in the siding and would pass the depot at 20 mph, and in the absence of a brakeman I’d pitch the hoop with the clearance and orders on the back porch of the caboose.

I also recall late one night when I called a northbound out of Shreveport on the radio and told him: "You are stuck for three northbound freights already out of Texarkana, and you will follow them out." When the three mainline northbounds had passed Lewisville I called the Shreveport man and instructed him to "HIGHBALL." But he didn’t highball as the entire crew was asleep. After ten minutes I jumped in my car and drove two miles to a road crossing on the Shreveport Branch. I lit a red fusee and hiballed, but he still didn’t respond. He was about a hundred yards south of the crossing, but when I’d covered half of the distance he started moving.

There should be a law against working Third Trick!

Electric Switch Lock — An electrically controlled lock device affixed to a hand operated switch or derail to control it’s use.

Emergency Application — An application resulting from an emergency rate of brake pipe reduction which causes the brakes to apply quickly and with maximum braking force for the shortest practical stopping distance.

Engine — A unit propelled by any form of energy, or a combination of such units operated from a single control, used in train or yard service.

Extra Train — A train not authorized by timetable schedule. It may be designated:

• ð Extra — For any extra train except work extra, the movement of which is authorized in a specified direction.
• ð Work Extra — For any extra train authorized by Form H train order, the movement of which may be in either direction within specified limits.

Facing Point Lock — A locking device which automatically locks the switch points of a spring switch in normal position.

Fixed Signal — A signal of fixed location indicating a condition affecting the movement of a train.

Full Service Application — Reducing the brake pipe pressure at a service rate until the reservoir and cylinder pressures equalize.

Gandy Dancer — A railroad track worker. Name came from the Gandy Mfg Co. in the 19th century that made a lot of track tools.

Gateway — See Interchange Point

GP — General Purpose - GP-7, GP-9, 4 axle road switchers.

Grade Resistance — Resistance that results from the energy you must put into a train to lift it vertically. The energy is returned without loss when the train comes back down again.

Green Eye — A slang term for a clear signal.

Highball — A signal given to proceed at maximum permissible speed.

Horsepower per Trailing Ton — The total horsepower of all working locomotives divided by the total trailing weight of the train in tons.

Hostler — A person who operates engines in engine house territory and works under the direction of the engine house foreman

Hostler’s Controls — A simple throttle to allow independent movement of locomotives not equipped with engineers controls.

Hot Box — On friction bearings, an overheated journal bearing.

House Track — A track entering, or along side a freight house. Cars are spotted here for loading or unloading.

Initial Station — The first station on each subdivision from which a train is authorized to occupy the main track.

Interchange Point — The point at which two or more railroads join. Traffic is passed from one road to another at interchange points.

Interlocking — An arrangement of signal appliances so interconnected that their movements must succeed each other in a proper sequence. It may be operated manually or automatically.

Interlocking Limits — The tracks between the outer opposing absolute signals of an interlocking.

Interlocking Signals — The fixed signals of an interlocking, governing trains using interlocking limits.

Joint Facilities — Any facilities owned by two or more railroads.

Kicker — A common expression for an emergency brake application which occurs when a service brake application is intended or when no application is intended.

Ladder Track — A series of turnouts providing access to any of several parallel yard tracks.

Line Haul Road — A railroad that handles freight over a medium to long distance.

Main Track — A track extending through yards and between stations which must not be occupied without authority or protection.

Manual Block System — A series of consecutive blocks, governed by block signals operated manually, upon information by telegraph, telephone or other means of communication.

Marker — A train signal that is used to indicate the end of the train.

Multiple Main Tracks — Two or more main tracks, the use of which is designated in the timetable.

MU — Multiple Unit. A lead locomotive followed by one or more locomotives.

Originating Line Haul Road — The railroad where any freight shipment starts.

Originating Station — The first station on each subdivision from which a train is authorized to occupy the main track.

Overhead Line Haul Road — Any railroad or railroads between the originating line haul road and the terminating line haul road. Also known as a bridge line haul road.

Overlap Sign — A sign marking the limit of control of a block signal.

Paired Track — When two railroads own single track lines, they may reach an agreement whereby one railroads track services both roads in one direction, while the other railroads track services both roads in the other direction.

Partial Service Application — Reducing the brake pipe pressure at a service rate but not enough to cause the reservoir and cylinder pressure to equalize.

Pilot — An employee assigned to a train when the engineer or conductor is not acquainted with the rules or portion of a railroad over which the train is to be moved.

Position Light Signal — A fixed signal in which the indications are given by the position of two or more lights.

Prime Mover — A V-type diesel with 8 to 20 cylinders rated at about 125 hp per cylinder if normally aspirated or 250 hp per cylinder if turbocharged.

Rail Weight — The number of pounds per yard that rail weighs. Currently rail is being rolled at 112 to 145 pounds per yard.

Register Station — A station at which a train register is located.

Regular Train — A train authorized by a timetable schedule.

Rip Track — A small car repair facility, often a single track in a small yard. Name derived from "Repair, Inspect and Paint."

Rolling Resistance — Resistance that is made up of wheel friction, journal friction, and wind resistance. It is non recoverable.

Ruling Grade — The particular point on the run at which the combination of grade and curve resistance makes the train pull hardest and , therefore, "rules" how heavy a load can be given to the locomotive.

— TO BE CONTINUED —

Glad to read the article about the "Big Agent." I raised an enormous mountain of hell with Pine Bluff about the "dog" box cars being sent for sacked clean rice loading, as the rice mills were complaining. One of the car distributors, a very nice fellow whose name I forget, told me that Stuttgart was keeping the good box cars, and sending me the culls, as box cars were always in short supply. I took pictures of the interior of the box cars, and wrote, and wrote complaining. Then one day an official in Pine Bluff called me and said: "We know you are a smart alec," at which I hung up. No one aside from a "Big Agent" will ever know the struggle we went through at busy points. WE COLLECTED AND HANDLED THE MONEY!

The Cotton Belt, as the above was later known, entered Texarkana back in 1880. It began as a narrow-gauge railroad, three feet wide, extending from Tyler, Texas to Ferguson (Big Sandy), Texas, a distance of 21½ miles, and known as the Tyler Tap Railway. Tradition says that the Tyler Tap Railway originally had wooden rails. The Tyler Tap Railway was first organized in December, 1871, and was finally constructed to Ferguson on the Texas & Pacific and opened for operation in October, 1877. The name of the railroad was changed to St. Louis and Texas Railway in May, 1879.

As a teenager I rode hobo up and down the Pine Bluff Sub-Division of the Cotton Belt often, usually riding in a gondola car in order to get a better view. I would wonder why the line didn’t have more straight-aways or tangents, and why there were so many hills and curves.

But in reading about Colonel Samuel Fordyce, who rode an old grey mule back in 1880 from Texarkana, Arkansas to Bird’s Point, Missouri, 419 miles, I learned of the enormous difficulty he encountered in securing a right-of-way for the proposed narrow-gauge railroad. The journey took the greater part of a year to complete, and was made through an area that was wild and thickly wooded, and sparsely settled, a vast wilderness.

For example, back then Lewisville, Arkansas was two miles north of the present location. Right-of-way access was denied, and it was necessary to move through what is now present day Lewisville. Eventually OLD Lewisville moved to the railroad at NEW Lewisville.

At one contact they encountered a man by the name of Webb who owned 200 acres in the southeast section of Greene County, who lived in a log cabin. Three days were spent with Mr. Webb, trying to convince him of the advantages of a railroad, but he absolutely refused to sign the deed, saying:

But in 1882 the little narrow-gauge line had been completed, from Bird’s Point, Missouri to Texarkana, Arkansas, 419 miles. Due to the efforts of such outstanding men as Colonel Fordyce, Jay Gould, J. W. Paramore and many others, the Texas and St. Louis Railway had succeeded despite many financial hardships. In 1886 it was reorganized and became the St. Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railway. Both companies were know as the Cotton Belt Route. Then in 1891 the name was again changed to the present St. Louis Southwestern Railway.

Quoting former President of the Cotton Belt, Harold J. McKenzie: "The Cotton Belt is the little railroad that could, and DID!"

CTC EXPLAINED - Pete Martinez, Tyler Tap member, explains the operation of a Centralized Traffic Control console to Whistle Stop Ranch visitors during Tyler’s recent Azalea and Spring Flower Trails event. Almost 500 guests toured the facilities owned by former Cotton Belt employee B. B. Garrett.

Photo by Winston Green

Saturday, June 8 — Arkansas Railroad Museum — 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 22 — Whistle Stop Ranch — 10 a.m.

NONPROFIT ORG.

71613-2044

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PINE BLUFF, AR

P. O. Box 2044

Pine Bluff, AR 71613-2044

(501) 541-1819

The Arkansas Railroad Museum, located in the Cotton Belt yards at the end of East Second Avenue in Pine Bluff, is operated by the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society. The museum is open daily, Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., and on Sunday afternoons by reservation. Visitors are welcome and there is no admission charge. The museum features Cotton Belt steam locomotives 819 and 336, an impressive array of rolling stock, a full-scale inside-the-building railroad depot and displays of railroad memorabilia. Souvenirs are on sale to help defray museum operations.

Regular meetings of the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society are held on the second Saturday in March, June, and September at the Arkansas Railroad Museum. The Tyler Tap Chapter meets in Tyler on the fourth Saturday in March, June, and September. The annual Christmas dinner is held in December. See the Calendar of Events in this issue for meeting dates and times.

President: Bennie Price

Vice President of Maintenance: Jack Stone

Vice President of Operations: Joey Narbutowitch

Secretary: Elizabeth Gaines

Treasurer: Joe McCullough

President: Gerald Cooper

Vice President/Business: Pete Martinez

Vice President/819 Excursion Support: Winston Green

Secretary: Chris Martinez

Treasurer: Darrell Beard

Newsletter/Historian: Bill Pyle

Membership Development: Mary Jones