2.1.1d Station Agent

Prototype Definition.

The station agent was often the first person the community saw or dealt with when it came to business with the railroad. The agent handled both business and operations aspects of railroad operations. Depending on the size of the station, the station agent may have one or more operators assisting him.

On prototype railroads, the operator was the person sitting in each station, reporting trains to the Dispatcher, copying train orders, and delivering clearances and orders to the crews. The operator may or may not assist the station agent in the business operations. 

The following is an excerpt from the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company  Consolidated Code of Operating Rules and General Instructions.-Revised 1946. as it applied to the station agent.

 950. Agents have charge of employees at stations, and must see that they properly perform their duties and are courteous and considerate in their dealings with the public. They must not be absent from their stations, grant leave of absence to their subordinates, or make any change in their forces without
permission. They are responsible for the railroad's property and other property intrusted to the railroad in the transaction of its business. They must not permit unauthorized persons to frequent offices.

954: Agents must acquaint themselves with the business interests of the people among whom they are situated, use all proper means to secure traffic and act with the view of accommodating the public, and
promoting the best interests of the railroad, notifying the proper officer of anything affecting their department, detrimental thereto or conducive to its good, present or prospective.

961. Agents must give prompt attention to correspondence; keep the books and accounts promptly and
neatly written up, in the manner prescribed by the accounting and other departments to which they relate, and submit them to the traveling auditor or other authorized officer for examination as may be required. Tariffs must be properly filed.

962. Agents must not permit billboards to be erected nor material placed in such position as to prevent a plain view of approaching trains; see that cars are not left where they will obstruct view of the main track and that their brakes are securely set; when on a grade, or if the brakes are defective, the wheels must be securely blocked. When there are indications of heavy winds, they must see at once that cars
are secured.

964. Agents must furnish conductors a switch list; make every effort to avoid delay in the movement of cars, both loaded and empty, and see that they are promptly forwarded.

966. When cars are left short of destination, a wire report must be made to the superintendent advising of their contents, destination and why left; the date and train in which such cars are forwarded must
also be reported. Prompt report must be made of the completion of repairs to disabled cars.

966. Agents must see that all freight loaded is safely and properly stowed, and when necessary is securely fastened by braces, blocks, cleats, stakes, chains, or other means, as the nature of the freight may require to prevent loss or damage by falling, shifting, chafing, breaking, or by contact with any contaminating substance. They must not allow anything to be loaded on the roof of a car.

967. The required cards or placards must be applied to cars as indicated by the special instructions relating thereto and all old cards, except home route and defect or repair cards must be removed before
cars are forwarded.

968. Local freight to be loaded or unloaded must be checked by the conductor and agent together and anything irregular noted on the waybill.

The WWSL

General responsibilities.

The WWSL has modified the Station Agent position. The Station Agent acts as the Car Distribution department of the railroad. The WWSL Station Agent:

  • Conduct operations in accordance with the Car Movement Manual. 
  • Identifies the number of empty cars requested by WWSL served industries, by AAR type and size, using the Car Request report. 
  • Pulls the appropriate bills of lading from the files and fills the waybill boxes at each industry location. 
  • Changes load/empty status of each car on line as appropriate. Inserts or removes bill of lading for as appropriate into/ out of car card. Adds or removes open top car loads (AAR Type F, G, H) as required.
  • Stages interchange tracks located Brady (Northern Pacific) and Preachers Slough (Milwaukee and Union Pacific) with inbound loads and empties.
  • Coordinates with management that all pre-operation checklists are completed.
  • Operates the Brady storage yard (transverser) as required. 
  • Manages Car Cleanout, Repair in Place, Scale Operation,Less than Carload (LCL).Company Supply Service, COTS, and Special Order operational activities.

Specific Responsibilities.

Reload. Logging trains use one car card for all logging cars in the train. The bill of lading is OPLC Form xxxx. Logging flat loads are inserted onto cars and car card has appropriate waybill inserted.

Coal Grove. Station agent moves empty hoppers through mine tipple. Hopper loads are inserted into car and car card has appropriate bill of lading inserted. Station agent applies scale cards and situation cards as appropriate.

Basalt Sand and Gravel. Station agent moves delivered cars from interchange track to industry spur (simulating BSG locomotive crane). Station agent moves loaded cars from industry tracks to interchange track. Hopper loads are inserted into cars and car card has appropriate bill of lading inserted.

OPLC. OPLC switch crew is responsible for inserting and removing OPLC Form xxxx from logging train car card and log loads from cars.

Camp 1. Logging trains use one car card for all logging cars. The bill of lading is OPLC Form xxxx. Logging flat loads are inserted onto car and car card has appropriate bill of lading inserted. 

All other car cards have bills of lading inserted or removed as appropriate.

Brady. Station agent is responsible for interchange yard and transversers.

Demaine Yard. Station agent is responsible for inserting or removing bills of lading from industry and service tracks. Station agent is responsible for inserting or removing situation cards, car cleaning and bad order cards.

Preachers Slough. Station agent is responsible for adding or removing interchange cars and bills of lading.

Wickwood. Loads are inserted into or removed from AAR Type H cars and car card has appropriate bill of lading inserted or removed.  

The Station Agent position is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the following publications and forms.

  • Car Distribution Operations Manual
  • Equipment Registers
  • Industry Lists

Forms.

 

Reference.



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