FAST FREIGHT
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Year Published: 1954
Format: 16mm
Description: This short film explains how fast freight trains operate in the United States and shows how railroad workers are essential to the train functioning properly and operating on schedule. This film is a RKO-Pathe, Inc. production. It was produced by Jay Bonafield and written and directed by Clement Stigdon. It was photographed by Harry W. Smith and narrated by Jim Boles. The film opens with freight trains running on train tracks (00:46). Man wearing a hat sits in a car (1:05). Three cars in a parking lot (1:12). Fast freight engineer walks up to the R.F. & P.R.R.Co. (The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad) train that passes by (1:34). Train conductor looks out of the caboose (1:41). Train caboose and watch tower (1:51). Fireman walks and chats with his fellow workers (1:54). Crew members talk to each other (2:07). Train pulls out while one of the rail workers watches it (2:14). Rail worker looks at a schedule (2:25). Rail worker writes on the schedule (2:34). Rail workers check train numbers and their clock (2:49). Rail workers inspect freight trains (3:00). Rail workers roll tires (3:16). Rail worker checks the journal boxes on the train (3:31). Rail worker in a tower sits in front of a control panel (3:53). Trains are switched on to the correct track (3:59). A hump yard, maze of train tracks and freight cars (4:10). Controller looks out from the tower and controls the control panel (4:12). Teletype switch list (4:15). Train cars are switched to their proper place in the hump yard (4:26). Large freight train with a rail worker walking next to it (4:53). Fruit Growers Express freight car (5:07). Armour freight car (5:10). Freight car with the words, "State of Maine" (5:23). Freight car with the words, "Wabash" (5:29). Rail worker connects two freight cars (5:47). Rail worker jumps on the train’s back ladder (5:52). National Car Co. freight car with the word, "Milk," on it (5:59). Baltimore and Ohio freight car (6:08). Canadian Pacific Railway freight car (6:10). Freight car with the words, "CO Progress" (6:14). Northern Pacific freight car (6:15). Fruit Growers Express freight car (6:18). B&O shipping container riding on a stout (6:21). Tractor trailer truck (6:26). R.F. & P.R.R.Co. freight train (6:33). Train horn (6:43). Rail worker climbs down the controller car (6:46). Train engineer looks out the window (6:51). Conductor walks next to the train (6:55). Engineer checks the control panel (7:02). Engineer picks up the phone and clears the train with the conductor (7:09). Baltimore and Ohio freight trains pull out of the station (7:50). Train engineer in a train (9:14). Speed gauge on train (9:17). Rail workers on train (9:31). Country house (9:39). Train engineer on the phone with a rail worker (9:46). Train passing another train (9:58). Country pasture with grazing cows (10:22). Kids run to wave to the train as it goes by (10:27). Freight cars moving fast along the tracks (10:36). Wheels of the train (10:42). The assistant engineer switches places with the head engineer (10:46). Rail workers get off the tracks because of the incoming train and they look at the train as it passes by (11:32). The conductor looks out of the caboose (12:09). The flag worker checks the train as the tracks curve (12:19). Rail worker looks out the rear cab of the train (12:24). Freight car with the words, "Atlantic Collect Line" (13:31). Baltimore and Ohio freight train (13:39). Rail worker tests the temperature inside a cooled freight car by putting a thermometer next to bananas (13:54). Rail workers push ice packs into freight cars (13:56). Freight train moves quickly on the tracks (14:10). Freight delivered outside of a big city (14:24). Rail workers talk on the train (14:50). The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad (reporting mark RFP) was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. The track is now the RF&P Subdivision of the CSX Transportation system; the original corporation is no longer a railroad company. The RF&P was a bridge line, with a slogan of "Linking North & South," on a system that stretched about 113 miles.
Complete Record: This short film explains how fast freight trains operate in the United States and shows how railroad workers are essential to the train functioning properly and operating on schedule. This film is a RKO-Pathe, Inc. production. It was produced by Jay Bonafield and written and directed by Clement Stigdon. It was photographed by Harry W. Smith and narrated by Jim Boles. The film opens with freight trains running on train tracks (00:46). Man wearing a hat sits in a car (1:05). Three cars in a parking lot (1:12). Fast freight engineer walks up to the R.F. & P.R.R.Co. (The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad) train that passes by (1:34). Train conductor looks out of the caboose (1:41). Train caboose and watch tower (1:51). Fireman walks and chats with his fellow workers (1:54). Crew members talk to each other (2:07). Train pulls out while one of the rail workers watches it (2:14). Rail worker looks at a schedule (2:25). Rail worker writes on the schedule (2:34). Rail workers check train numbers and their clock (2:49). Rail workers inspect freight trains (3:00). Rail workers roll tires (3:16). Rail worker checks the journal boxes on the train (3:31). Rail worker in a tower sits in front of a control panel (3:53). Trains are switched on to the correct track (3:59). A hump yard, maze of train tracks and freight cars (4:10). Controller looks out from the tower and controls the control panel (4:12). Teletype switch list (4:15). Train cars are switched to their proper place in the hump yard (4:26). Large freight train with a rail worker walking next to it (4:53). Fruit Growers Express freight car (5:07). Armour freight car (5:10). Freight car with the words, "State of Maine" (5:23). Freight car with the words, "Wabash" (5:29). Rail worker connects two freight cars (5:47). Rail worker jumps on the train’s back ladder (5:52). National Car Co. freight car with the word, "Milk," on it (5:59). Baltimore and Ohio freight car (6:08). Canadian Pacific Railway freight car (6:10). Freight car with the words, "CO Progress" (6:14). Northern Pacific freight car (6:15). Fruit Growers Express freight car (6:18). B&O shipping container riding on a stout (6:21). Tractor trailer truck (6:26). R.F. & P.R.R.Co. freight train (6:33). Train horn (6:43). Rail worker climbs down the controller car (6:46). Train engineer looks out the window (6:51). Conductor walks next to the train (6:55). Engineer checks the control panel (7:02). Engineer picks up the phone and clears the train with the conductor (7:09). Baltimore and Ohio freight trains pull out of the station (7:50). Train engineer in a train (9:14). Speed gauge on train (9:17). Rail workers on train (9:31). Country house (9:39). Train engineer on the phone with a rail worker (9:46). Train passing another train (9:58). Country pasture with grazing cows (10:22). Kids run to wave to the train as it goes by (10:27). Freight cars moving fast along the tracks (10:36). Wheels of the train (10:42). The assistant engineer switches places with the head engineer (10:46). Rail workers get off the tracks because of the incoming train and they look at the train as it passes by (11:32). The conductor looks out of the caboose (12:09). The flag worker checks the train as the tracks curve (12:19). Rail worker looks out the rear cab of the train (12:24). Freight car with the words, "Atlantic Collect Line" (13:31). Baltimore and Ohio freight train (13:39). Rail worker tests the temperature inside a cooled freight car by putting a thermometer next to bananas (13:54). Rail workers push ice packs into freight cars (13:56). Freight train moves quickly on the tracks (14:10). Freight delivered outside of a big city (14:24). Rail workers talk on the train (14:50). The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad (reporting mark RFP) was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. The track is now the RF&P Subdivision of the CSX Transportation system; the original corporation is no longer a railroad company. The RF&P was a bridge line, with a slogan of "Linking North & South," on a system that stretched about 113 miles.
Transcription
foreign [Music] thank you that's big George he just won five he never stops here he's the fastest Freight on wheels as trains go Big George's Real Gone this is Murphy up the line at the next town and he's not working he drives a small car he's working today that last station big George clattered through should put him in here George stops here this is an interchange point Murphy is one of the fast Freight Engineers that keeps him on the go Murphy's had some experience about 30 years of railroading and pushing trades for the past ten the fast ones for about five soon as a conductor Caboose is his office he's got 40 years at this Caboose for 10. Grogan is the fireman he's got 15 years a green horn Mac which the flag one and Fogle the brakeman round off the crew both these men come from railroad families Crews who bring in fast Freights often boast of their average railroading years running from 20 to 30. big George is in good hands railroad men say he pulled in to set off and fill out he gets a new engine at this station a fast trade isn't made up under one particular diesel big George is a schedule something that exists in the minds of men a long fast freight run a fable that works that's big George the central control he has simply trained 692 it's an even number because he's eastbound West Downey is an ottom but he's still big George everyone on this railroad knows which way a train is going just by the number the new crew picks up train orders here the yard crew gives Big George's ladies a physical checkup they're inspected from the ground and under the tracks the man in the pit looks over each one as she rolls through if he sees anything wrong she switched to the maintenance sighting the cargo transferred to another car here she gets the complete clinical treatment these wheels won't do for fast Freight to get a new set the journal boxes are checked while she's in the site if the cotton waste isn't saturated with oil these boxes might catch fire hot boxes or stinkers they call them these sturdy ladies get this Affliction about once every 13 years but a fast Freight has to stop and cut a hot box car out of the line it's serious enough to require constant attention to prevent it the tower man operating the remote switches sends the right car to the right siding in the right order this is classifying the way trains are made up a little more complicated than stringing beads Shabbat George's ladies are all on a teletype switch list at the other end of the yard each is pushed over the hump and cut off infinity and the tower man take over he controls her speed this lady's weight is no secret to him he knows just how far to go to slower down still keep her on the go she's switched until she tows the rail into the sighting of his choice George brought 110 ladies in here checking out at about 20-ton strips a piece he's going to leave with 125. this cold little lady is full of 12 tons of Florida oranges coupled she's being sent over the Hub to be switched into the siding of a Sleek fast Freight headed for Minnesota this bright middle reefer will take her place there's enough refrigerated beef in here to feed a large neighborhood for a week 37 full steers quartered into 138 George isn't fickle he just keeps his ladies moving they don't have time to spoil this is Helen she hasn't been home for six years not lost just traveling her Midwest Family considers hers an ordered useful life she is completely compatible with her sisters same coupling same brakes and arrows connection her ladder is just like this one in the same place so big George is made up milk each three thousand gallon tank filled to the brim so the milk won't turn to butter drugs that need Refrigeration wait for the mill the flower for the bakery bread for ten thousand tables television set electronic cubes a million cubes of sugar select green lettuce from a California Garden fresh red plums from the Ozark Valley Riding piggyback from a stout these are picked up by the parent and driven right off the siding for door delivery the last one over the hump is the Caboose and big George is considered solid in the siding [Music] time 543 and big George is charged up to go engineer Murphy at the throttle conductor Benson is okay to break check each car in the mile long Freight must pass break inspection Murphy is satisfied his brake pressure can stop the 13 million pounds on any Hill in the Run [Applause] 692 or clear 692 you're on time okay Tom open up all clear in the rear clear clear breaks release a light touch of the throttle and big George fast Freight moves up Murphy travels 80 feet before the Caboose moves an inch [Music] now the 125 ladies stuffed and ready feel the tug of power the power of four engine units put to a stream eight wheels on each Unit 32 wheels and all all Power Wheels each wheel worth 190 horses [Music] with his mild long string of reluctant ladies on the Move big George begins to feel like the fast grade he is off the low iron now into the high big George fast Freight steps out on the main line [Music] thank you [Music] [Music] [Music] yeah you'll meet some handsome ones [Music] but he'll hold his own among the best of dancers ask an engineer why he likes to run a fast rate and he'll just smile [Music] 12 city blocks full of goods on a thousand thundering Wheels [Music] six thousand horses all there in his left hand 30 years experience and he still says there's always something new to learn environment no longer has to shovel coal he's signals checks the train Logan is really assistant engineer those are tarpitas placed on the track by a railroad man exploded by the wheels the warning means slow down look out for the road ahead George pleasure is up there's time it's only a caution zone for our road again they always check the train as it rolls through everyone who works for the railroad checks every passing train [Music] no hot boxes on big George conductor Benson is known as the captain this is his Caboose or hack as he caught and while it's on this run he's the man in charge the flag checks the Train on every curve the rear cab of the diesel gives the brakeman a view of the line of freight behind him this cab has the same controls as the front end and on the return Trip Murphy drives from here there's a hot box on that Freight it's near the Caboose head [Music] with the countryside the day speeds by big George swallows up the rails at a 60 mile an hour appetite a few stops are all scheduled if I had a load of LCL less than carload Lots comes in on train 28 a Workhorse that's been picking up cars at factory siding his ladies are in for some fast life now on the main line um a slow rate engineer looks longingly at Big George give him a few more years George's cold little ladies get their temperatures checked and if necessary they get an ice pack filled out with the six ladies from frame 28 and a dozen more he's never seen before big George Roars out to eyeball it down the main line precious load goes safely swiftly through the night into the city that must have these fast Freight deliveries a mile long line of food and products of everyday living gathered from every part of the country a mile long line that has thundered over a thousand miles of steel rail a mile long Lifeline to the city ESO 692 over there tonight we're gonna have something but to Big George it's just routine train 692 fast Freight arrives on time [Music] foreign
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