Employees

Montour Railroad

Montour Railroad

Working on the Montour

Railroading 101

Employees of the Montour

Here is some information of past employees on the Montour Railroad. These are the men and women that made this a great railroad.

Name	Date of Hire		Last Day on Montour
Roy E. Parkinson	23-Jun-1959 (Brakeman Seniority)		1-Nov-1982
Roy Parkinson's Brakemen Seniority was 23-Jun-1959 and his Conductor Seniority is 16-Jan-1967. He was furloughed from the Montour officially on 1-Nov-1982 along with many other Montour Employees. Gene Schaeffer recorded an interview with Mr. Parkinson. You can listen to the interview hear.
R.J. Lane	1960		1982
R.J. Lane and his fantastic wife, Alma. RJ's Montour Motor Car As many have read on this Group, there were four Lanes employed on the Montour RR. Most often talked about was Jim Lane, father to D.J. Lane. Then we had R.D. Lane father to R.J. Lane. R.J. Lane started out on the Montour RR in 1960 and spent 23 years employed on the Montour Railroad Company. When the Montour shut down, R.J. went to the Allegheny Railroad for a period then off to the DM&E, before retiring. R.J. and wife Alma came to Pittsburgh to ride the rails of the former P&WV. R.J. and wife Alma own and operate a Fairmont Motorcar which is neatly lettered Montour RR and carries number 27400. The number 27400 is actually R.J.'s payroll number. It was wonderful seeing both R.J and wife Alma. Funny, working with R.J. for many years, his demeanor hasn't changed one bit and yesterdays time together, it was clear although nearly 25 years have passed, our time talking Sunday seemed like 1980 all over again. The voice...the personality...the Man is the same. R.J....Alma, GREAT seeing you yesterday. Thank You for sharing time with me. Gene P. Schaeffer Four Lane's had worked on the Montour. Here are some comments from RJ about them: DJ and myself started as a brakeman, flagman, then promoted to conductor. Then they got short of engineers and started an engineers training program. After that we had to top and bottom our seniority roster with the P&LE RR [bad word] I think there were 3 of us. 1 gave it up, he had a bad instructor. When the program was over we took our engineer exam and passed it and got our wings. JF was on a pool crew all the time. RD was on a pool crew and 3rd Champion all the time.RD Lane on the engine DJ was on the 3rd Champion and pool crew. RJ was on a pool crew and 3rd Champion. The engineers always protected the hostler jobs when they needed someone extra. JF, RD, DJ & RJ worked a fireman’s job or engineer job. We all also worked the extra board when we had to. RJ what does it mean to top & bottom the seniority roster? What I meant was the Montour got to the point where they were in need of engineers and they started a program like the big roads have now, taking conductors and certifying them to be engineers. They did this. Then they got the idea to top and bottom our seniority roster. The unions ok’ed it and we did it, which meant our oldest engineer went under the P&LE youngest engineer, and their oldest engineer went under our youngest engineer. It was also done with the trainman’s seniority roster. When this happened, that meant that there would be no more [Montour RR] engineers, brakemen or conductors. The P&LE RR was a blood sucking railroad. When our railroad needed something, the Montour paid for it. When the P&LE RR needed something, they took it. By the way, I still have 5 Montour RR paychecks that I got and never cashed. The reason for not cashing them is that if you add them all up they total $0.78. They date back to 1981, 82 and 83. The reason for that little bit of money is, if you worked one day a pay period, they take out taxes, pension, union dues and what ever else. You cleared nothing. I kept them to screw up their books for 45 or 120 days. In the state of Pa., the railroad has to give you a pay check. One of our conductors got one with all 0000000000. Then it was stamped void. RJ

Carter Roth	1957		1959
I was a short timer on the big M as I thought it was going to fold in the 50's. I got started in 1957 when a friend of mine name of Shutika knew I was looking for work. He had moved up to sand house man and the job of messenger boy was open so I took it. The job consisted of going to all the RR HQ in Pittsburgh with the mail. I walked all over town with a mail bag that looked like I was pony express without a pony. Places I went were P&LE, Walbash, B&O, Pennsy. maybe some I forgot. I did get to know a lot of people on the Montour this way and it was fun. Later there was an opening in the shops for a warehouse man so I took it. My job was to supply material for the operation of all operations in the yard. People I worked with were Bill Dugan warehouse clerk, Clarence Thompson , my boss, Charles Langan, and John Chopp co-workers. As time went by John was laid off, Charles went back to messenger boy and I was off and on with Clarence only full time left. Bill Dugan made sure I worked enough to pay my bills. As much as I enjoyed the railroad I felt it was time to move on. As footnotes, My grandfather John [Jack] Roth worked there till his death in 1945. My Uncle was Yardmaster till his [early] death in 1959 for the PC&Y. While at the Montour I knew the following. Jane Guzik [clerk], Charles Eggbeer, [Bill Biglers grandfather] , Mr. Schertzinger [paymaster] , signed both my paychecks as well as my grandfathers. Also friends with Tim Bountan crane operator and steam hammer expert. and to round out the list Mr. Rumbaugh weightmaster. Mr Rumbaugh was about to retire and I could have taken his place as weighmaster, however the thought of looking at coal cars all night did not sound like much fun. I left the Montour in late 1959 and still miss it. Last thought, one other person I knew was Dennis Lockerbie who worked in the shops. NOT a person worth knowing. My Montour story. Carter E. Roth

Ron Rauschart - Montour RR Track Gang	1966		1968

George DeVault	1974		1977
I left the Montour in 1977 and went to the P&LE RR where I was a Hostler Gang-leader and Fireman. I am currently a Sergeant with the Pittsburgh Police Department. I bike the Montour trail regularly for exercise		I

Gene P. Schaeffer, Carter Roth and RJ Lane in 2008 at Greers

Back in 1901, the railroad managers in the Pittsburgh area formed a club called the Railroad Club of Pittsburgh. I found meeting minutes for the club spanning the years between 1901 and about 1937. Needless to say, Montour employees - VPs, Superindents, Foremen and other - were members of the club for many years. I was able to go through the meeting minutes and search for the word "Montour" and came up with a lot of names. I've attached a PDF file with the information. Where names are duplicated, I re-listed an employee if he was promoted or demoted. The blank rows mean no one joined that year. Enjoy Bob Ciminel Employees 1901-1937

J. D. Coleman, Blacksmith Foreman - Beaver Falls PA	1928
G. M. Hopkins, Boiler Shop Foreman	1928
Evan L. Moreland, Machine Shop Foreman - Coroaopolis PA	1928
P. P. Porter, Air Brake Department Foreman - Bellevue, PA	1928
F. J. Callahan, Engine House Foreman - West Park, McKees Rocks, PA	1928
John Miller, General Car Foreman - Hazlewood, PA	1928
Walter H. Myers, Chief Clerk to Mechanical Superintendent (E. A. Rauschart) - North Bridgewater, PA	1928