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Re: (erielack) Train starter?

The train starter was the gateman at Hoboken Terminal, not the conductor.  When a train was due to leave, unless it was to be held for passengers from a late ferry or H&M train (not uncommon) the gateman would close the gate to the platform and signal to the conductor that it was OK to leave.  As best as I can remember, the signal was simply closing the gate.  The conductor was to see that no one was running or trying to climb on a departing train.

The conductor was in charge of the train, and I don't know were the cartoonist got the idea that the "train starter" opened the car doors.  That was normally the function of the train crew (conductor and trainmen).

When I worked at Hoboken I seldom went through the gate, and I didn't pay much attention to that end of the operation.  My office was in the old freight house on Observer Highway, and I walked down the platform from the other end.  The ferrys were gone by then (1968) but we maintained close coordination with PATH.  If a PATH train was delayed during rush hour, it was good to hold the EL connection for a few minutes.  That not only made the late passengers happy, but it saved overcrowding and delay of following trains.

Gordon Davids

>From Archives_@_Railfan.net
Message-ID: <021d01c5d5e0$aefaf4c0$6401a8c0_@_ranierf7i6rur0>
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 21:42:23 -0400
From: "Lynne" <LKRanieri_@_comcast.net>
Subject: (erielack) Train starter?

   I forgot to ask about an item in the Delay, Linger & Wait cartoon I just sent. The upper left cartoon says "Pass(enger) 'Say starter can't you open the next car?'" and "Train starter 'Wait untill (sic) this one is full.'"
   May I assume the 'train starter' is the conductor? If so, when did we go from starter to conductor? Any idea from where 'starter' came? From motioning that it is OK to move?
Lynne



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