My grandfather was an engineer for the CPR from roughly 1894 to 1944. Family legend is that he had exclusive use of one engine and that this engine had a plate with his name on it hung under the cab. This is different from cabs with a person's name painted on the cab, customarily in honor of a railroad official or in memory of a deceased person. The plate in question was not permanent. Does anyone have any recollection of this? Any pictures? Thanks for any help you can provide.

-John

I'm not familiar with the use of a plate with the engineer's name on it for an assigned engine, but the practice of having the engineer's name painted on the locomotive was once fairly common in the days of "single manning." Roads in the South, including Southern Railway, held onto the practice (and other similar traditions) longer than most; there's a photo of a Ps-4 with the engineer's name on the valve gear hanger (his last name was Turnipseed!) I've also seen a photo of a "named" 2-6-0 on a road in New England; it was a shortline with but one engine, and the road's name began with a W (Woods Hole Railroad, Wolfeboro Railroad--not the later tourist road--or something). I also seem to recall some roads placed the engineer's name on the right side of the cab, and the fireman's on the left. And I also recall Ross Rowland having his name on the cab of the 2101 in Chessie Steam Special service!

It was a CPR practice in the early 20th century to honour long service engineers who had a clear record by painting their name on the cab of their assigned locomotive. This ended when the railway pooled engines.

I have never heard of any use of a plaque hung on the locomotive.

CPR historian Ret'd.

On a related note, conductors used to have a caboose that was assigned to them. In order to find their caboose in the crowded yard or out on the caboose track, conductors would put something distinctive on the roof, to make finding their car easier. One thing I seem to recall was a photo of a broom stuck upside down with the bristles pointing to the heavens attached from the cupola of that conductors particular caboose. There may be other photos of similar "devices".

Les

Erie was known for assigning specific locomotives to specific engineers. Long Island held specific locomotives to assignments, and certain engineers drew favored locomotives for those runs.

I think monogrammed would be a better term. I believe that a stylized "R. R." was painted on the engineer's side of the '01's cab for the CSS trips.

I seem to recall Model Railroader doing an article on this concept decades ago, with pictures of everything from a large wagon wheel, antenna-style, to a whirly-bird-like windmill (and not a battery-recharging one, either). Some were simple wire frames of distinctive shapes, like a pitchfork or a discarded semaphore blade or switchstand.

Imagine if one of the many, many cabooses preserved at railroad museums, or at other display sites, had such a device. Would certainly be a conversation piece to explain to visitors. BUT, what museum would have the "moxie" to "ruin" the pristine appearance of one of their restored cabooses? My guess would be that none would. Am I wrong?

Les

Legend has it that the Mississippian Railway was operated by two brothers, each who ran one of the roads two steam locomotives.