East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-12-18
IA GRANDE WANTS TO
HAVE ENGINE CREWS
KEPT IN THAT CITY
UNION COUNTY SEAT DOES NOT
LIKE CHANGES ON THE
O.-W. SYSTEM.
Better Is Expressed That 1t May MOI
BE Necessary to Have Men on
Crews Remove Their Homes From
la Grande to Pendleton-obserVer
Discusses situation.

In connection with the announce
ment of the proposed opening of the
Pilot Rock Junction terminal yards
about January is and of the conse-
uuent change in division runs the La
Grande Observer INDUCES in a good
deal of speculation as to the ulti-
mate meaning OF the change. Am
ong other things. the observer thinks
it possible that the engine crews may |
not be forced to move from La
Grande. The Commercial club oil
that city, Chairman George Farnhart
of the engineers grievance committee
and Chairman Adams of the firemen
have taken up with President Farrell
the matter of keeping the engine
crews in La Grande,
The Observer discusses the matter
as follows;
While official announcement has
been made of this cnange, and 1t has
been freely reported in railroad CIR
cles that all passenger engine crews
now in service out of La Grande-
! ten in all--will be transferred, as a
matter of fact it is possible and in
deed probable, that not a single em-
ploye will be moved from this city.
J On the face of the order 1t would ap-
pear necessary to transfer passenger
engineers TO either Huntington or Pi-
lot Rock Junction, as passenger en-
/ gines will run the full distance un-
| der the new order of things. But,
as a matter of fact, there is a way
open to let engineers lay over in La
| Grande. and if these arrangements
are made the east-end run would not
| be changed at all, but the west end
run would be a double-back PROPOSE
ton In other words an engineer 60
ing out on No. II this morning would
make the 76-mile run to Pilot Rock
and double back on No Is tonight
for total continuous run of l52
miles. Under such an arrangement
the west-end work can be done with
about two engines less than now used
Disposition of these two crews some
think would mean transfer to the
Portland division, while others ven
ture the guess that while freight bus
mess is good the youngest passenger
engine crews would be dropped into
freight service. thereby retaining all
crews now here. The Observer is not
in position to say that these posslole
ARRANGEMENTS will be made
No other Branch Change.
The passenger engine crews are the
only ones affected Freight service
remains as now. General offices, dis
patching, roundhouse and shop crews
|. wont change Routine roundhouse
repairs and upkeep on passenger en-
gines will be made ready at the east
and west terminals on the seven OF
eight passenger engines to be used on
the new service, but general over
hauling and extensive repairs will be
done here. Freight engines will gel
precisely the same mechanical atten'
ton under the new system that they
did under the old system.
Just what will happen to Umatill
is not definitely known in railroad
/ circles lOudE. Inc COHueCtlpiS VIZ
the Spokane mainline will not be
made there, that mucn Is certain
Some assume that Coyote may be the
Junction point and others think Hin
kle will be the connecting point
These are matters to be decided-a'
least if decided in higher circles
: have not been publicly announced
The Coyote cutoff leaves the present
line at Hinkle, just east Of Umatilla
and strikes it again at Coyote, thus
leaving Umatilla off the main line.
The terminal facilities now used a
Umatilla will Of course go to Pilo
Rock Junction and an operator, sta
: ton agent and a crew for a 1O-stal
round house will be maintained at th'
new terminal. This fact does not cur
tail the force in the La Grande shops
Passenger brakemen and conduc
tors will be run as before, from Pen
dleton to Huntington and from Pen
dleton to Portland
In view Of the fact that passenger
engineers are the oldest in the service
and with possibly one exception al
of the quota Of 10 have their home'
and own property here, barriers nov
existing will have to be big not to bt
: overcome.