This edition marks the Fifth Anniversary of the founding of UP CROSSROADS. It first appeared in July of 1992. Its logo was a representation of Tower 55, which was hastily drawn at the last minute with a magic marker.
Jim Roark was an MYO at the Crest, and suggested during a conference call that a newsletter would be a useful addition to the safety program.
Because at the time, I had earned a reputation for posting editorials on the yard office bulletin boards and sending open letters to people in Omaha, my name was suggested as editor.
I've been told that one manager reacted with an aghast, "Surely you don't mean that radical bast..."
Bob Stephan, our superintendent at the time, apparently liked the idea. Hoppi Lillard and I produced the first edition the following week on the office Zerox machine.
It had an article on avoiding hearing related illness, from the UP Fitness Center. There was an article on administering Cardio-Pulmonry Resuscitation (CPR). There was also an article, "Zane-Cetti -Railroad and City Builder", written by B.B. Paddock, Publisher of the Fort Worth Democrat, in 1902. It was about a railroad civil engineer who stayed on in Fort Worth to help bring the city into the 20th Century.
The most prominent feature in the first edition was of course, "Know Your Rules" by Mickey Cowling.
A feature in the first edition that we have been ask to repeat, is the "Center-fold Phone Directory" of frequently called and/or unlisted phone numbers on the service unit. (We are holding off on this until all the dust settles from the merger.)
For the August 1992 issue, Conductor Mike "Bigfoot" Fullington had taken pity on us and drew the present Tower 55 logo. Marcel Derrick wrote his first article for us on the workings of the "TS-II Locomotive Simulator." An Item noted that Yardmaster Richard Jacobs had returned from his stint as First Sergeant for the Area Support Battalion at Desert Storm.
In November 1992, CROSSROADS went to a 16-page format. It was also the first month that we used a computer to store the text. We started using the present desktop publishing computer program in February 1993.
Steve Robinson, our home computer guru joined the staff in April 1993, and "Try this on for Cy's" started its regular appearance. Eddie Exum started writing "Rules of the Way" June. Robert Sample started "Sample This" in the fall. Dennis Mitchell adds "Peer Support." J.W. Vance has come on board with his entertaining "Monkey Tails."
Since the Southern Pacific merger, we have welcomed Dan Reed to our staff. Mickey Cowling once said, "CROSSROADS belongs to the men (and women) out here."
A newsletter is an educational tool. In our case, it is our duty to educate each other in ways to work safe and keep our jobs -- in other words, to know and follow the rules.
On the other hand, just as knowledge filters down the organizational chart, it should also flow upward via osmosis. Management needs to know when it is doing something stupid. And, just like us, it doesn't always listen.
Cy Martin, editor.
Cy is a Locomotive Engineer in Fort Worth.
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