¡Colores!; 1503; Albuquerque's Historic Railroad Shops; Interview with Leo Hernandez; Part 3

I'll see you in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in In the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the

next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in

the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next

video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video in the next video but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but but

But but but but but but but but but but set when you work with heavy things all day. And the mindset that I had when I come in these doors over here and punched the time clock, which was right over there by that square office, was when you punch at clock while you're aware of where you're at, who's around you, and more than anything else, take care of your buddy. That was number one. Because if you take care of him, he's going to take care of you. And it works, it works every day that you work. And then if you've got a buddy that's got a problem at home or anything, why, hey, you're not at home. You're here. You're here now. Just be real careful while you're

here. I says things will work out if you just stay alive to where you can take care of your family. And that's bottom line. Take care of yourself. That way you can take care of your family. Do you remember either stories, personal stories about you and other men working in the shops together? Where you sit down and maybe have lunch together? Yeah, then there's quite a few stories about working with people and doing different, different things. Because not every day on the railroads is same. We used to have a couple of pipe fitters. A couple of pipe fitters that when they were putting a complicated piece of equipment together like a steam generator or a governor for a locomotive. When

that guy wouldn't show up for work, that meant that his backup had to come down and being a pipe fitter, why they had to put pipes together. And the funny story that I remember was this old gentleman brought a picture of a steam generator that he thought was really nice. And, oh, excuse me. So he taped it to the inside of the locomotive temporarily. And he would follow a pipe. He'd pick up this pipe and say, oh, maybe this will work. And maybe this will work. And the old man's name was Gregory. And he had about 12 kids in his family. And he's always talking about his kids. And I said, well, Gregory, don't these kids

have names? Oh, yeah. Well, Greg, I said, when we took them pipes apart, I said, we named all of them. They've got numbers on them. I said, this one particular pipe you're pointing at, I said, it's got a number on it. So he puts on his glasses. Oh, shoot. Why didn't you tell me that an hour ago? You know, that steam generator went together and nothing flat. But the fact is that you work with a lot of people. And they're funny in that reason that they want to be, what would you say? They want to be so exact about things, but yet they don't notice little details like that. But he didn't do steam generators every day. He worked in the big shop over there cleaning all these parts that these guys took off and they had numbers on them. Little metal tags. And then identified all of your different

pipes and what they went. And that made it easier for everybody. And when I worked at steam generator job, I had had the superintendent by a metal stamper. And we'd stamp all our parts with numbers, especially in the steam generator department. Because that locomotive gets ready to go out that door. It better work. Because you only have one day to test that locomotive. And you better get it done that day. And it's a kind of embarrassing, if you're sitting there like Joe, I told you about Joe earlier. Joe got rid of that job so fast. He says, I don't want to have to put up with all of this anymore. And so sure enough, Joe never had to put up with it anymore because he got a lathe job after that. He was old enough to do one of the lathe, one of the easy jobs. And so

the best part about that outbound track job was that you learned about the whole locomotive out there. If something didn't work, why it was up to you to make it work and get it on the road. Because the locomotives don't get on the road, why we might not get paid. Because that's what makes the money. Pulling that freight. How could it switch gears when you're driving the rail? Very little. The only thing I remember about the immediate neighborhood right here is and this street right out in front of the shop here, the side of the shop, you had a little restaurant up there, a mom -and -pop restaurant. And you'd sign your ticket every day when you ate lunch there. Then at payday, why you went and settled

your ticket. And they served delicious food. Oh my god, it was outstanding. And the guys that I used to eat lunch in there with why it was not good to talk shop in there. You always had to talk about something else. Baseball or whatever. And this old man that run the store there, why he always had a baseball pot that you could get into. And so I asked him to reserve me a couple of blocks and paid him for them. Then I went on vacation. And to come back on vacation, why I went down there to eat and I'd forgotten all about baseball or the World Series, whatever. Because when I go see my mom, I go see my mom. I don't worry about the World Series. When I come back, he had a hundred dollars for me.

And I remember giving him ten dollars for taking care of the pot. And as far as the neighborhood went, we had a bar over on this end. And that bar would cash everybody's check for them. And that was his way of taking care of the neighborhood as far as the bar went. Because you could only have X amount of drinks there and then he'd cut you off because you had to drive home. And so he'd take care of his people like that. Because he wanted to see that, he wanted to who wanted them guys to come back and buy a beer or two and cash or check there. Of course, I always went to the bank with mine. And everybody done their little part in there, I guess. And a lot of rail rotors that worked here. They just walked across the

street and they were home. Alex Aveira, a street over and five houses down was where his house was at. And he done a lot like I did. He built his own house. And I always remember him as as this telling me. He says mathematics. He says it's just numbers. All you got to worry about is adding, subtracting, division and multiplication. He says, and that's it. He says, if you make it any harder, it's your own fault if you can't manage it. And he always managed to. He was a good mathematician. He always figured out how many pounds it took to press off a certain size wheel by figuring the circumference of a wheel. And how deep the center section of the wheel was. And

how many pounds it would take to pop it off of there. Real smart guy. And what about the whistle? There used to be a huge steam stack that would have been blow the whistle. I worked in that place. It's right back here where the powerhouse was. And they maintained X amount of steam for all of these steam lines. They're not in here anymore. I think they took them all out. But there was a big round packing of that contamination they called. What was that? Some kind of a... Well, it was an insulator sort of was. And anyway, I was working a certain job with pumps repairing leaks on pumps. And they had a lot of water pumps over there for different systems and stuff. Because they had

two governors over there that operated two different compressors. And they kept the air pumped up. And they also kept plenty of steam in all the lines. And that big lever that the powerhouse machinist, he had a... Excuse me. He had a clock that worked over there. Independent of anything. It was a real fancy job. And they had that thing right on the second as to what time it was. Railroad time. And he was the one that would pull the whistle in the morning when it was quarter till seven. I think... No. It was seven o 'clock.

And then he'd blow the whistle again at seven thirty. Because different people went to work at seven and seven thirty. I think it was a roundhouse where the guys that went to work at seven o 'clock. Because we went to work at seven thirty here. And then at noon. And then at one o 'clock. And then again at four o 'clock. When everybody got off. When you hear that whistle, well then you could leave your take off and go punch out and head home. And so that whistle got tore down when they tore that big stack down. I was sorry to see that stack go down. It had special significance to me because when I built my house up there where I was building it at. I was using a transit to level my foundation, set the level. And so I thought to myself, well

hey, I was zeroing on that stack because it had wide steel bands on it. And those bands started at the top and all the way to the bottom at the bottom. And that third band from the top was where my house lined up. And that was over sixty feet high. It was how much higher my area where I was building the house than this place was. This place is right on the rock bottom of the Rio Grande. And the only thing that keeps the Rio Grande where it's supposed to be is how it's been running and stuff like that. And you could take a transit and go up to an area up here that is on the flat

bottom of the Rio Grande. And this is lower than the Rio Grande. Far as that goes. How far? I don't know. Because the river changes in depth. It fills up with a silt. And then it shoves it out, stuff like that. And of course you have then huge pumps right close to Bridge Street. And those pumps would start up in case it was trying to get ready to flood all this area. I would take huge ports like that, tanks and stuff and pressurize that water back down the Rio Grande. Keep this from being flooded. I don't think many people know that. Was it ever used? Yeah, the

events that caused this shop to be closed was an economic factor that a lot of us because I wasn't here when it closed down. I was working out in the engineering department on the line. There was a troubleshooter out there. And the fact that this shop started going down was the fact that it started costing more money to completely overhaul a locomotive than it did to just trade out with the different locomotive companies and either by a new locomotive or a remanufactured locomotive by General Motors or General Electric or Alco.

And the reason that we were able to do that was because the increase of cost in healthcare for each employee. And then the union had to have their regular raise every year or every two years. The contracts that the railroads were looking at was going to be costing them more and that caused them to divert their monies that they would pay for either a remanufactured locomotive or a brand new locomotive. And then there was a system that was moved in during the Republican years

that gave railroads an economic tax break for that they could use any way they wanted to. And so that led to some of the some of the shops being closed down as far as Bernadino and here and down in Texas. And of course they sized down in Topeka and a couple of other shops back east. Now did you want to go into the what they were going to do with this shop once it closed down? What I'd like to talk about is how you felt about it closing, seeing buildings being torn down and then it's decline and eventually closing and what that means to you. Well the fact that the closing down of all these shops to us it meant that

we no longer controlled our destiny and as much as holding a good job with the railroad. We noticed that a lot of these companies that were taking our work and doing it a lot cheaper like say down in Alabama and Mississippi and all those areas were working reworking the locomotives and paying those people half of the wages that would knock us out of a job because our scale of hourly wage was a lot more than they they have to pay in Alabama. In Alabama a machinist was making just a third of the money that we were making. Mississippi the same way and I remember talking to a welder when I was

in a school in in Alabama one time and then another one in West Columbia South Carolina. This this welder was making 750 an hour our welders were making 1750 an hour so that's your that's your difference right there is the amount of the amount of cheap labor that they could get in some of those southern states as compared to what we were making here and that's what led to the closing down of all these shops right there's the economic value of a dollar and they would not put a dollar into this shop anymore if they're going to lose five or six and it's it's it's a problem that that some of these other states forced on us of course they they come out winning because they could they could they'd have a job and they could work cheaper than than we could

and so that's that was the bottom line and as far as the feeling that I got in the shops being closed down was that you didn't feel like you were a number one railroad anymore you felt like you were a second -hand railroad because we we we no longer had the jobs to say well hey we're a powerful railroad and in the jobs that we have say that and back then though I was I was already working as a super had been working as a supervisor for a good 10 years and and out on the line naturally they paid you more than you made here in the shop and I kind of felt sorry though for the guys that that were being forced to take jobs in to pick a Kansas

Chicago San Bernardino and then they closed San Bernardino anyway so that was kind of sad didn't feel good about it no I would say that there's enough energy to probably keep half a dozen maybe 200 you never know of of ghosts that my grandmother used to say something about ghosts that I find very interesting she says the people that work there are not going to sit still because they used to working and so you'll find them if you can see I'm you will find them doing their daily chores because that's all they ever done I ran into several guys that on on the railroad they done

one job and that's all they ever done is one jobs clean parts and thousands of parts went into that that at what they call a parts cleaner out here they used to have a big kind of like a swimming pool out there and all those clean parts came in through that door and out this way and that old man he just winter and summer he was out there cleaning parts never knew how to do anything else and I thought to myself what a waste because some of those guys if you line them up on doing something more interesting they'll learn they'll learn it because they're not dummies they're not dummies they're good people just got to teach them a different way of learning the living when I touch you on the phone do you think there's still ghosts in this place here definitely I haven't been here at now I used to come in here at night

to pick up parts over from when I was a roundhouse foreman over there I'd come in here at night and and the parts that we would take were rebuilt pieces and I would always come in the door just playing around I said okay I says you can leave that stuff alone now I'm coming in to get something and I got that from an older an older gentleman they used to work the roundhouse they'd say you better tell them you're coming or else they'll play tricks on you I didn't believe that for not not for a minute but just to satisfy him because he's the one that he's the one that drove a little kushman scooter with a little bed on the back where we'd take a crane and put the big heavy sections of an engine in there the water jackets and stuff like that and we'd go back on over and I'd always

tell a guy's name was Ben I'd always tell Ben in Spanish you think that those ghosts ghosts would hurt anybody oh no he says but when you take something you better bring something back okay we'll take the old pieces back there in the morning no no he says we've got to take him back tonight and I'd say why he says because he's there at the door he's checking them in I just get out of here but whether he was he was playing around or not you know you're still respect what they think you know you don't make fun of but yeah you could hear a lot of a lot of odd noises in here when you come in here at night and it's probably because the building is cooling down and creaking and stuff like that but he'd say see they're working they're in their work you think there's ghosts in here now I would say

that like my grandma used to tell me if you used your sixth sense there's a lot of stuff you would see but at the same time you would understand it and she had a sixth sense because she said a lot of rosaries at a lot of a lot of deaths in the in the area of the what you might say the area where where we lived and there's something definitely to say about the fact that you don't discount stuff that you don't understand you want to hear a good ghost story about the railroad