The Story of Rolly Martin
Originally from St-Modeste near Rivière-du-Loup, Rolly
came to Northern Ontario as a young man. He first worked as a sectionman
on the CPR at Aubrey (near Biscotasing), Sudbury and Cartier. During this
time he also worked briefly for the Algoma Central Railway in the same
capacity. He then moved to Schreiber, working as a classified labourer
and ashpitman at the busy 22 stall roundhouse there.
Rolly then qualified as a fireman, making his first run on
Thursday, September 2, 1948 on CPR engine 3422, a 2-8-0 built by Alco
in Schenectady in October 1904. Except for working briefly out of
Lambton Yard, the rest of Rolly's career was spent in Schreiber. In
1953, Rolly passed his examination to qualify as a locomotive engineer.
It was also in 1953 that he was married, and shortly thereafter
he brought his wife Thérèse to Schreiber. While most families
in our society are usually together at the same time each day, the families
of most running trades employees experienced a much different type of
life. They seldom knew when the telephone would ring - and their loved
ones would once again be called to work at any hour of the day or night.
During his career, Rolly worked on locomotives representing
over 85 years of technological change. Just after beginning his running
trades career as fireman, Rolly witnessed the arrival of the first diesels
on the Schreiber Division in 1951. This was one of the many changes Rolly
was to experience over the course of his long career. These changes included
...
- Train order and timetable, to automatic block signals, to computerized
centralized traffic control systems
- Introduction of end to end and train to wayside radio communication
- Electricity replacing kerosene in lanterns and markers
- The end of steam and full dieselization of the division
- The Canadian - trains Number 1 and Number 2
- The introduction of computerized train consists and train profiles
- The reduction or elimination of firemen, section gangs, operators
and tailend trainmen
- Roller bearings replacing plain bearings
- Ribbon rail replacing 39 foot bolted rail sections
- The ability to operate mile long trains and trains of 10,000
or more tons
- Wayside "talking" hotbox detectors
- Company managers who were recent university graduates replacing "up
through the ranks" managers who had experienced the realities of running
trades work
- The installation of event recorders in all locomotives
- The elimination of vans
- The discontinuance of through passenger service on the Schreiber
Division after more than 103 years
CPR 3422, twenty years before Rolly's first paid trip.
Shown in the 1930s, before its conversion to a switcher.
(RMRL Collection)
However, some things about railroading along the rugged granite
shores of Lake Superior have not changed over the years ...
- Temperatures of minus 40 and severe blizzards
- Rock slides with some boulders the size of automobiles
- Washouts and tracks flooded by the waters of Lake Superior
- Staying awake and alert after long days on duty with only a few hours
of sleep in between
- Rails broken by the cold
- Days so cold it is not possible to get air through a train
- Locomotives shutting down at the worst possible moment
- Sitting in a siding for hours
- Derailments stranding crews away from home for days at a time
- Broken coupler knuckles and drawbars in the middle of a cold winter
night
- Signals obscured by blizzards and thick fog
- The knowledge that a moment of inattention can land you "on the carpet",
in the hospital, or worse
As seen from the dome car, Number 1 rolls through
Mink Tunnel on a cold and rainy fall day in 1982.
Rolly's first trip working solo as a locomotive engineer.
January 26, 1972.
His power was 3007 (GP38, built 1971); 4248 (C-424,
built 1966); and 8765 (RS-18, built 1958).
He left Schreiber at 1915hr and arrived at White River at 2345hr.
This decades-old form on newsprint was Rolly's trip ticket (his temporary
receipt for his work).
Just before I met him, Rolly get 10 merit points for
spotting a broken rail near Steel Tunnel. Number 1 was the transcontinental
passenger train and the speed limit at this point was 45 mph. One would
have to be pretty sharp to spot or feel something wrong. Operating over
a broken rail could easily result in a derailment.
In the personnel record of a running trades employee, there was a tally
kept of merit and demerit points. These were also known as "brownie points".
Accumulating a given number of demerit points would result in being "held
out of service" (suspension), or firing. Handing out of merit points, such
as this, was not common.
It takes special qualities to work successfully as a train crewman
in this type of environment - and when you were in Rolly's cab you knew
he was not your average engineer ...
He seemed to have memorized every rule, regulation and train
order. He operated with an attentiveness and intensity that I did not
often see as a trainman. Rolly probably appreciated the fact that I
followed my training to sweep out the cab immediately after boarding,
because he expected the cab to be "as neat as a pin" at all times. He did
not tolerate some of my trainmen peers who were not ready for business
while working on his engines.
Other engineers expected you to call the approach and stop
signals. Rolly expected you to call every signal on the entire subdivision.
In my case, his reputation preceded him and I was prepared, but nervous,
during my first trip with him. Rolly was right: just one missed signal
could spell disaster and Rolly watched for the first glimpse of each signal
like a hawk.
Rolly knew and observed every rule, but somehow you always
felt you were moving a little faster with him. He was there to get
the trains through with the greatest safety - BUT he was also there
to get them over the road. When it was time to "hog 'er out" Rolly was
really in his element.
Many times on the road there would be "bell ringers" in the
locomotive consists. Traction motor ground relays, locomotives low on
oil or water, and other malfunctions, would challenge an engineer's ability
to keep the train rolling on some of the grades, or to get it started
after a meet. Rolly made it his business to know the various types of locomotives
well and he was resourceful and decisive when troubleshooting was required.
He also shared his knowledge and experience with others. In
my case as a trainman, he explained the construction history of the line
along Lake Superior, pointing out the last spike cairn. On the road, he
helped me develop new skills to make me a more professional railroader.
He certainly was not afraid to leave a nice, warm cab in a snowstorm
to show a new trainman how to effectively clean out a snow packed switch.
Rolly spent a great deal of time and effort training new engineers and
helping them benefit from his years of experience. Today, a number of Schreiber
engineers carry on in his tradition.
Rolly ultimately rose to become Senior Man on the Schreiber
Division and spent the last several years of his career as engineer
on The Canadian between Schreiber and Thunder Bay. In 1989,
he passed the new and difficult CROR rules examinations (the first major
rulebook revision since 1962) and with an average in the high 90s, and
qualified for cabooseless operations as a "Locomotive Engineer/Conductor"
in May of 1989.
On a cool summer morning in 1987.
Rolly and mate Dave Speer will be taking Number 1 to Thunder Bay after
it is serviced at Schreiber.
Rolly's qualifications card from passing the new Canadian Rail Operating
Rules and cabooseless procedures exams.
The previous rulebook used by federally regulated railways was effective
(after the 1960 elimination of steam locomotives) in 1962. In 1990 the new
CROR rulebook became effective. At the same time, vans (cabooses) were eliminated
and new functions, such as monitoring the tailend telemetry device on freight
trains, were added to the engineer's duties. This "Sense and Braking Unit"
(SBU) and its new monitoring computer tells the engineer when the tailend
is moving, tailend trainline air pressure status, when the tailend is clear
at a siding, and it allows the engineer to make an emergency brake application
from the tailend if there is a trainline defect such as a crimped air hose
near the headend. In 28 years there were significant changes in railway technology,
many of them due to computerization.
At 0330hr on December 12, 1989, Rolly brought Number 2 into
Schreiber station for the last time.
It was minus 30 degrees as Rolly stepped down from the VIA
6433 into retirement.
Rolly's retirement gathering in December 1989.
Left to right: Bill Needham former supervisor,
Lauri Halonen trainman,
Mike Scott diesel maintainer,
David Speer engineer and Rolly's mate on Number 1,
Doc
Nesbitt retired engineer,
D’Arcy McGuire retired engineer,
Jack Anderson retired conductor,
Jack Pollock conductor,
Rolly Martin ,
Camille Peras retired conductor,
Sonny Morrow retired conductor,
Dudley Cardiff retired
engineer,
Bob Krause retired engineer,
Mike McGrath retired
engineer.
Rolly and Thérèse at Rolly's retirement.
Always eager to learn and experience new things, Rolly and
Thérèse enjoyed travel, including a cruise up the coast
of Alaska and a grand Asia Pacific tour. Of course, Rolly maintained
a great interest in the latest developments on "the road" as well.
During our visits over the years, Rolly and Thérèse
did everything with us from harbour tours of Thunder Bay, to visiting
Ouimet Canyon, to fishing expeditions with Dave Speer for Lake Trout at
Rossport, to visiting various sites of historical interest along the shores
of Lake Superior.
Fishing with Rolly and Dave Speer at Rossport in Rolly's
boat.
Susan has just caught another one of four Lake Trout due to Dave's superb
guiding skills.
I hope the few little things I may do on this website can help contribute
to a better understanding of railroading and the proud history of the
CPR line along the north shore of Lake Superior.
Through their generosity over three decades, Rolly and Thérèse
made immeasurable contributions to my "Schreiber experience".
Through this website, I intend to keep Rolly snapping the throttle
through its notches, cycling the air, and calling all the signals
on the Heron Bay and Nipigon Subs for years to come.
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