The items below are summaries of the various positions on the M-I. The railroad generally operates with a crew of 5, but it is flexible enough to work with 3-6 operators. Detailed instructions and descriptions are available for each job (click on the highlighted job).
- Equipment & crew
- Engine MP #1817 (Baldwin 4-8-0 Mastodon) + Idler Car
- Requires Conductor and Engineer
- General Manager will demonstrate boat operation for new employees
- Boat pulls & shoves
- Conductor aligns and works boat
- Boat capacity is 4 cars on each of three tracks (total of 12 cars per load)
- Before moving the boat to align another track, assure car brakes are set (blue flags inserted thru coupler into hole on deck)
- Movements across the incline grade crossing is currently via “mother, may I?”; Semaphores will eventually be installed
- Boat job has priority over main
- Call tower when needed
- Work boat’s center track first
- One car cut is removed, taken to Thomure and engine returns with a cut to be shoved in its place
- The boat is then repositioned to another track for repeat performance; and repeat again until all cars have been exchanged
- The adage to remember is “one cut off, one cut on”
- Note for new employees: Captain “Gunnie” Grieshaber is always receptive to suggestions – the John-boat at the dock is used to retrieve crew members who cannot swim
- When all boat cuts have been pulled and the cut is ready for movement to Middle Yard, contact the Yardmaster for clearance
- Deliver cut to Middle Yard and pull northward bound cars
- Operators will typically spend about an hour working one boat load of cars; the prototype worked a cut of 18 cars on the Missouri side, worked the same number of cars on the Illinois side and traversed the Mississippi River every 90 minutes!
- Equipment & crew
- Engine MP #4612 (Alco RS-11)
- Requires 1 (serves as Conductor and Engineer)
- “Boss”of Middle Yard
- Makes & breaks trains
- Create extra trains and assign crew to move traffic along the sub
- Boat transfers
- Maximum train tonnage = 12 cars
- Weighs outbound loads
- Redirects if excess weight
- Directs entry into Middle Yard
- Facilitates Bad-Order cars
- Note: occasional river flooding may cause some yard tracks to be out of service
- Engine MP #365 (EMD GP9) + Caboose
- Requires Conductor and Engineer
- Run local scheduled trains and extras per orders
Superintendent/General Manager
- Also known as the layout owner
- Stages cars on Boat and at Derby Jct.
- Facilitates boat operations
- Serves as Tower Operator
- Re-rails as needed
- Assists when called upon
- Manages car forwarding system
- Brews coffee