washingtonsecondary wrote:I recently came across a listing of NS Harrisburg Division Locals. Many of them are listed as "Turns" while the ones I'm familar with are not. What is a Turn?
As UPRR engineer said a ''Turn'' is usually an assigned train that is not called off extra or pool boards unless of course someone lays off. A ''Turn'' goes on duty at a specific place and time and has an assigned crew.
A ''Local'' is a term that usually applies to a road switcher that services industries along the mainline. Like the ''Turn'', it too has an assigned crew and goes on duty at a specific place and time.
However, a ''Turn'' and ''Local'' could also have the same meaning. As an example I used to work an assigned train that went on duty at San Diego and ended at Barstow. We would lay over until the next day and bring back the loads to the originating point.
This train had three ''Turns'' (three different crews) assigned to this particular ''Local'' board, --so there ya go.
A good way to look at it is--
Turn-------------Away from the wife and stuck in the motel.
Local------------Home with the wife and watching football every day/night.
Locals are a good thing.