by BR&P
Those with scanners in PC and CR days may recall hearing dispatcher Rich Heichel. He has passed away.
I had the pleasure of interacting with Rich for several years. He was caustic, sarcastic, sometimes outright miserable - and the best damn dispatcher I ever worked with. Once you learned that his gruffness was just his mannerism and nothing personal, it seldom bothered you. The guy was good at getting trains over the road and uncorking jams. While another dispatcher would hold a job in the yard waiting for a train still far away, if Richie trusted you he'd give you a chance. "Well, is he READY?" "Sure Rich, he's on the lead at the tower ready to go" "OK, let him come". The "Let him come" was in a warning, doubtful tone of voice that implied "you'd better not mess this up" but he would have the signal for the train to move pronto.
Years ago a westbound train crew fell asleep somewhere east of Rochester. Despite radio calls and other attempts to contact them, they rolled on. Rich lined switches to keep them out of harm's way. Somewhere near Batavia, one woke up, and radioed the dispatcher "Train xx to the West End dispatcher, we have a yellow coming into Batavia". Now about anybody else would have been in a panic - "Where have you been? What's wrong!!!" Not Richie. In a dry, very calm and slightly sarcastic voice, he said "I don't know what you're so worried about a yellow for, the last three you went through were red. Stop your train, and wait for the Trainmaster to get there."
RIP Rich Heichel.
I had the pleasure of interacting with Rich for several years. He was caustic, sarcastic, sometimes outright miserable - and the best damn dispatcher I ever worked with. Once you learned that his gruffness was just his mannerism and nothing personal, it seldom bothered you. The guy was good at getting trains over the road and uncorking jams. While another dispatcher would hold a job in the yard waiting for a train still far away, if Richie trusted you he'd give you a chance. "Well, is he READY?" "Sure Rich, he's on the lead at the tower ready to go" "OK, let him come". The "Let him come" was in a warning, doubtful tone of voice that implied "you'd better not mess this up" but he would have the signal for the train to move pronto.
Years ago a westbound train crew fell asleep somewhere east of Rochester. Despite radio calls and other attempts to contact them, they rolled on. Rich lined switches to keep them out of harm's way. Somewhere near Batavia, one woke up, and radioed the dispatcher "Train xx to the West End dispatcher, we have a yellow coming into Batavia". Now about anybody else would have been in a panic - "Where have you been? What's wrong!!!" Not Richie. In a dry, very calm and slightly sarcastic voice, he said "I don't know what you're so worried about a yellow for, the last three you went through were red. Stop your train, and wait for the Trainmaster to get there."
RIP Rich Heichel.