Road crews do not work fixed shifts; a crew caller or automated system calls them, commonly two hours before their on-duty time, with the train, the report location and the time. Missing a call can cost a job, so railroaders sleep with the phone by the bed and check the board before planning anything. Being on call is the permanent state of a pool or extra board railroader.
Got the call at three in the morning for a 0500 on-duty, coal train to the mine, and it's sleeting.
Also heard as
- crew call
- called
- two-hour call
Related terms
Pool
A group of road crews who rotate between two terminals in first-in, first-out order.
Extra board
A roster of crew members with no regular job, called in rotation to fill vacancies and extra trains.
Hours of service
The federal limit on how long train and engine crews may stay on duty before mandatory rest.
Deadhead
To travel as a passenger to or from an assignment, paid but not working the train.