Pool freight crews are not assigned to specific trains; they sit on a rotating board and get called in turn as trains come up, run to the far terminal, rest and get called back home. A crew's position in the pool, its turn, decides when the phone will ring, so crews watch the board constantly. Pool service pays well but makes every day unpredictable.
I'm third out in the Rawlins pool, so figure on a call around midnight unless they run a bunch of trains.
Also heard as
- pool freight
- pool turn
- freight pool
Related terms
Extra board
A roster of crew members with no regular job, called in rotation to fill vacancies and extra trains.
Call
The notice telling a crew member when and where to report for duty.
Deadhead
To travel as a passenger to or from an assignment, paid but not working the train.
Hours of service
The federal limit on how long train and engine crews may stay on duty before mandatory rest.