Coal shifters on Pocahontas District

[NW Mailing List]

If I recall, the jobs were advertised as “Tug Fork Mine Runs”.

Heck, I worked there 56 years ago.

EdK

From: NW Mailing List 
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2018 8:40 PM
To: N&W Mailing List 
Subject: RE: Coal shifters on Pocahontas District

Mr  King --



Help me out.  I never worked the Pokie, but the only term I heard used around Bluefield for those jobs was "Mine Run."  



Did they call those mine jobs "Shifters" on the Pokie ?



In retrospect, I don't recall the word "Shifter" used much at all on the old N&W.  If a word were needed a local that worked locally in one area (i.e. not an over-the-road Local,)  the jobs were called "Switchers," e.g. the First Bassett Switcher, Second Bassett Switcher.  Likewise, the activity itself was called "switching," not "shifting," and we said  "switching cars" instead of "shifting cars."  The sole exception I recall is "Salem Shifter," and I always wondered how far back that term went.  Should have asked some of the 1918 men.



Your memory is better than mine.  Help me out, Ed.



-- abram burnett

worn-out old brakezmun


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