From the July, 1913 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine
Osgood Frost Barnes fills the unique position of division engineer and trainmaster of the Delaware Division, and is the only man on the Erie system to hold both positions.

Mr. Barnes was born in Chelsea, Mass., August 24, 1875, and graduated from Chelsea High School, June, 1892. Prepared for Harvard Law School, but following brief experience in business he decided to take up civil engineering and studied at the Mass. Institute of Technology.

He was first employed on engineering work by the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission of Mass., March 1, 1895 as rodman, continuing in service of that Commission next six months as rodman, transitman and eng. inspector in various locations about Boston during construction of the Metropolitan Sewerage System. He was assistant auditor, Metropolitan Water Board, from Sept. 1st to Nov. 30th, 1895, returning to Sewerage Commission Dec. 1st, as assistant transitman on preliminary surveys for Neponset Valley sewer in Hyde Park, Mass.

He entered railroad service Feb. 1, 1896, as rodman, Boston & Maine Railroad, at Boston, Mass., and after working as draftsman and transitman was transferred at own request from Engineering Dept. to Road Dept. of that road in Oct., 1897. After next eight months service as laborer in that department, acquiring practical knowledge of details of maintenance of way work, he served successively in all intermediate subordinate positions, resigning as assistant roadmaster (acting), Eastern Division, Portland, Me., in December, 1900, upon death of his father, to attend to personal matters.

Being otherwise employed, meanwhile, he returned to railroad work July 1, 1902, as assistant engineer, Pittsburgh, Shawmut & Northern Railroad, being employed during that summer at Angelica, N.Y., as resident engineer in charge of restoring some five miles of washed out road, afterward having charge of inspection of concrete masonry construction and later on, of all track laying and ballasting on some 35 miles of new construction. Was transferred as assistant engineer from the Engineering Dept. to the Maintenance of Way Dept. of same road in July, 1903, and appointed general roadmaster, succeeding to the position and duties of engineer, maintenance of way Sept. 1, 1903.

He was appointed division engineer, Erie Railroad, at Rochester, N.Y., April 20th, 1905, and transferred to the position of division engineer, Delaware and Jefferson divisions of this road, with headquarters at Susquehanna, Pa., June 1st, 1908.

On June 15th, 1912, Mr. Barnes was appointed trainmaster of the Delaware and Jefferson divisions as well, since which to present time he has handled the detail work of both operation and maintenance, welcoming comparison with past records in either department, as to results shown from standpoints of safety, service, economy and efficiency.

Being always impartially fair, he is able to maintain the strictest discipline and still holds the respect and cooperation of the men in all classes of service, alike. The improvement in maintenance conditions on the Delaware Division is so generally known and remarked on, that any special recital of details seems hardly necessary.

Mr. Barnes is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Railway Engineering Association, American Railway Bridge & Building Association, Railway Signal Association, American Society of Engineering Contractors and the National Association of Cement Users. A feature of the Maintenance of Way Department that is given careful and unremitting attention is low joints. Every division engineer knows what this means, and the subject is constantly up for discussion at the regular meetings of the men in this department, all of which are addressed by the heads. At a meeting held at Port Jervis, N.Y., on April 9th, last, Mr. G.B. Owen, engineer maintenance of way, Lines East, stated to the men that in 1908 there were 8,465 low joints on the Delaware Division, and in October, 1912, just four years later, there were only 488, equal to a decrease of 94%, which is a greater decrease than the general average for the Erie Division, and he further stated that probably 250 of the low joints last registered on the Delaware Division were due to bad rail.

The foremen were addressed briefly on the subject of planning work by Division Engineer Barnes, who reviewed the improvement effected in the details of maintenance of the Erie during the past several years, thanking the men for the cooperation and interest they had always shown in all his dealings with them and which the improvement made in this territory surely proved. He made the point that this gain over the old indifferent conditions which all remembered was due to system in planning and programming necessary work, and then to having carried out everything so far as permitted. He urged the men to continue definite aim based on their best judgment always, as to what may be most necessary to further improve conditions and to keep on always to the accomplishment of whatever is decided upon and authorized, as the best of plans mean little or nothing if not carried out. Results count; plans lead directly to results and make them possible.

It may be said in conclusion that, as far as can be learned, the real full combination of duties of trainmaster and division engineer on a trunk line division of the Erie, was never before tried, and it is paying Mr. Barnes a compliment in saying that he has "gotten away" with the work of both offices in a manner that reflects great credit on his good judgment and executive ability.