Erie Railroad Operating Department

Rules of the Operating Department
As of November 1, 1908

One of many interesting documents available from Jon Lile's website.

Honor Engines and the Order of the Red Spot
The Erie established two programs around 1910 aimed at recognizing engineers and firemen who operated their engines efficiently, and thereby instilling pride among the rank and file. The first program honored engineers of long and reliable service by painting their names in gold on the cab sides of the engines to which they were regularly assigned. These "Knights of the Gilded Name" responded to the honor by obsessing over their engines, spending hours after their runs in cleaning and polishing their charges. These "Honor Engines" became well known among railroaders and the general public alike.

A second program, the Order of the Red Spot, was not limited to enginemen of long experience, rather it focused on how efficently engines were operated over the road. Criteria such as coal usage and engine breakdowns were looked at when deciding which engines would have the number plate on the front of the smokebox painted red: the Red Spot. Engineers and firemen could belong to the Order, and the Erie published monthly lists or Order recipients in the Erie Magazine.

The following table is a partial list of engineers who were honored by the former program:

Notes:
List compiled by Richard Palmer, to be updated as more information becomes available.
*A locomotive was named for an engineer, No. 5014, "Matt H. Shay," Class P-1, 2-8-8-2, but not under the Order of the Red Spot program.
A locomotive called "Erie Engineers" built by Cooke in 1893 for a World's Fair Exhibit. It was purchased by the Erie Railroad in 1896 and numbered 499, Class D-13 and named "E.B. Thomas," President of the Erie. The intent was to preserve it but it was scrapped in April, 1934 in Meadville.
Sources for the Order of the Red Spot Honors Locomotive list include:
Erie Railroad Employe Magazine
Erie Railroad Internet Employee Archives compiled by James Sponholz All-time Locomotive Roster of the Erie Railroad, Railroad History No. 131, Railway & Locomotive Historical Society (1974)
Westing, Frederick �Erie Power� Published by Alvin F. Staufer, 1970
Engine Knights of the Gilded Name - New York Herald, July 21, 1912
�Honoring Erie Engineers� The Citizen, Honesdale, Pa., January 28, 1913

The E.B. Thomas, also known as the Erie Engineers engine, as it was paid for by subscription by the railroad's locomotive engineers.

POTUS Specials
Imagine the details that go into a special movement such as a train carrying the President of the United States over the road. In 1905, the Erie was involved in moving President Teddy Roosevelt around the Northeast on the "Chautauqua Special". The link below is to a story by Richard Palmer which describes the special and the careful preparation that made it possible.

POTUS train operations, August 10, 1905

Erie 1928 Locomotive Assignments
The attached list shows all locomotives assigned on each division of the Erie as of December of 1928. Courtesy of Richard Palmer.

1928 Locomotives Assignments

Erie 1929 Locomotive Shopping Schedules
All of those locomotives needed to be regularly maintained, and the Erie kept track of miles and time between major maintenance for each locomotive in the fleet. Attached is a list from July, 1929 showing the locomotives that were due for major maintenance. Courtesy of Richard Palmer.

1929 Locomotive Shopping Schedule

Erie 1948 Locomotive Roster
The attached roster shows locomotive numbers by engine class, as of 1948. It's a slice in time of the locomotives that ran on the Erie. Courtesy of Richard Palmer.

1948 Locomotives by Class