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Monon Employees Past - Present and MRHTS Members Past - Present => MONON Personnel Research => Topic started by: Denny Wozniczka on January 30, 2014, 03:35:58 pm

Title: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Denny Wozniczka on January 30, 2014, 03:35:58 pm

Do you have Edward McGroarty in your database? Jim McGroarty, his son and my 2nd cousin, said his father was a "gandy dancer" in track labor for the Monon in and around 1930, probably on the Michigan City branch. Jim doesn't recall how long and when he worked there. In the 1930 US Census schedule, Porter Co., IN, Westchester Twp., Edward, then age 17, was in track labor for a railroad company.

Please let me know. Thanks, Denny Wozniczka

Title: Re: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Ken Weller on January 31, 2014, 07:47:15 pm

I do not (yet?) have anyone w the last name of "McGroarty" in the employee database.  Do you think the info you have is good enough to put in the database?

Thanks - Ken Weller, Dept of Past Personnel
Lafayette, IN

Title: Re: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Heath Matthias on February 03, 2014, 08:39:01 am

what is a "gandy dancer" exactly?

Title: Re: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Ron Marquardt on February 03, 2014, 09:27:45 am

A section man, one who works on the track, back in the days when it was all done with hand tools.

/ Ron

Title: Re: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Heath Matthias on February 04, 2014, 08:36:28 am

thanks for the quick answer!

Title: Re: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Geof Burns on February 04, 2014, 05:51:23 pm

Heath

PBS ran a show a while back that showed a group of Gandy Dancers installing a piece or replacement rail. They all had long pry bars that gave them levereage to lift and move a rail sidewise and some of the track gangs would sing a cadence type song as they worked so that they would all lift in unison.

If you use YouTube, there is a video of a crew working on rails at:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=025QQwTwzdU

Title: Re: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Tom Pinnick on February 05, 2014, 04:37:29 pm

The guys are lining track. Did not see the "boss" who should be 4 or 5 rails away (closer on a curve) calling for the spot to line. There is one still shot of changing out a rail.

Title: Re: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Walker McCulloch on February 05, 2014, 10:11:00 pm

My grandfather was a section foreman on the L & N Memphis Line way back in the 1920's.  Somewhere buried in my photo collection is a photo of Grandpa and the section gang.  They must have known they were going to be photographed because a couple of them are wearing neckties with their bib overalls.

Title: Re: Edward McGroarty
Post by: Ron Marquardt on February 05, 2014, 11:10:34 pm

My posting about section men has been moved to the Non-Monon Miscellaneous section.  / Ron