What would be the top items you would keep in your grip if you were in passenger service? The most useful tools you may use once a year or everyday. I'm not talking about a timetable, rulebook, or switch keys but things you desperately needed or found saved the day for a delayed train or distressed passenger. I'd like to hear some stories.

My list includes:

Leatherman
Good Knife
Soap
Extra Gloves
Ibuprofen
Sealed or Canned Food
Lighter
Candy
Bailing Wire
Flashlight
Pens and Paper
Gaskets
Tape
Oil Can Spray/Graphite
Cough Drops
Tissue Paper

Black zip ties
Band-Aids (they have a nice red plastic case, seals 'em up very well)
Crush-to-activate Cold Pack(s)- good for a hurt finger, banged knee, etc.
Tape--- black duct tape, good for emergency seat cushion repair

Howard P.

I keep a ball peen hammer, channel locks, a couple screwdrivers, and a good pair of work gloves in mine.

Ryan

Traditionally, a ticket punch.

Actually, the flashlight and Leatherman may be the top two items.

Tom

Short coil of rope. I also kept a train book in mine-not required by the road but was nice to keep record of things-ie. crew assigned, equipment and notes. I ran enough trips to fill several books. I just pulled one off the shelf-here's the entry for June 21, 2000:

X1824-Engineman D. M. Fultz; Car Record-TVRM 97 (East Chattanooga-Grand Junction), TVRM 41 (East Chattanooga-East Chattanooga); Dep East Chattanooga 11:15 AM, Arr Grand Junction 2:30 PM; Notes-Last trip of L. E. Hunziker. Cremains scattered at MP 1.1.

On a personal note, Mr. Hunziker came from a long line of railroaders and was a personal friend of myself and Engineman Fultz (as well as many other members at TVRM). His father (the late Ed Hunziker) was an engineman on the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway Tracy City Branch. TVRM 41 is ex-NC&St.L 41, a wooden caboose outfitted to carry passengers by the NC. Originally built for the Florida East Coast Railway, it ended its days on the Tracy City Branch before being donated to the museum. That said, the family had many memories of that car and it really meant a lot to them that his friends at the railway were there to take him on his last trip (every crew member was someone who he had counted as a close friend).

Zip ties (really strong ones)
Small bottle of purell or similar product (they make little travel size ones)
One of those injectors for bee sting allergies
Recharger cord or battery/cable if your radios are rechargeable
Paper pad and pen (better yet, pencil with a sharpener)
Pepto Bismol chewable tablets
Small spray bottle of WD40
One big (and thick) plastic bag, the one with handles you can carry something that you'd rather not handle with your bare hands

And a jib crane to get it on board. During my running days on 1522, I was amazed at the steamer trunk sized grips the pilot engineers would bring on board.
During steam days, my Dad had a steel grip for his stuff, but most of the engineers had sort of a leatherette thing that they kept the time slip book, rule book and emp. TT in.
The times have certainly changed.

Traditionally. passenger train conductors (and others) might have used a Gladstone bag. Named for the British Prime Minster Gladstone, such bags are still available; but, being leather and with a metal frame they are not cheep!

The conductor would pack not only his supplies, but also his overnight kit. So there would probably be a copy of the ETT, the envelopes for "pouching" the tickets, special instructions, pencil, tariffs, handy tools to have, etc. For his overnight kit there would be his saving kit, a clean white shirt, a change of underclothes.

Don't forget membership applications for your beloved museum/tourist railroad, hearing protection, and an envelope for receipts so you can take deductions for all of those things you pick up for your museum/tourist railroad, and a trusty harmonica.

One of my train books is in a leatherette holder. Yeah, you do need something to aid in lifting a complete grip. Mine is made out of tin and there were plenty of times when were switching with the RSD-1s that I left it on the running board rather than try to squeeze through the tiny cab door with it. Mine has two copper tags on it-one being stamped with the original owner's name and division and the other with mine. Bought it off the relatives of a conductor on the CNO&TP out of Ludlow, Kentucky.

One day I weighed it with the contents-25 pounds. Mind you, the contents were two punches, three timetables, three rule books, one manual, train book, gaskets, flashlight and a couple of bricks of tickets.

Add that to two lanterns (one clear and one red), a flagging kit and the marker lamps and I had a load to carry. On passenger trips, I either stowed the grip in a locker (if provided on board) or in the parcel shelves on one of the cars. On excursion trips, the grip went in a specific spot in the commissary car.

A plastic spoon/fork & napkins.

One of those flashlight on your head thingies - a really good one.
Extra batteries for your lighting equipment (forget the 6 volt lantern battery, too heavy)

Pair of reflective cuffs & lightweight retro-reflective vest.
Extra ticket punch for the bright light who forgot theirs.

Small jar of kim-chee for medicinal purposes - good for cauterizing scratches, insect bites, burns.

Don't forget your rulebook...

A conductor friend of mine never carried wire in his grip... but he did carry good wire cutting pliers. When he needed wire, he would cut a length out of the right of way fence! Not sure how well that would go over with management, though.

Steve Hunter

Besides the aforementioned 6 volt battery, I keep one of the compact Streamline brand battery signal lanterns in my grip. You can never be too careful.

As for other items, the ubiquitous crew pack is nice to have along.

Yes, yes they have, because back in the day, you could easily find most of what you'd need at the next depot. Can't exactly do that now, can you?
There's a reason for soldiers having to lug packs that look big enough to be a walk-in tent; you need to bring anything you might need.