Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Additional Railroad Booklets, 1926-1973
Collection Number: 5894
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Additional Railroad Booklets, 1926-1973
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation & Archives
Collection Number:
5894
Abstract:
These are the papers of Carl N. Smith, a brakeman and conductor on the New York Central
Railroad, Grand Central Terminal Division. Mr. Smith was a member of the Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen [BRT], and served as a legislative representative, vice-president,
and president of the BRT Metropolitan Lodge, Local 598.
Creator:
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen (BRT)
Quanitities:
0.5 cubic feet
Language:
Collection material in English
The Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen was founded in 1883 in Oneonta, N.Y. as a protective
and insurance organization. By the time of its merger with three other railroad labor
unions to form the United Transportation Union in 1969, it had the greatest membership
of any of the operating railroad brotherhoods.
The Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen [BRT] was established to represent members'
interests in obtaining a satisfactory contract with management. The first Canadian
lodge was established in Moncton, New Brunswick in 1885, and the first Ladies' Auxiliary
was organized in Fort Gratiot, Mich. in 1889. These records reflect the union's political
and fraternal activities as well as its actions in the areas of collective bargaining,
grievances, and railroad and labor legislation. As the largest of the unions which
merged to form the United Transportation Union in 1969, the bulk of its then current
files formed the basis for the files now held in the merged union's headquarters.
The rail service members of the BRT included conductors and their assistants, dining
car stewards, ticket collectors, train baggagemen, brakemen, and train flagmen. The
yard service members of the BRT included yardmasters, yard conductors, switchtenders,
foremen, flagmen, brakemen, switchmen, car tenders, operators, hump riders, and car
operators. In 1933, the BRT organized interstate bus operators, and included them
under BRT contracts held with U.S. bus companies.
BRT officers were elected at the Grand Lodge Convention of the Brotherhood, held
every 4 years. The principal officers included a president, an assistant to the president,
a general secretary-treasurer, Canadian and national legislative representatives,
a senior vice-president, BRT representative, and National Railroad Board of Adjustment
representative. The BRT had four governing boards: the Board of Directors, Board of
Trustees and Insurance, Board of Appeals, and Executive Board.
Inclusive date range: 1926-1973
Bulk dates: 1954-1973
This collection consists of materials collected by Carl N. Smith, an employee of
the New York Central Railroad [NYCRR], Grand Central Terminal Division and member
of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen [BRT]. He collected pamphlets from the BRT,
including the BRT's constitution, agreements between the BRT and NYCRR, the By-Laws
for Local 598, and general information on the union. He also collected rulebooks and
timetables from the NYCRR's Grand Central Terminal Division. He also collected materials
on first aid for railroad workers and on the Railroad Retirement System.
Of particular note is the correspondence file, which documents the various actions
taken by rank and file members of the BRT in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Specific
concerns that the rank and file members were concerned with include sanitation concerns
at Grand central Station, the abandonment of lines, the repeal of the full crew consist
in New York State and the subsequent loss of jobs, the perceived disinterest of the
higher ranked union members for the concerns of the rank and file, and the state of
the Railroad Retirement Fund. This collection also contains a pamphlet advocating
for a union that served all railroad operating employees, and in correspondence Mr.
Smith and his fellow rank and file members expressed similar desires.
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference
archivist for access to these materials.
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and
Procedures for Document Use.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Additional Railroad Booklets #5894. Kheel Center
for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
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Names:
Smith, Carl N.
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. Metropolitan (NYC) Lodge 598.
New York Central Railroad
United States. Railroad Retirement Board.
Subjects:
Railroads -- Employees -- Labor unions
Railroads -- Employees -- Pensions -- United States.
Railroad -- New York (City).
Grand Central Terminal
CONTAINER LIST
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen pamphlets
|
1954-1962 |
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Item 1: State and Federal Laws: Commission Rulings and Regulations on Buses
|
1952 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
To Member of the Brotherhood of railroad Trainmen in the State of New York. C.H. Sullivan,
New York State representative, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Item 2: Proposed Changes in By-Laws, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, Metropolitan
Lodge No. 598
|
1954 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
(Typed copy of pamphlet)
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Item 3: Your Labor Union: A brief sketch of its history, functions and accomplishments
|
1959 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Published by the brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, Cleveland, Ohio
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Item 4: Manual of Information and Instructions (formerly negotiating manual)
|
1962 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Part I: Protective Department; Part II: Legislative Department.
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 1 |
Item 5: Constitution
|
1954 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Insurance Department.
Amended at the Thirtieth Convention held at Miami Beach, Florida
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 2 |
Report of the Legislative Board, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, State of New York
|
1963 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
by E.A. martin, legislative representative
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Agreements between New York Central Railroad Company and the BRT
|
1926-1955 |
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Item 1: Schedule of Rules and Rates of Pay: Conductors, Trainmen, and Yardmen
|
1926 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
New York Central Railroad (Buffalo and East)
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Item 2: Agreement Governing Rules of Pay of Assistant Conductors, Ticket Collectors,
Baggagemen, and Brakemen
|
1936 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Between the New York Central Railroad Company, Eastern District (except Boston and
Albany Division) and New York District, and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Item 3: Agreement Governing Rules and Rates of Pay of Yardmen
|
1953 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Between the New York Railroad Company (Buffalo and East) Including Troy, Union, and
Catskill Mountain Branch, and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 |
Item 4: Agreement Governing Rules and Rates of Pay of Yardmen
|
1955 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Between the New York Railroad Company (Buffalo and East) Including Troy, Union, and
Catskill Mountain Branch, and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 4 |
New York Central Railroad, Rule Books
|
1926-1965 |
Box 1 | Folder 5 |
New York Central Railroad (New York District) G.C. Terminal Division, Hudson Division:
Timetable No. 22
|
1967 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
For employees only
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 6 |
General railroad pamphlets
|
1945-1972 |
Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Item 1: First Aid Instructions for Railroad Employees
|
1951 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
As revised January 1951 by Medical and Surgical Section, Operating-Transportation
Division; Association of American Railroads
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Item 2: You and UROC: A brochure of information for the railroad crafts
|
1952 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Published by the United Railroad Operating Crafts
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Item 3: Questions and Answers on Proposed Amendments to the Railroad Retirement, Railroad
Unemployment Insurance, and Carriers Taxing Acts
|
1945 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Prepared by the Railway Labor Executives' Association
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 6 |
Item 4: The Railroad Retirement System: Its Coming Crisis
|
1972 |
Format: Pamphlet
|
|||
Scope and Contents
Excerpts from the Report of the Commission on Railroad Retirement. U.S. Government
Printing Office.
Format: Pamphlet.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 7 |
Correspondence re BRT and concerns of rank and file members; BRT dues receipt for
Carl N. Smith
|
1958-1973 |