MS-268
The Cyphers Railroad Engineer/Fireman Collection
Introduction
The Cyphers Railroad Engineer/Fireman Collection was accessioned into the Piqua Public Library Archives and Special Collections on August 30, 2018. The collection is the result of a donation by Steve Supinger. Mr. Supinger is the grandson of Harley E. Cyphers, the subject of the collection. The collection is housed in two Hollinger boxes containing thirty folders. The ownership of the collection was transferred to the library for the use of our patrons. There are no known restrictions on the use of the materials in the collections.
In 1913 Mr. H. E. Cyphers went to work for Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway as first a fireman and later as an engineer. In approximately 1918, he began working for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Western Division as an engineer and fireman. In some records he is listed as a locomotive engineer and in other records as a locomotive fireman. He worked for B & O until his retirement in 1942. This collection contains the instruction books and rules books he would have used in his capacity as engineer/fireman.
Scope and Content
The Cyphers Railroad Engineer/Fireman Collection is divided into the following five series:
SERIES I: Identification Cards – Box 1, Files 1 – 4.
SERIES II: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad: Instruction and Rules and Regulations books – Box
1, Files 5 – 17.
SERIES III: Other Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. documents received by H. E. Cyphers –
Box 1, Files 18 – 21.
SERIES IV: Pennsylvania Railroad Documents – Note: It is apparent that H. E. Cyphers was
permitted to act as an engineer on a locomotive moving cars from the Piqua rail yard to Piqua Crossing and back. This would allow the interchange of rail cars between B & O Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad. – Box 2, Files 1 – 4.
SERIES V: H. E. Cyphers retirement and personal records – Box 2, Files 5 – 9.
Container List
SERIES I: Identification Cards
BOX 1
File 1 Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway Employee passes for H. E. Cyphers. Mr.
Cyphers is initially listed as a Fireman in 1913 and 1914. He is later listed as an Engineer in 1915, 1916 and 1917. There is a pass for each year.
2 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Western Lines Employee Pass for 1918 and listed as C. E.
Cypthers, Engineer.
3 United States Railroad Administration: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Western Lines
Employee, Dayton & Union Railroad Employee Pass – issued to H.E. Cyphers, Yard Engineer, Sta. Southwest District – 1919.
4 Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Traveling Card, August 27, 1920
– issued to H. E. Cyphers, Lima Lodge #184
SERIES II: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad: Instruction and Rules and Regulations books
File 5 ET Locomotive Brake Equipment No. 6 – publication No. 5032 – April, 1909 –
published by The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Pittsburg, Pa.
6 The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, Rules and Regulations of the Operating
Department, August 1, 1917
7 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company: Good Firing, a text book for Engineers
and Firemen on Locomotive Management – Form 2403 Revised, dated September 29, 1916.
8 United States Railroad Administration, Director General of Railroads: The
Economical Use of Railroad Fuel. Issued by the Fuel Conservation Section, Division of Operation, Washington, 1919.
9 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company: Safety Rules for the Guidance of
Employees – May 1, 1920
10 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company: Rules and Regulations governing the
handling of air brakes, train air signals, electric headlights and electric lighting of passenger cars – effective May 1, 1921 (2 copies).
11 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, Operating Department: Rules and Rates
of Pay for Firemen and Hostlers. Rules effective August 1, 1927. Rates effective February 1, 1927.
12 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company: Instructions concerning the Operation of
Air Brakes, Train Air Signal Equipment and Electric Lighting of Passenger Cars and Locomotive – effective December 1, 1931.
13 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, The Alton Railroad Co.: Instructions
governing the Operation of Air Brakes, Train Air Signal Equipment and Electric Lighting of Locomotives and Passenger Cars – effective April 1, 1941.
14 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company: Rules and Regulations of the Operating
Department – effective June 1, 1941
15 The Dayton Union Railway Company: Special Instructions governing operations
between Second Street and Miami City Junction, Dayton, Ohio – effective July 15, 1932. This book contains a fold out map of the tracks at Second Street, tracks at Union Station and tracks at Miami City Junction. These tracks were used by the following railroads: Baltimore & Ohio, Pennsylvania and Big Four.
16 Railroad Employees Time and Reference Book – issued by the Toledo Division.
Times in this book are listed in half months and are for varying months from September 1927 to June 1936.
17 Railway Employee’s Annual Time Recording Book – issued by the Lima Office.
This book lists H. E. Cyphers as a Fireman and Engineer for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. The hours recorded in this book are from August 1937 to May 1938. The book also lists the rates of pay for various job classifications.
SERIES III: Other Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. documents received by H. E. Cyphers
File 18 Examination documents:
[1] Final notice for Book of Rules examination –Dayton, O. October 14, 1927 issued
by W. B. Kilgore, Road Foreman of Engines.
[2] The Cincinnati Union Terminal Company – document certifies that H. E. Cyphers
has been examined on Operating Rules and Characteristics of the Cincinnati
Union Terminal Co. in Hamilton, O. on April 14, 1937 by W. B. Kilgore.
[3] Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. Record of Examination for H. E. Cyphers, a
Fireman, April 14, 1937 signed by W. B. Kilgore – Toledo Division.
19 Bulletins and General Orders
[1] Bulletins regarding the application of heaters to all types of injectors; in regard to
handling of air brakes in winter weather; and in regard to steam heat on passenger engines and passenger trains. Issued from Office of Road Foreman of Engines, W. B. Kilgore & O. R. Stevens on December 28, 1938.
[2] Bulletin on proper place to blow off passenger engines in Toledo – December 31,
1938
[3] Bulletin on stoker failure – December 28, 1938.
[4] Bulletin on preventing the waste of fuel – December 28, 1938.
[5] Bulletin on maintenance of coal pushers – December 28, 1938
[6] General Order No. 2, Jan.14, 1939 listing speed restrictions at various places.
BOX 1
File 20 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company: Form For Bidding On Advertised
Vacancies – there are four copies of this form probably torn from a pad of similar forms. The form is blank.
21 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company Western Lines: Toledo Division Time
Table No. 37 – Sunday, July 27, 1941
BOX 2
SERIES IV: Pennsylvania Railroad Documents – Note: It is apparent that H. E. Cyphers was
permitted to act as an engineer on a locomotive moving cars from the Piqua rail yard to Piqua Crossing and back. This would allow the interchange of rail cars between B & O Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad.
File 1 Pennsylvania Railroad System: Operating Department Rules for Conducting
Transportation – effective April 26, 1925.
2 The Pennsylvania Railroad, Columbus Division Time Table No. 13 effective Sunday,
April 26, 1931 – a note on page 69 says that H. E. Cyphers of B & O RR is qualified for service as an engineman between Piqua and Piqua Crossing.
3 The Pennsylvania Railroad, Columbus Division Time Table No. 31 effective Sunday,
April 28, 1940 – a note on page 78 says that H. E. Cyphers of B & O RR is qualified for service as an engineer between Piqua and Piqua Crossing.
4 The Pennsylvania Railroad, Columbus Division Time Table No. 33 effective Sunday,
April 27, 1941 – a note on page 81 says that H. E. Cyphers of B & O RR is qualified for service as an engineman between Piqua and Piqua Crossing.
SERIES V: H. E. Cyphers retirement and personal records
File 5 Railroad Retirement Act documents for Harley E. Cyphers – 1942 & 1943
[1] Application for Annuity Under the Railroad Retirement Act – signed by Harley E.
Cyphers on December 10, 1942.
[2] Documents and letters requesting further information to support the application –
December 1942, January and March 1943.
6 Message from Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. Relief Department:
[1] Ballot problems in the recent election and beneficiary designations.
[2] Restrictions on the use of retiree passes on passenger trains because of the need for
passenger equipment to handle armed forces personnel and other essential travel. Letter dated June 4, 1943.
7 Two receipts for payment from the J.W. Brown Store – October 1930
8 Paperback New Testament, King James Version, distributed by the American Bible
Society, New York.
9 Leather wallet, card and paper holder – issued as advertising by Mouch Auto Inn,
Automobile Materials, Piqua, Ohio.