Galesburg Woman Shares Experience Working in Rail Yards During WWII

In the early 1940s women were to be work replacements for men drafted into World War II.91 year old, Alta Hand described her time spent working at the CB&Q Railroad Yard when she was 18 years old, during the war.
Hand told the crowd that gathered for her discussion last night at the Galesburg Public Library, that she had multiple jobs but gravitated towards telegraphing in the Willis Yard.

She remembers typing from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. everyday to make sure there weren’t any repercussions or back ups and says her salary does not seem like much according to today’s terms.

“You know there are times when you feel like you were repaid doubly, simply because you got paid. Did I mention, that if I remember right, it was 72 and one half cents an hour that I was paid. Half cents in those days were important because they added up”.

Hand worked until the end of the war when the men returned. She says it was an opportunity to take advantage of at the time and the people she worked with made it enjoyable.