Other types of 'crew changes' were known as '1-stop' or '2-stop'. You could get on a caboose at a faster speed due to the curved grab-irons, you could grab the iron and be pulled up to the step height, bags and all! The Engineer would then slow the train down to drop off, and pick up the rear crew.
As the in-bound Conductor got closer to the new rear crew, he would count the cars down.
As soon as the new Engineer got to the controls, he (or in 2 of my instances, she) would slap back the throttle to run-8. Upon word of the train's arrival, you got in position with crew members on both sides of the track, and the in-bound crew would bail off at a couple of miles an hour, and you being up the rail a few yards, would be ready to climb on the locomotive and then the caboose. At Los Angeles, Taylor Yard, you were taken to the 'top-end' 'A' yard, under the #2 (Glendale Freeway overpass) and waited in the Switchman's shanty. You were ready and waiting with all your train orders and paperwork, sometimes for several hours, at the main-line 'crew-change shanty', at W.C. Yes, the train did not stop for the crew change at West Colton or Los Angeles. Trains, such as the 'Auto Parts', westbound into Los Angeles - Gemco (General Motors plant Van Nuys, CA) were the usual ones you changed-out crews.
I was on several 'hot' crew changes at West Colton, CA back in the 70's.
