Thanks, Charles.  The structures are actually only one story with  ceilings 
averaging 8 ft in height.  Certainly, the buildings could be used  for 
operations as well as maintenance, but I don't have that much  information.  
However, the large number of these stations, ca. 10-12  miles apart, suggest 
that most were for maintenance crews, rather than  operations.  
 
Mike 
 
 
In a message dated 12/18/2014 11:09:09 A.M. Mountain Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

I cannot  speak to the numbers but from what I have run across, if these 
are two-story  structures, the crew boss(es) lived downstairs in private 
room(s) and the crew  workers lived upstairs in a dormitory-like setting.  I am 
under the  impression that bunk houses were used for deadheading train crews, 
not  construction crews, but I guess they could be used for both.   I  
would think the structures would be designed for a standard crew  size?

Charles
Red River Archaeology
Dallas

-----Original  Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On  Behalf Of 
[log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, December  18, 2014 11:31 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Railroad  Workers

Hello Histarchers.  I am undertaking some research   regarding railroad 
workers on the Central Pacific Railroad ca.   1870s-1880s.  I have plans for 
section stations where buildings   designated as bunk houses show the 
predominant size being 16 x 24 ft,  with  perhaps half that number at 16 x 22 ft and 
even fewer at 18 x 20  and 18 x  22.  Other smaller and larger sizes exist, 
but 
there  are very few of  them.   

Can someone suggest what  number of railroad workers might be housed in 
such  building sizes?   It has been suggested that I might consider that it 
takes 6 workers to move a  length of steel rail as a starting point, but if 
someone has good data on  this, I would appreciate hearing.  

Thanks.

Mike  Polk
Sagebrush Consultants
Ogden,  Utah