In 1937, William “Bill” Robinson (b. July 30, 1903 – d. May 11, 1984)


 joined his father-in-law and brother-in-law, featured in the previous post, in working as a hostler for the Ma & Pa Railroad at Baltimore Roundhouse. William often worked the early mornings mostly in the dark with little light to assist him, as he provided routine care for the steam locomotives and moved them out of the roundhouse. He refilled and cleaned the coal tender, greased the engines, and fed the fires that had been banked overnight so they were steamed up and ready for the train crew. Often his father-in-law, Charles John Hall and brother-in-law John Allen Hall relieved him.


William’s wife and daughter would meet him at the Baltimore Roundhouse when his shift was ending around noon. In 2010, his daughter Marie gave an oral history to tell us more about her family and their work for the railroad. She remembered fondly how her mother would let her ride with him in the locomotive on the turntable as he drove them into the roundhouse.


William hardly ever missed a day of work, but after seven years as a hostler he developed health problems believed to have been caused by breathing in coal dust. In 1944, he left his job for the railroad and worked for Notre Dame College until his health improved. Four years later in 1948, he returned to his hostler position at the Baltimore Roundhouse.


Similar to his father-in-law and brother-in-law, he enjoyed his work for the railroad and made a good living, supplemented by substantial overtime. By 1953, William’s annual wages was almost twice the annual income of the average worker. After altogether 17 years working full time for the railroad, he witnessed the end of passenger and freight trains on the Maryland section of the Ma & Pa in 1958. When faced with the decision of being a hostler in York or retiring, he chose to retire.

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