gris66
58 posts
Sep 15, 2011
10:49 AM
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I'm wondering if DHBO members remember the times when various manufactuing plants in Dayton had their shift changes during the 1950s and '60s... places like Frigidaire, NCR, Delco, GHR Foundry, etc.
During these two decades, downtown Dayton was heavily congested with vehicular traffic given the large industry base that was here. The population of Dayton was approaching 265,000 people, I-75 was being constructed, SR-35 freeway had not been built, the Riverside bridge had not been built until 1955, streets were being switched to one-way, etc.
I know that during rush hour between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. the police had patrolmen posted at every main intersection and the factories coordinated changeover at different times to relieve the congestion so autos could move through the city at a reasonable pace.
Last Edited by on Sep 15, 2011 10:50 AM
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icsalum
75 posts
Sep 15, 2011
11:44 AM
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As a young kid living in Belmont in the sixties, we heard the NCR whistle every morning around 6:00 AM. It
was especially noticable in summer, when we kept the
windows open. Along with the cooing of Doves, the NCR
factory whistle is my all-time boyhood summer marker.
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cilla46
68 posts
Sep 15, 2011
3:05 PM
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I too remember the NCR whistle from my childhood.Not only in the morning but the end of day whistle which to me meant that my grandfather was on his way home from work.
You remember doves cooing but I remember pigeons!That is until my dad put screen up in the eaves!To this day I think that is one of the most peaceful sounds in the world.
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gris66
59 posts
Sep 16, 2011
7:15 AM
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Thanks guys for the NCR time and whistle remembrances. That's what I was hoping to get. My guess is that would put the changeover at around 3:00 in the afternoon.
Hope to learn about others like Frigidaire... etc.
Last Edited by on Sep 16, 2011 7:15 AM
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icsalum
76 posts
Sep 16, 2011
1:50 PM
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My wife worked as an enginerring intern for Frigidaire
in the late seventies. She always mentioned 2:48 PM as
the end of first shift.
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gris66
60 posts
Sep 18, 2011
5:34 AM
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That confirms what an old patrolman told me about Frigidaire. He said that the shift changes were at 3:00 for Frigidaire and Delco, at 4:00 for NCR, at 5:00 for city of Dayton employees. He said that the retail downtown stores closed at 6:00 to get end of work business and to avoid the rush traffic.
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PaulH
60 posts
Sep 18, 2011
3:25 PM
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I worked at the NCR foundery before I went into the Air Force in 1966. I do remember a noon whistle and the 4:00 o'clock one in the afternoon. Time to eat lunch and then time to go home.
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gris66
61 posts
Sep 18, 2011
5:27 PM
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Thanks, PaulH, for that NCR confirmation. I hope more former industry workers can remember the times their shifts concluded.
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Perry401
72 posts
Oct 18, 2011
6:41 PM
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Frigidaire (and all GM plants) worked using 1/10th hour, or 6 minute intervals. Different departments would leave over a half hour period to relieve parking lot and bus issues that would have occurred if everyone left at the same moment. Thus, the 2:48 shift was probably the "first" to leave for the generic 3:00 leave time. Then came 2:54, 3:00, 3:06, and 3:12. By the time the 3:00 and later shifts got to work, many of the 2:48 parking spots had opened up when people left. Chrysler (Airtemp) used the same system of staggering departments as well. Likewise, lunches and breaks were staggered to minimize the need for cafeterias and break areas (and restroom facilities) large enough to have all employees use at the same time. Breaks were 6 or 12 minutes. Lunches were 24 or 30 minutes. All multiples of the 6 minute or 1/10th hour time keeping methods used at the time.
I too remember the NCR whistle. Every morning at 6:00 AM it would blow, and wake me up. I don't remember the last time I heard it though. I think this is the type of thing you got so used to that it's absence was not noticed until one day you said to yourself "I wonder why I haven't heard that whistle recently."
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luv my dayton
81 posts
Jul 14, 2012
11:58 AM
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Worked twice at NCR. I worked day shift which started at 7, lunch from noon to one then from 1 to 4. Then worked third shift which was midnight to eight am. Dinner was 2-3 and would head to White Tower or Frisches on Brown St.
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