translation problem

[Pierre]

Pierre Bondil : I'm Jim Thompson's French translator (a new translation, unabridged) on "The Getaway" and I wondered if I could find someone on the world wide net who could help me.
In the middle of chapter 9, Doc is in the train with the robber he has just killed and Carol. Here comes the conductor. This all has to do with conductors in the 50s in America ! The text goes ("he" being the conductor) :
"He jabbed a train check into the window clip, yanked a coupon from the ticket book and tossed it down on to the seat."
What use is that "train check" ? What is this "window clip"? I suppose "the ticket book" means "his" ticket book, the conductor's.
One page later, I find : "The conductor glanced at his watch, took out a receipt book"
Is this the same as the ticket book, or is it a booklet containing receipts for money taken on the train when passenges board without a ticket ?
I, as you can imagine, would be delighted if you could help, perhaps give me a link to an American specialist on train conductors (hard to find) or Jim Thompson...
With many thanks
Pierre Bondil