The Atlantic & Southern Saturday Report

Started by Judge, January 05, 2019, 03:59:09 PM

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Judge

#135
There is no Saturday Report for today because the wife of the Atlantic and Southern's CEO had her monthly appointments in Mount Dora.  Your reporter spent most of the morning watching U-tube train videos and adding another tale to my list of future publications.  This week's story is a detour from my description of folks who live in the Midlands of the A&S and requires a journey to that dark and somewhat dirty place called "The Bottoms." 

For those readers who are new to this report, a quick explanation is needed about A&S terminology.  The A&S Railroad exists in three levels -  The upper level is known as the Summit and is under construction.  It will eventually be an urban scene with a major freight yard, a passenger station, and a diesel service facility.  The middle level is known as "the Midlands" and is a rural scene with a number of places of interest, including a passenger station, a small freight yard, a freight station, a wooded area, and a farm.  The City of Tahope and a major steam service facility are located on the branch line.  The lower level is a staging yard with nine tracks on the east and west sides of the railroad.  It is known as the Bottoms and is the subject of this week's story.  It is suggested that newbie readers consult with a previous edition entitled Inhabitants of Eaton's Curve (Page eight) for background information.

Let the story begin!

                                                                                                      LIFE IN "THE BOTTOMS"

Life is hard in The Bottoms.  Daylight never shines in the place and it is only partially illuminated.  It was not designed for human habitation.  It is a staging yard that runs under the entire length of the Atlantic & Southern and holds trains awaiting call.

Trains are stored there for days or weeks until called when needed.  There are no hostlers to tend to the fires in the Bottoms, so the steamers are cold and so are the diesels.
 
Though the environment is hostile and facilities are scarce, a variety of transitory types inhabit the Bottoms on a more-or-less regular basis.  Most of these individuals are hobos, but some are tramps and some are bums.  These characters tend to look alike to the casual observer but there are differences.  A hobo works and wanders, a tramp dreams and wanders, and a bum drinks and wanders.  Most of them carry their "possibles" in a bindle composed of a sack or handkerchief tied to a stick for carry on the shoulder.  All of them share the same mode of transportation, that is hopping a freight or an occasional passenger train to "get wherever its going." Some have more success than others when hitching a ride.  A famous hobo named "A No. 1," who thrived in the decade before WWI, claimed he traveled 500,000 miles for $7.61.



Here you see the camp in the Bottoms.  Short Shack is on the far left.

🤷‍♂️
Hobo with a bindle

Hobos pick up odd jobs and know where to find a place to sleep out of the weather at night because other migrants have left messages identifying friendly spots on freight station walls, water tanks, or sign posts.  Before WWI, every experienced wanderer had a "little red card" with him identifying him as a member of a railroad brotherhood.  Even at this late date, 1950, this identification sometimes convinces railroad personnel to allow the presenter of the card to have free passage. 
Hobos used to call obtaining free passage on an outgoing freight train "nailing a drag." When steam was in its heyday, heavy freight trains accelerated slowly out of the yard, so talented transients could obtain passage on a "Pullman boxcar" with relative ease.  The art was in determining just when the "drag" was at a speed that was too dangerous to chance.  "Missing a drag" usually resulted in scrapes and bruises from falling into the track ballast or, not infrequently, more serious injury. 
By 1950, the population of migrant boomers and homeless transients had significantly dwindled.  The post-war economy was better and it was more difficult to "hitch a ride" on the faster diesel-powered freights.



Nailing a drag

Missed the drag and ended up on the ballast
 

There are a few places left that cater to "Kings of the Road" and one of them is the Bottoms of the Atlantic & Southern Railroad.  Usually, on summer evenings, a number of "Bos" can be found huddled around a fire over which is simmering a pot of Mulligan Stew. The proprietors of this camp are its semi-permanent residents, Newt and Short Stack.  Others tend to drift in and out as their travels dictate.  All of the campers go under assumed names or monikers because a number of them are running from something.  So, names like Chicago Dan or St. Louis Slim are common.  Identification by a place of origin gives one a sense of well-being.
Mulligan Stew is a staple dish in the Bottoms.  It is composed of water and almost anything else available that is edible. 

On this particular day, Newt was able to buy a couple of chickens from farmer Perkins with the day-labor wage he received yesterday, for sweeping up at the A&S round house.  Short Stack was able to capture one of the turtles that are plentiful in the rivers of Florida.  Others managed to beg or steal local fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, corn, celery, beans, and onions, all of which were added to the pot.  Somebody managed to procure a quart size Mason Jar of "corn squeezins" from the still in Piney Woods, so the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly.  Everybody was welcome, provided each person contributed something to the stew.


Short Stack dressing a turtle for the Mulligan Stew


After dinner, long about 7:00 p.m., the Bo's heard the disinctive sound of EMD 567 diesel engines "cranking up."  Sure enough, a freight drag was leaving for the Midlands.  Although the Tahope County topography is essentially flat and is only a few feet above sea level, the trip up the ovalix to the Midlands requires multiple diesel units, or helpers for the steamers.  This drag was powered by an A-B-A lash-up of F3's.  It eased off about 100 yards from the yard throat and accelerated rapidly. 
The Bos wanting a ride had to "nail" it before it got to moving too fast.  Fishmouth Ferguson, an experienced Bo, spotted an open box car door and made a dive for it just as the drag passed him.  Tampa Turkey, who was not so experienced or observant, grabbed for a ladder on a box car and slipped into the cinders.  He suffered lots of scrapes and cuts, but nothing was broken.
 
As the drag approached the yard throat switch, it slowed to a crawl.  The other Bos saw their chance and climbed aboard, some in box cars, some in gondolas, some up on the tops.  Unfortunately, the reason for the slow approach to the yard throat became apparent when six "Railroad Dicks" watched the Bos get aboard.  The drag came to a complete stop at the yard throat and most of the Bos scampered off the train.


Thrown off the train by the Railroad Dicks

"All in a day's work," said Fishmouth, who managed to purloin a couple of bottles of California wine from his box car before he disembarked.

   The Bos returned to their camp, caught a little shut-eye and waited for another drag. Newt and Short Stack waited until everyone was snoring and proceeded to rifle through Fishmouth's bindle and scored a bottle of wine.

   Life is what you make of it in the Bottoms.



ReadingBob

Bob Butts
robertbutts1@att.net

There's a fine line between Hobby and Mental Illness.

deemery

Quote from: Judge on March 16, 2019, 04:05:08 PM
There is no Saturday Report for today because the wife of the Atlantic and Southern's CEO had her monthly appointments in Mount Dora.  Your reporter spent most of the morning watching U-tube train videos and adding another tale to my list of future publications.  ...

Ah, what my wife calls "Choo-Choo Porn."  (And we know what Justice Potter Stewart said about porn. :-) )

dave
Modeling the Northeast in the 1890s - because the little voices told me to

GPdemayo

Civilians need to be careful if they wander into the Bottoms.....some really strange people down there.  :o
Gregory P. DeMayo
General Construction Superintendent Emeritus
St. Louis & Denver Railroad
Longwood, FL

PRR Modeler

Great story Bill. You are really talented telling tall tales.
Curt Webb
The Late Great Pennsylvania Railroad
Freelanced PRR Bellevue Subdivision

S&S RR

Great Story Judge! I'm really enjoying your thread.
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

PaulS

Thanks Bill,
Another wonderful story presented vividly and cleverly.
--Paul
Modeling the Atlantic & White Mtn Railway

Judge

Bob, Greg, Curt, John, and Paul - Thank you for your kind comments.

Dave - I didn't intend the tale to be "Choo-choo porn."  But I guess writing about dirty bottoms and railroad dicks could be taken the wrong way.  I withhold my opinion about Justice Potter Stewart in deference to the dead.  But thanks for taking the time to reply.  Famous authors wallow in encouragement from loyal fans.

MAP

Another great story Bill.  I really enjoy following along on the journeys that you weave here.  The pictures really add to the whole scene.
Mark

ACL1504


Sorry I missed all the fun. I spent the day riding on the Pennsy.
"If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
Thomas Jefferson

Tom Langford
telsr1@aol.com

Zephyrus52246

Another great tale, especially with the period photos.


Jeff

deemery

Quote from: Judge on March 16, 2019, 10:21:41 PM
Bob, Greg, Curt, John, and Paul - Thank you for your kind comments.

Dave - I didn't intend the tale to be "Choo-choo porn."  But I guess writing about dirty bottoms and railroad dicks could be taken the wrong way.  I withhold my opinion about Justice Potter Stewart in deference to the dead.  But thanks for taking the time to reply.  Famous authors wallow in encouragement from loyal fans.


I was referring to watching train videos and reading train books, not the subsequent story.   So I move for dismissal of the charges, Your Honor!


dave
Modeling the Northeast in the 1890s - because the little voices told me to

Judge

Dave - Case dismissed without costs, sine die!  Sorry, I "tuck it the wrong way"  Keep following - we venture back into the Midlands next Saturday.   

Judge

#148
   The Saturday Session on the Atlantic & Southern was busy and exciting today.  Your reporter arrived at 0820 hours ready to inspect the completed mainline on the Summit level of the railroad.  The track was in place with nary a rough spot or a kink.  The basics of Ucita Yard were in place and it appears that the yard tracks will be six in number and stretch about 16' in length.  There will be a yard lead, caboose track, and a stub for switchers.  The yard will extend to the South end of the property where a major diesel repair facility will be located.  Your reporter ran an SAL GP7 with 16 cars and a caboose without difficulty and the CEO called out a long freight powered by ACL Purple and Silver F3's. 

The A&S was borrowing a NYC Hudson for testing.  It ran well enough, but its TCS WOW Sound decoder needed volume adjustments.  That is not a problem with WOW Sound.  The decoder's program gives voice instructions and the master volume was increased to an appropriate level in no time.   Greg "Fireball" Demayo arrived on the property about 1030 hours and had a go at running the Hudson around the Midlands.  Then the crew high-tailed it to Smokey Bones for lunch. 

After lunch, the management agreed to allow "Fireball" to run his Hudson up the Ovalix from the Midlands to the Summit at speed step 99.  He said he wanted to see if it would stay on the track.  Your reporter envisioned centrifugal force causing the Hudson to fly into the blue yonder but she tracked exceedingly well.  However, this will be the last time such an experiment is allowed on the A&S..

This week's story is of young people in love.  The young man in the story appears to be driving his father's 1950 Buick Roadmaster. My recollection of the favorite car was the 1957 Chevrolet.  Anyway, I don't remember any kids in my era being as law abiding as these kids.

                                                                                                  LAW ABIDING CITIZENS

The mainline of the Atlantic & Southern passes Barlow's Bar-B-Que and crosses Mosquito Lagoon over a bascule bridge.  It passes Delwin's Fish Camp and approaches the Piney Woods Freight/Passenger station.  It is a whistle stop for passengers and usually the only train that stops there is the Sanlando Local Mixed Train. 

Piney Woods was a New Deal project.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) planted numerous pine trees in neat rows during 1934, and they have matured into full grown trees.  No one actually lives in Piney Woods, but some "idle folk" have built a still in the woods where they produce "mighty good 180 proof corn squeezins," aged in pine barrels for up to two weeks before being distributed in pint size Mason jars.
   
Late one evening, Officer Eldridge  Poovey, of the Tahope Police Department, was on routine patrol in the vicinity of the Piney Woods freight station.  There had been reports of suspicious activity in the area.  He noticed there was a car parked back up in the woods.  It was well off the road and the interior light was on.



       
Officer Poovey approached the vehicle out of concern for its occupant's' safety and well-being and noticed there was a young man in the driver's seat reading a Mechanic's Illustrated magazine and a young woman sitting in the back seat filing her fingernails. 

Officer Poovey tapped on the passenger side window.  The driver reached over, rolled down the window, and said, "Yes, Officer, is there something the matter?"  "No," said Poovey, "I was just checking to make sure you were alright.  Do you mind if I ask, what are you doing?" "Well," said the young man, "I am reading this Mechanic's Illustrated magazine. "And the girl?" "Oh, she's filing her nails." 

With this information, Officer Poovey believed further inquiry was in order.  He said to the driver, "Young man, how old are you?" The driver answered, I'm 22."  "And the girl, how old is she?" "Oh," said the young man, looking at his watch, "she'll be 18 in 12 minutes."


GPdemayo

The last time......maybe, but the official speed run from the Bottoms to the Summit is still in the offing..... ;)
Gregory P. DeMayo
General Construction Superintendent Emeritus
St. Louis & Denver Railroad
Longwood, FL

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