The Atlantic & Southern Saturday Report

[Jerry]

Well it's the 23rd Bill.  Are we going to hear a good story today??? 

Jerry

[Judge]

Atlantic & Southern Saturday Report - Saturday, March 28, 2025.

In response to many readers of this Forum, I have decided to continue publishing the Saturday Report covering the news and other happenings of the citizens of Tahope County, Florida, most of whom work for the Atlantic & Southern Railroad.

This report is several days late, for which I apologize. 

The latest news for the Atlantic & Southern is the acquisition of an A-B-A set of C&O FP7 locomotives from Walthers.  These locomotives are currently having their LoC Sound decoders replaced with TCS WOW Sound. The current C&O F3 diesels are freight units and we don't want anyone picking that nit.  Besides, the F3's are over 20 years old and need to be assigned to freight duties. 

Additionally, the Board of Directors have decided to set aside the heavy weight cars in the C&O consist and replace them with Pullman standard or Bud cars.  Those cars are being drawn from present inventory and should be in service within a couple of weeks.

We have had two decoders "go bad" for unknow reasons.  They were returned to TCS and were replaced with new decoders. 

I must admit I am having a little difficulty navigating on this forum.  I guess I will learn as I go.

I shall begin my return engagement by reviewing the Atlantic & Southern, its features, and the fictitious characters who populate Tahope County.

It makes sense, when organizing such a review, to begin with the physical aspects of the Atlantic & Southern Railroad.  Naturally, I have rejected that suggestion and have decided to first re-introduce some of the characters who live and work around the City of Tahope, which is the Tahope County Seat.

Many of the residents of the City of Tahope have ancestors who arrived there in the Antebellum days of the 1850's and most of them are related one way or another.  Some of the family trees have few branches. 

The last names of the older families reflect midieval occupations, such as Tanner, Baker, Miller, Taylor, Wagoner, or Cartwright.  The "wimmins" mostly have names of flowers or plants, such as Rose, Honeysuckle, Peaches, or Petunia. 

The average citizen who was born and raised in Tahope has a high school education from Tahope High School, where Pauline Reeve is principal.  The inhabitants who live outside of the City are less educated and are referred to by outsiders as "red necks" or "swamp dwellers." 

We will focus on those who live within the city today.

The City government is headed by the Mayor, Bud Millstone, who is also a conductor on the A&S.  The City Council meets on Friday afternoons each week to discuss what little business may come before it.  Usually, the Mayor, the Police Chief, the local judge, and other important personages adjourn after the Council meeting and play poker in the Pullman passenger car which is spotted next to the freight depot.  Food is supplied by Sweaty Betty's Diner and adult beverages come from the tavern located nearby. 

The Police Chief is William Woodman, age 42, whose family has lived in Tahope since 1852.  His great grandfather was the fireman on "The General," the Confederate locomotive involved in the Great Locomotive Chase from Big Shanty to Chattanooga during the 1860's.  Woodman has no formal training in law enforcement, but, as he says, he "don't need none." 

The other officer in the police department is Eldridge Poovey, age 36, who wears a police uniform complete with motorcycle boots and who cuts quite a figure when he exits the department's 1947 Dodge squad car to write a traffic Citation. 

The local judiciary is composed of Circuit Judge Elvin P. Thomas, who presides over the local courts one week each month.  Judge Thomas, who is 60 years of age, was elected in 1924 and has become a fixture on the bench.  He is known for his folksy comments from the bench and his ability to be fair under the most trying circumstances.

The only lawyer in town is Marvin Bello, a 1930 graduate of the University of Florida's College of Law.  He is the city attorney and, seeing no conflict, also represents the A&S Railroad.

The president of the Tahope State Bank is J. Pierpont Forester, who is married to Rose.  They have a teenage daughter named Peaches, who is sweet on "Tater" Cartwright, the foreman of the engine service facility located down the street from the bank.  Peaches is a recent graduate of Tahope High and works as a secretary at Sokol's Mattress Company.  All is not well in the Forester family.  Rose has her eye on Officer Poovey and marital difficulties will no doubt provide a local scandal in the future.

Speaking of scandals, the editor of the Tahope Daily News, Roger Ragweed, delights in discovering them.  He recently found Freddy Merchant, the owner of "Three Fingered Freddy's Fireworks" in a local tavern making sweet nothings with Maggie Hussy.  Freddy's wife, Gertrude, who weighs in at 240 pounds, arrived on the scene and Freddy ended up in Tahope General with several stitches. 

The main industry in Tahope, besides railroading, is the citrus processing plant located south of downtown.  Another business is Sokol's Mattress Company, located near by.  Sokol's provides mattresses for all of Central Florida and is quite successful.  Mr. Sokol employs Peaches Forester as his secretary and administrative assistant. 

While the list of citizens described here is not exhaustive, it gives the reader an idea of life in a small town in Central Florida in the early 1950's. 

I will focus on the railroaders in my next report.

[Jerry]

Thank God.  The JUDGE (Bill) is back!!
Looking forward to the stories you create for all of us to enjoy!! 

Jerry

[Judge]

Jerry - Thank you for the kind words.  OHE

[deemery]

Welcome back, Your Honor!

dave

[Vietnam Seabee]

Yea..what Dave said..as a frequent visitor to Tahope I look always enjoy your entertaining stories about the area
terry

[PRR Modeler]

Great to see you writing again Bill.

[Judge]

Thanks for the kind words.  I hope I can keep the stories new and entertaining.

OHE

[Zephyrus52246]

The Judge is back.  Wonderful!

Jeff

[Rick]

Bill, welcome back and thanks for starting your stories again.

[Vietnam Seabee]

Here come the Judge, Here come the Judge

terry

[tom.boyd.125]

 There is something about reading these stories, opinions, decisions etc. from that great Tahope rep...Tommy

[elwoodblues]

WOO HOO....... The judge is back.

I was really missing your reports about the happenings in Tahope County.  It was nice meeting the cast of characters (at least some of them).  Thanks for deciding to keep the stories coming, I'm really looking forward to the next one.

[Jim Donovan]

Welcome back Judge, I can already see problems in paradise getting ready to come to light.

Jim

[jbvb]

Glad you found the time to renew this narrative.