Do you have short anecdotes of what you have seen etc on the railroads?
Here is one from me.
Way back in time, 1950 actually, I along with my Aunt and two cousins were going on holiday to Bridlington. To catch the train at Leeds City Station the entrance was at the side of Queen’s Hotel. A long passageway led to the ticket office on the right. My cousins and I waited beside two heavy suitcases whilst my aunt joined one of the many queues to purchase our train tickets.
As we waited I could see smoke faintly drifting down from the trains in the station. I looked towards the ticket office. It looked eerily dark with a faint glow from the lighting. Lighting shades that (I bet) had never been cleaned since before 1939. The smell of smoke drifting ever closer. How could anyone see what they were doing? Whatever; the sight has never left me. Amazing. I loved it.
David
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Another little anecdote. This time it is the mid 1950s and living with my aunt and uncle and two cousins. The station is Dewsbury Market Place. The only times I ever went to the station was to go on the Annual Excursion to the Seaside. Southport or Cleethorpes were the main destinations.
Trains arriving at the station travelled through a tunnel. A short stretch of 20 yards leaving the tunnel before plunging into the station. Smoke was everywhere. Everywhere was dark and dingy. Once again the lighting was almost non-existent. I loved it.
The station opened in 1867, closed to passenger trains in 1930 (except for excursion trains). From 1930 it was a Goods Station and closed 1961.
David
i have a joke from a homeless man living on the tracks near saint louis he said some homeless guy went up to some track layers and said “i been watchin u boys i betcha 20$ i can hammer them spikes fast and straighter then all 3 of ya’s combined”
so the railworkers kinda upset took him up on his bet and sure enough he ran 5 spikes faster then the 3 men could do 1 afterwards the men paid him and asked him “how come you don’t join the railroad your good” he smiled looked at them and said “thats simple i’m the town drunk”
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