Stories for the Christmas Season

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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Several years back,a gentleman who posted around here shared the following story about a man, and his loyal dog: “The Story of Shep” … A true story. from Ft. Benton, Montana… A station on the Great Northern Rwy.

See full story linked @ http://montanakids.com/cool_stories/Famous_Montanans/shep.htm

Over time, several other Forum posters have shared some railroad-related stories of this Season; of people and events surounding this special time of the year.

If you have one of these stories, and would like to share it here, Please Do! [bow]

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A Real Christmas Gift…

Got a good reality check today.

Everyone has a bad day once in a while, you know, those days where you could care less about any and everything, catch a good case of the blues, and end up feeling really sorry for yourself?

Had one of those yesterday, and it looked like a repeat for today.

The yard is jammed to the gills with cars, no place to switch them to, more work than we could ever get done, knee deep in gators…that along with some personal issues keeping me down in the dumps, having a real good pity party for myself…

There is a young man, 16 now, who shows up just about every day it isn’t raining…he sits across from our yard entrance watching the action on the old SP line, and watching us switch.

The thing is, he sits in a wheelchair.

His Dad brings him up there in the afternoon, around noonish, and they sit, him in his chair, Dad in the van he has, watching, taking the occasional photo, waving at the crews as they go by.

I have never really talked to either one of them, other than giving them a few cans of water during a scorching summer day, and sneaking a gimmie cap out to the kid once…didn’t really know his story, other than he shows up all the time, and a few of the other regular fans seem to enjoy sitting with him.

Well, we were sitting there on the lead, blocked by another inbound, while we were trying to go grab another switch cut from the receiving yard…just piddling away time really, when I noticed the van drive up.

Dad unloads the kid; they have one of those hydraulic lifts in the side door.

He gets the boy all covered up with a blanket, and they are taking in all the sights.

The boy keeps looking over at us, we are literally just across the street from them, when I get one of those ideas that usually end up with me having to try to explain to someone higher up why and what I was thinking and doing.

I talk with my helper

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Thanks for posting this story again Ed, I always enjoy reading it.

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I never get tired of reading that one, Ed.[8D]

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I’ll pile on with the thanks, too, Ed.

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Terrific Story, Ed ! [bow] Thanks for Sharing it !

I hope we can get some more Seasonal stories, shared here, as well.

To all A merry Christmas ! and a Happy New Year !

I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Holiday Season. [yeah]

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That story is simply unforgettable. Probably remember the protagonist forever as well. Great writing, Ed.

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It’s not Christmas season on the forum without Ed’s two contributions - this one, and his classic “Night Before Christmas” (available elsewhere on the forum).

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Railroad Magazine, January 1943
Christmas Comes to the Prairie Central
Banker management had nearly wrecked the system; a blizzard threatened to finish the job.
By Harry Bedwell
The gray bowl of the sky had shut down over the Oberlin yard. Snow fell in big flakes, sliding in quietly to make a clean carpet over rails and gaunt ties and the dark ballast between. It washed the sprawling roof of the big station, with division headquarters above stairs. It made the lines of rolling stock along the sidings look like the huge links of long white chains in the growing afternoon gloom.
The night air was tight as a drum. You could feel the sullen pressure of the storm climb. The wind gathered out there somewhere under the dull arch.
Eddie Sand, slim and light-stepping, came up the station platform heading for the dispatcher’s office. A boomer telegraph operator from every place but here, he’d be sure to drift on once more when his feet again became restless. Right now the swarming flakes and the crisp air trickling in about the high collar of his overcoat stirred a random element inside him. They shifted his thoughts beyond the lowering sky and the curtain of snow to far reaches