We lived on a famr near the WV, PA border, and the WM coal trains ran through our corn field, along the creek bordering the farm. They, if I remember correctly, were 2-8-0 Consolidateds, 2 up front pulling, 2 in the middle and one at the rear pushing. I don’t remembre how many cars they were hauling but they took at least 20/30 minutes to pass by.
The ground would tremble before the train arrived, they made a hell of a racket and seemed monstrous to us.
They seemed to run on a schedule as they would appear every morning about the same time. The crew would blow their whistles at us, and after awhile they would throw candy to us as they passed by. We were always excited to see them coming and would be jumping up and down, waving our arms like crazy.
I always wanted to be an engineer, the diesels are great but do not have the alan those steam locos had.
At 6 years of age, I got an American Flyer 027 Zephyr for Christmas. It was lost when we moved.
My Granddad was a railroad machinist at the L&A’s Hunt Yard roundhouse in Greenville TX. After Dad graduated from high school, he helped him get a job as a roundhouse helper - the lowwest of the low. After a few months, dad was promoted to machinists helper and then bid on a road job firing steam. He did this for three years, saving money to pay for college. When he started school, he maintained his union membership - officially he had “marked off” not quit. During Christmas and Easter Break and Summer Vacation, he would “mark back up” on the extra board. Anyway, when I was three years old, we drove to Texas to visit Granddad. One evening, my mom said, he had told her to dress me tomorrow in clothes she didn’t mind me getting dirty. The following morning all three generations of the male side of the family went to the roundhouse, where granddad introduced grandson Number One and dad reunited with friends who had been fellow firemen back in the day and were long since promoted to engineer. One of them was running a first trick yard job and he told dad to hoist me aboard and he would give us a cab ride. i was scared, that thing (an EMD SW7) was big and loud! But Dad was with me, so it must be all right. I was soon seated on the fireman’s seat and enjoying the ride. I even got to blow the horn and ring the bell! After that, mom said, all I could talk about was trains. That Fall, Grandad sent an engieers outfit - bib overalls, cap (with a PRR herald - how he found THAT in Texas, I don’t know) and red bandana - for me to wear for Holloween. When I outgrew that, he sent me an Old West US Cavalry corporals uniform. Man, did he have my number, I still love trains and spent 25 years as an Army officer - in Armor, the descendent of the Cavalry! A highlight of my day was our afternoon walk down to the station to watch the trains go by. It was a hell of a thing to do to a poor child and almost seventy years later, I’m still not cured.
Model trains were my point of affection. I don’t know when it happened, but I had a 4 by 8 Tyco layout before I began Kindergarten. I have always loved model trains.
One of my earliest memories was of watching SP tiger striped switch engines shuffle cars in Austin’s SP yard; standing in the front seat of our station wagon as my dad studied. We lived in UT married student housing, which was close by. I was offered a ride in the engine one time, but turned it down at the time because it scared me. I was three or four at the time.
I got a used Lionel 027 set for my 6th birthday; my dad was in med school and I realize now what a big expense that was for my parents. All I ever wanted for birthdays or Christmas was train-related. I eventually got a trestle set and two swtiches; my dad put it all on a 4x4 sheet of plywood. That satisfied the need until my grandparents gave me (and ostensiably my younger brothers) a Tyco HO set for Christmas when I was 11. In Jr. High, I built my first 4 x 6 layout; and I have been modeling seriously ever since.
I’m 63 and I still ask for train stuff for Christmas and birthdays. I never get anything, so I buy my own presents.
I got my first trainset in 1968 ( it was my dad’s O gauge Marx set )
But I really got the train bug in 1970.
I grew up on my grandparents farm ( 1800 acres) and the Southern Pacific ran down the entire length of our East side. They went by on a regular schedule, but the one that went by at 9 pm was my favorite. And, It also signaled that it was time for Little Timmy to go to bed.
Ok, I wouldn’t say “in love” but became fascinated, starting in childhood, thanks to my parents. Since Dad drove the car to work, whenever my Mom needed to shop, or visit relatives/friends in the city, we’d always hop a ride in… one of these [:P]:
(photo: Anthony Vessella)
I liked their appearance, rockin’ motion, and the cacaphony of “mechanical music” (noise to non-railfans) that they made.
Add to that, across the street was a 4 track rail line where I often saw equipment like this running by:
(photo: Ben Fiorello).
Some kids became ultra gung-ho with Hemi’s, Cuda’s, Harley’s, or F4 Phantoms by the time the teen years hit. For me, it had to run on rails!
Probably in the womb, as mother loved trains. One of her early jobs required her to travel around the country by train. There was a pre-war Lionel 0-6-0 set on a 4x7 table, that they had bought from a friend, in their room as far back as I can remember.
Being born in 1944, and growing up in Chicago, trains were “everywhere”. We lived close to the C&NW racetrack on the northwest side, and I spent many hours trackside watching the old steamers and the new streamliners go by. Sadly, I don’t have even a picture from those times.
Also, going to my Grandmothers in southern Illinois (Anna) was a special treat for me as the Illinois Central mains were just across the street. Talk about fast trains, when the City of New Orleans or Panama Limited roared thru, they were (so I’m told) doing about 100 mph!
So to this youngster, the locos were the epitome of massive power and admiration. And yes, I’m still in awe of them today.
When did I fall in love with trains? Just after WW2 would be the answer.
No big locomotives; nor little ones for that matter.
From just after being born I lived with my Aunt, Uncle and two cousins (both girls).
Saturday, all packed and off to Bridlington for a weeks holidays.
The entrance into Leeds City Station was through what I thought a tunnel. Actually the Queen’s Hotel was either side and above giving the impression of a tunnel. It was dark, dismal and above all very smoky.
The lighting was dim. The lightbulbs were covered in smoke. As for the shades above the bulbs, they were the darkest of gray. I do not think anything had been cleaned for years.
To the right Aunt bought our train tickets as we children waited. Inside the Ticket Office there was hardly any lighting. How any Staff saw what they were doing is anybody’s guess. The queues at each ticket desk seemed to flow with such ease.
I loved it!
I never felt that way again until I was nine or ten years of age.
This time entering Dewsbury Market Street Station. By this time the Station was closed to passengers. In fact the closure to passengers was in 1930s. Becoming a Goods Only Station. Yet nearly every Saturday in Summer a passenger train would leave. Its destination would be to a coastal station.
To enter Market Street Station a train would travel through a tunnel first. This made everything dark and dismal. Because there was (supposedly) no passenger trains the lighting was very poor. Oh how I loved the station.
Leeds City Station has a bright, airy new entrance. A well lit concourse to the waiting trains. The queues are interminably long.
What is a LION to say. Dad always took the LIRR to work, I loved waiting on the station (not much of a platform in those days) waiting for the grey and orange MU set make i
My dad tells the story that I was about 3-4 and would be mesmorized watching the trains go through a yard while we were on vaca in Switzerland. I don’t remember that at all, but he’s likely right. The love has only grown.
I was born with it. I was drawing trains at the age of 2. Watched thomas, (Thomas and the Magic Railroad destroyed me and the franchise at the age of 13.) got an G scale train set then HO Scale. Got multiple HO train sets but I settled for N Scale because I love the size.
I tried getting a job for the railroad but they aren’t responding back to me. My dream job will be that a DREAM.
That is very true and should be used in more places than just here!
In my case, one could say it almost was in my blood. My late maternal grandfather worked for the Northern Pacific (hence my love for the NP) from the mid 1940s and retired from there in the mid 60s. Never got the chance to discuss it with him as he died well before I was into modeling and such. My uncle also modeled for many years. He has enough medical problems that he can no longer do it so I was given all his books and equipment in May. I have integrated some of his models into my collection and am working on getting more worked in as well. The books will most likely end up at our local library as it doesn’t have much for NP books.
My Mom has related a story to me that when I was about 4 or so I wanted her to stop under the “subway” (as the NP called it) so that I could hear the train running over. (At that time, it was the Burlington Northern running but it was a train.) mom wouldn’t do that as that would have caused the rest of the drivers to be unhappy. There have been times where I’ve been walking and have stopped on the sidewalk just to listen to the trains going over. (now BNSF but again it is still a train.)
No, they will not get back to you. But from time to time the major railroads hold a job fair and you will have to keep an ear on the rails to discover where and when and how to apply.
If they say to be there at 10:00, then you will be locked out at 10:01. If they say to bring two number two pencils then a pencil and a pen will not do. Part of the test is to see if you can follow instructions.
You may have better luck with small regional lines.
Lion mentioned: “You may have better luck with small regional lines”
One other thing: the pay on short lines and regionals is lower, but the work environment may often be MUCH better. You get to have more than just “a railroad life” – you get to have a life at home, too.
One of the major gripes of employees of “the big ones” is not enough (or NO) time off, “demerits” for this and that, and often harassment by management. This is probably going to result in a nationwide strike before too much longer.
I hired out in 1979 and retired in 2012. Ran freight and passenger for Conrail, did a little time on Metro-North when it was brand-new, spent the next 6 years jumping back and forth from CR to Amtrak, then stuck with Amtrak for my last 20 years. So I got to see about as much as one could see in my territory, from the PA/NY line to Boston.
But I wouldn’t want to run the big freight trains today. No way.
I have lunch every month or so with a friend from south of Albany who put in 42 years. He agrees – the job “in times past” was a great one, but wouldn’t want to be doing it today!
(photo: Anthony Vessella)
(photo: Ben Fiorello).