"Skull Cramp", I like it, I've used the term "Helmet Fire" for a lot of years but never knew what caused it Bobby
Or in the military, the term is "brain F and A and R and T" If I don't spell it out, it won't make it through this forums censor; I've already had one word censored out. It was B and I and T and C and H. Lol...just had to do that on principal. I don't like censorship. [ 05 April 2001: Message edited by: rsn48 ]
Rsn48, that's because of the 13 and 14 year old young Men who are members who would never even think of using such kind words, so could not possibly understand what you were trying to say. Although they may refer to their own mothers and girlfriends in the same manner, they are not allowed to read it in print, because it might warp their little minds or stunt their growth. Personally I think that bunch of young men has already lost interest in us and have turned their hobby interests to girls, gangs and guns, so not to worry. Those too young to join the Marines probably do not engage in the fine art of lighting a high aimed windy expression in the locker room anyway, so there again, could not understand what you mean. In Boot Camp, there was a Sargent of short temper who had been shot in the mouth in WWII and was quite nasty in vocabulary. I can assure you, we did understand him, or else! His pet expression was: "You Dumb S**t Heads, I can spray for Termites, but I can't spray for youngin's! You will get killed if you don't learn"! He would rather shoot us himself than have us get shot on his watch, he told us over and over. I think he would have too!
We are an E and C and L and E and C and T and I and C bunch. My favourite Regimental Sargeant Major used to say: "G.. D... it! don't swear!!"
You know what I think is funny? Go hang out around a high school, or some other local area that young people hang out(the high school will probably escort you out like some petty thug any more these days), and you might be absolutley amazed at the levels of language we younin's speak. I bet some of it is over even the vocabulary levels of even our anciet peoples, scary. I hate IT!!! I might use some of the lighter, more correct terms, I do not use the darker ones. They are all too strong, too "mature" for me. And I hate talking with some one when every other sentence sounds like "F S M F B F S F B ******"(you fill in the wildcards). I think I get the message: "now don't talk to me any more" And don't think that all of these teens don't speak that way. Most of them, out of the presence of adults, have mouths about as black as the inside of the smokebox. Boy would I love to see my face shine in that smoke box again! Anybody know of a good strong soap?
I thought of a time when a guy got his hand burned touching a hot firebox. He "talked to God loud and long" about it. The thought came to mind: "He is talking to the wrong guy about getting burned, it'll be the other one that will burn him! God resents those who take his name in vain! My opinion is that there are a lot of good kids who are not basically mean. Due to the times we now live in, (with the break up of the traditional home, where there was a father who loved his wife, and they both loved their children, and children respected authority, and really wanted to learn); there has been a growing number of self-centered lawless young people who will be running this country soon, even worse than "Slick Willy" is. Our fearless leaders lie to us openly in our face now, so that teaches our youth that it is alright to lie. Kids with guns are not taught gun handling by their fathers anymore. Your life means nothing to these kids if you get in their way, or they feel like a little target practice. They have gotten the idea that the world owes them anything they happen to want, and are fully willing to kill to get it. God knew this could happen when He gave man the power to reason. God's chosen people were the only ones he made "Laws to Live By" and set those Laws in effect. All other peoples on earth were considered no more than heathens. Much of the youth we hear about in the Media today are the heathens because that is what makes news. God said that any child that arrives at the age of 12 and is not in subjection to his parent's at that time; is to be taken out and stoned to death! Old west Texas law was pretty close to that too. I have heard some accounts that would curl your hair, but that is not Trains. That is why we here on the TrainBoard are trying to maintain a healthy, friendly atmosphere where we can all get along and voice our opinions in a personal manner with no intent to arouse anger. It is merely our opinion, and we then have to be fully willing to listen to your opinion. There should be no competition as to who is better than another. I was told this expression: "Its just mind over matter: I don't mind, and you don't matter!" It was funny at the time, but it does describe the generation we have to live in. Best we give it some thought.
I have enjoyed reading these stories, a really good topic Watash. I grew up the son of grocer in a railroad town. Portsmouth, Ohio. I was about 16 before I realized that not all diesel locomotives were painted black.
"My Stars and Garters", here I sit on a Whipple-tree just realizing how much older I must be than you young Whipper-snappers! If anyone knows what I just said, then you can understand how I wonder where the time went. I well remember the first motor driven piece of railroad equipment I rode was in the summer of 1934 when my Grandmother took me from Wichita, Kansas down to Anthony, Kansas on a Doodle Bug to spend two weeks with her. She had made the trip so many times, she knew the Motormen who ran the trip bothways. I can still remember the exhaust sound it made, and that he shifted gears on it. (Bood-Bood-bood). In later years, I rode back home on the last run it ever made, and he got her up to 32 miles an hour! Can you emagine going that fast? It was scarey! That one was replaced by a shiney new one that looked more like the HO models available today that were diesel electrics. The new one was a marvel of progress! There were no gears to shift, and the motor had a pur-r-r to it. The new one did not have the black and white striped chevron paint on the front, and you could not hear it from across the field like the old one. The old one had a three cylinder Buda diesel that was replaced by a six cylinder Euclid in the new one. (I think that's right). Then later the whole town turned out to see the new Burlington Zepher Streamliner! That was the "Cat's Meow", a really "Keene" stream lined shiney silver and red trimmed thing that looked like it was going sixty miles an hour while it was just sitting there! We were all amazed at the fancy padded seats and classy interior! Not long after that, there was a new silver F- unit passenger train came to Wichita and we got to ride it from there to Harper, Kansas! Man it was fast! The Conductor told us we were going a mile a minute! Unbelievable! The thrills of youth. Everyone thought those things were just a fad, and could never equal the big black steam engines that were serious railroading. You see, it was different back then, we could marvel at all the different things from an 0-4-0 to the 4-12-2's, and occasionally even the 2-8-8-2 and 4-8-8-4's and go see and ride on them, they were the real engines! Today, all you have to bicker about is the color of paint, what engine number ran which year, and if it had a toilet or plastic bags. Today, you even have young girls driving trains! Fellows, I think I have been around too long!
Wayne .. yep, I can remember those things too! When I was about 8 years old I can remember going with my class into downtown Los Angeles to see the original American Freedom Train, which was pulled by a 'futuristic' F-unit, all cars and locos painted red, white and blue. I stood in line for over 8 hours to take a 20 minute stroll through the cars to view all the original documents that make this great nation unique. Had I known then that all those beautiful steamers were going to disappear, I would have taken more time to enjoy and study them. I find that today's youth are not really interested in live steam locomotives .. they like the modern diesels. It's sort of sad. :rolleyes
I know guys, it never entered our minds that steam would die someday. I was on a trip one time heading for Marine Corps Boot Camp in California on the Rock Island Rocket, sitting in the Parlor Car. The conductor said we had just hit our road speed of 75! At the time we were being passed by a crack Hudson pulling a passenger troop train doing at least 20 miles an hour faster than that diesel. Naw, steam would be around for ever! Back then I thought I would be too!
actually steam never really did die, if it was dead, then there would be none and museums, and excursion lines, etc. so steam ain't dead!! ( it's only sick )
I was engineering for CSX in 1989 for CSX on the old St.Louis line from Grafton to Benwood Juction. The this particular train, I was acting conductor for the day. The engineer was a rookie, and was only his 3rd run over the line. As we were cruising along we had a yellow signal at the top of a hill between Smithburg, and ellenboro. So I told the kid to let up from 45 to 25 he turned the dynamics to "7" and applied some airbrakes, and then let off the brakes and we were cresting the hill at about 30mph. The dispatcher told us to slowdown more, and so the rookie punched the brakes...a little too nhard, the brake lever went to full and the lead unit started to rattle violently. we began to pick up speed coming to the bottom of the 2.1% grade and were going a good 45mph, and then we throughed a red. we were really in trouble, I threw the kid out of the seat and I took the controls, letting off the dynamics and let off the brakes then I put the throtle to "0" (from 25 mph) and the train settled but still were goin way too fast when we hit the bottom, I applied moderate braking to the train only, and then put on some brakes to the 3 GP40-2's that were leading(leader was like #6188 I think) I forgt the rest of the #s. but anyway, the train was going 35 into a 25mph curve and I could hear the 3 Geep's screaming into the turn I yelled " GET DOWN, WE'RE F-----G CRASH!! " so then 3 units and 35 loaded hopper cars made it, it was definately a miracle. then were under control again and wehen we stopped at benwood, I requested never to run with a rookie again. (though I did a few more times )--Tim
Welcome aboard TK! It is a good shake-up when a kid is driving the head end! I think that is why in steam days, it took so long before a guy could get off the shovel and into the engineer's seat, they wanted some maturity and comon sense! In fact, I think you almost had to have grey hair at one time before the Road would let you handle a passenger run. Thanks for posting TK, everyone is enjoying the tales here, ever break a knuckle?
Welcome to our family of railroaders here Will and Lefty!. Steam will rise again!! Even this Diesel fad will go away! Just think, after the last A-Bomb drops, nothing electronic will work, so the only transportation will be steam again! [ 11 April 2001: Message edited by: watash ]
