Yeah Gregg, Maxwell is right, people might think we are serious, or having a fight or something. I'm sure you are correct about the Reader Railroad, But I just never heard of it until fourty years after the time I was remembering at Searcy. For something that happened when I was 12 the first time,(and just watched the DK&S) and then 15 and 16 (when I was paid 25 cents an hour to "gopher" around the engine, and sweep the floors of the office), I really do not remember ever hearing of any connection to any other railroad, although there may well have been. That was nice money for a kid, back then, when we got $2.00 for driving a tractor all day. I must have confused you, because when you started off on a Reeder train, You were talking about something fourty years later. The DK&S hauled cotton bales, and occasionally a few flat cars with big stone blocks, lumber, and that was about it. We never had any paving materials back then. I was learning to lube the engine, start the fire and get up a head of steam, wipe everything down, fill the tender with water and coal, and act as brakeman coupling cars. They were nice enough to let me learn how to operate the throttle, maintain the fire, and that was about the extent of it. To a 16 year old kid, it was the thrill of a life time, I would have paid them to let me do all that! Kids don't pay attention to details, and if you will read all the posts I have made on the TrainBoard, you will notice I have not tried to be authoratative, unless I quoted something out of a book. I have only tried to make the old days interesting and funny, and help with How To: on some questions. I'm sure everyone would enjoy hearing what happened when you were there when the DK&S had a contest with the log truck. Who won, and when was this? Do you know the name of the firemen or engineer on the DK&S in 1945/46? I'm sure they are no longer living. Do you know the engine number of the DK&S engine that stayed at Searcy 1942 to 46? When did MoPac buy DK&S? Gregg, you can help bring these good memories back to me if you can find out any of the above answers. I can be more accurate in the future also. OK? Thanks old Buddy. The banter was fun like in the roundhouse! HA! Thanks ------------------ Watash #982 "See you in the Pit"
Firts off welcome WATASH.I can hopefully gain knoweledge from you in the future.You have the kind of humor that I look for in friends and fellow model railroaders.You don't take things to seriously and you have been there and done that.I personally have only worked for the railroad for 4 years but I am a fourth generation railroader.I am sure i can ask ya about the good old days.And remember what you know and 50 cents will get you a cup of coffee any day at McDonalds. Once again welcome ol' buddy ------------------ anyone need a car call ed pinkley,home of the pinkley taurus.and also now home of the new bn forum. [This message has been edited by Ed Pinkley#2 (edited 30 January 2001).]
wait a minute pinkley. i've been eating and been around mc donald's for 20 years now and you can't get a cup of coffee there for 50 cents now it's 55 cents. and when you have been around mc donald's that long you get to know your coffee and egg mcmuffins. maybe we should unionize this discussion, how 'bout it watash? ------------------ fly with route of the eagles.rock n roll all night and railroad everyday!
I keep dropping off line for some reason????? Yeah, you guys are on!! Wait til I roll out my railway Cannon and we can have the place all to our selves when we show up with that! Is McDonald's like the roundhouse? The coffee was started back in the 20's and by the time I got there in 44' you could have oiled the rods with that 90 wt goo! That coffee was so strong, we couldn't dunk cookies in it, we had to pound them in with a sledge, then pry them out with a pick axe! You guys haven't eaten good food till you have eaten with the crew in a roundhouse after working all night to replace a main brass before morning. They made toast by laying bread on a hot boiler being riveted, or tightened. One guy fixed eggs on a shovel using a #7 tip on a welding torch! Of course they wiped the shovel off pretty clean first, but by then we were all pretty hungery, so it didn't really matter much. Once at ElReno, Oklahoma, a guy baked a ham in a heat treating furnase after swelling some rod ends. There were lots of ways to make life bearable when you know how. Some time I'll tell you some of the tricks guys pulled on us apprentices'. They could still start a good fight! HA! See you at the Big Roadkill Burger joint. ------------------ Watash #982 "See you in the Pit" [This message has been edited by watash (edited 31 January 2001).]
Watash, Congrats. As a person who has had the chance to learn from your wisdom, I know that your selection as a moderator was appropriate. Best of luck. Regards, ------------------ Clifton Chief Cook and Bottle Washer of the LaZ & E RR, (known locally as the Lazee Boy Lines)
Thank you kindly guys. Just keep the place warm for my old withered bones, and fire I can get my icy feet up to, and we can guzzle the swill while dreaming of big engines and shapely critters. ------------------ Watash #982 "See you in the Pit"
