To all of my good friends, both old and new, here's wishing you and your families, a very merry Christmas. May you be blessed in the new year ahead with good health, prosperity and happiness. Our shared interest in trains of the classic era has been a source of joy to me I look forward to hearing from you all in 2011.
Mark
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas a Long Time Ago
By Mark Foster
The markers were lit and hung on back of the way car,
but because of the snow couldn’t be seen from afar.
The lamps in the crummy cast a flickering glow
inside the car and out onto the snow.
The rear brakie had stowed his flagging kit
and climbed to the cupola with a cigarette lit.
On the conductor’s desk inside the way car
sat a minature tree topped by a silver star.
A wrinkled old hogger clenched a cigar between his teeth
and its smoke hung round his striped cap much like a wreath.
After a few scoops of coal and blowing water gauge cocks,
the fireman settled down comfortably on his left side seatbox.
The head shack snoozed in his doghouse atop the tender,
fitfully dreaming of Rule G ‘cause he’d come off a bender.
The carknockers checked the journals for waste and for oil
and when finished were weary from all of their toil.
A switchman lined all the leads to the main just right
then headed to his warm shanty for this was the last train tonight.
The conductor’s lantern swung up and swung down
letting the engineer know it was time to leave town.
With two shorts on the whistle he notched the throttle just back
and for good measure put sand on the snow covered track..
Past dimly lit switch stands the train slowly rolled
onto the main through the snow and the cold.
The lightning slinger’s key flashed an OS over the wire
then he turned and warmed his fingers by the station stove fire.
His thoughts turned to the kids and jolly Saint Nick,
‘twould soon be the end of his second trick..
Through the snow down the track the headlight shone bright,
a most welcome beacon on such a cold stormy night.
The stack now barked briskly, the clean fire burned bright,
‘twould please any brass hat who might chance see the sight.
For each grade crossing the whistle would moan
and all aboard thought of their family and home.
The semaphores all dropped from green to red
as by each one the fast manifest sped.
The head shack lined the switch for a mid-run meet
then headed back to his warm tender top retreat.
After the passage of the Night Owl passenger train
it was out of the hole and back onto the main.
Side rods again were a blur, lineside poles fairly flashed by,
and the snow continued to fall from the sky.
By dawn the run would be over and all safely back home.
Merry Christmas dear friends ‘tis the end of this poem..
Ditto to Marks post. I wish all of you and your family's a Great "Classic" Christmas and may the new year be full of Clear Tracks Ahead.
Dan
In the mid 1960's I spent Christmas Eve on board the Chief, eastbound Flagstaff to KC. We were slowed by heavy snows and I arrived at my folks a little late for Christmas, but we made it... singing Christmas Carols and trading stories with the passengers and crew of Santa Fe #20 as we crept across eastern Colorado at 30 mph behind the Santa Fe plows.
There can never be a warmer memory of Christmas , for me, than this....it is with that spirit that I wish ALL a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I would like to wish all of my fellow forum readers a very Merry Christmas.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
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