My grandfather, Foster "Pop" Caple was a NKP conductor - when I was nine or ten (1952 or 3) he took me with him on a way freight run north from Indianapolis. We drove through thick early morning fog, and stopped along a country road where he knew of an artesian spring pipe with sulphur water - I didn't want to drink the stinky stuff. I have a vague recollection we started at Castleton (SW of Fishers, now part of 'Naptown), but could be mistaken. Rode in the caboose, about 7 or 8 cars, with a Geep on the front. I remember a good deal of street running, and breaking the train to not block cross streets when we stopped for lunch at a cafe - no more cooking in the caboose then. But I heard a version of the same folk tale that Utah Phillips embellished in "Moose Turd Pie" (you complain about the food, you get to cook next time) from Pop that day, telling me about the rule, and a brakeman who sat down to eat and exclaimed "This soup's too *** salty, and that's just the way I like it." Or as Utah's version ends, the moose turn pie eater says "Good Though" [ http://www.amazon.com/Moose-Turd-Pie/dp/B0010W2H8A ]
One indelible memory was the stink at the paper mill - perhaps a "strawboard" plant - we switched that day. Pop took me to see one of the foremen and I got a quick tour - phew!! Lots worse that the sulphur water.
"That's Moose Turd PIe!"
Haven't heard that song in years. Somewhere, I've got a Utah Phillips album. Unfortunately, it's on a casette tape.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.