SR1457 wrote:This goes back a long way, does anyone remember these, and who were they employed by?They always sold drinks, crackers, etc., books., and almost always had a good deal on electric razors, etc., I was just thinking about this today!
I remember my parents talking about them. During the Second World War intercity trains often had standees and the diner, if there was one, was probably occupied by first-class passengers and/or military people. "Butch" was short for "butcher" in tune with the fourth definition of that word in Merriam-Webster online: 4. "A vendor especially on trains or in theaters."
Frequently these were pretty young boys, 10-12 years old. As you said above, they carried (literally) not only newspapers but snacks, drinks, candy, gum and the occasional "special." Much more grueling than a paper route! The butches went up and down the coaches, hawking their wares, sometimes for just a few minutes before catching a train in the other direction, towards home. My understanding is that they were tolerated to ride without fare and if the passenger trains coordinated well, could go through several sales cycles per day and really take in a haul.
My parents were married in 1944 and on one typically overcrowded trip my mother heard the alarming cry: "Eat a fried pie and die! Eat a fried pie and die!"
Turns out he was really saying "Eat a fried pie! A dime!"
Given what we now know about saturated fats, that little boy may have been ahead of his time!
Family lore, you know . . .
Didn't I read that the Amtrak "Hiawatha" trains have a modern version of the news butch?
Expresslane wrote: Didn't I read that the Amtrak "Hiawatha" trains have a modern version of the news butch?
Ashamed to say I've never ridden one. Hello, out there -- modern "Hiawatha" train service Chgo - Milw? Anybody know if individual sellers in the trains bring the munchies and newspapers, etc., for sale to the passengers?
al-in-chgo wrote: Expresslane wrote: Didn't I read that the Amtrak "Hiawatha" trains have a modern version of the news butch?Ashamed to say I've never ridden one. Hello, out there -- modern "Hiawatha" train service Chgo - Milw? Anybody know if individual sellers in the trains bring the munchies and newspapers, etc., for sale to the passengers?
There was an article in TRAINS just a couple of months ago about this arrangement. The Hiawathas have food service provided from a food cart that goes through the train manned by an individual seller who IS an Amtrak employee. Amtrak has found that this works better than a separate cafe car. The advocacy community may not like it but it works!
Amtrak has now come back to the very similar practise many railroads used on trains that couldn't justify a diner up until the end of private passenger service (only they normally didn't have a cart-amazing what they could carry including a very large coffee pot). I know the Pennsy used them through the '60's. The Europeans use cart vendors on trains.
I believe the "youth" news butchers were supposed to be at least 14 sometime after WWI--but child labor laws weren't always enforced, including during WWII when everyone was desperate for help. But most states would have required those under 14 to be in school during school days, although enforcement could have again been a questionmark.
alphas wrote: Amtrak has now come back to the very similar practise many railroads used on trains that couldn't justify a diner up until the end of private passenger service (only they normally didn't have a cart-amazing what they could carry including a very large coffee pot). I know the Pennsy used them through the '60's. The Europeans use cart vendors on trains. I believe the "youth" news butchers were supposed to be at least 14 sometime after WWI--but child labor laws weren't always enforced, including during WWII when everyone was desperate for help. But most states would have required those under 14 to be in school during school days, although enforcement could have again been a questionmark.
It could also be that li'l butchie worked on weekends, or played hooky on occasion. "Don't you know there's a war on?"
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