When did you get your first cab ride?

[Deggesty]

My first cab ride came in 1965; I had written the superintendent of IC's Tennessee Division, asking about such a ride from Memphis to Grenada on the City of New Orleans on a certain date. His response was that I could--and he would be in the cab also. However, he was called away, and one of his subordinates took his place, sitting in the fireman's seat--I sat in the middle. Soon after leaving Memphis, I motioned to the engineer, indicating that I would like to handle the horn--and I did so until it became too dark for me to distinguish between mile posts and whistle posts (same size and shape).

As to speed, I noticed that the speedometer needle stayed about 90 most of the way--and we did not make up any time (ABS only).

I had also written the superintendent of the Louisiana Divisio, asking permission to ride the engine from Jackson to New Orleans; his response was that such permission was not granted. 

I did have the pleasure of helping the conductor, who knew me, sort his tickets after we left Hammond.

My second cab ride came in 1969, right after Southern #41 and $42 were truncated at York, Alabama When I boarded in Birmingham, and told the conductor, whom I had known for a few years that I was going to go to York and back and then get off in Tuscaloosa, he refused to take my Tuscaloosa-York round trip ticket (I did use it later). While we were waiting for train time in York, I asked him about riding the engine back to Tuscaloosa--and he took me up to the engine, introduced me to the engine crew--and I stayed there until we stopped in Tuscaloosa, where I got off on the side away from the station (lest someone who would have been unhappy seeing me doing that should see me).

My third ride was in the fall of 1969 on the  from the last stop of the northbound Birmingham Special from the last stop before Chattanooga until we had gone through the Lookout Mountain tunnel. After we left that stop I asked the flagman, who knew me, and he took me up to the cab, going through the baggage car and both engines. Going back, I walked through the engines in the dark.

My last cab ride was in December of 1970 when the Southern was moving the two consoldations from Atlanta to Birmingham for winter shopping. 

Going over from Birmingham the day before, I asked the engineer who was going to operate the first engine about riding his engine, and he told me that the permsiion was not his to give. However, when we stopped in Anniston to take coal and water, I went up to the engine (#722), he beckoned to me, and I had a wonderful ride, even though I had to keep out of the way of the two men who were bailing coal. 

When I boarded the engine, Mrs. Purdie (the wife of the Southern's man in charge of steam operations) who was sitting on the fireman's box, and complimented her on her makeup--and after we arrived in Birmingham, she told me, "Your mother wouldn't know you."

[BaltACD]

B&O Chicago Express #9 Garrett, IN to Chicago - #9 was about 1 hour late and left Garrett about 5 minutes ahead of the Capitol Limited, whose headlight could be seen arriving Garrett as we departed.  Engineer quickly notched out to the 8th notch and left it there until 118 was seen on the Chicago Pneumatic Speed Recorder - and across Indiana we went, made a station stop a LaPaz (B&O's version of South Bend), leaving LaPaz it was all 8th notch until stopping a Gary - beyond Gary the speeds were reduced account all of the urban operations as well as operating over the Rock Island as the B&O's route meandered its way to Grand Central Station after a stop at 63rd Street.  #9 was OS'd into Grand Central On Time. 

I was 13 - my father was the Superintendent and his instructions to the engineers - Observe timetable and train order slow orders - if you are late and there are no speed restrictions - go as fast as necessary to get back On Time.  The sensibilities of railroad speed were much different in that bygone era than they are today.

[daveklepper]

Age seven, returning from the 1939 NYC World's Fair on the LIRR (10 mile, 10 minutes, 10 cents) mu engineer saw me peeking though the door separating the vestibule from the coach interior, invited me to ride the front platform with him.  Scared wnen the wistle blew when approaching Penn Station, but still loved the experience and was the first of many such rides on the LIRR, NYNH&H, and NYCentral.  The last, much later in life, included a B-Liner (RDC) through the Berkshires Albany - Springfield.

For a genuine locomotive, the very first cab ride was arranged by Bob Konsbrook for me and himself on a CERA South Shore fantrip, summer of 1952, Little Joe.  Only time on steam, including throttle time was light engine move, 4-8-0, Pratoria "Engine Sheds," South Africa, around 1984.  First diesel also 1952 in connection with work at EMD.

[3rd rail]

For me it was about 1975  on the Ralston switch job in downtown Battle Creek, MI. I was hanging around, watching the action, then (I can say it now since the parties in question are deceased), Conductor Tom Shue invited me up for a ride. I rode with those guys all day on PC SW-8 # 8608. I'll never forget that day. The engineer was named Gale. I never cought his last name. This was when the old D.T&M was still intact to Rumely yard. Talk about some BAD track... 10 mph, thinking we would hit the ground at any minute. An  entire afternoon bombing around with this job was FANTASTIC!!!!   A few years after that riding the Amtrak to Kalamazoo, and later to Chicago, Tom Shue was the conductor on the train I was riding. We shared a Coke in the "Turbo-Dinette". On that SW-8, he pointed to the hatch on the cab floor, and told me that they kept their potatoes and carrots down there. I knew he was kidding, but I remembered that on the Amtrak, and offered to buy him a salad. We ended up getting chili dogs and milk shakes at Fabers in Union Station in Chicago.  

 

Todd