The tie work train. in Tales of the Jointed Track

This was in the year of 2003, I am back from being a Company officer. I marked up where I could hold. I had a number two seniority spot, I could hold almost anything I wanted. The job I wanted, the Big Lift local. Monday through Friday, paid ya on Saturday, though ya didn't work that day. Sometimes ya did, but the nature of the beast. The number one engineer held that job, for the time being.

I bid on a work train. Monday through Saturday, could be twelve hours, could be less. It depended how they got the cars of loaded ties to us. We reported and tied up at Big Lift. It was beneficial that we were not encumbered with the inefficiency of BNSF 31st Street Yard.

There were 15 cars of ties at Big Lift, 30 more at Orsa siding to unload. Herzog, was the contractor who did the unloading. This was a backhoe tractor, with a claw to grab ties and distribute to the right of way. They actually from the ground, climbed this backhoe up and onto a gondola. once on we kept him on the car(s) and added and deleted as needed.

We tied up in various places. Grabbed loaded tie cars as needed before we started the actual unloading. As Orsa got farther away, I said lets get what we need, or what I can pull with this GP-38-2. We set some into the house track at Castle Rock, and went back and grabbed the other 15 cars, plus our Herzog unloader and 10 more. We started unloading. The operator would grab ties and watch for the Section Foreman's hand signal to drop the load. If there were no break downs, we could get 10 to 15 miles of track taken care of in one day.

The kid who worked this Herzog unloader was not the sharpest tack in the box. He could do his job, but he was a lil odd. He was from Falls City, Nebraska. Recently married, away from home a lot with this job. He was paid well, and put up with the long time away from home. Friday's if we were caught up or ahead of schedule, the foreman would cut loose early. This gave the Kid ample time to drive home, and come back for Monday morning. He'd meet us where we tied up that Friday.

Spruce,CO MP 49 ... fast forward

We had tied up at Spruce for the week end. We left about 12 empties at Greenland,CO for the DENPUE to pick up. We had the GP-38 and 8 cars. The kid decided to become efficient. He was going to come early, get the backhoe serviced, and ready when we got there. We spotted within easy walking distance, and an easy access. The problem, there was a heavy cinder accumulation from the steam days. There was about 3 feet of fine cinders in the area. This was passed onto the kid, don't get off the M.O.W. road, you'll get stuck. What part of stuck, didn't he get? Well guess who got stuck? Not only stuck but bury to the axles stuck. That Stupid KID!! John Riggs, the Section foreman on the job, tried pulling him free with his Jeep and a draw bar chain, but no luck. John was digging into the M.O.W. road.

There is a coal load waiting to get over the top. The DP's are 5 cars from us. A headlight appears from the north. A light short freight is flagging in behind. Tony Minck is the engineer, and we call him. There also is another Coal train holding at Greenland siding. We won't get the track till these guys get past us. The Kid, he's still buried in the cinders. Tony comes up to us. We talk and have an idea. Let this DENAMA, grab the draw bar chain and yank this guy free. We call the load behind us. "Jimmy? can you see the rear end of the DENAMA"? "NO, its clear past Noe Road" "Okay we need to back up 2 cars".. "We'll watch and spot to Noe Road, if needed". We hook the chain to the plow, and to the rear frame of the truck. We're clear, the kid is in the truck. "Tony back up 2 cars if needed, the load is stopped and aware, watching Noe Road if needed". "Okay" Tony releases the air, and allows tonnage and gravity, to take a hold. The chain tightens easily, and we yank the truck out like and abscessed tooth. Tony sets the air on the train, and comes to an easy halt. The truck is free, and we unhook the chain. The kid is free...

The DP's roar to life, "We have a clear in the sag, we're leaving". We tell Tony, thanks, and leave when you're ready. We also tell the coal load we're done as well. Tony flags up, to the signal at Palmer Lake, Jimmy comes in to MP 50.5. We wait till they get over the hill, then the track is ours and another day of unloading ties.

Big Lift, CO Late Spring, 2003

We are at Big Lift, waiting for a bunch of southbound's to clear. We are told by the BNSF and the UP dispatchers, you'll wait for these to get by before you do anything. It's going to be a good wait, four hours worth.

The kid is there, we the crew are there, the Big Lift section is there, our foreman is there. The brakeman on the job, today is off the extra board. Eric Marty, he's a promoted engineer, but forced back to train service, due to being unable to hold an engineer assignment. We call him "Tiny", yeah all 6 foot 5 inches and 280 lbs worth. Eric says hey, I'm going to Sedalia for breakfast, anyone. I have eaten I'm good, the rest says the same. The kid speaks up, can I go? Sure.. and away they went.

They come back about 45 minutes later. we are still waiting for track time. "How was the breakfast?" Silence, then Tiny says "That Kid, that's the dumbest S.O.B. I have ever been with". Oh yeah, he's been with us for 2 months now.
The Kid comes in, talking a bunch of crap. The Conductor has had enough, and says " Goddammit, Kid, you're a stupid bastard, you must be a product of interbreeding" The reply was "Oh no there is no interbreeding in Falls City, I should know, I'm related to almost everyone in that town". We all laugh.. What can you say after that?