TL Bryant "ole Buddy" Conductor Big Lift Local mid 1980's in Tales of the Jointed Track

Tim was an odd duck. He and his brother were from Arkansas, directly across from Memphis, TN. Tim was, well Tim, his brother Billy Ray was completely the opposite. This is a vignette that I remember, and hope I haven't posted it here previous, from Open Diary, etc. Tim liked the women, Tim liked to get laid on a regular basis, and was a legend in "his own mind". Tim had that accent, and worked it to the max. He also for a few years played in a country and western band. They were a headline act, for many years on the Denver metro bar scene.

The original Big Lift local, switched out the morning "Q" train, and switched and picked up The "Springs" set out and maybe an Acme Brick at Castle Rock. If we had work at Castle Rock, we would follow the "Q" train up. Otherwise, we locked up the facility, coupled onto the back to the "Q" train and cutoff at Colorado Springs. We would switch there, with the edict to be returning by 230 pm. We then picked up flats at Sedalia, CO on the northbound, and make up the 900 pm "Q" train.

Colorado Springs, CO

We got done in a good amount of time. The cement was spotted, City waste was switched out and spotted. Same with the Colorado Springs Gazette. Drennan Industrial, was just in its early stages, so nothing there. We had some heavy DOD flats for Ft Carson. Logistics and how we performed our tasks, is another volume. We just got it done and we are on the way, at 130 PM, we usually cut off the "Q" train between noon and 1215 PM, so the day here was lite.

We have a GP-20, 4 people, and it is a crowded cab. Billy Ray and Steve Barto, the head brakeman occupy the brakeman and fireman's seat. Ole Buddy, takes the center fold down seat, and blocks the whole cab. Tim is tall and slim, but he takes up all the room. It is about Tim..don't think so just ask him. We have to meet two trains, before we leave Springs, so 7-11 is a stop in the siding at north "Springs" . A fresh can of Skoal, a 16 oz coffee, and Hagen-Daz ice cream bar, what's not to like. I get razzed for having coffee on a hot day. That's what I wanted, but Tim-Bob he has to get his two cents in.

Academy Siding, Colorado

We met our two at the Springs, but we were told, three more at Academy and we'll be on our way. The last one just topped Palmer Lake , and we hear the detector at 60.4 sound off, meaning the first train is 10 minutes out.

Okay we're railroaders, we talk crudely, is that right no, but it is what it is. So if offended by language etc. It is time to move to another page.

Tim is sprawled out and asleep. He's like a one man human barrier, and as stated earlier, it is TIM all TIM, all the time .

I get a feeling of, well Tim is gonna be decorated. I tear off a page of a newspaper, sight measure, and make about four sun glass lens pieces of paper for each. I wet the paper, and lay them on his sunglasses. Yeah ... that is a laugh in itself, Tim has had a big day..lol .

His feet are on the fire extinguisher, so why not tie those loose untied boot laces together, and to the fire extinguisher as well. Oh he's out..that goes good too.

His hands are slightly open, so we make a ...... Apologies to the women in here a paper towel phallic symbol out of paper towels, and a lil train order string and rubber bands. His hands are on his lap, so we lay that there.

The word butt-hoe is always used by Tim. Butt-hoe..the Arkansas accent version of butt hole. So a half torn off page of a speed restriction that we will not ever enter on our trip was utilized. An arrow was drawn upward, with the word Butt-Hoe pointing at Tim. That was placed on his belly .

Every good "leader" needs a hat of prominence. So out comes the newspaper and a pirate hat is made. We place that on his head. He almost woke up, but we pulled it off.

The piece 'de resistance ( spelling sorry ) A few adds in his overall pocket. There was a WestWord, a radical publication, that was controversial. But there were gay man ads, transgender, Strip Clubs, in the back and it goes on. Remember I said Tim was a Ladies man. I won't elaborate. Well, we clipped about six gay men ads for encounters and put them in his bib pocket.

We met our three trains, and onto Sedalia to pick up about 26 TOFC flats, and onto Big lift and make up the nights "Q" train.

Do you know hard it is to look across the cab and see our decorated leader in regal splendor. It was tough, and stifled laughter, without waking the sleeping king.

Sedalia, CO the TOFC Flat car pick up.

Tim is out...like do we need the coroner out. He is awakened, and what occurred was a good laugh as well.

He wakes up, and slams his glasses off, because the newspaper is on them. The Pirate hat comes off. He looks at the phallic symbol in his hand . He is enraged, then the fire extinguisher comes off tied to his boots. He's wild...I get my silver crucifix out. Tim is major pissed.

"Goddamn a person caint git a lil sleep around here without be'in F'ed with"!!! Poor Tim. We made our pick up and air test, switched out Big Lift. He made out the time slip and left in a huff. We still laughed, and this is a Friday, and we have a short day tomorrow.

Saturday, Big Lift, CO

We arrive, and finish making up the 0900 am "Q" train, and line back when they leave, tie up and the rest of Saturday and Sunday is a reality.

Tim states, "I hope you sons a bitches are proud of yourselves. I took n hour ta explain ta Cindy (his wife), why there was Gay man ads in my overall pockets".

Yes !!! Icing on the cake ... Another laugh.

La Junta, CO five years ago

I attended a retirement party for an engineer that worked up here for a while and transferred seniority. Was a great time and I saw a lot of people.

Steve Barto was there, and we related the above story. We laughed our asses off.

Conductor TL Tim Bryant ... retired

Head Brakeman SR Steve Barto ..retired

Rear Brakeman Billy Ray Bryant ..retired

Engineer RM "Brakeshoe Bob" Terry retired