Pisser Bill .. A related Railroad expirence, ex BN in Tales of the Jointed Track

I worked power with these guys in Ft Worth. Gary Schimdt, was a former Dispatcher, Assistant Chief with the old BN out of Laurel, Montana. I worked with Gary off an on in odd power rotation. He was a great guy, and fun to work with. He did the coal fields, and the old Joint-line, Denver to Lincoln, Denver to Sterling, up to Guernsey, Wy. Denver to Laurel, MT, and the various veins Gillette, Douglas, and all the branches. Gary, was the other “Bubba Teeth” culprit that I wrote about in a past post.

Gary had lost most of his hair, balding and hair on the sides. It is shorter now than it was in his youth. “Ya wouldn’t know it, but I had long hair, rode motor cycles, and was pretty wild. There is another here, that was part of this too”. He’d laugh.

Laurel, Montana 500 am Enter Pisser Bill

Pisser Bill was a nickname of a former General Manager of the BN on the Region he managed. They called him that, and I can’t recall the name, because I never worked, under or with this person. Yeah, I am one of those Goddamned Santa Fe’s remember.

Gary said he worked the midnight shift by choice. In the summer they’d ride the bikes, didn’t have the hassle of track gangs. He said they knew of a liquor store that knew the railroaders. They would leave “x” amount of cash, and a note under the seat of their bikes. Next morning when they got off duty, a neat brown paper wrapped package, tied to the back of their bikes, a six pack of beer. LOL Those days are long past.

Pisser Bill, got that name, because when he had to go, he whipped it out and went. He was always out in the field when he did that, so hence the name. He came into the Laurel office on business. It is shift change and the Dispatchers and Chiefs have made their transfers. The night fighters are on the way home.

They are off, the bikes are started. Like a mini motorcycle “gang” before Pisser Bill’s eyes. He said to the Superintendent of the the Division, “Damn I’d hate to meet those bastards in a dark alley”. The “Super” says “Well ya just did, so to speak. That yer Night Chief Dispatcher, his assistants and three sub dispatchers”.
I guess he was pretty well speechless after that. I, for one, would have loved to been there and seen that …lol