The Undercutter Ballast Work Train in Tales of the Jointed Track

This is a continuation, of the ballast work train, I was on for most of the summer of 1984. We arrived as we did around 0645 am at Spruce siding MP 49.0 . We called the Foreman in charge of the Train production gang. We let him know we were at the train, and had about 30 minutes of switching, to separate out the empty hoppers and loads. There also were partial loads of rock remaining in a couple of the ballast hoppers. The foreman asked us to proceed with everything out of Spruce, and proceed to Greenland siding, MP 46.3. He gave us authority to enter his track protected limits, and also radioed the track flagman, to allow us into the limits as well. His gang order, a Form B, in TWC (Track Warrant Control ) which can or cannot protected by a flagman, or in our case flagmen, since we were approaching the limits from the south. There was the RED STOP track flag displayed. We were allowed as far as, MP 45, which would give enough room, to make our switch moves.

We had 3 GP-35's, 2 partial loads, 15 loads, and 30 empties. We made our moves, and picked up the remaining 40 loads at Greenland, and set out the empties. The 2 partial loads, were placed in the lead, for spot dumping, and 55 loaded hoppers would be used to replenish the roadbed, after the under cutter. A tamper, and a ballast regulator, were and remained down below, and ready to tamp and straighten as needed. We would unload, and if gauge or kinking became an issue, dumping would be stopped. The train pulled back, and the tamper and regulator came in and brought the rails back to where they were needed to be. Any trouble spots from the day before would be dumped as needed.

Around 1230 PM we were told to proceed down to the section crew that would be unloading the ballast. We started down, and Pat Rutherford, said they were waiting at MP 44.5. We would dump a few fill in spots, the start unloading the rest. Roy and I would trade off every two hours. It is 3 to 4 mph running, an old tie,placed in front of the trailing truck of each hopper, that acted as a crude grader, while the rock fell out of the hoppers. There were about 5 men, with bars, which adjusted the flow, and direction, to either side of the center. There were old style hoppers that had the "lids", that only went, to the center. These had to be chained, to slow and restrict flow, so it didn't all discharge at once.

Bob Mayne Conductor.

We started our initial dumping, the dust is flying. We have drinking water cooling, in all the refrigerators, on the all units and the Caboose. We'll go through 90% of this, doling it out for the crew and the section people. One of the brakeman, would walk one side, I would walk the other passing out water. Depending on the wind direction, one side gets it worse than the other. I get to the action and start passing out water, to the section. Bob is up ahead, watching with the foreman or the assistant foreman, in case of trouble. "Ya want some water"? "Yeah, gimme a couple". "What are you eating"? "Grasshoppers" "Oh bullshit, Bob, I'm stupid, but not that stupid". "He says, no look". He opens his mouth and there is a grasshopper inside. The he gets that evil Bob Mayne grin and crunches it. I don't know how to explain it further, you had to be there. I had a chew in, and I thought oh, this is a lil stomach turning, and I don't pale easy. The he says "Try one, the brown ones have a nutty flavor". Well the only thing nutty, Bob is you, and not the brown grasshopper, thinking to myself.

We dump until we have 40 minutes left. We get cut loose and shove all our empties into Greenland for pick up tonight. The power, caboose and the 10 loads, are stashed at Spruce. We'll do it all again tomorrow morning.