Railroaders' Nostalgia > Rip Track Antics Part One

I hired out on the Seaboard Air Line Railroad at Tampa,Fl.The date was November 12,1954.I was at the tender age
of nineteen,
I joined the ranks of several other young men as carman apprentices.Most of us being young were still full of piss
and vinagar.We were the grunts/ gofers   who were "slaves' to our "master" journymen.We had to supply drinks and
goodies,such as peanuts to them.Altho,they were only a few years older,we did as they said.Not to do so was
cause for a little tomfoolery and you were it.

My first place to work was a heavy car shop at Gary,near downtown Tampa.It was not too bad,most work was in the
sun,but there was some work in a large shed.We heard stories of the "salt mines".What the heck are the "salt mines"?
No one wanted to work at the "salt mines".Later I found out that Gary was not the only place where SAL had a RIP
track.The "salt mines" was located next to the SAL Yeoman Yard,about three miles east of Gary.There was NO shade!
Sooner or later I would have to serve my time at the "salt mines".
Herein are some tales from the "salt mines"BTW some I just heard about,others----well I "might" have been involved in.
One antic was for "someone" to nail a carman's to a boxcar floor.Lots of laughts when he tried to pick it up.
Another tale.The older guys were always trying to do something to us younger guys.There was one guy in particular they
wanted.So they lured him into a caboose.The guy being leery did not want to go in.They opened both doors for him to
see no one was inside.Once in side the caboose guys,hidden in the closets closed the door and the trap was shut.
The happliss guy put up a fight to no avail.The "mean old boys" as they were called,but a pair of womens panties on
the guy.Slamed the doors and locked them.Well,not really knowing what to do,he tried climing out the cupolla.About that
time the boss came by.Looking at our guy with panties and combat boots,said."Boy,I don't care what you wear to work
.But dressed like that one the "mean old boys" might stick a -------- up your a-------".  Hope there is more to come
 

Love it.
I've witnessed many pranks at work.
TAH

Talking with one of our bosses last night and listening to his complaints about horseplay.  The stunt that bugged him involved someone putting a can of white spray paint in a knuckle and then making a hook.  It actually happened a long time ago but the boss was adament about how bad that was, mostly due to the call he was sure he would have gotten from the roundhouse about the mess on the front of the locomotive.

When I worked at the Ventura County Railway many years ago, there was a brakeman that would get his kicks by throwing firecrackers into the pit when the mechanic was under an engine. Said mechanic would come running up the stairs and chase the guy with a big wrench. This went on for a couple of weeks. Finally the mechanic got even by stuffing a couple of torpedoes inside the coupler. Well, you should have seen that brakie jump off the steps of the engine on the first joint they made. Engineer got a good laugh too. That ended the pit pranks, but more torpedoes were used for setting straight other pranks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/15 12:04 by SP4360.

Boy, you guys were freakin' dangerous!

In the LA roundhouse, we would fill a balloon with acetylene from a torch,  and tie off the knot with about two feet of string.  Then soak the string in diesel fuel and let the balloon pull the string up straight. Light the end and let it go.  The balloon could just lift about that much wet string, and it would usually get to the roof before the fire got up the string and caused an acetylene explosion!  Kept everybody awake, and did a good job of keeping the pigeons from roosting on the rafters and crapping on things below.

"No pigeons were harmed in the creation of the above post"   !!! Great stuff!

Darren Boes
Lethbridge, AB
Southern Alberta Railfan

SP4360 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I worked at the Ventura County Railway many
> years ago, there was a brakeman that would get his
> kicks by throwing firecrackers into the pit when
> the mechanic was under an engine. Said mechanic
> would come running up the stairs and chase the guy
> with a big wrench. This went on for a couple of
> weeks. Finally the mechanic got even by stuffing a
> couple of torpedoes inside the coupler. Well, you
> should have seen that brakie jump off the steps of
> the engine on the first joint they made. Engineer
> got a good laugh too. That ended the pit pranks,
> but more torpedoes were used for setting straight
> other pranks.

The B&OCT Grand Central Station (Chicago) yard engine crew had it in for the Polk Street (Grand Central Station interlocking) signal maintainer. I don't have a clue what it was about. In those days, the maintainer might crouch between the tracks in order to work on a switch machine while traffic was moving on the adjacent track. The goat engineer would stop next to the maintainer and pour water on him, then drive on. After a long time of this harrassment, he decided to get even. They went through the plant and into the train shed to get a train. While they were coupling up, the maintainer put torpedoes, lots and lots and lots of torpedoes on both rails. The goat came roaring out with the train in tow and BOOM. When the smoke cleared (literally in this case) the engine was derailed in the puzzle switch in front of the tower, effectively shutting the whole place down.

TAW



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/15 16:45 by TAW.