Western Railroad Discussion > Toto Tuesday: We'll send you a ride

When a train crew is nearing that magical time in their day known colloquially as tie-up, one of the best instructions they can receive over the radio is “we’ll send you a ride”! In this case it appears our crewmen will have to yard their train in a slightly unusual procedure, coming in through an elevator track. It doesn’t really matter to them, so long as it goes smooth and uninterrupted. AND so long as they get that timely ride they were promised. Few things in a railroader’s never-ending life on the road can be more satisfying than finishing a day in a smooth, safe manner and to return home to be with loved ones.

1. & 2. The crew van driver is waiting to pick up a crew member, no doubt with his rig running and the heater on. The conductor (or whomever) is already off the train, and is standing out of sight behind it. He opened the switch just east of the junction at Menoken and his UP 6293 is pulling into this vacant elevator track. In my observation over the years this is a semi-unusual move. Maybe Topeka Yard proper is suffering capacity problems.

3. The Fairview-Mills elevator is catching the last negligible rays of sunshine. When this train clears the main line our grounded crewman will close & relock the switch and crawl into the van. He will be driven up ahead to orchestrate the final moves that will end their day. It’s 6:57 PM, and with any luck this crew will be Home & Dry* an hour from now. Maybe for a warmed-over, late supper with the family.
(3 photos taken on a very chilly February 20, 2018 at Menoken in Topeka, KS)

Time to call it a day!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

*In January of 1979 former Stealer’s Wheel band member Gerry Rafferty had a 3rd song in 8 months break into Billboard Magazine’s Top-40 chart. His heartstring-tugging composition “Home & Dry” had a minor bit of success, peeking at #28 in a 6-week ride on the chart. I’ve paraphrased his first 2 lines in the song:

“This cold train takes me 'neath that sky
Just one more hour and I'll be warm and dry”

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Home and Dry is such an upbeat song. I enjoy the way the harmony splits during the words "you'll be feelin'". Balances the rest of the song. Great song choice to match your images.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/19 17:16 by IC1038west.

Awesome pictures! I don’t recall the song, did Rafferty work a RR job before his music gig? Must have been some inspiration for the song and lerrics?

CM80-46 Wrote: > ... did Rafferty work a RR job before his music gig?

No, not at all (at least that I'm aware of). But with pop/rock music from the 60s, 70s & 80s+ being one of the great passions in my life I will quite often take lyrics from some song and bend, or "paraphrase" them to fit a given image. Sometimes I don't have to do much bending... :^)

Lance/199 (aka 'DJ Sir L')

 

"PTI,  I have a crew needing a ride at Baker Street."

That is some swesome light in your third photo.
John