Nostalgia & History > My Phone Call to Steve Lee, Winter UP 1990's (Humor)

I have no photos or recordings to support this posting, but seeing the recent photos of the Rotary Plow Support car, attached to the back of today's 844 trip, Prompted me to share this with everyone...Back in mid 1990's there was a big reason for UP to plow the snow in the Sierras,(1995,96?) I called the number I had for UP Steam at the time, and using my name, was somehow directly connected to the crew in the Bunkhouse on Wheels. After Innocently asking if they were having "fun" plowing snow, I was Immediately Barked at by Steve himself..Something like .."If you had to live in this cold thing for 2 weeks, would you call that having fun?"..or something like that,..if you knew Steve, You know what I'm talking about!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/17 05:28 by RailRat.

they usually got a bunch of groceries to help

Jim,
I know exactly what you are talking about. His bark s always followed by his good nature with those of us knew him best.
They were all messed up out there when we got there in Portola. They were trying to open the High Line with spreaders and basically destroying them in the process. When we got to Portola they were getting ready to try smashing their way through with 4 units only to derail them.
While waiting the road foreman asked of we could clean out the yard and so we began that process and when we got to the end of the last track, two ties came flying out of the chute. I asked what the heck was that and the road foreman said they had them in the end of the track because it was out of service. First I said It is back in service now. Then I thought why the heck did he have me plowing that track when it was out of service.
Anyway, we started plowing up to Westwood but they decided they wanted to do it themselves and they sent us to Oroville. And that was about the end of the story.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Dan,
That was my job to restock the diner-bunk every fall to prep for winter.

By the way that diner-bunk was a part of the consist to LaSalle on the 3985 break in run in March 1981. Back then it was painted silver.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Concerning that "Dinner-Bunk" car, is the water system still "out of service"? Some winters ago, the current manager left the car out side, without properly draining it, and the water system froze up.

Re: Clearing out the O-O-S yard track at Portola

That's one hilarious story, Bob. LOL

- Greg

Yes, that's a great story Bob!,thanks!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Concerning that "Dinner-Bunk" car, is the water
> system still "out of service"? Some winters ago,
> the current manager left the car out side, without
> properly draining it, and the water system froze
> up.


Jack, I was talking to Smith about this yesterday morning and if memory serves, it's only 200 gallon capacity anyway. So much for showering. Also, it used to have a pump toilet like the power and cabooses used. You know, the ones where the mud sharks are swimming in the deep blue sea... What a special treat it has to be living in there for a week or 2. It's gotta be like camping in a porta potty.