Nostalgia & History > The Twelve Days of Railroad Christmas

Ok, I know this is a little late and its not strictly History....but maybe
it qualifies for its Nostalgia value.

I found it in a yard office this morning and since there is no author shown I have altered it, ever so slightly. See if you can tell which line I changed. Never mind the original word.

The Twelve Days Of Railroad Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas my railroad gave to me:
Twelve hours work,
Eleven cars to set out,
Ten hogheads whining,
Nine Bad orders,
Eight Form 'B's',
Seven Donk's a sleepin',
Six Chains a draggin',
FIVE BANNER TESTS,
Four hopper doors,
Three cut-slips,
Two broken wheels,
And a handbrake on the last car.

Not bad for a yard office poet.

Charlie

I just realized I had better 'splain some of the terms.

Form 'B's: are areas where on-track equipment such as tie-tampers etc. are working. These require an exacting radio conversation between the foreman in charge of the work and a member of the train crew. Don't mess this up--human lives are at stake.
Donk's: An endearing term for Brakemen
Banner Tests: Latest form of operations testing. Get by one of these baby's and you'll have some enforced 'vacation'.
Cut-slip: Pay claim rejection by the Timekeeper or Trainmaster, or both.

The rest should be easily understood.

Let's guess: Ten hogheads b*itc#ing?

Some of your local slang got me - donks, banner tests, etc. Ain't railroading fun!?!

I wouldn't trade running locomotives for a real job!

Rosutabout out

roustabout Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let's guess: Ten hogheads b*itc#ing?
>
> Oh, tsk tsk. That behavior is so unlike any 'rail' that I know. (Yep, you got it).

Charlie
>

This is the best version of this concept that I've read yet....