Railroaders' Nostalgia > Swapping Stories at the Yard Office

Some of the Old Heads were reliving the old days and sharing tales of dropping and kicking cars, getting off moving equipment, speeding, etc. A younger guy chimed in and said, "One of these days the best story I'll have is that I once closed an angle cock without calling "red zone". Brought down the house. Sad but true...

When an official walks up to someone working in the field, is the worker to yell out "STRANGER DANGER"?

John Gezelius
Tustin, CA

shortlineer Wrote:
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> Some of the Old Heads were reliving the old days
> and sharing tales of dropping and kicking cars,
> getting off moving equipment, speeding, etc. A
> younger guy chimed in and said, "One of these days
> the best story I'll have is that I once closed an
> angle cock without calling "red zone". Brought
> down the house. Sad but true...

Out here, we also ask the conductor to doublecheck the switch after he clears the red zone.

Kick 'em switcher!

Ha! I can very much relate to this.

Great story--I can relate to that--last week a switch crew was even specifying the time and track # when the derail was operated when they were making a set-out.
Brian Stevens

specifying time and position of switches and derails is common in dark territory using a (Switch Position Awareness Form) SPAF. Those rules came about (like most things on the railroad) after the wreck on NS where a conductor left a switch open, and another train ran into their parked train, causing a chlorine tank to rupture. Just another layer of so-called "safety checks" that they think really help...

As far as old head stories, That's the funniest new hire/old head joke I've heard in a long time!