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Railroaders' Nostalgia > 3rd Trick BluesDate: 05/20/15 18:30 3rd Trick Blues Author: retcsxcfm At one time as a carman I was forced to a 3rd trick job.That job consisted of working at the Seaboard
Air Line Tampa Yard,working the phosphate elevator at Seddon Island (just across the channel) and nearby Tampa Union station. I need to break this story down and tell about each segment. At the time, my work car was an old Ford Pinto.When I had to go to Seddon Island it meant crossing a combination railroad and automobile bascule bridge.The bridge did not have any railings to stop your car from going into the drink.I hated the trip because the Pinto wheels were about the same width of the railroad gauge.Every once in a while the tires would get caught in between the rails and timber and almost throw the Pinto and myself into water.That is scary number one. Scary number two.The SAL used covered hoppers for phosphate at this terminal.These cars had four hopper outlets that had to be manually closed after they were unloaded at the elevator.Using a "kick back" switch after the cars were emptyed they would roll back to the outbound yard.There were two laborers,one on each side to close the doors.They used a long steel bar to do so.When there were no doors to close they stood the bar up between the tracks.On my first time over there it was damp and a heavy fog made it hard to see.They dropped a cut of empty cars into a track next to me and scared the S--- out of me I took off running-----------yep right into one of those steel bars.Let me outta here! More to come Uncle Joe Date: 05/20/15 20:32 Re: 3rd Trick Blues Author: twjurgens Neat story!
Date: 05/21/15 11:38 Re: 3rd Trick Blues Author: SilvertonRR100 As long as you can laugh about it later! These are the things nightmares are made of!
Rob Date: 05/23/15 16:06 Re: 3rd Trick Blues Author: SCL985 Good story, give us more..
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