Railroaders' Nostalgia > Stealing? Excuse me,just borrowing

This story can be told because time erases all things,at least I hope so.
The Atlantic Coast Line was known for their use of purple in many ways.
One of those ways were procelene signs with purple backgrounds and
white (aluminum) letters.The most popular use of these signs were
"No Trespassing".They were all over the property.
Even years after the merger these signs were still on structures,posts
and other property.
Railroadania collectors soon found out that these signs would be worth
money.Soon they were disappearing everywhere and showing up at train
shows.
Sometime years ago ,I found out there were several of thes signs around
the relocated Hardieville,SC depot.Maybe if I took a trip up there I could
find them.I did,But how do you "retrive" them in daylight in the middle of town?
Well,just forget about it.
No! On a later trip I had a plan.The depot was right in the middle of town.On a
post on each side of the property was a sign.
I had a van and during the trip,it was getting dark so that was good.Drove off the
interstate into town.Parked the van away from the depot and rasied the hood
pretending that I had car trouble in case anyone came along.Checking the signs
I noted that each one was bolted on.I had tools and I casually moved from one
post to the other just taking the bolts loose,not removing the signs.I waited
awhile and kept my eyes open for anyone.By the time it was at least midnight.
Everything seemed quite so I made a quick run to all the posts and "retrived"
the signs.
No sooner than after I go in the van,a cop came along! I am sweating!
I told him I had car trouble,no problem.He told me to be careful because they had
some buglaries near-by and had cops hiding and looking for the bad guys.
While he was there I "tried" to start the van,and believe it or not it started!
Fast as I could,I left the little town of Hardieville and back on the road with
my stash.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

This a good example of the moral decline of America. I was taught not to steal and to know right from wrong. For 43 years I saw the results of "fans" feeling entitled to harvesting what ever was not nailed down on the railroad I worked for.

I couldn't do it ether. Somewhere in my childhood, I had the fear of God instilled in me.

Had a fella tell me one time he was gonna steal a great big porcelain herald of the MKT station in Altus, Ok but waited until after dark to try it.   He told me that some sorry b-----d had beat him to it.  I laughed at him and told him he deserved it for wanting to steal it.

Ten years after the MILW left WA state I borrowed some copper date nails from ties left behind.  Sorry.
RB

How is this Railroaders Nostalgia? I fail to see how stealing fits under this category?

Posted from Android

DG .
Unknown, US

Was Uncle Joe a railroader?

trkspd Wrote:
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> How is this Railroaders Nostalgia? I fail to see
> how stealing fits under this category?
>
> Posted from Android

Even so, theft is not something that I think belongs here.

Posted from Android

DG .
Unknown, US

I'm not a railroader, but back in the 70's we had a strong storm in NJ, might have been a hurricane. A couple days later I did some shooting at Bound Brook, and found the CNJ Bound Brook station sign had been blown down and was lying on the ground. It fit pretty well in the back of my Pinto wagon. But when I got it home, Mom said I had stolen it and demanded that I take it back. So I did. :(

I wonder whose basement it's in now?

Back when, SP employees couldn't purchase anything surplus from the company. It had to be paid for by someone that didn't work for them. This worked pretty well, getting old switch stands for a buck or two off the scrap pile. The one thing you better have is a "Spot Cash Bill" on your person in case you were stopped. Other wise you would be looking for another job.

One thing SP did do was make Friday an employee day if a tie gang, bridge gang or other repair gang came through.  Monday thru Thursday the old ties
went to property owners along the right-of-way, mostly farmers and ranchers.  On Friday, you had to drive where the gang was working, load your own ties and take them home. They had a gang come through Atascadero and I got enough to fence & cross fence 5 acres.. They were replacing bridge ties over Monterrey St. in SLO and I got 3 of those. It took 4 of us to load just one of them. A friend who was a conductor purchased a bunch of bridge ties off the bridge at Surf, via a Spot Cash Bill. He went down one weekend with his big flat bed truck and a bunch of guys and loaded them up. They were really heavy and they were only able to take 15 at a time. On his last trip, he was going through Santa Maria, headed for 101 when a Santa Maria cop pulled him over.  The cop wanted to bust him for theft but he had the receipt in his hot little hand so they turned him loose.

When machines showed up on the railroads, they had one that would cut the tie in 3 pieces and dump it along the R of W. (2 ends and a piece from the middle) They would gather them up and burn them.  Well, the smoke and smell got the the local and state governments involved so they started giving them to ranchers, etc.

Well, that came to a halt when the SP discovered they could sell them to a contractor for a big profit.  The contractor had to clean up everything, broken ones, steel banding that held the ties together in shipping, anything.  I don't think they had to take the rattlers though. Lots of them on the Coast.

Nudge

trkspd Wrote:
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> Even so, theft is not something that I think
> belongs here.
>
> Posted from Android


YES I AM A RETIRED RAILROADER!
And yes,it is not a "railroad" story but has to do with the railroad.
Nevertheless,I never intended to stir up all this contraversy.

BTW as a reader of these posts,why don't you tell us a railroad story?

UJ

If everyone stole everything there would be nothing left for others to see! Good job! (Heavy sarcasm)

Posted from Android

Okay, this one time I got a phone call. 1.5 hours later I went to the yard office. I printed my paperwork. I got on my train. I took to to the other end of the road. I tied up. I slept at the hotel.

Notice how that at no point during my story did I talk about stealing RR property?


retcsxcfm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> trkspd Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Even so, theft is not something that I think
> > belongs here.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
>
> YES I AM A RETIRED RAILROADER!
> And yes,it is not a "railroad" story but has to do
> with the railroad.
> Nevertheless,I never intended to stir up all this
> contraversy.
>
> BTW as a reader of these posts,why don't you tell
> us a railroad story?
>
> UJ

DG .
Unknown, US

Before computers, they would try to get you for stealing time. How many rails shaved off some minutes or added some to make everything come out even???  My hand is up and so should be all rails, at least 99.8%.


Nudge

  OK, so now that your conscience is bothering you, why don't you go back and replace the stolen signs?

When I was just a kid, my Dad told me that the Feds would haul you off if you ever stole anything from the RR.  He was a Frisco engineer, so I figured he had to inside dope.  Never tested the theory.   Couple of times I was tempted, but his words came back to me.

I hope the statute of limitations hasn't run out.

When the Southern Pacific Coast Line (California) went to Direct Traffic Control in the '80s, a number of train order offices were closed.  The local trainmaster or division superintendent (whom I only knew as "SPW10 on the microwave") got on the PBX and told someone to empty out the depots so that there would be fewer problems with trespassing.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/15 19:31 by Bowknot.

That would have been the one and only Charlie Babers, Jr.  SP  W-10 out of Wat. Jct.


Nudge

spnudge Wrote:                                        could of been Fluke ? or was he retired by then ?
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> That would have been the one and only Charlie
> Babers, Jr.  SP  W-10 out of Wat. Jct.
>
>
> Nudge