Railroaders' Nostalgia > Do You Remember....

....when you found out, maybe the hard way, how great a dry pair of socks feels? I do.

Late November, snow everywhere. Working a student trip on through freight. Got on the caboose leaving town with my feet already really cold and wet. Changed to dry socks and a pair of loafers I had in my grip....and it was wonderful. Until a hot-box detector got us about 60 miles up the line. Then the wet stuff went back on.

Every day is a good day to be an engineer.  :)

RetiredHogger Wrote:
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> ....when you found out, maybe the hard way, how
> great a dry pair of socks feels? I do.
>
> Late November, snow everywhere. Working a student
> trip on through freight. Got on the caboose
> leaving town with my feet already really cold and
> wet. Changed to dry socks and a pair of loafers I
> had in my grip....and it was wonderful. Until a
> hot-box detector got us about 60 miles up the
> on.

Yup! Been there, done that.

-LD

Riding, not working on, the Bald Knob run at Cass at the end of a very cold September day just before the last really bad winter. It wasn't that bad on the valley floor, but up at the observation platform there were a couple inches of slush (and one other set of footprints.) On the way back, I had dry socks and the then-toddler had his sleeping bag. (Husband had better sense and stayed on the train.) 

Since then, wet weather railfanning means extra socks in a ziploc bag, one of those disposable rain ponchos, and if there's any chance of getting stuck in the cold, a Mylar "space" blanket. All three will fit in one pocket of most winter coats. That leaves another pocket for a couple of those immortal breakfast bars and/or jerky in case of "whad ya mean the fast food joints are closed?"

Rebecca Morgan
Jacobsburg, OH

Damn, what about this Texas heat?  Do they give the conductor a break when his 3 mile long train goes into emergency?  100+degrees, 80 at night high humidity.  Wow!  Sphogger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/23 10:28 by sphogger.

sphogger Wrote:
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> Damn, what about this Texas heat?  Do they give
> the conductor a break when his 3 mile long train
> goes into emergency?  100+degrees, 80 at night
> high humidity.  Wow!  Sphogger

walk slow.....have engineer call spatch to plan a recrew.