This train bound for...
I had a moment of nostalgia today.
A train was chugging down the track in our small town and
it reminded me of the blog entry that I posted in 2009.
My friend Max who I mention in that article has passed on since then but
the memory is sweet and I think you will enjoy it.
Max and his wife ran the combination hardware and “5 & Dime”
store across the street from the single train track that cuts through our town.
I guess the trains have to be scheduled very
carefully since there is only one track. Basically we get 3 or 4 freight trains
per day and a passenger one that whips through late at night.
As I recall I was down at the Hardware store picking up
some potting soil and Max and I were outside chatting when an old CSX freight
train chugged into sight. I thought it was going slower than normal but never
expected it to actually stop as it did.
“What’s going on?” I asked Max, as we watched
the conductor hop down from the train and scale the small hill that led to the
street. “Oh, I reckon its lunch time”, said Max. Sure enough, the train conductor was jogging
across the street and soon disappeared around the corner. According to Max he
was on his way to the “Subway” eatery located in the BP Service Station one
street away. “He does this once or twice a week”, said Max … “been going on for years.”
I was still trying to take this all in when the man reappeared carrying a
large bag with the “Subway” logo on it. He had a big grin on his face and was
thoroughly enjoying himself. “Top of the morning to you, Max” he called. He
then disappeared over the edge of the bank and a few seconds later we saw him
board the train. As the idling engine gained speed he stuck his head out and
gave us a last wave. “Now there goes a man who loves his job” I thought and the
sheer audacity of his actions made me laugh.
Now Max is gone and it’s been years since I’ve seen that train come to a
stop here. I wonder if the two are
connected ?
posted by Ginnie at 5:00 PM
8 Comments:
Another unique Ginny anecdote. The trains don't run through our town anymore. I kind of miss the whistle, but I don't suppose those nearer the tracks do.
Lovely story...I hope that they are both on that train and relishing the ride.
I love the times when an engineer could stop his train to pick up lunch. And when there were combination hardware and five-and-dime stores. Nice post.
Having spent years watching American movies showing people travelling on streamlined trains with luxury 'club cars' etc. I looked forward to my journey from New York City to Buffalo NY. This was during the 1980's and I got a special deal on the price of 1st class 'Amtrak' tickets for the 'Empire' special, and on boarding the train I was ushered into the 'palour' car. I was never more disappointed in my life. No big leather armchairs! No bar! No dining area ! No large observation windows ! Just airline type seating and a very basic tray meal. It was even worse than back home on, what was then, 'British Rail', and that's saying something !
I am always grateful when you take us along on these nostalgic trips.
Those were the day..... how neat!
What a sweet and touching post, Ginnie, and as someone said before "Those were the days."
"Our" train stopped at our Station here one day last year... we were very curious to know what was going on when, a half an hour later, it was still sitting there, diesel chugging, crossing lights still flashing, bells dinging... the engineer stopped to get his haircut at the barber shop across from our station.
Really. 45 minutes of fuel keeping that diesel running for a haircut ay Scotty's.
They also stop at the Melfa crossing for fried chicken at Tammy and Johnny's (next to Turner's Sculpture!) and sometimes at the town of Melfa itself for coffee and Danish in the morning.
We are now down to 2 trains a week. Pity.
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