Try This On For Cy's
By Cy Martin
Trainman Tim Lowry tells that two men were talking, when one ask, "Which is the biggest problem facing our country today, ignorance? or apathy?"
The second man answered, "I don't know, and further more, I don't give a damn."
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Retired employee Joe Laine and his wife recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. They were married April 23, 1946 in Weatherford. They have three children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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It is strange to people down on our level of the food chain when we read in the business section of the newspaper, a headline that states "Increase in jobs shakes up bonds." You would think that the financial community would like to see people employed. Employed persons are more likely to be able to pay their bills. Ah, but, where would the fast food millionaires be without a vast pool poverty-level wage-earners?
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Plans are to increase efforts to close crossing. The Denton Branch is a good candidate for these efforts. There is 95 crossing in the first ten miles of this stretch of railroad. That is almost 10 crossings per mile.
One man said he worked the branch one trip. They blew the whistle so much, he wore out three sets of ear-plugs.
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The following scenario is a spoof on Voice Mail and automated answering machines used by busineses today. All though the spoof has to do with railroads, I think a similiar response might be received by a caller to any corporation today.
A lady driving down the freeway sees a bridge has fallen in on the adjacent XYZ Railroad line. She does not know anything about railroads, but she has a good idea that this is not as it should be.
She uses her car phone to get the XYZ Railroad's Emergency Number from Information. She punches in the number, and hears:
"Rin-n-n-g, ... rin-n-n-g ... click ... You have reached the Impending-Disaster-Line at the XYZ Railroad.
"If you wish to report a broken rail press 'one' now.
"If you wish to report a burned-off journal, please press 'two' now.
"If you wish to report a washout, please press 'three' now.
"If you wish to report a burning bridge, please press 'four' now.
"If you wish to report a run-a-way-train, press 'five' now.
"If you wish to talk to a human being, please stay on the line for the first available human to take your call ... <60 seconds of elevator music> ... rin-n-n-g ... rin-n-n-g ... click ... All of our humans are busy now. Your call is valuable to us. Please stay on the line. The first available human will answer your call in the order in which it was received."
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James Pierce tells us that Kenny Farmer is up and doing well under the circumstances.
The McKinney Avenue Trolley is seven-years old.
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A.L. Mynatt, 82, a locomotive engineer for Southern Pacific, passed away April 23. At the time of his death, Mr. Myatt had accumulated over 50 years seniority, going to work for SP in 1943. His last regular assignment was on the Dallas-Sherman Local.
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According to one writer on the internet, there is such a place as a "graffiti supply store." They even sell how-to books. One is called "The Train Book." Each page is a line drawing of a railway car or locomotive. It's a sketch and planning book so that the artist will know what he wants to paint when he finds the car of his dreams.
The book is published by Threat Publications, P.O. Box 29490, Indianapolis, IN 46229-0490. Retail is $4.75.
Alan Kline, akline@crl.com, says, "Last I heard, vandalism on RR property was a federal felony. Isn't it also a crime to publish or distribute material which aids in the commission of a felony?"
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Effective April 16, 1996, the Longhorn Railway Company began operating the rail line owned by the City of Austin, Texas which was formerly operated by the Austin & Northwestern Railroad (AUNW).
The Longhorn Railway (LHRR) will begin interchanging with the SP at Giddings, Texas. In May of 1995, AUNW had embargoed all traffic routed over the Giddings interchange. The line has been repaired and SP can now have direct linehaul into Giddings, TX.
The LHRR is a switch carrier, adopting the AUNW switching tariff. Donald Cheatham is the general manager.
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Hicks Siding is to be lengthened to 8500 feet. Chico is to get two new tracks by this fall.
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We are number one in safety for the UP System, so far this year.
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At the Bowl Yard on Wednesday, May 15, there was a red and black switchengine, It was marked as the Austin and Northwestern #8.
It had a large square box just ahead of the cab. It appears to be as wide as the hood, and is higher than the roof of the cab. It looks like it might be for Dynamic Brake grids since there is a fan in the top of it and louvers on both sides.
According to Erik Langeland of Calgary, Alberts, Canada and several others on the internet, it is indeed a switch engine with dynamic brakes. Original owners included Coos Bay Lumber Co., Canadian Forest Products, SP, and West Virginia Northern. UP even had some in the form of TR5's (SW9 cow-calf sets) used as Cajon Pass helpers, but these had the DB's removed. AFAIK, Canadian Forest Products still has theirs.
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DART Rail opens for business on June 14. A brochure says: "Dart Rail arrives June 14 and with it arrives a new era in transportation for the region. We will celebrate the area's newest arrival with a Grand Opening weekend of festivities, June 14 and 15, which include the DART Rail Dedication Ceremony, Downtown Block Party and Super Saturday.
"Dart Rail is now arriving. Get Ready for the ride of your life."
Cy is a locomotive engineer in Fort Worth, Texas.