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Show r t fr PAGE THE ZEPHYRNOVEMBER 89 we had a fridge on board. I mean we had burritos ala box car one day, stir fry the next. It was almost decent By all means add both an Iron atlas, and a rubber atlas, to that list and you're on the right track. Knowing rail traffic priorities may be helpfuL We spent at least three days in an open box car, comfortable, but not very fast If the car Is empty, Ifs probably on a very low priority train. The fastest freights are the plggys, and containerized cars. Of course Amtrack will quickly side even a hotshot Riding on a trash train for a few days did afford us a little recreation. On more than one stop I picked and ate more than my share of wild blackberries. Somewhere along the Colombia River we sided to let a south-bound- er pass. We were anxious to take a final swim before we crossed the river for the last time. To get to the river we had to cross the rails that the oncoming train was traveling on. It Is not advisable to allow a passing train to come between you and your belongings. But after all, the water was there, and we could keep our eye on the approaching train. What could be better than this? Soaking in the water, our cares slightly farther away than the half mile or so of rolling steel ahead of us. You know that feeling of dread that comes over you when your assessment of a situation Is off significantly? Let me at this point describe for you what is referred to as an air check. Brakes on a train are much like those on a semi truck. That Is, they work on a vacuum system One. Every car having brakes. The air brake system runs the train's entire length. When the engineer Is ready to move the train, he releases air to test the brakes. This becomes a very Important sound to Dsten for, knowing that following that, the train will soon be on Its way. Now here we are, In the water, naked. Everything we own on a waiting train still bearing down on us, but In sight Now pointed north. The south-boundont get ahead of me. The physical distance from the waiting train was Insignificant A stone's throw. For a stone, nice work If you can get It I mention that because stones play an Important role In this scenario. You see from the water to the train Involved a trek across huge moss encrusted boulders, a better than slight Incline heavily laden with loose, light, fist sized vulcanized rocks. Then add two slick, hot steel rails, attached to the earth by bulky, splinter ridden wooden beams; and more vulcanized rocks. Another Incline, and theres still the train car 't 11 Vote For Bill Bo Meadoir for of MoaTb . der to mount So back to the water, cares heading down the great Columbia River. Plenty of time, suddenly that all too familiar sound Thousands of cubic feet of air; at the speed of sound, running carelessly the length of our rolling home. AIR CHECK!!! Cars lunging forward. A nameless, faceless man, holding our Immediate, pathetic ; futures In his hands. Picture three barefooted, heart attack victims, running the obstacle course detailed earlier. You've pretty much got the picture. NEVER let a passing train come between you and your gear. One of the highlights of the trip was watching the lunar eclipse. We were riding In the box car. Both doors foil open. There were a few dunnage bags, still Inflated, lying about the car. I let half the air out of one, and used It for a mattress. From a sinfully comfortable front row seat I saw the moon eclipse. First from one side of the box car, then the other, as our train snaked its way through Idaho. There Is not room to tell alL How we narrowly escaped Shlrly In Pocatello. The bull that, politely removed us from the Portland yard, basically telling us, gentlemen, don't get caught Not to mention the bulldog who caught us on the train north of Dunsmulr, California. It was on our return trip. Just Hugh and I. On a grainer rolling through a small yard he saw us. He drove along the frontage road that paralleled the tracks.1 There were a couple of tramps standing by the highway overpass. Just that quick he disappeared In the dust and diesel smoke. It was maybe ten miles down the One the engineer stopped the train to shuffle some cars around. One of the knockers assured us that even though the car we were riding on would be In a different place, It would still be on the train somewhere. Hugh and I bailed out, as did two other tramps who were on board. Knowing wed be back on soon we left our things on the car. The train was so long that halfway up, It was blocking cars from crossing the tracks. Uke a scene with Moses at the Red Sea, the rail cars split at the crossing, and a man In an official vehicle drove through. It was the bulldog from the last yard back. Hugh and I ran for the Junipers, and hit the dirt He walked the length of the train to where the other tramps sat, bewildered by what they Just witnessed. After taking down their vital statistics, he continued his search for us. The train was just an air check away from departure. The bull was on the opposite side of the train from us when It was put back together, and ready to go. We were, however, two dozen cars back from where our grainer ended up. On a dead run we aimed for a familiar car. I remember taking at least one good dive and rolL The others reboarded already, and were cheering us on (with extra points for my dive). Breathlessly back on the train we were still several cars removed from our goods. Then looking back down the frontage road, he was back! I could not believe my own eyes. This man stopped a moving freight train. In a moment amidst the sound of gravel under foot, he grabbed a stair rail, swung around, looked us square in the face and said, "And where are you boys going today?" In a word, Dunsmulr! "Be sure you get off there," he said and disappeared as quickly as he'd approached. . . ; So somewhere out there, at the next railroad crossing, a place where oft times a mile or more of plain ole human Ingenuity parades by carrying you and me Into the next century, you will entertain a different thought I know I will I'll wonder how Jimbo Is dc!ng. Did Seymore get to visit the Mds? But through it all I'll, keep remembering what Hugh said from the very beginning, You'll never look at freight trains In quite the same way again. He's right, you know. I wont Thank you, Hugh. Thank you, David. See you on the hlghllne GLOSSARY ' f ' : Bumming the rods "same as riding the rails, an older usage "railroad security guard . Bull Hotshot "high priority train To catch on the ftyto board a moving freight unit "a flat car carrying a semi-trai- ler piggy "rail guide "road atlas "eight mil plastic bags, covered by several layers of paper. Used to secure cargo when Inflated. "the main One. Where there Is more than one Rne, its slightly Rubber tramping Siding Grainer "the person who takes the trains apart; uncouples the cars, disconnects the air lines. what I call a low priority train; empty cars. "travelling on the highway. "where there Is more than Just the main line. It allows one train to pass another. "an enclosed hopper usually carrying grain. There Is a large to ride on. metaj platform at each end large enough Believes in close between Mayor and City Council. Believes in strong short and long range planning. Desires to open honest, dignified dialogue with all groups. Wants to help guide Moabfs move into a vital future. : ; ' ( oDemonstrated Ability Dedicated to Moab A Forceful, Dignified Leader Paid Political Advertisement |