Arlo is a very gifted artist. I swear that line "And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles" is what inspired me to add a wrecking yard to my layout! I once saw him inside a JC Pennys store. I wasn't 100% positive, but then later outside I saw a $100k mercedes with the licence plate "Arlo" on it.
Paul is really into Helen Reddy... must be because she is from Australia. I doubt if she get's many CD's stolen either but she may still be a hot ticket down under. He said he asked his wife for the box set for Christmas but all he got were some old AC/DC albums. Charlie
Getting back to "City of New Orleans," it's a real commentary on the demise of passenger service by the class 1's. It goes through my mind often, so like Darren I printed out the lyrics so I don't drive myself nuts trying to remember them. It's a classic. :cocktail:
One of my railroad song CD's has Stevie Goodman singing his own song. The CD is worth owning just to hear Steve. Steve Goodman was one of the finest balladeers of our time. His untimely and tragic death left a big hole in the music world. CT
You're right about the "City of New Orleans" being a classic. Being from Texas, my favorite version of it is done by Willie Nelson, but I like the original almost as much.
And.....the version by the Hank Snow is also very good. The great old Nova Scotian country singer released a great Album of RR songs including City of NO, Fireball Mail, wreck of ole 97, and Hobo Bills last ride just to mention a few. His entire home was full of RR memoribilia including flashing crossing lights.
Yeah the Denver CD got stolen, That was our "welcome to Rockford" after I moved up here. They stole all the CD's including Tina's JD CD and the Disk Changer. Hey guys this is a good post because I'm looking for more music for my slide presentation in Galesburg later this month, so keep the memories coming. I know Johnny Cash sang some train songs. :thumbs_up:
Charlie I would love to hear them, I've heard some stories from the IC guys who run through Rockford. Most of my RR friends agree, Rockford is a pit, and I don't mean an ash pit.
Rockford IL story... The BNSF(former CB &Q) used to own a branch line that ran from Flagg (or Flag)Center on the line btwn Chicago & LaCrosse WI(C & I) up north to Rockford, a lot of FRA exempted track and a number of big industries were served. The regular job that worked it was a road switcher on 3rd shift. This job also got "switching time" for working the small Rockford yard since there was no longer a switch engine job based there. Adjacent to the Rockford yard was an interchange with the UP(former C & NW). This yard was just outside "downtown" Rockford and in a less than desirable neighborhood. The end of track on the branch was a short lead which went under Rockton(?) St. As the brakeman, I got to be the switchtender and turn the moves back to the conductor in the yard and also at the interchange. The interchange was on a higher elevation than the BNSF yard and mostly out in the open. The few times I worked that job, I would be alone,in the dark and all I could see was a Rockford police car with siren and lights blazing travelling high speed down Main St. every 10 minutes. Also I would always hear gunfire two or three times during our period there, and not just single shots. I'm talking about an 8 round clip!!! and there I am all alone and out in the open! And that interchange was mostly gons, loads and empties. The loads were usually scrap metal and compressed metal turnings. That acrid smell of burnt cutting oil used to turn my stomach! More stories to follow.
Charlie, The old Testors building and the lab are right next to the line you speak of. We see the Iowa Chicago & Eastern go through a couple of times a day, I have seen IL Rail Net too. That yard is not to far from where I work. Ironically the town I live in Winnebago is the modern equvilent to Mayberry. Everyone knows everyone, quiet farm community. 15 minutes up the road to hell, um I mean Rockford and it's like a scene from the Terminator, burnt out houses, cars, our building on Buckbee has bullet holes! I LOVE my job, but believe me I HATE Rockford as can be seen in some of my posts. When I was moving to take this job, a good friend TB member Maxwell Plant said, "Rockford eh?, Let us know when you car gets vandalized, broken into and when someone cuts you off and you get in a wreak." Prophetically, that all happened in that order within six months of us living here. Now that depends on how you define the word "Own" The CD was in my possesion and was technically "owned" by my sweet wife. Ok you got me, but I was a child of the 70's and grew up hearing him in my dad's shop. I also like Pink Floyd, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens and Niel Diamond, but no Humperdink
Rockford story 2.... When I was a student conductor qualifying on that job, we had completed our work for the night, put our train together and started to head back to Rochelle. We were rockin and rollin' along, that track was in SAD shape, and there was a light fog but otherwise good weather. As we were passing Behr Metals(scrap dealer-we switched them out earlier)the train went into emergency. We stopped fairly quickly since we were going slow. When we hit the ground, we found that an empty gon had derailed,left the ROW and through Behr Metals fence. The lead truck on the car was completely demolished. The three of us(Con.Brkmn,and me)walked the track to see if we could determine where the car left the rails. We walked all the way back to the yard,across the Rock River bridge. Reminded me of the movie, "Stand By Me" where the boys walk across the railroad bridge. Turns out that the car left the rail just after crossing Main St. We dragged that car all the way across the bridge and quite a distance until she parted the train, wrecking the fence and tying up Seminary(?)St. We had Hultchers Vultures come out and clear the big mess and got the street open again. There is(was?)a small diner near the tracks,just up the street from Behr. We went there for breakfast and the owner of Behr bought! He was gonna get a new fence outta the deal anyway(and he needed it). I'll never forget picking my way,tie by tie,across the bridge with the Rock River less than 20' below me! CT
