This is another shot 'through the window' from the other evening. For several days, I kept running across pictures of trains and/or railroad tracks when I visited other blogs. And I was going to scan a picture from some of mine, but never got around to it.Anyway, any time I see RR track pictures, it takes me back to childhood. Instantly. We walked railroad tracks most of the way to school, almost every single day we went to school. At that time, what they used to go between the railroad ties on our tracks was old coal cinders. Maybe a few of rocks at different spots...I cannot remember for sure. But I know most of the way was cinders. And where my socks would wrinkle would always have black dust settle into them.
Our tracks were more grown up with briars, bushes, etc along the sides, and the sides were steep--about 4 or 5 feet higher than the surrounding for part of the way. Anyway, if the train happened to pass we had to hurry and find a way to get off the tracks. But there was always the hope that they would throw out some kind of candy to us. I really only remember it happening a time or two to me, but still a kid always has hope. But that made train men kind of hold a special place in my heart. And of course they always waved to me...they actually waved to everyone. But being young I thought I was special.
But back to the socks--I also remember trying to wash them out at night and laying them over the heat register to try to get dry before morning. When in high school, I had 3 or 4 pair of the knee high socks, and that was it. So I always had to wash them. And to keep them from falling down, I used a rubber band up near the top and folded the top inch or so of sock down over them. And others I knew did this, too, it wasn't just me.
Very interesting, Rose. I lived close enough to walk to school following the railroad tracks, but the school authorities wouldn't let us because they were afraid we might get hit by a train.
ReplyDeleteWe went to a recycled school, a building that had been used years before during The Second World War (That's why it was beside the tracks.) and had a tall, tall fence around it -- kinda like a prison. LOL
Anyway, even the kids who lived across the tracks in an old army barracks had to take the bus!
I'll post this so dot can say I was a naughty little boy.... When there was a train passing and we had to get off the track a lot of times we'd grab several rocks and wait. When the engine passed and was where they couldn't see us we'd pepper the side of the box cars with rocks. We always watched to see where the caboose was because we didn't want to hit it.
ReplyDeleteHi Rose I have fond memories of the old Steam Trai that ran at the back of our house.. At night in bed I hear a train coming and watch the sparks fron tracks.. sometimes the banking would set alight and a small fire start. My Uncle work as a guard and would blow his whistle when he went past... we would all wave.. at night he'd hold up a lantern and wave that. That whistle was a sign to my dad and older brothers to go collect the big chunks of coal for the fire that Uncle Burt would throw off. Many many memories are flooding back as I write this now.. far to many for here.. ha!
ReplyDeleteTom
Excellent post. What is it about the tracks that draw us to them? I am doing some Senior portraits for N's friends and they all want to have some on the tracks.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about you but I can hardly wait for Ole Tom to kick off the New SkyWatch! He is such a great guy to lead that task every week! Have a great week!
Yes Neal WAS a naughty little boy!
ReplyDeleteReally nice post Rose. I can remember using rubber bands to hold the socks up too. I never walked on a railway that I can remember but I always wanted to and I love pictures of them. Actually what I really wanted to do was "hop a train"!
This is a very nice photo and seeing the railroad reminded me of the times gone by when I was single and lived near a station ... how I loved seeing those trains speeding on the railway ... or even backer in days when I lived in South Africa and saw those powerfull steamers huffing and puffing ...
ReplyDeleteAhhhhhhh the memories, I didn't walk the tracks, but I had the same sock scenario - rubber bands holding them up, and washing them out each night and placing them on the register to dry! Neat picture Rose I feel like I am in the train, looking down the tracks, Engineer maybe ;>)!
ReplyDeleteNice post Rose. I love tracks too -you probably already figured that though.
ReplyDeleteI never walked them but I was always watching movies with hobos and wanted to hop a train. Silly dreams I guess.
The socks - I had forgotten that whole thing with the rubber bands. They should have been made with better elastic!
Rose, I don't know if you remember me telling you this but the first time I took my wife to TN a drunk came driving up the railroad by our old home bouncing all the way (you know how rough that would be). He blew his horn at the crossing just below the house. I tried to get our brother George to run to the truck and drive to the next crossing up the railroad and shine his lights down it so the drunk would think a train was coming. :)
ReplyDeleteI was born beside a railroad track and the train passed our house in the morning and evening. I used to lay my head on the rails and listen for the sounds the wheels make a long way away.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think I put dozens of pennies on the tracks to see what happened.
A nice post, Rose. I enjoyed it.
Neal, I remember that about the drunk....I also wanted to borrow your one picture looking from Arthur up the railroad towards home for this but kept forgetting to ask you.
ReplyDeleteAnd Dot and Carletta, I always had an urge to hop a train also.