A Bit of History

A Story Submitted By Charlie Wise

A STUDENT TRIP TO REMEMBER - In April 1965, just a bit over six months after the N&W / NKP merger, I was out of college for the summer and in need of a 4 month job. I headed for the by now Norfolk and Western RWY yard office at the foot of Wood ST. and asked trainmaster Claude Springer for a job. I passed a physical from Doc Sanders and Mr. Springer hired me. Actually, it seems he might have hired anyone that showed up with both arms, two feet, a pair of functioning eyeballs and the sense or silliness to ask for the position. Things were booming in Bellevue in April 1965, and I had a job just hours into the summer. In those days gone by, a new hire in train service needed 5 student trips, 4 in the yard and a round trip to Conneaut, Ohio and back.

That qualified one to be a switchman/ brakeman and to get paid the going rate. I needed a paycheck and this was a good way to quickly get a good one.

By Monday, April 26, 1965, I had made the required 4 shifts in Bellevue Yard and my student trip sheet was properly signed accordingly by the conductors in charge. I had the company of another student brakeman which no doubt made the regular "head man," the head end brakeman who rode the engine, really happy. He now had two of us to watch out for and his efforts got him nothing extra on payday.

I do not remember too much about our getting the train together and leaving Bellevue. What I do remember quite well is the train wrecking at Kimball, just east of town.

We had just gotten up some speed and were rolling along when bang, there was this sound I was unfamiliar with. The train immediately came to an abrupt halt. I now know this to have been an emergency application of the air brakes. The head man, the other student and I walked back over the train to determine the problem and found the ditches at Kimball full of wrecked railroad cars and lots of them. Apparently the decision had been made by others, not to my knowledge, to get the whole crew to the units and for the head end of the train to continue eastward, leaving the mess for other to clean up, as this is what we did. -

To be continued in the Nov.- Dec newsletter

 Car Show If Dave Robinson had placed a special order for the weather for the car show, he could not have received it any better than it was for the 2008 event. It was a beautiful sunshiny day, but yet it wasn't too hot either.

It's a shame these pictures are in black & white because they just don't do justice to the beautiful cars with the Mad River and NKP welcome center in the background.

We had right around one hundred cars, which was less than the one hundred and thirty eight we had last year. But despite the fewer cars there was a lot for contestants and visitors to see and do. One of the more unique vehicles was this "Differential" dump truck, which could dump to either side or to the back.

Here's to Dave, and all of the sponsors, the volunteers, and car owners for a great car show. It brings in new people and makes a little money for the museum for future projects. Encourage Dave and the team to do it again next year.