Soaping the Tracks

[DWP]

Morning
I have finally decided to get my feet off my desk and
start learning how to use this key board.
Came across this in the morning paper in the Arcives Section
"Soaping railroad tracks is a very reprehensible practice"May 26,1877.
Ok what is this?
Dave

 

[Fred_M]

Lubrication. Wheels spin, train stays still. We always used grease we liberated from Mikey D's. It is reprehensible but so were we. FRED

 

[jetrock]

Soaping railroad tracks: Putting soap, grease or other slippery substance on the tracks for the malicious pleasure of watching the locomotive helplessly spin its wheels in the goop until they can sand their way out. Wags were fond of putting soap at the low point of a dip between two hills, or just before a sharp grade, for maximum effect. Definitely an activity deserving nothing less than a bountiful can of whoop-ass...

 

[Diesel John]

DWP

Although not a common practice, Railways will grease a rail in order to move a train with a locked wheel into a siding, Of course this would depend on how far the siding is. This is done mainly to save the rail, and to clear the mainline. As far as soap, that's a new one on me, I can just see gallons of Mr.Bubble on the ground and then comes mother nature with her "rain" Imagine driving along and coming into a couple of miles of Mr.Bubble, might be funny later in the bunkhouse. "Of course after the crew changed there pants".

 

[George D]

Gee, we do that at the club. The stuff we use is called Rail Zip.

George

 

[TrainClown]

The only time I ever heard of anything like this was in that great old flick "Emperor of the North Pole." Ol' Lee Marvin wants to jump a train and to slow it down he spreads grease on the rails and it does the trick.

TrainClown

 

[brakie]

'Bos would grease the rails when they needed a train to slow down..However most 'Bos would nail a drag as it was leaving a yard,siding or water tank.After all they did not want to get caught and most 'Bos frown on using grease for that reason..Also most 'Bos would be clean in appearance so they would fit in with the normal population of a city or town.You see that way the local police could not spot them as easily as if they looked like they hopped off of a train..Guys,'Bos was not stupid..They could get from point A to B easier then most normal travelers and know where the best handouts could be found as well as the fastest way to make a buck or two.

 

[N Gauger]

'Bos would grease the rails when they needed a train to slow down..However most 'Bos would nail a drag as it was leaving a yard,siding or water tank.After all they did not want to get caught and most 'Bos frown on using grease for that reason..Also most 'Bos would be clean in appearance so they would fit in with the normal population of a city or town.You see that way the local police could not spot them as easily as if they looked like they hopped off of a train..Guys,'Bos was not stupid..They could get from point A to B easier then most normal travelers and know where the best handouts could be found as well as the fastest way to make a buck or two.

If you pay attention to the story in "King of The Road" you get some of that that information

I know every enginneer on every train
all of their children and all of their names

and every handout in every town
and every lock that "ain't locked" when no ones around ...

 

[spitfire]

Dang it Mikey - now I've got that song in my head! AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Gonna spend the rest of my day thinking up the most annoying song I can, and when you get to the chat tonight - it's payback time!!!!

(evil laugh)



Val

 

[N Gauger]

Dang it Mikey - now I've got that song in my head! AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Gonna spend the rest of my day thinking up the most annoying song I can, and when you get to the chat tonight - it's payback time!!!!

(evil laugh)



Val

LOL - Sorry LOL

See ya tonight!!

Did you see how I butchered your Announcment post in GT?????