There had been a railroad accident in which several people were injures. Some lawsuits resulted and in the trial of the first case, the attorney for the defense had as one of his principal witnesses an old "boomer" brakeman. After properly identifying him and establishing his status as a witness, the attorney said: "Now Bill, I want you to tell this jury all you know about this alleged accident. Where you were and why you were there; where the train was located and all other facts and cirumstances in connection with the affair. Just turn right to the jury and tell them the whole story in your own words."
Bill was rather embarrassed and looked doubtingly at the judge, who nodded to him and indicated he should proceed. Bill switched his quid over into the other jaw, turned to the jury, and told this story:
"We was heading' south with the 456 - 32 loads and 10 empties and we had a meet order with 2 for 149 at 4:15. There was a dynamiter in the drag and it looked like we was goin' to stab 149 about 15 but the broncho quit buckin' and the hogger wheeled them, so we got to 149 at 4:10. We went in on the cold end of the passin' track and closed the gate, drifted down to about ten lengths from the south target and ground the kettle.
The hoghead got down and went to greasin' her ankles and the tallowpot was in the cab hustlin' diamonds. Cap was back in the crummie shufflin' tissues and the hind-shack was in the dog house bullin" a Yahoo that was dead-heading' on a Zulu outfit. Me, I was sittin' on the pilot waitin' to twist the monkey's tail and head out on the main when 2 cleared.
I seen her comin' through the cut and she was workin' steam and puttin' up a feather. Hogger cut her off at the limit board and she come in greasin' at about 25. When she passed the target, the ponies split the switch and took down the siding. The hogger big-holed her but she jumped the rabbit and took to the country.
I seen a smash was coming' and joined the bird gang. I hit the cinders yellin' "Spread yer wings, fellers." And when they came together, I was on the other side of the main scratchin' gravel. I dodged into the palace and told the brass pounder to tickle the Supe and tell hime we had two on one spot and there was Hell to pay."
The above is an actual account of testimony from a trial handled on behalf of the ATSF by Attorney Luther Hudson
"456" - the engine number of Boomer Bills train a 4-6-0
"32 loads and 10 empties" - the train consist
"had a meet order with 2 for 149 at 4:15." - A train order in the form C&E extra 456 and two extras Extra blank and blank meet 2 at 149 ( probably the train schedule number of Boomer Bills train)
"2" - most likely a scheduled passenger train
"dynamiter" - a car with a bad order triple valve which tends to place the train in emergency stop at in appropriate times.
"drag" - slow train
"broncho quit buckin" - the car with the bad breakes quite putting the train into emergency
"Hogger" - The locomotive engineer
"wheeled them" - ran the train fast
"cold end of the passin" - the end of the passing siding away from the approaching traffic
"closed the gate" - the switch
"south target" - the south turnout target
"grounded the kettle" - set the breaks on the locomotive
"hoghead" - The locomotive engineer
"greasin' her ankles" - lubricating the running gear on the locomotive
"Tallowpot "- the fireman
"hustlin' diamonds" - shoveling coal
"Cap" - the conductor
"crummie" - caboose
"shufflin tissues"- paging through train orders
"hind-shack" - rear brakeman
"dog house" - small shelter on the locomotive tender for the brakeman
"bullin" - talking to
"Yahoo" - a character?
"dead-heading" - traveling on a pass/ not working crew man
"twist the monkey's tail" - throw the switch
"workin' steam" - under power
"puttin' up a feather" - safety valve issuing escaping steam, under maximum steam pressure
"cut her off" - closed the throttle started coasting
"limit board" - yard limit board speed in yard limits max 20 mph
"she" - locomotive
"greasin'" - speeding
"ponies"- the leading truck on a locomotive
"split the switch" - derailed by trying to go down both track at the switch points
"big-holed her" - put the train in emergency stop
"palace" - the depot
'brass pounder" - the telegraph operator
'tickle" - call
"supe" - the division superintendent
Established 04/22/96-Updated 08/26/2008
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