Re: "Here's to the Sheep of Wyoming!" ...

M D Ramsey Wrote:
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> ... P.S.  Don't pay any attention to whats his name,
> up there with the cows (or is it sheep) in Wyoming.  

Rick Steele Replied:
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> Sheep, Mike, Sheep.
>
> You know, "Wyoming, where the men are men
> and the Sheep are Nervous"


THANKS, youse guys!!

Your story just reminded me of the late U.P. Joe Passentino of the California State RR Museum -

When #844(4) and #3985 were in Sacramento for RailFair in May of '81, most of the engine crews and volunteers went to dinner with U.P. Joe at an eye-talien place in Old Town, and he told everybody about his years with the railroad when he had a summer job herding sheep in Wyoming.   He had tied a yellow ribbon around the neck of his favorite sheep, but his RR buddies snuck out one evening and tied yellow ribbons around the necks of ALL of the sheep, thus inspiring Joe to write his chart-topping hit song, 'I Know I'll Never Find Another Ewe' ...    

In any event, as the night wore on, there were frequent toasts - with glasses raised high - "Here's to the Sheep of Wyoming!"    

A few days later - courtesy of Al Phillips, yores trooly, and my former spouse - the crews of #844(4) & #3985 were greeted at the Nevada border with a series of large Burma-Shave take-offs nailed to the line-side telegraphone poles:
    "Uncle Pete / Just like Bo Peep / Dearly Loves / Wyoming Sheep!"

Upon arrival in Sparks, U.P. Joe - liason between the conspirators and the railroad - arranged for the presentation of a small white stuffed sheep to the crews of the engines.  IIRC 'Beaudalia' survived in the cab of #3985 until - overcome with back-draft and having turned a very dark shade of grey - she was sacrificed to a morning's light-off of the fire sometime during the summer of 1984 ...

Here's Joe (r) helping to lube #844(4)'s side rods:


... and then posing (2nd from left) with the crew as they proudly (?) held our signs:


A while later a motley assortment of foamers and railroaders - Larry Wines, U.P. Joe, Al Phillips and Yores Trooley - were observed discussing the day's events.  Later Joe said farewell to Larry and to me, and then the remaining three of us hung around with the U.P. crew while they finished some last-minute chores:


A few months later Larry Wines invited me down to San Bernardino, where he and some friends were working on ex-ATSF #3751.  Doug Debs sent me a copy of the Articles of Incorporation of 'Project 2472', which later became the Golden Gate Railroad Museum.  I changed a few names, and helped Larry organize 'Project 3751', aka The San Bernardino RR Histörical Society.   Meanwhile Al Phillips, who had rebuilt #4449's superheater units when she was restored in 1974-75, also rebuilt the superheater for #2472.  He eventually rebuilt #3751's units as well, along with those of a significant number of the large locomotives that have been restored in the past 35 years.  He's now at the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum in Chattanooga, working on the restoration of ex-Southern #4501.

- Roosso Loco

p.s.More recently, rumors have circulated that several more variations of the Burma-Shave ad have surfaced along Old U.S. 66 that closely parallels U.P. rival BNSF near Seligman, Arizona:
    Ewes Tell Young Lambs / With a Warning Bleat / Stay Away / From Uncle Pete
    Montana Sheep / Lead Lives of Shame / Uncle Pete's / The One to Blame
    Utah Ewes / Lead Fearful Lives / Cause Uncle Pete's / Allowed Six Wives

pps. One of these days be sure to ask about an earlier incident involving U.P. Joe, "Uncle Al", and the Meter-Maid in San Francisco ...    



Edited 10 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2018 08:54PM by Russo Loco.