Re: Sumpter Valley Number 20

You are right about some of the fireman. I have noticed that M.G."Peck" Hutchins was a realitively small man probably about my size. He was a long time fireman/engineer on the SVRy and fired the last reg. pass. train. I didn't know this man, but am acquainted with his nephew a man now in is 80's who bares a strong family resemblence. Firing with wood I know is an art and I assume coal is as well. There is a lot of "work smarter not harder" in it. You can only use brute strength for so long as a bluff. Some of these men fired into later year, which means they used their experience to mimimize the labor. Interesting side note about Mr. Hutchins. His nephew told me that when he retired from the rr. he pretty much spent his days on the couch in front of the black and white TV of time. He had worked much harder physically than most men and when he retired that was it, he just quit, period, that was it. I have seen his photo retired sitting on the couch in his bibs. It makes me think that when a man like that worked in the cab all of his working life, fired countless trains up and over 3-4% grades day in and day out sometimes in the worst weather imaginable, what more is there in life. Kinda depressing way of looking at it, but often true I suspect.