One afternoon Marty and were headed east to Antonito. I had been raining and everything was soaking wet and I expected to find rocks down. We got water at Sublette and continued east. After Sublette, we could relax a bit because the big rock threat subsides a bit and at least only happens in predictable places. This was way before any of the track was ballasted, and sagebrush grew with profusion between the rails and alongside the track, hiding potential hazards.
We were rolling along at peace with the world heading into an easy left hand curve. Suddenly, Marty jumps to her feet and screams “STOP!!!!!!”. I plugged the air, cut in the driver brake and braced for the impact. We grind to a stop. Still looking ahead I ask “did we hit it?”
Silence.
I look across the cab. Marty has her head down staring at her feet.
“Did we hit it?”
“No, it got up and left…..”
I crossed over to see a big porcupine waddling up the hillside
She never did live that one down.