Re: Hate to ask but...

Two stories that come to mind: Both off of the Espee. How true they are is questionable, but fun nevertheless.
A fireman needed to relieve himself, so he climbed up onto the tender to take care of business. Some time later he reentered the cab of the locomotive, soaking wet. It seems that he decided to use one of the water hatches as a commode. At some point the loco and tender jerked, and in he went. How he managed to avoid braining himself on the way in and down is unknown.
On another occasion, one of the headend crew was taking advantage of time in the hole to take care of a little personal bizz. As it was cold and snowy out, he moved expediently. Once back in the cab, all aboard noticed a pungent stench. It seems that in his haste to take care of said bizz and get back into the cab and out of the cold, he had neglected to completely move the back of his Okie Tuxedo of of the way, and brought his business back aboard with him.
Again, I can't vouch for the truthfulness of these stories, but I've never known a railroader to speak anything less than the truth... sda