Re: C&TS Fat Farm

All this talk about track and spiking reminds me of the summer I spent 20 years ago working for a private track contractor. We worked across Texas and Louisiana, maintaining and building track at the numerous tank car plants located in various spots. At Zwolle, Lousiana, we built several new tracks for an expansion of their tank car plant. The Rev. Jesse Johnson was our foreman. He worked for the KCS for 30 years before going to work for the private contractor. He taught us to spike in unison, although there were never more than three at a time. It amazed me at how fast you could drive a spike like that; the spike literally jumped into the tie. We always had two men "nipping" the tie to the rail; the tighter the "nip", the easier it was to spike. The Rev. also taught us how to hit the spike; you would hit the spike, then roll over the head of the spike maul with your wrists and lever the maul over your body. It is easier to perform than to describe. It was also easier on the back than the "traditional" methods.
We also used a jack hammer to spike with; it required a great deal of strength and concentration to master. One little slip and your spike would be splattered all over the tie. For the most part, we were using new oak ties, without the benefit of a drill. One crew would start the spikes, and the jack hammer crew would finish up.
I never worked a job as hard, or one that I enjoyed as much. I was in the best physical shape of my life. I would have had a big decision to make at the end of summer; stay on the crew or go back to school. Unfortunately, one of the bosses was turning in false timesheets for us and the company refused to pay anyone on our eight man crew. We walked off the job and went home. My foreman and I drove six hundred miles to see the president of the company. He had the decency to see us; and after listening to our side of the story, he had checks cut for us. That ended my railroad career. I still volunteer when I can, doing trackwork when & where I can.
Sorry for the long post; its not ng, but the tools of the trade know no difference.
What is wierd is that last summer, a student came into my shop who had previously worked for the same outfit I had. At the tank car plant in Hockley, Texas, the Rev. Jesse Johnston was one of the guards at the gate.