... Which further reminds me:
In the Olden Days of the latter 20th Century, before U.P. management succumbed to the blatant greed now in vogue with the corporate cronies of the Son-of-a-Bush, Union Pacific was blessed with many fans. Among them was a most colorful, generous and lovable character - CSRM's U.P. Joe Passentino - whom I first met while hostling the 4449 in my Freedom Train days.
One evening during RailFair in 1981, all of the engine crews went to dinner together at a pizza parlor in Old Sacramento. Joe told the tale of his days as a brakeman on the UP in Wyoming, where he also worked as a sheepherder when business was slow on the railroad.
Of course, he claimed, he had his favorite among the sheep, and he tied a yellow ribbon around her neck so he could find her easily in the flock. On one of Joe's railroading days, some of his buddies snuck out and tied Armour Yellow ribbons on ALL of the sheep, and he was reduced to singing his favorite song, "I Know I'll Never Find Another EWE ..."
Needless to say, with every pitcher of beer that arrived after Joe told his story, mugs were raised to the hearty cheer of "Here's to the Sheep of Wyoming!!" And when the 3985 headed east from Truckee on the way home a few days later, the train was greeted with bright yellow, Burma-Shave style signs on several telephone poles that read: "Uncle Pete / Just Like Bo Peep / Loves His Dear / Wyoming Sheep". The crew was presented with a small stuffed sheep upon their arrival in Sparks. It travelled with the engine for while, but soon changed from white to black, and was eventually tossed into firebox - or so I've been told. .
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- Russo Loco de los Cinco Fossillos Viejos de Vapor
p.s. to Jeff Badger: Ask me about U.P. Joe and the Meter Maid sometime - after I've had a couple of beers. (St. Pauli Girl, naturally!)
p.p.s. - U.P. Joe passed away suddenly about four years ago. That's him, Al Phillips (of the AFT and too many steam engine restorations to remember), and a much younger Yers Trooly in the image below, taken at Sparks, NV, in May of 1981.
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