Re: A Railroad Saga... (add to it)...

The yard limit sign a mile south of Horse Creek was a welcome sight. There was only a skiff of snow on the rails here and there, due to the small yard and wye being sheltered from the wind by a ridge rising sharply along the west side of the main track. Billy shut off and let the Baldwin drift easily to the south switch of the wye, where he stopped and gave a short blast on the engine's hooter. "Wish they'd put one of those new chime whistles on this thing," he thought.
The wye at Horse Creek was seldom used anymore.
It had been built over twenty years ago when the line was first built, and still had mostly 30 pound rail on both legs and the tail.
The brakeman waved a "come on" and Billy eased the trottle out and started backing into the wye.
He had just cleared the main when suddenly.....