Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 185, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1916 — MADE THE PASSENGERS WALK [ARTICLE]

MADE THE PASSENGERS WALK

Interesting Reminiscence of Old-Tim# Conductor Related by Pittsburgh Man. The writer was very much interested in a recent article in your paper, referring to a mutual friend, “Tommy Drake,” as he was familiarly called in his time, writes a correspondent of the Pittsburgh Dispatch. As conductor on the Pittsburgh & Connellsville railroad in “the sixties,” it was my pleasure as a schoolboy to know “Tommy” quite well —as a dally passenger from Braddock to the city. And now, in brief, to relate a rather amusing, as well as paradoxical Incident, when credited to the rules and ( regulations of the railroad In the days of single tracks. Between the city and Braddock was a siding at “City Farm” station, opposite where Homestead now Is. His train, scheduled to Braddock, was given a few minutes to reverse for a return trip to the city in late afternoon. Many a time, having been delayed en route outbound, “Tommy” would find upon arriving at City Farm siding that he would be “behind time” If he proceeded to Braddock and would soon be “running” against his own schedule time west.” This was not admissible, according to railroad ruling, and so “Tommy” would call out in the train that he was about to “return to Pittsburgh and that passengers • for Braddock could either return with the train or get out and walk” the two miles—which we invariably did, on such an alternative. >