The Rumble Of A Passing Steam Train In Missouri

August 27, 2009

Larry is happy to share his childhood memories of growing up near the rail yards in St Joseph, Missouri and writes:

As a boy growing up in the 40s, 50s and 60s in Saint Joseph, Missouri, and living just three blocks east of the rail yards, I had a lot of opportunity to watch the switchers do their jobs and I loved to watch the steamers stop to fill with water, and load with coal.

My friends and I would go up to the round house and watch the engines being worked on. As long as we stayed back out of the way, no one would say anything to us, of course there was times when we would be told to leave but most of the yard workers were very friendly and would let us watch.

My mother would always have to make sure the wind wasn’t blowing, or was out of the east when she hung the washing on the lines or she would have to rewash them because of the soot from the steamers!

When my oldest son was born, we lived about five blocks from the main line and he was used to the noise of an engine and the blare of the horns very early. As he grew older I used to take him down to the yards to watch and if I was working, he would go get one of his grandfathers to take him down. He could sit and watch all day if you let him!

We built him a model train set up, which he still has today, 30 years later, and his son is now having to be taken to the yards and watch the trains.

So the torch has been passed and we all still love the blare of the horns and the rumble of a passing train