Living In Two Wooden Boxcars

September 5, 2009

Larry has a great story from the late 40’s – early 50’s to share:

We lived in the Ky., Tn., & Va. area, all within 25 miles of Cumberland Gap during the late 40’s and early 50’s. My Dad was working on the L&N RR in that area,(as was both Grandfathers, who retired from the L&N).

At the time of my birth he was at a recoaling depot at Chasha Tn. The small “house”, we lived in was along the a siding two rails from the main line. Our house was actually two wood boxcars side by side joined together to form a 4 room house. This was typical for 3 or 4 other houses for RR employees. Our front porch was about 3-4 ft. from the nearest siding track.

Dad was an Engine Watchman as steam engines had to be kept with the firebox banked and ready to get a head of steam-up.

The engines were swapprd out at these stations to reduce time of recoaling. It was his job to re-coal, water and add sand to the engines and keep them ready for the next change-out. This included turning them around on the “Y” if necessary.

The houses were heated by coal stoves and had no water heater, so when my Mom washed clothes, Dad would run an engine up to the house and drain boiler water off into galv tubs.

We lived there until I was 5 yrs old then he was transferred to Pennington Gap, Va. and then back to Pineville, Ky. where they had originally began working on the RR prior to WW II.