The thread on hoboes of course brought back a couple memories. One night I
was walking our outbound train in Cicero's' dept. yard and suddenly without
warning their was a voice at my back asking for directions to the train
headed for Galesburg. I was startled because I hadn't heard any footsteps on
the ballast. I told the 'bo which track the next guy headed for Gt was on and
he was gone just as quickly as he appeared.
Another time we were standing at the West end of SV yard doing a rollby
on our eastbound train in the middle of a -20 degree night and spotted a 'bo
riding a TTX flat. He was sitting under the trailer. The wind chill had to be
absolutely unreal at 50 or 60 mph. Don Hoover called the headend and had him
stop as we "had spotted a problem" and would let them know when we were ready
to pull. He went up to the bo and invited him back to the waycar. He sat on a
bunk to Cicero and was very appreciative for the hospitality and warmth.
In the summer there used to be a hobo jungle on the North side of the
mainline at the West end of Savanna yard where there was easy access to both
the Q and Milw trains as they slowed to change crews. I don't recall anyone
ever having problems with them and we semi routinely glimpsed them in the box
cars of our trains.
I suspect that is one of the reasons for their demise (the lack of box
cars).
Leo
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