Fifty years ago tonight I was called off the Burlington Extra List for 3rd trick Middle Yard switchman after watching Apollo 11 land on the moon in the afternoon. Another night pulling’ pins was going to interfere with history.
Not wanting to miss the first moon walk, I loaded a 30+ pound, rabbit-ear equipped, 19" Sylvania black and white television into the car hoping Kenny Remick, the 3rd trick yardmaster, might share similar interests in historic events.
"We can’t be watching TV….what about Hoover (the BRL trainmaster)?" while Remick jangled his pocket change like a possessed ground squirrel. I outlined my case. Remick thought a few minutes. After more hemmin’ and hawin’ followed up with 10 other ‘what-if’s’ he said, "set it up” while smoking two or three more cigarettes.
The BRL Yard Office was a stand alone building that was built to replace the old heavyweight coach. A tall counter separated the small foyer from two desks that were set back-to-back. A third desk sat along the west wall opposite the bathroom wall connected to the counter. An old section of depot benches lined part of the north wall.
When the TV was set up and the rabbit ears fully extended, it consumed the entire counter space but those rabbit ears worked, providing a grainy, noise-filled signal from the Quad Cities. The 19” TV was very imposing ala 1969 big screen.
Danglin’ the imminent space walk as a carrot, Remick sent us out at 11:35 to switch the rear end of the last westbound drop off. Remick would keep eye out for the trainmaster and let us know when to come in to watch.
About 11:50 astronaut Neil Armstrong was two rungs down the ladder when Remick erupted from the yard office waving his lantern in a ‘big hole, stop’ gyration. Were we too late?
When the four of us hightailed it across the yard and opened the yard office door we found standing room only. Pete Peterson the yard clerk, Lloyd Stout the roundhouse foreman had joined Remick to watch. When we all took up a spot to watch in the dark, smoke-filled foyer, we had blocked the TV signal. A quick shuffle in position and a final adjustment to the rabbit ears, we were set.
A minute later Armstrong took his first step on the moon while we stood like 7 Hoot Owls mesmerized by a mouse in a dark barn illuminated by a single light bulb.
Twenty minutes later Buzz Aldrin joined Armstrong on the moon.
About 3 am the TV was stowed in the car.
A month later Kenny Remick was still talking excitedly about the moon landing.
Mission accomplished.
Randy Danniel