http://davesrailpix.railfan.net/pitts/htm/rhp039.htm

[Bob Schmidt]

That's right, Ken. You didn't have your charms in order. As a matter of
fact, neither did I, and didn't need "no stinking passes" either.

I lived on the edge by trespassing, jumping onto and out of private
property to squeeze off shots, and running like hell when the yard Super
came hustling toward me swinging his fist in the air and yelling
obsenities.

In my pre camera days at age '12' (1948), I recall spending a hair
raising hour at Palm Garden yard. For those unfamiliar with this name it
is the end of the Tunnel Carhouse property where the old derelicts were
parked.) I had entered the front cab of M-517, placed my left hand on
the controller, right hand on the horizontal brake lever, and began a
fantasy excursion.

The trolley pole was hooked down and the park wheel set. I had no
intentions in the world of operating the car, although I could have
since I knew the sequence of operations required by watching the
motormen do their thing on the low floor cars which I often rode to town
with a package of custom-sewn dress shirts my Mom put together for a
shirtmaker in the Jenkins Arcade Building. 

While in a state of mental euphoria running the car across the trestle
that once spanned Rte. 51S at Whited Street, I was rudely interrupted by
a short stalky fellow, (apparently a Yard Boss), with a game leg wearing
dirty brown trousers and a dirty white short-sleeved shirt most of which
was hanging out over his protruding gut. 

He appeared to be in his 40's or 50's, and came gimping toward me at a
hurried gait at about a 100-125' distance. He wasn't in a pleasant frame
of mind either. His rightt hand clenched a billy club which was cutting
the air at shoulder height. He barked out with: "Get the hell out of
here you GD bozo. You're goin to jail when I get you".....!

My feet had already started for the step climber, and my feet were
moving me full tilt toward the public's wooden stairsteps at the rear of
Palm Garden yard, dropping down to Southern Ave. and exiting onto
Southern Avenue beneath the bridge that accomodates the 38/39/42 routes.
There are probably some 40-50 treads in that stairset. Going up took
about 40-seconds. Coming down was a record!

It's amusing recalling personal hair raising experinces from our younger
days. However, totally frightful at the time they occur. Hope the list
enjoys this little trolley happening from the past

B.Schmidt.

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