Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Track Fun

Spent a lot of time in my youth near a couple of sets of tracks. One, the main line, visited many times daily by trains on trips north to Canada. The other was a seldom used stretch behind Lewis Lumber. Unlike the fast diesels that ran on the other, this one was frequented by work engines pushing rail cars of sawdust and lumber back and forth. You probably know where I'm going with this. When we saw one heading down this set of tracks, we scurried and emptied our pockets of coins and placed them on the rails. Pennies were the favorite; Most of the guys had these. I liked quarters, but that was me. Last of the big time spenders, I guess. Wanna know a secret? If I get the chance,and a train is coming far enough away, I'll lay a coin. It's just so much fun to hear the squeaking tracks and find the flattened image of Washington. I'm still pretty much a kid!

16 comments:

  1. I have done that with coins a few times as a kid.

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  2. We did this with the smaller aluminium coins... It was great!

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  3. I have never done this; no time like the present, I guess!

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  4. I think the important point is to keep this "kid"inside our heart!
    I like your stories a lot!
    Léia

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  5. My brother used to do that. I remember being amazed as a kid looking at the flattened penny he showed me. I never had any interest in doing it myself. Must be a guy thing!

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  6. I have never done this. Might have to try it!

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  7. Ha ha, I've done this before and it is fun to see it after. Fun memory.

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  8. I've always wanted to do that, maybe it's not too late!
    Very cool image of the tracks.
    ☼ Sunny

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  9. Fun times! My sibs and I also like to flatten pennies on the tracks. Unfortunately, there weren't many trains in our area.

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  10. I agree with Léia but wow, I'd never even thought of doing it. That's a lovely shot btw, at first I didn't register the shadows and thought wow, blue paint!

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  11. This is something I've never done! Maybe I need to at it to the bucket list.

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  12. I can remember doing that as we took a short cut along the tracks to the local swimming pool. The police would probably turn up today. Nice memories!

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  13. The railway is such an important of our nation's history. You memory is a fond one for many people of our generation!

    Jan
    Greensboro, NC

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  14. Geez, we did that too on the Long Island Railroad tracks in Queens. There was a kid rumor that you could get busted for this because destroying federal money was a crime, even a penny. We did it anyway but kept a lookout.

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  15. As they say, "done it too". As a former maintenance type of guy I have noticed something. One, the rust set up on top must mean the tracks are seldom used and two, if they are some maintenance needs pulled as there are several spikes that need driven back in. Love the shot!

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