<div dir="ltr">Abe,<div>Any chance Mr. Payne's nickname originated with the TV show "Car 54 Where are You"'s <span style="color:rgb(32,33,34);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:16px">Francis Muldoon (</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Gwynne" title="Fred Gwynne" style="text-decoration-line:none;color:rgb(51,102,204);background-image:none;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;border-radius:2px;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:16px">Fred Gwynne</a><span style="color:rgb(32,33,34);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:16px">), badge #723? Gwynne (also Herman Munster) was a pretty tall fellow.</span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(32,33,34);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:16px">Just love trivia.</span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(32,33,34);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:16px">Jim Cochran </span></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Apr 26, 2025 at 8:08 AM NW Mailing List <<a href="mailto:nw-mailing-list@nwhs.org">nw-mailing-list@nwhs.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Mr. Matteo von Gootmann, Protosynchellus of the Prefecture of<br>
Columbus, doth like the story of packing hooks and journal boxes.<br>
<br>
Once Upon a Time there was a good story about an old Conductor on the<br>
Southern Railroad's Illinois Division whose caboose was for years<br>
known as a rolling Speak Easy. At last the Southern Railroad<br>
Officials planned to raid the old fellow's caboose and deprive him of<br>
both his refreshment and his employment.<br>
<br>
And so it happened... but the old Conductor had been tipped off in<br>
advance. The Raiding Party tore his caboose apart, looking for the<br>
goods. Checked under the bunks, all the bunk and cupola cushions, the<br>
lockers, the toilet, the stove, in the journal dope bucket, and even<br>
dug into the coal bin.. they checked everywhere. But they came up<br>
with nothing.<br>
<br>
After the Officials had left in frustration, the old Conductor got off<br>
his caboose and said to his Flagman, "They ain't gonna catch me ! "<br>
and promptly retrieved his gin bottle from the journal box !<br>
<br>
And now for an N&W story. This one happened on the Shenandoah<br>
Division. There was a Conductor, probably about age 50 when I was in<br>
my early 20s. His name was E.E. Payne. I never knew his given name,<br>
but his moniker was "Muldoon." Everybody called him "Muldoon Payne."<br>
He was a big man and probably stood about 6' 2". I broke for him<br>
several times on the Roanoke-Shenandoah Local and maybe a time or two<br>
on the Cloverdale Branch, and he was a good man to work for.<br>
<br>
Now, Muldoon was a very reserved and quiet man, said but little and<br>
never raised his voice. The saying was that when Muldoon was on the<br>
train, a beer can went out the cupola window at every Mile Post. And<br>
when this came to the attention of Management, the story was not well<br>
received.<br>
<br>
So little Joe Richardson, the Asst Train Master and a man as good as<br>
Gold, was sent out to confront Muldoon about the situation.<br>
<br>
That morning the Local had stopped at either Troutville or Cloverdale<br>
(I can't remember which,") and little Joe rolls up on the caboose and<br>
looked us, face-to-face, at big Muldoon, towering over him.<br>
"Muldoon," said Joe, shaking his finger up into Muldoon's face, "There<br>
are entirely too many Budweiser cans up and down this Right-of-Way ! "<br>
<br>
"Ain't mine, Boss," said Muldoon. "I drink Blue Ribbon ! "<br>
<br>
And thus ended the conversation.<br>
<br>
So, Mr. Goodman... if you get thirsty, just check the journal boxes on<br>
your caboose !<br>
<br>
-- abram burnett,<br>
...............derailed old brakeman<br>
Can You Solve the Turnip Equation?<br>
.<br>
<br>
<< PS - The large box hung under N&W cabooses was called the Possum<br>
Belly. It had sliding wooden doors, and contained the spare knuckles,<br>
a chain, a few wooden blocks... and about three inches worth of coal<br>
dust. You never went in the Possum Belly unless you needed a knuckle<br>
or chain. As I recall, the COT&S and the IDT dates were often<br>
stencilled on the sliding wooden doors. COT&S means Cleaned Oiled<br>
Tested Stencilled. IDT means In Date Test. Both of those items<br>
pertain to the Triple Valve... or as Management has for years been<br>
trying to get us Trainmen to call it, the Air Brake Control Valve.<br>
Bah-Humbug. Apply to Mr. Gordon Hamilton if you want an Air Brake<br>
class. >><br>
.<br>
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</blockquote></div>