Many a hobo rode, or was “cradled in the arms of Phoebe Snow” when it ran. The late golden voice of the southwest, Utah Phillips, sang about the train Phoebe Snow on his album Good Though.
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, ArkRed1, we’re glad you found us.
When you start a thread, it’s helpful to other readers to provide a link to the column you’re commenting on. Saves search time, and keeps us all on the same page. In this case, I presume, it’s: Who Was Phoebe Snow?, a column from 1975.
Anyhow, welcome (as I said) and it’s wonderful to be reminded of Utah Phillips (I just heard his “Moose Turd Pie” a few weeks ago.)
Going to have Poetry Man running through my head for the rest of the evening.
I always like seeing my hometown in print (ie Buffalo) but to correct The Straight Dope, after the railroads merged to form Conrail, which lasted until (I think) around 2000, it was then merged or bought by CSX, which is now the name of the railroad here.
Oh the stories I have of being chased by Conrail “Cops”. They were just security, obviously but they were no ordinary security guards. With salt guns to shoot at trespassers, us kids really felt like we were fleeing from police officers bent on deadly force.
Getting shot with a gun of some sort full of salt wasn’t high on my “Bucket list”.
I wonder if CSX workers were provided with the same weapons…