(erielack) Sad EL story & funny Tri-Rail

[WSmith5957_@_aol.com]

 I was just wrapping up a couple EL trainsheets to send out when I ran across 
a couple sheets of paper in the closet with them. they were the trainoff 
orders for #s 5 & 6which I sent with the sheets & a badly faded consist sheet 
for # 15 from Scranton to the following offices as 
follows.......................................Scranton, Pa 5-8-69

TEM CD
GWK MJF YA
FRG QD
EJR V

NO 15 933  2 CARS

EL 314 BAGG ELMIRA
EL 1324 CCH BFLO

HJF 0056

For explanation, QD is Binghamton uptown...I don't know the addressee, CD 
also Bing (I think), V is Hornell & EJR is E. J. Robisch, whom I hadn't heard 
of since I left the Mahoning Division where he was Supt in 1960-61. the 933 
is an Alco RS3.

Now for a Tri-Rail funny.....Before wrapping the trainsheets, I was in the 
kitchen having some coffee & OREO cookies & it immediately reminded me of a 
funny event at the Tri-Rail breakroom in West Palm Beach.
      I had just finished a roundtrip to Miami & back & had gotten a 3-row 
package of OREOs from my locker. I got a cup of coffee & was eating cookies & 
drinking my coffee when the next crew came on duty. They would take the 
equipment I'd just brought in. The engineer and conductor sat down at the 
table & we discussed the equipment & trainorders when the engineer asked if 
he could have a cookie or 2, his conductor followed suit (These 2 guys were 
notorious for mooching food off other people - traincrews or mechanical 
dept.). I was feeling generous and said "yeah, go ahead." MUNCH, MUNCH, 
GOBBLE, GOBBLE. As I watched them attack the cookies, my brain sent me a 
signal....'how did the cookies get opened?'. The package was brand new and I 
didn't remember using my penknife to slice it open as was my usual practice. 
I slurped my coffee and observed the C&E of P-624 eating OREOs. I was still 
thinking'How did it get opened???I didn't use my penknife...'
       Still looking at the cookie package, I realized that the top wasn't 
slit evenly as the penknife would have done but was ripped and CHEWED??? 
Looking closer, I saw that the center row of cookies had been nibbled at the 
top all the way up the row as well as partway on the lefthand row of cookies 
- - just nibbled at the top. All this time my fellow employees downed cookie 
after cookie. Suddenly, I knew the rats from the nearby hotel kitchen 
dumpster had gotten in. 
       What to do???? The greedheads were still munching away & why spoil 
things for them? I got up to leave..."You guys take them with you on the trip 
South." MUNCH, MUNCH, MUNCH.
Regards,
Walt Smith

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