On Mon, 18 Sep 2006 13:04:14 +0000, James R. Shields wrote:

I'M NOT ALLOWED TO RUN THE TRAIN
OR SEE HOW FAST IT WILL GO
I'M NOT ALLOWED TO LET OFF STEAM
OR MAKE THE WHISTLE BLOW
I DO NOT EXERCISE CONTROL
OR EVEN RING THE BELL
BUT LET THE DAMN THING JUMP THE TRACK
AND SEE WHO CATCHES HELL

I worked for Conrail for about 10 years ... that bit of doggerel is posted
all over the place. It was associated with the job of Trainmaster or
Yardmaster.

I WAS allowed to run the train ... I was a road/yard freight conductor.
And more than once pulled on the throttle while an engineer slept off an
encounter with John Barleycorn.

Bill