RAILROADS by Bill's Bits

RAILROADS: My first recolection of a train was when our rural one-room school got to ride an old type passenger train from Lakefield, Minnesota to Jackson, Minnesota. I believe I was about 7 or 8 years old at the time. The train ride was an excursion of sorts to acquaint pupils in the rural area about he real world ouside of their own little world of rural life. The ride itself was quite interesting and the fact that a man called a conductor came by to ask for our tickets to ride on that train. Once we arrived in Jackson, The engine of the train was turned around in a "Round House" and was ready to return to Lakefield. If memory serves me right, there were parents with cars to transport us back to our rural "one room" school house. That was a day I'll never forget.

Moving on about trains, the next time I became acquainted with the steam engine or "Iron Horse" as some called them was during the Korean War. Our National Guard Unit was called up to be trained for full military service during the Korean "Conflict." The local pssenger train was loaded up at the Jackson Depot on Depot Hill, but instead of pulling out right away, the men were stuck on a Railroad siding to wait for an exta Engine to pull them on to the next town. The tearful goodby's extended into the late afternoon. Finally, as the sun was slowly fading into the western sky, the train pulled out. The destination of the National Guard Unit was for Camp or Fort Rucker in Alabama to be trained for fighting action in South Korea.

I was in Jr. high School at the time, but students could be excused to see the Guard Unit off. By the time the train left, the school day was long over and my parents met me near school to take me home. I'm not sure about the Guard Unit, but I don't believe they ever had to go to Korea. If any reader out there knows differently, let me know.

My next meeting with trains was when I traveled with my Mother to Minneapolis on a passenger train from Windom, Minn. Usually my Mother preferred the Greyhound Bus Line, but on occasion the train schedule worked out better. Personally, I preferred the train, because you could get up and walk around. There was even a "smoking car" where men smoked and played cards and told jokes. In effect it was for men only. (no ladies present...) The good part that it was a comfort to sit back and enjoy the ride only to hear the pleasant "klick-klick" of the steel wheels going across the rail joints.

Once we arrived in Minneapolis, we entered the huge Depot Terminal that was located on the lower end of Hennepin Avenue. That area was noted for street people who would "hound" you for money. They must have seen my Mother coming, because they would try her first. Mom was a very caring person and believed what these people said. Try as I could, she still was willing to come up with a dollar or two for them. Eventually, we got a cab and went to a local hotel and the next day my Mom would attend MEA TEACHER'S meetings all day and then it was back to the hotel. On Friday the meetings were over and then we returned home on the Greyhound Bus.

The days of passenger trains in Minnesota are all but gone, but the fond memories of those rides will remain in my memory for a long, long, time. ***TRIVIA - Poppies came to symbolize war veterans. It has been noted throughout history that red poppies sprout up in battlefields after the fighting is finished. It turns out that poppies thrive in disturbed soil. The seeds can lay dormant in the ground for years. When the ground was dug up to bury fallen soldiers, it caused the poppies to germinate.