Railroaders Superstitions.
#1
I thought it would be fun to look at railroad man's superstitions.

1. Stepping on a rail would bring the trainman/carman bad luck.


2.Leaving the front engine coupler open or the caboose coupler open would cause all the luck to run out.


3.Turning a engine against the sun would bring the engineer bad luck.Turning a engine against the sun would cause the sun light to hit the engineer's seat. I was told my Great Grandfather cursed out a hostler for doing that.


4.A engine that has killed several of its crew in derailments was called a cursed engine and was widely refused.


5.The number 13. Engineers would refuse to operate a engine if the last two numbers was 13.


6.666 any engine baring three sixes was a cursed engine and refused by engineers. Of course the "fool hearty" engineers ran these engines had no problems.


7. Urinating on a firebox by a fireman would cause the engine to become hard to fire.


8.Seeing a black cat during your run would bring bad luck.


9.Seeing a white cat during your run would bring good luck.


10.Seeing a large black dog during your run was a sign of impending doom.


11.If a railroad man marries a redheaded railroad widow he was bound to the same death her husband met.

12.Laughing at superstitions will bring ill luck.
Larry
Engineman

Summerset Ry

Make Safety your first thought, Not your last!  Safety First!
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#2
And I thought that relief pitchers in baseball were superstitious.
Mike Kieran
Port Able Lines

" If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be " - Yogi Berra.
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#3
This is one giant step above being OCD.... :o
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#4
ezdays Wrote:This is one giant step above being OCD.... :o

Come Halloween Eve I have a ghost story my Grandfather told. Know and understand Grandpa was a harsh man that would put up with little nonsense.
Larry
Engineman

Summerset Ry

Make Safety your first thought, Not your last!  Safety First!
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#5
If I were a engineer, anyone urinating in my cab, firebox or not, would be thrown off while crossing the tallest trestle on the line. Curse
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#6
MountainMan Wrote:If I were a engineer, anyone urinating in my cab, firebox or not, would be thrown off while crossing the tallest trestle on the line. Curse

I suppose a lot of those superstitions got started in the early years of railroading and whizzing against the firebox was preferable over whizzing on the wood pile. Even in 50's the head end crew would whiz on the coal pile.
Larry
Engineman

Summerset Ry

Make Safety your first thought, Not your last!  Safety First!
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#7
There were merely marking their territory.
Mike Kieran
Port Able Lines

" If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be " - Yogi Berra.
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#8
Mike Kieran Wrote:There were merely marking their territory.

Only an idiot pees where he works.
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#9
MountainMan Wrote:
Mike Kieran Wrote:There were merely marking their territory.

Only an idiot pees where he works.

Whizzing on the boiler or coal pile was the only place a steam locomotive crew could relieve their selves during their 12-16 hour day..If you had to do the other you simply hike behind the nearest bush while taking on water or waiting on a meet.

Even the boys in the caboose didn't used the caboose toilet or the mighty sink hole in the nose or short hood of a diesel when I worked the rails. When we stopped we simply step between the cars or behind the nearest bush and relieve our selves..On a urban industrial lead we wasn't above stopping at a gas station or convenient store near a crossing and using the restroom.
Larry
Engineman

Summerset Ry

Make Safety your first thought, Not your last!  Safety First!
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#10
MountainMan Wrote:Only an idiot pees where he works.

Don't know about you, but when I gotta go, I gotta go and If you're whipping along at 50-60 mph and can't stop at the nearest tree or gas station, I guess you'll find a place that won't leave a puddle on the floor and still keep you from falling out wherever you are...
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#11
11.If a railroad man marries a redheaded railroad widow he was bound to the same death her husband met.

I especially like that one! Gotta be a story there! My favorite, however is number 12.
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#12
I have seen a few of these before, but a few differences.

I have heard guys open the front knuckle of the train in case they run into cars they are more likely to couple into them then butt knuckles and ride up into the front of the engine.

Seeing the "Black Dog" usually happens when you are so tired you start seeing the "Black Dog" out of the corner of your eye.

Talking about derailments or lack of incidents is followed with lots of knocking on wood.
Be Wise Beware Be Safe
"Mountain Goat" Greg


https://www.facebook.com/mountaingoatgreg/
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#13
Ralph Wrote:11.If a railroad man marries a redheaded railroad widow he was bound to the same death her husband met.

I especially like that one! Gotta be a story there! My favorite, however is number 12.

Ralph, I wish I knew what that story was or how it begin. I highly suspect number 12 was for the doubting Thomas's of that lure since superstitions was widely accepted as the truth until early 1900s. Up until my Grandfather Miller died in 1965 if a black cat cross his path he would turn around and find another route.
Larry
Engineman

Summerset Ry

Make Safety your first thought, Not your last!  Safety First!
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#14
mountaingoatgreg Wrote:I have seen a few of these before, but a few differences.

I have heard guys open the front knuckle of the train in case they run into cars they are more likely to couple into them then butt knuckles and ride up into the front of the engine.

Seeing the "Black Dog" usually happens when you are so tired you start seeing the "Black Dog" out of the corner of your eye.

Talking about derailments or lack of incidents is followed with lots of knocking on wood.

I fully believe seeing a real black dog before a wreck took place is how that superstition got started. We know now in the early years of railroading a lot of wrecks was caused by human error due to poor signaling,operation and safety rules. Superstitions ruled the old world Countries for centuries and came natural to railroaders in the 1800s since the majority came from those old Countries..

Not to mention dogs was commonly used for herding and guarding sheep and cattle and was a common sight in the 1800s.Another old world tradition.
Larry
Engineman

Summerset Ry

Make Safety your first thought, Not your last!  Safety First!
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#15
An old timer that worked over the road on steam locomotives told me there were times the coal shovel was used to deposit a BM and the results were thrown in the firebox. They didn't have much choice when traveling for long times at track speed.
Charlie
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