Many years ago, Rev. Dick Brothers worked as a steam engine engineer out of Hamlet. He was somewhat of a legend in his own time as he played "Oh Happy Day(s)" on his steam whistle as he was coming into Hamlet. Rev. Brothers was a 'lay preacher' and preached at churches around Richmond as well as other counties. My mother often told me stories of his musical gifts with his whistle as he was coming thru Rockingham and on into Hamlet. Everyone knew who was at the throttle.
Now for the "trivia." Rev Brothers had a job prior to his getting salvation ( not railroad) and never did something that most all of us have done at one time or another in our lives. An old, old timer told me about Rev. Brother's life when I was a teenager. The oldtimer , as well as Rev. Brothers were fine christian men and no reason to doubt their word.
A 2 part question:
(1) What was Rev. Brothers job prior to his getting saved? The job wasn't railroad related.
(2) What was it that he never did in his lifetime that , as I stated, was truly remarkable due to the fact that (almost) everyone in our lifetimes have done at least once?
Rev. Dick Brothers:
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Good stuff Bruce!! I'm a little shorter in the tooth than most of you Rail Road guys though so I'm going to school now. Keep it rolling. I used to grease the wheels at the hump yard while my Dad ate his supper. Had that little dropped down hut to sit in to put you in the right level to squirt grease in the bearing cup. I always thought of how cool it was to go under the trains in those tunnels at "the yard".
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Thanks sigmore. I very well remember the oiling pits and tunnels at Yard A. I can't remember what year it was, but Mr. Billingsley was killed in one of the pits when a train derailed and turned over on his side of the oiling pits. There was one on each side of the track. They did away with the pits after that and never rebuilt them. You don't see those type of journals any more. They were called friction bearings and had wadding inside the old journal boxes to keep the axles greased and lubricated. Everything now is roller bearing axles and require no lubrication such as it used to be. Thanks for your contribution in helping to make the railroad a safer place to work. I know your dad appreciated your help.sigmore wrote:Good stuff Bruce!! I'm a little shorter in the tooth than most of you Rail Road guys though so I'm going to school now. Keep it rolling. I used to grease the wheels at the hump yard while my Dad ate his supper. Had that little dropped down hut to sit in to put you in the right level to squirt grease in the bearing cup. I always thought of how cool it was to go under the trains in those tunnels at "the yard".
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- Posts: 758
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- Location: Hamlet,N.C.
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