An outward sign, a warning of something that could be bad if not noticed.
Harken to the days before air brakes when brakemen regularly walked along the top of a moving freight train. A tunnel, a low bridge or the over-hanging roof along a loading dock all posed hazards to the brakeman. A device called a telltale was placed over the tracks to warn of the upcoming hazards. The telltale was a series of ropes hanging vertically spaced out to span the width of the track.
See https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2023/03/checking-height-with-tell-tales-only.html for a better view
All the bells and whistles
Being equipped with all the options and extras. Fully dressed or decorated.
The first thought is that this phrase is a means to describe a locomotive displaying plenty of optional equipment. While true, it’s possible the locomotive being described is a model or toy with all “the bells and whistles” included to make it look like a real engine.
Being equipped with all the options and extras. Fully dressed or decorated.
The first thought is that this phrase is a means to describe a locomotive displaying plenty of optional equipment. While true, it’s possible the locomotive being described is a model or toy with all “the bells and whistles” included to make it look like a real engine.
Brownie points
An imaginary social currency earned for good deeds or kindnesses.
Brown stamps or brown points were a popular post-World War II marketing gimmick. You earned stamps with purchases and then redeemed them for household items. The phrase can also refer to the awards earned by Brownies, a younger rank of the Girl Scouts. However, for our railroad purposes, we turn to railroad superintendent George R. Brown of New York’s Fall Brook Railway. In 1886, Brown developed a system of merits and demerits for his railroad’s employees. Brown’s system gained wide recognition through railroad trade publications. Many of the largest U.S. railroads adopted the Brown system, adding to its notoriety. Soon railroad employees began referring colloquially to the merits and demerits as “brownie points.” The term then found its way into the mainstream of our language.
The real McCoy
The real or original design. Not an imitation.
The railroad etymology of this phrase takes us to Ypsilanti, Mich., in the early 1870s. Elijah McCoy was able to find work as a fireman and oiler for the Michigan Central Railroad.
An imaginary social currency earned for good deeds or kindnesses.
Brown stamps or brown points were a popular post-World War II marketing gimmick. You earned stamps with purchases and then redeemed them for household items. The phrase can also refer to the awards earned by Brownies, a younger rank of the Girl Scouts. However, for our railroad purposes, we turn to railroad superintendent George R. Brown of New York’s Fall Brook Railway. In 1886, Brown developed a system of merits and demerits for his railroad’s employees. Brown’s system gained wide recognition through railroad trade publications. Many of the largest U.S. railroads adopted the Brown system, adding to its notoriety. Soon railroad employees began referring colloquially to the merits and demerits as “brownie points.” The term then found its way into the mainstream of our language.
The real or original design. Not an imitation.
The railroad etymology of this phrase takes us to Ypsilanti, Mich., in the early 1870s. Elijah McCoy was able to find work as a fireman and oiler for the Michigan Central Railroad.
In his off hours, McCoy could be found in his home workshop tinkering with ideas to better the steam locomotive. Among his noteworthy inventions was an automatic lubricator, recognized by U.S. Patent 129,843.
While others offered similar devices, McCoy’s was found to be superior, hence the saying: “I want the real McCoy,” meaning no substitutions accepted.
If this ain’t the cat’s meow! Talk about a memory hole!
ReplyDeleteWe’re looking west toward Burnham bridge over the Burnham Canal in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There is a very large switching yard on the other side of the bridge, and as the image demonstrates train crews would have to run east for a half mile or so for headroom. The bridge itself was of the ‘swing’ variety, meaning it turned on a center point opening and closing for canal traffic. Port Huron Cement had a facility out of view on the left side of the pic and had several cement boats (vessels confined to the Great Lakes are properly called ‘boats,’ not ships) hauling product for unloading. The Crapo comes to mind. As well as the cement works there was a tug service that required a swing to get their tug’s in and out. Wish I had a buck or two now for every time I swung that bridge at two or three in the morning.
A few other details…
The drag the engine (old Fairbanks Morse) is tied onto is probably a train being made up for the Twin Cities.
On the left is a boneyard that had three really nasty dogs running loose after hours.
The overhead bridge is I 94 running through Milwaukee.
The building on the right is an abandoned Wisconsin Electric Power generating plant. In the early eighties it became the home of Sprecher Brewery, which became and remains a very successful business, now located in a large factory sized building on the north side.
The tower on the right is Cargill Elevator E, which was serviced by the Milwaukee Road.
The only thing not visible are the rats. Rats were everywhere day and night.
I could go on until daybreak with stories that should have sent us all to jail, many times over. But I can’t imagine there are statutes of limitation that would protect us even at this late date, so I’ll keep that stuff confidential for now.
RIP Nellie, Roger, Gil, Dirtball and all the rest of you hooligans who made difficult times the subject of such fond memories.
Thanx Jesse...