Date: Sun, 28 Aug 2022 13:29:57 -0400
From: James Karvonen <jameskarvonen5@gmail.com>
Subject: Song of the Lonesome Rails - 18.

PART FOUR
-Quack-
(August 1932 to October 1932)

18.

     Bobby had no idea where he was or where to go. Right now was himself
alone, wandering through in some forest near Baltimore in the middle of
nowhere. And to complicate matters even more it was in the middle of the
night. He heard the sound of the locomotive whistle again and a distant
chugging. How far the railroad was from where he was at, Bobby did not
know. All he knew was that he was going to have to somehow get down too
the railroad if he was ever going to continue his journey west too
California. He pushed his way through some heavy brush and weeds. Briars
grabbed at his pants legs as if they were trying to hold him back from
getting to where he wanted to go too. The only light his had was the glow
from the full moon above him but still didn't give him that much
visibility. The woods seemed to get even thicker and harder to get
through the more he walked. He would miss Kim, and Dot, and he would
especially miss Antonio who was killed less then an hour ago. Tears
welled up in his eyes. Since undertaken this almost imoossible journey he
had seen two violents deaths, his little friend Bean cut in half under
the wheels ofa boxcar and now Antonio, mowed down by bullets in a fatal
shootout. He couldn't even imagine how Kim and her mother Dot would react
once the news of Antonio's death reached. Slowly trudging through the
woods he heard the wail of the trains lonesome whistle fading south of
him.
     Bobby was tired, but he had to keep moving. His muscles were sore
from lifting those heavy crates full of whiskey and carrying them to the
proprieters of the business establishments that they gone too before the
fatal shootout.
    Walking through the woods it didn't take long before Bobby lost track
of time. He didn't know how long he had been walking. It could have been
as little as twenty minutes, or as much as a couple of hours. But all he
knew however was that he had to keep walking no matter how long it took
to reach the railroad. Once he reached the railroad his next goal would
be to hop a southbound freight train. That wasn't going to be easy
because depending on where he turned out on the railroad, it could be on
a speedy double track mainline or a slower single track line with passing
sidings. He was hoping on the later because there would be no possible
way hopping on a train going over twenty to thirty miles per hour on a
double track mainline. At least on a single track line he would have a
better opportunity hopping a train because southbounds would be put in
the hole on a passing to let a northbound train go by thus avoiding a
fatal head on collision.
   About twenty more minutes later Bobby finally reached the railroad.
Unfortunately the railroad line was a well ballast doubletrack mainline
and the trains that passed him would more then likely race by at
impossible speeds for him to try and hop what hoboes called, 'on the
fly'. His best bet now would be to keep walking south along the railroad
tracks. Sooner or later he would come to either a grade crossing or a
station at some small railroad community.
     Twenty minutes later the distant sound of whistle south of him told
Bobby that another train was coming. At least now he would know what
railroad he was on. He wished he still had the railroad maps that Walter
Parks had given him, but unfortunately they were lost when the hobo who
had raped him back at Point of the Rocks had taken off with just about
all of his personal belongings and the knapsack that Walter had given him
to carry his personal belongings in.
    He ducked behind some bushes when he saw the headlight of the
approaching northbound train appear to the south of him. It was moving at
a high rate of speed so he concluded that the approaching train was more
then likely a passenger train. And he was right. It was a fast moving
passenger train pulled by a heavy 2-6-4 pacific. And the locomotive had
been painted blue. On the tender he read Blue Comet, that was the
Baltimore & Ohio's crack luxury passenger train that traveled between New
York and Washington. The passenger train was long with four baggage and
express cars, three coaches, two Pullman sleeping cars, a dining car and
observation car. Within a heartbeat the new northbound passenger train
was gone, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
    Sighing Bobby kept walking. His feet was now getting sore, and
walking along fresh ballast wasn't helping any. He could hear the ballast
crunching beneath his feet as he slowly walked.
     For the next couple of hours no trains steamed by. Sometime later
Bobby reached a railroad bridge that crossed over a large body of water.
It was a river that fed into nearby Chesapeake bay to the east of him.
The bridge was long and the only way to cross the bridge was along a
narrow catwalk besides the southbound railroad track. It would be a
dangerous crossing especially at night. If a southbound train were to
pass by while he was walking along the catwalk depending on the how fast
the train was going, there would always that possibility of being sucked
up underneath the train. There were places along the catwalk called
stepouts that someone crossing the bridge could step onto to get out of
the way of the train, but those small stepouts were spaced out along the
narrow bridge about 100 yards from each. The bridge had to be at least a
quarter of a mile long if not longer. Crossing this lengthy bridge in the
middle of the night was very dangerous, but Bobby knew that he had no
choice in that matter but to cross that bridge. Above him he could hear
the sounds of seagulls. Slowly he started walking along the catwalk
hanging on to the railing besides him that kept him from falling into the
large body if water churning about twenty feet or so beneath him. He
could smell the salt water from the tributary that fed into nearby
Chesapeake Bay. He took on step at a time being very cautious. He was
about halfway across the bridge when the inevitable happened. To the
north of him he heard the distant whistle and chugging of a slow moving
southbound train. The worst case scenario had suddenly confronted him. He
was in this narrow bridge and a train was barreling down on him. He
picked up his pace wanting to reach one of the stepouts that would enable
him to get out of the way of the approaching southbound train. The
stepout that he was looking at was still about forty yards away. The loud
deep chugging that Bobby heard told him that the approaching train was
more then likely a freight train. And it was pulling a heavy load at a
moderate rate of speed. Looking over his shoulder he could now see the
locomotives headlight. It was about a quarter of a mile away he
concluded, so he did have a chance to reach that stepout before the train
reached him. And the other thing that was in his favor was that the train
wasn't moving all that fast. As a matter of fact the train actually
sounded like that it was beginning to slow down a little. He sped his
pace up. It wouldn't be long before the train started moving across the
bridge. When the slow moving freight train finally started crossing the
bridge a few minutes later the whole bridge seemed to shake. The stepout
was still about twenty feet away or so. He started to trot. The train was
gaining ground on him. It was now about one hundred yards behind him. He
heard the loud blast of the locomotives whistle. Apparently the engineer
had seen him and was blowing his whistle randomly to warn him to get out
of the way. Running now as fast as he could, Bobby finally reached the
stepout. He darted onto it and took hold of the barrel that was at the
sitting end of the stepout. Clinging on for dear life he watched as the
steam locomotive bore down on him then finally passed him bathing him in
clouds of hot steam from cylinder cocks and glowing cinders that burned
when the cinders touched his flesh. The loud chuffing of the huge 2-8-8-0
(class L) B&O articulate locomotive was almost deafening to the point
that Bobby had to covers his ears. As the huge locomotive passed him the
bridge shook even more. If it wasn't for the safety railing and barrel he
was clinging to he more then likely would have fallen into the river. A
few seconds later the locomotive and tender passed him, followed by a
mixed batch freight cars. Surprising the train seemed to be slowing down
even more. If the train stopped then Bobby would definately have an
opportunity of hopping on this heavy freight train, that was what he was
hoping for. At least thirty freight cars passed him before the train
finally slowed down then grinded to a stop. A few minutes later he heard
the loud hiss of dumping airbrakes. Why the train had stopped Bobby had
no idea, but he was going to take that opportunity to try to hop onto the
train if he could find a box car with its door open. But it would be
dangerous. At any given moment the train could start more moving again
and as close to the freight cars as he would be walking along the narrow
catwalk alongside the train that could be very dangerous. But he had to
take that chance. He stepped off the stepout onto the catwalk and slowly
started walking along the train. He barely had any room between the side
of the freight cars and the safety railing of the bridge so it was
dangerous doing what he was doing. What made it even more dangerous was
that it was still dark outside, though there was a very slight glow in
the eastern horizon that told Bobby that morning was approaching. The
first five boxcars all had their doors closed. He passed several tank
cars, and a couple of refrigerator cars. And then he came to an old
Northern Pacific boxcar that did have its door halfway open. He wasted no
time climbing into the boxcar. Once in the boxcar, Bobby breathed a sigh
of relief. For now he was safe. But Bobby could not help but to wonder
how long that would last. He moved slowly to the back of the empty
boxcar.
    "Who the hell is there!" A voice rang out from the back of the boxcar
causing him to jump. Suddenly a bright beam of light from a flashlight
that caught him directly in both eyes. Quickly Bobby used both of his
hands to shade his eyes from the blinding beam of light.
     "Who are you!" The voice rang out again.
      Remembering to use his monicker that another hobo had given him
Bobby quickly said, "Little Chooch!" As scared as he was Bobby definately
did not want to give out his real name. He had no idoea who this was who
was with him in the boxcar. Would he be a friend Polo who rode with him
from New Jersey to Philadelphia, or foe like Jailbird the hobo who had
raped him back at Point of the Rocks.
     "Your just a little kid. What the fuck are you doing on this train
in the middle of the night?"
       Bobby wasn't sure how to respond. He just stood there trembling,
scared to death not saying a word.
     "Answer me kid!" The voice demanded.
     "I'm riding, riding the rails. Bobby finally heard himself say. He
was so fightened that couldn't stop trembling.
     The flashlight beam was moved so that it was no longer shining
directly into his eyes. From what Bobby could see through the dim light
in the boxcar and the glow from the flashlight that was still on, was
that the person who had just confronted him looked like a teenager. He
was sitting on his blanket roll that was all the way in the back of the
boxcar against the back wall. There was a runsack besides him that more
then likely had his food and belongings packed in it.
    "Riding the rails at your age? How old are you anyway Little Chooch?"
The teenager asked. He seemed to be interested in him now.
    "I just turned twelve about a month ago." Bobby answered.
    "Where you going too ?"
    "Bakersfield, California."
    "Bakersfield, Calfornia, huh. That's a hell of a long ways off for
someone your age to be traveling. I'm heading to El Paso, Texas. They
have some work there, this big cattle ranch that I heard is hiring, a
friend of mine told me about. Where you from?"
    Bobby was beginning to feel a little more at ease with this teenager
who he still didn't know who he was. "Middletown New York."
    "And you been riding the rails for how long?" The teenager asked.
    "Since I escaped from Pine Island Industrial School back I'm June."
    "Well hells bells, that's almost three months ago. And you've only
gotten this far?"
    Bobby wasn't sure how much he should reveal to this total stranger.
But for now he didn't seem to be all that threatening."
    "I ran onto some problems and I ended up staying with some people in
Point of the Rocks for a couple of months."
    "Point of the Rocks is on the Baltimore & Ohio's other line from
Philadelphia to Washington D.C. How did you end up here?"
    "It's a Iong story, I rather not get into it now."
    "And if your riding the rails, where's your gear?"
    "Back at Point of the Rocks, like I said I really don't want to get
into my story now. It isn't very pretty." Bobby frowned.
    "Okay Little Chooch, I understand. I guess your wondering who I am.
Come over and sit down next to me, I won't bite."
     Bobby slowly walked over to the teenager then plopped down on the
floor besides him.
    "My real name is Johnny Quackenbush, but everyone calls me Quack."
    "Quack?"
     The teenager nodded. By now daylight was beginning to seep into the
boxcar. Bobby heard two blasts from the locomotives whistle about thirty
cars ahead of them, and the freight train suddenly lurched. They were
finally moving after an almost half hour delay. Bobby was able to see
Quack a little better now that was the interior of the boxcar was
beginning to lighten up a little due to the arrival of morning. He looked
to be about 16 or 17 years old. He had a smooth chisled handsome face,
wavy brown hair and eye brows and certain look about him that Bobby felt
was non-threatening. He had a slender built and looked to be about 5'11
or so. He was dressed in a pair of long pants and button long sleeve
shirt. He was wearing shoes' but no socks.
    "So what are you going to do without any gear or food."
     Bobby had money, over one hundred dollars but he wasn't going to
tell Quack about that, not now at least. He didn't trust Quack yet for
obvious reasons. So all he said was, "I'm going to figure out something."
    By now the train was moving at a moderate pace of speed. Coal smoke
swirled through the open door of the box car.
     "Do you know how far from Washington D.C we are?" Bobby asked. He
could vaquely remember the map. They would end their journey on the B&O
railroad at Alexandria, Virginia just across the Potomac River from
Washington D.C. At Alexandria he would have to hop a Southern freight
train which would take him south through Atlanta, to New Orleans.
    "We haven't passed through Baltimore yet. Once we past Baltimore it
would be just a short, hot, skip and jump before we reach Washington D.C.
You say your going to California?"
    "Bakersfield." Bobby added.
    "If you want, we could travel together, at least as far as El Paso
Texas where I will be getting off. It will be safer that way, two hobos
traveling together instead of one?"
    "You're had problems with bad hoboes?" Bobby asked.
     Quack nodded. "Numerous times since leaving Chicago four months
ago."
    "You're from Chicago, and been on the road for four months?"
      Quack nodded. "Took the New York Central from Chicago to New York
City, spent a couple of months in New York City working on the Hudson
River docks because I needed money. That's how you have to do it when you
ride the rails if you have no money. You have to go where the jobs are
available. When I was laid off from the docks, this one dude told me
about this ranching job in El Paso thats hiring, so thats where I'm
heading too. It may be I might have to work some other odd and end jobs
before I get to El Paso, depends on how the trains run and whether or not
I need the money. Every now and then you have to pick up some temporary
work in some city or town that you pass through on your journey to
wherever you're going or you'll never make it." Quack stated.
    "How old are you?" Bobby asked.
    "Seventeen." Quack replied.
    "You're only five years older then I am." Bobby said. He yawned.
After what happened tonight he was feeling not only sad, but really
tired.
    "So what do you say, do you want to travel together with me." And
then Quack did something that surprised Bobby. He slipped an arm around
Bobby's shoulder then drew him close. "I've always wished I've had a
little brother. Traveling together you could be the little brother I've
never had."
    "I, I guess." Bobby stammered. He was feeling a little more
comfortable in Quacks prescence. Though he never really thought about it
until now, he really needed a traveling companion and Quack seemed to fit
the bill since he was the one who suggested it.
   "Great, I'm sure we'll have some good times together."
     And so it had been decided. Bobby now had a traveling companion. As
the heavy freight train continued its slow steamy trek south, Bobby and
Quack talked. In the early morning hours Bobby trusted Quack enough to
tell him everything about himself that there was to tell. He told him
about his crime and his stay at Pine Island before he and Bean somehow
managed to escape during a thunderstorm. He confided with Quack about
Beans tragic death being cut in half by the wheels of a box car. He told
Quack about Walter Parks and how that switch tower operator at MQ tower
in Cambell Hall N.Y had helped him and even given him some money to use
on the trip and how that money and all the other supplies and food that
Walter had given him had had been stolen by Jailbird back at Point of
Rocks, Maryland. He didn't tell Quack about being raped though because
that was something that he wanted to keep to himself not to be shared
with anyone. He told Quack about the boarding house and about Kim his
first real girlfriend though he didn't go into detail any about his
sexual escapades. He told Quack about working with Antonio who was
involved in illegal trafficking of alcoholic beverages, and about the
shootout that eventually led him to here.
    "Wow, that's some story. You should write a book about that someday
and make millions." Quack said.
     By now the freight train that they were on was steaming through
Baltimore, nonstop. That meant that their next stop would be at the
trains southern destination point, Potomac yard in Alexandra, Virginia
just across the Potomac river from Washington D.C.
     "So what are you going go do since you have no food or supplies? I
have food and water that I have no problem sharing with you but that
eventually would run out, so until I can find a temporary job I won't
have no money."
    Bobby felt sure now that he could share his secret with Quack. He had
a good sense of judging an individual by their character and he sensed
that Quack was okay. "I have some money." Bobby said.
    "Oh, how much?"
    "Over a hundred dollars. Remember I told you about the shootout?"
     Quack nodded.
     "I had just collected money from the proprieter of that honkytonk
and was going to give it to Antonio who was sitting in his truck when
that shootout took place. The first thing I did was to run and hide.
Antonio was killed so I knew that I couldn't go back to him, nor could I
give the money to the proprieter since with all the police and feds
around that place was about to be raided. So I took off. I have the money
in my back pocket. The first town or city we come to I plan to use that
money to buy supplies and food with. And I don't mind sharing with you
since we're going to be traveling companions."
    "Well that's real noble of you Little Chooch, and you won't have to
worry about me. I promise, I'm not going to rob you. I just need someone
who would be my friend. Its really lonely riding the rails by yourself."
He admitted, drawing Bobby even closer to him. Bobby didn't resist
because deep down inside he was looking for companionship also.
    "I didn't think you would or I never would have told you about my
secret." Bobby admitted. As tired as Bobby was, he eventually closed his
eyes and rested his head against Quacks chest. A few minutes later he
fell asleep. Quack instinctively put a protective arm around him drawing
him even closer. Eventually Quack fell asleep also.
    The train continued to rock along passing through Baltimore on it's
way to Washington D.C.
    When finally they woke up the freight train was crossing the Potomac
River. Looking out the boxcar door in  the distance they both could see
the domed capital building of the United States of America.
    "We're almost there. We're crossing the Potomac right now." Quack
murmered.
     Bobby yawned. "Great, maybe I'll be able to buy some food and
supplies here in Alexandria before we hop on a Southern freight train
that will take us south."
    "I'm going to need to buy some things also. Since its early in the
morning if you don't mind spending a little of your money we can make a
day of it in Alexandria. I would love to go to a movie or something and
eat at a halfway decent resturaunt, I'm tired of eating my own cooking."
Quack suggested.
    "I've never been to a movie show. They had a movie theater in
Middletown but we never could afford to go see a movie there. So yes,
that sounds like a good idea. I just need to make this money that I have
last. I have to make it to California" Bobby said.
    "I know what you mean. I have about fifteen dollars also which I need
to make last. No telling how long it would take to get to El Paso from
here, but it won't be overnight, that's for sure."
     It didn't take long for the freight train to cross the bridge into
Virginia. Entering the massive Potomac freight yard where at least four
other railroads terminated the train slowed down to a crawl. Finally it
grinded to a stop. A few minutes later the airbrakes were dumped and the
locomotive uncoupled from the rest of the train.
    "Well we're here, let's go ahead and do it." Quack said. He stood up
and grabbed his pack. Bobby followed. They were in the middle of a
sprawling and very busy freight yard that more then likely was crawling
with railroad police. With that in mind, they both knew that they would
have to be very careful. It would be all too easy to get hit by a train
or get caught in a busy freight yard by the railroad police. If they were
caught by the railroad police, for Bobby that would mean an automatic
ticket back to Pine Island. He had gotten this far from New York and Pine
Island was the last place that he wanted to end up returning too. They
were in the middle of the freight yard. About ten tracks over there was a
gravel utility road that paralled the freight yard. That was their goal,
to reach that utility road. The problem was, those ten tracks that they
had to cross to reach the utility road were filled with freight cars.
Some of the cars were actually moving, being switched around in the
freight yard. So that's what they were faced with. They could either
crawl under the freight cars or go around them. Whatever they decided to
do would definitely be dangerous. Since Quack was more experienced at
doing things like this, Bobby decided to follow him. Little did they know
then was now their adventure together would really begin......