Railroad Stories from 96 yr old retired Railroader! Classic Railroad Info.

www.djstrains.com
In 1948 Carl Smith began work as tower operator for the B&O outside of Pittsburgh. His story is very interesting.
I am working with the Steel City Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society to produce these videos. We encourage you to check out our Facebook page R&LHS Steel City Chapter and become a member. Our chapter will be doing more videos and building its website soon.

[@kevp9601]

Carl Smith, You've Been Amazing. We will Never Forget You, Excellent Dude with the White Hair

[@kevp9601]

#RIP Carl Smith the Steam Locomotive Engineer Driver. Forever In Our "Railroad" Hearts

[@GuyjKite]

This man is cool. Love listening to this. My grandfather worked for southern railway. 47 years. 20 of those years was train engineer. His father my great grandfather also worked for the southern. He was a station agent ticket seller and telegraph operater. He gave southern 40 years. 😊

[@oldman9843]

My great-grandpa was a train conductor 124 yrs ago , he was the best man I've ever known

[@jerredwayne8401]

I love and respect these ww2 vets like they are my own grandparents. The bit of railroad history is icing on the cake. I thank him for my freedom and am glad to have heard a story from him. It breaks my heart to know in my lifetime they'll all be gone

[@kevp9601]

RAILROADS FOREVER ! RAILROADS FOREVER ! 🚂🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋

[@841k9]

Thank you for helping Mr Smith share his stories with us. He is a living treasure.

[@daviddryden8088]

If I make to 96, I would hope to be half as spry as this man. Such a great memory and memories. Thanks for sharing a bit of railroad history from the man who was there. And a Normandy vet! God bless Carl.

[@gcorriveau6864]

I remember those big "wands" used to pass orders on paper! It must have been about 1962ish, CNR local/industry/yard job running on the east side of Edmonton, Alberta. My dad was the engineer on a small locomotive (sw9 type?) and he brought me to spend a day with him at work. I got to hang out on the spare seat in the cab and watch and ask questions and loved it. Of course, he soon showed me how to sound the whistle for crossings and I recall one time leaning out the window with my arm stretched to scoop up one of those order papers! So cool. I can't imagine stuff like that happens any more - (bring your children to work days). Certainly, not in an industrial setting like that. ;-)

[@djstrains]

I love this story

[@fixedgearfever69]

Sweet stories especially the one about his Daddy.

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

Just now saw this. Thanks for posting. I could listen to old railroaders in general and operators in particular all day.

[@djstrains]

This video is so up your alley!!! enjoy!!

[@hansfehlow9657]

What a wonderful interview and piece of history! A delightful video to say the least. Thanks for sharing DJ. Happy Modelling! Hans ...

[@garyk4230]

Remarkable stories. This is priceless hearing this gentleman's life experiences with the railroad. He sure loved his work.

[@thomplacier677]

This man is a treasure. Thanks for shooting this video.

[@djstrains]

Agree. And we were so glad to get his stories on video!

[@thomplacier677]

djstrains we need to find who hit the ‘dislike ‘ button and pay him a visit! Just kidding, but I hope it was a mistake!

[@wayneeschbank2895]

What a wonderful story I could sit down and listen to him all day and any other old railway mans story's they are spoken history and when they die so do the story's

[@b3j8]

Wow I dont have a memory like that now at 61! Loved the story about his Dad!

[@Stoker58]

As a former Conway Trainmaster with NS I’ll tell you they still go looking for someone to point the finger at when trains are late in and out of Conway haha

[@djstrains]

HAHAHAHAA!!!!

[@st7650]

Great hearing all the stories from guys that know how the railroad really works. Would love to go back to more simple times

[@paulperrottet113]

Thanks for posting. Great well-constructed video. Oral history is so important in recording the past.

[@PowerTrain611]

Yes! YES!! Oldhead railroad stories from the golden age! MORE PLEASE!!

[@djstrains]

hoping in october

[@TheLivingFlame1]

wow, I love these stories. This video makes me wish I had grandparents! I sadly pretty much missed out on that experience which is a shame since I love stories and history! Would love to hear more interviews with this man! Love our WWII vets forever! ❤

[@railbuilderdhd]

I’m so glad you are capturing this history for us to share. It’s like sitting with your grandpa and hearing about the old days.

[@nicolag1883]

Comme on dit chez moi : "Quand une personne âgée meurt, c'est une bibliothèque qui brûle", merci de nous avoir fait partager ce moment avant son départ. As they say at home: "When an old person dies, it is a library that burns", thank you for sharing this moment before his departure. Kiel ili diras hejme: "Kiam maljunulo mortas, ĝi estas biblioteko, kiu brulas", dankon pro la dividado de ĉi tiu momento antaŭ sia foriro.

[@rvnmedic1968]

So true...

[@ronsworkbench1944]

DJ, Thank you for posting this interview. It was a great glimpse into Railroading History and the life of a Railroader. We need to capture more of this history before it all passes away. Ron

[@RxClyde]

Thank you for sharing Carl. We still have towers at my railroad, but slowly transitioning to a centralized system. No leverman anymore, just the operator using the model board (most towers having computer software) to setup routes. Felt like deja vu hearing it talked about.

[@tomstarcevich1147]

Wow awesome interview i bet he saw a lot of combat in ww2 just looking at his hat he went thru a lot of battles great guy

[@TheLivingFlame1]

Wow true, thanks for pointing that out!

[@John-em8jn]

This is one of the GREATEST videos I've ever seen. It was simple. There's no need to "dress up" our History. All you need to do is be sincerely interested and respectful of the people you are interviewing. I only wish that this wonderful Historical record was longer. I love your videos as a whole but this one takes the cake. It was Fantastic !

[@djstrains]

That was one of the nicest comments I have received and it motivates me to make more videos like this. Thank You!

[@John-em8jn]

I'm John S. Colgan. I restore active FDNY Fire Alarms for Free in Queens NYC. What you and I do is called ART. You are an Artist/Engineer. I am an Artist/Painter/Carpenter. I think people like us (blue collar) need to make more of an effort to show the world how Important our job and skills are in regards to making our society work. It Cannot function without us. You do a Fantastic job bringing attention to the small details of a railroad. Your videos are well thought out and are of a very high quality. Your narration is supreme. The fact that you tell the audience that you do not either have or know all the answers shows us that you are Humble. You also do not claim to be "an expert" in your field even though you Clearly Are "That Guy". I cannot wait for your next video and neither can your loyal railfans. Sincerely. J.S.C.

[@JoshRidestheRails]

Excellent interview. Loved hearing all his different railroad stories. Thank you for sharing his history.

[@TheGrover1968]

What a melodramatic ending. You should make more. Love to hear from elders about history.

[@djstrains]

its in the works. Later this fall, hopefully.

[@thelowmein9143]

Fantastic content DJ. I hope I’m that lucid and sharp at 96.

[@masterbower6083]

These are truly amazing stories and I love to hear them. It is even more amazing how father and son worked on the same railroad and had multiple times they had good encounters. It truly makes me happy to see those relationships.

[@djstrains]

more coming

[@elsdp-4560]

THANK YOU...for sharing. Very much enjoyed. Gary

[@new_comment]

Awesome, I miss my mamaw and papaw so much, I could listen too their "old days" stories for hours on end.

[@djstrains]

I'm glad you enjoyed this video. I am not that old, but I have lots of stories on my LIFE AS AN ENGINEER playlist.

[@masonlyons9388]

It's always cool hearing an "old head's" stories

[@garynugent4400]

Awww... great video. He struggled a bit but I understood. Love this! Great historical record!!!

[@spoosh13x13x13]

thank you for posting this and interviewing him. its truly a blast to here interviews like this...

[@davidschick6951]

Thank you for doing this video. It is extremely real. I always feel humbled to be in the presence of someone like him who fought before and later made the railroad run on sheer know-how. Respect to you, DJ and a salute to Mr. Smith.

[@brettany_renee_blatchley]

*Thank You* for sharing!! ❤

[@pauljacobsen9002]

wonderful interview ! thanks

[@nathandelay]

Very awesome video DJ that was an awesome interview and have a awesome day

[@IHVRRNotBad]

That's a great interview. Wow. Thanks for sharing...Wilmer

[@zacharylimbaugh1057]

Great interview DJ! Its awesome to hear about the history of railroads and how they used to operate. Especially since down here in Atlanta it seems like they are closing and ripping out all the old yards and history that go along with them. Keep doing the good work and posting the great videos!

[@robertblack3452]

That was a really great video, very interesting and well told. A real hero and a real railroad man for sure.

[@JoeG-firehousewhiskey]

That was an amazing interview, one that will be extremely important forfeiture generations

[@jayodonnell9838]

Outstanding interview sir!!!!

[@edwardgray154]

i worked at youngwood and most likely talked to this guy many times getting train orders.

[@djstrains]

WOW! That is really cool. Feel free to watch more of my videos and share any insights you feel others may enjoy.

[@N-Scale]

Bless these guys and what you are doing. Thanks , Mike

[@ernestpassaro9663]

Great stories from one of the greatest generation

[@nowayjerk8064]

thanks for sharing

[@southjersey10]

Wow, a living legend. Very nice!

[@kevp9601]

I Love It A Lot

[@chclark235]

A great generation of people.

[@djstrains]

true!!

[@heavyobject4809]

you guys nailed it!

[@kevp9601]

This is so Awesome

[@brantleyhester6641]

This is awesome thanks man

[@joebakewell7566]

God Bless Him.

[@williamsantangelo]

What a Great share so much to be said an absolutely Great story!!! Deeply moved Thank You for sharing!!! So much to be learned

[@djstrains]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@jamesnichols2188]

God bless

[@misssouripacific]

Thanks very much!

[@jameskoryta7197]

Thank you for posting this. Very interesting and pretty touching when he speaks of his father. I would wager he was effective in his duties in WW II whatever they involved.

[@djstrains]

I got choked up too! Lol.

[@SuperIliad]

The oldtimer refers to what was called "brasspounding." The operator was a "brasspounder." One may still see, running along the sides of old or abandoned tracks, short poles with two or three arms. These were to carriers for the telegraph lines and you can see them in some of these photographs.

[@locoburro6215]

That was fantastic!

[@djstrains]

Yes it was!

[@chazco]

awesome. I wish I had recorded my dad telling his WWII stories

[@WalkerBulldog19]

That would have been cool because we've lost ALL WW1 veterans and WW2 & Korean War vets are on the way out

[@sherrypilorski8975]

Thanks for sharing.

[@djstrains]

anything for you, my love, lol.

[@ghostprepper5859]

Thank you ❤️

[@djstrains]

You’re welcome 😊

[@aydenamaya7951]

he looks in pretty good shape for 96! must take good care of himself

[@derail14]

cool as i worked for conrail and knew all the places he talked about.

[@edwardgray154]

he was right on when he said he towers would all be gone, and they are all gone now. he had to have seen the writing on the wall.

[@robertgoodnow5069]

Americas Greatest Generation

[@mathias369]

Very interesting stories, things are so different now. High ball!

[@djstrains]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@malcolmmarzo2461]

This is a unique railroad video. Thank you for your service to preservation of cultural knowledge. Perhaps you could locate more old timers? I wish I could have videoed some of the old time pilots I used to talk to.

[@djstrains]

planning on it in the fall.

[@MrKfq269]

He doesn't look 96 at all. Good for him.

[@stanleepatterson95]

Thank you so much for posting.

[@djstrains]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@AFLKProductions]

Wow

[@stanleym2679]

great video, question, end of train flashing light, when installing on n scale should it go top , middle, or bottom of end car, maybe a short video on subject would be great, keep up the great work

[@lewisschaller2078]

The FRED's (Flashing Rear End Device) were normally attached to the coupler of the end car, this was done because it was at ground level and easy for the crew to do. So to answer your question it would be center right above coupler height of the rear car.

[@derail14]

most rr,s mount the eot on the coupler on the rear car.

[@mitchellmullins6650]

I`m enjoying your videos. but I have no clue as to where these towns or places are at. Can you expound? I`m from Ohio, lived in South Carolina, currently in Kentucky. By the way, my uncle about 80-85, started with the Pennys and finished with CSX

[@djstrains]

western pa from Pittsburgh east

[@mitchellmullins6650]

@@djstrains oh, ok. Years ago me and my otherhalf(God rest her soul) took an overnight excursion from Orville, Oh. to Pittsburgh

[@reconmodelsvaughn469]

What was really fascinate about this whole thing is why did you guys ask anything about him being in Normandy that's more fascinating than the railroad but iam a retired railroad engineer. But a man that went through Normandy and lived do you even have a clue how incredible that is and got home safe .that would of been the better story look at his hat next to him man if I had a chance to ask him questions it would have nothing to do with the railroad at all that man is a true hero. And we Hardly have any of them left just a shame

[@djstrains]

Because this is a railroad site, where we ask railroaders about life on the railroad for other people who like railroad stories about the railroad. Get it?

[@reconmodelsvaughn469]

@@djstrains I understand that I retired as a engineer I get it

[@greysongaming0845]

how is carl doing

[@djstrains]

I am not sure, to be honest.

[@edwardgray154]

i know he is 96 yrs but he made a mistake form a and for k are clearance cards to run a train back then a 19 order was used.

[@djstrains]

Way before my time, lol.

[@kevp9601]

I Am Never Pressing The KZbin Video Dislike Button Forever

[@pcfire0364]

Back before the job turned to crap

[@djstrains]

was there ever a time?

[@edwardgray154]

what many do not know the prr had a 4 track line were this guy worked now there is only 2 tracks using a tcs system.