Riding the Rails: Stranded Part 6 So evry night I listen, wonder if its late. In my dreams Im ridin on that train. I feel my pulse a-beatin with that old fast freight and thank the Lord Im just a bum again. I was singing Kingston Trios song Fast Freight as I was waiting for that familiar sound of the brakes to release. It wasnt long before we were rolling out of Portola and heading east to Winnemucca. About 5 miles out of Portola we left the mountains behind us and immediately the rail line straightened out in large valley and we picked up speed. We went through the small community of Chilcoot. Chilcoot Pass is 5013 foot in elevation. It is the highest point that the Western Pacific had to climb before dropping into the high desert of Nevada. Just out of Chilcoot we went through a tunnel. This would be the last tunnel between because from there on the country opens up and the railroad follows valleys between rugged mountains. Many people dont know that Nevada is the most mountainous state in the union. The rail line stayed alongside a rugged mountain range and looking east I could see highway 395 and an area that years I later found out was called Hallelujah Junction. We were having a blast! We were in a boxcar and right behind the locomotives. It was a great ride and I couldnt ask for anything more in the way of a ride to Winnemucca, Nevada. It wasnt long after that our train pulled into a siding so I knew we were going to wait for a west bound. I heard someone walking outside our boxcar and coming toward us. A man stepped up and stopped at our boxcar door and said, Hey boys, Im the brakeman on this train and I wanted ask you where youre going? Were going to Winnemucca then we are jumping a train back to Oroville, I answered. The brakeman sighed and shook his head. I had a feeling he was going to give me some bad news. When we get to Gerlach we are dropping this train off then only the engines and caboose are going to Winnemucca. You guys are going to be stuck in the sticks, he said. We talked briefly about the west bound train that we were waiting for then the brakeman walked back to the engines. Immediately Steve, Micah and Kris were asking me what we were going to do. Remember, we had to be back in Oroville tomorrow no later than 1pm where my mother would be waiting at the freight station. I honestly did know what we could do to somehow get a train back to Portola. I had got us in a pickle. It wasnt long that the westbound train that we were waiting in the siding for went by and our train started pulling out on the main line. My mind was in a whirl wind trying to figure out what we were going to do because in approximately 80 miles we were going to get dump off out in the middle of nowhere. What was I going to do? We went probably another 10 miles when again our train pulled again into a siding. I looked up ahead and saw a westbound freight moving slowly toward us on the mainline. Suddenly I had an idea how we could get back to Portola which was about 40 miles back. I told the guys to quickly grab their bags and then I explained my idea. Ok guys, heres what we are going to do. We are going to jump off our train and catch the other train as it goes by. I think its going slow enough, so lets do this! I jumped out of the boxcar while we were moving about 10 miles per hour and as the locomotives of the other train roared by I quickly scanned for a car I could get on. I saw it! It was a string of gondolas. I ran alongside the first gondola and grabbed the front ladder. I was on! I saw Steve grab and climb on the back ladder of the same gondola I was on. I was yelling loudly encouraging Kris and Micah to get on but the westbounder was picking up speed and Kris and Micah couldnt get on. I yelled at Steve and told him that we had to bail and jump off. Once Steve and I were off I yelled to Micah and Kris to jump back on our previous train or we were going to loose our ride. I had no idea where we were at and I wasnt even sure whether we were in California or Nevada. By now our train had picked up speed and we could not get back on! I felt defeated and was forced to stand there and watch as both train went by and left us. I thought Bieber was a desolate place but this place was much more desolate. We were out in the desert without a single tree sight but only sage brush. The wind was blowing and it was cold. I had really messed this up. Lance, now what are we going to do? Steve asked. Part 7 tomorrow. See my timeline for previous chapters
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 16:09:08 +0000
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