Prior to this existing heat wave, we had some great weather and it was nice to sleep with the windows open. If you listen real close during the night, you can hear freight trains rolling through the "Fox River Valley". There is a low rumble from the diesels and of course the whistles as they near intersections.
The City Club was 2-3 blocks from the Plymouth train station. Plymouth was a stop for trains running between Milwaukee and Green Bay. There were both passenger and freight trains. In the 1940's, all trains were steam engines. In addition to the rolling engine sounds, there was a smell that permeated the air from steam and burning coal for the engines. There was one engine that stayed near Plymouth and switched cars for the Borden Cheese company and the local Stokely Foods. A lot of switching of empty cars and loaded cars happened at night. There was no air conditioning at the City Club (and bedroom windows were always open) so that you could hear the engines during the evening hours moving back and forth on the local tracks. The silent summer nights made the trains seem like they were across the street.
The different crews that manned the trains would walk down the hill from the station to the City Club for nurishment. My Grandpa Chalk got to know the local train engineers and he got an invitation for himself and his oldest grandchild (me) to ride the local steam engine one morning as it did it's switching of cars for businesses. I remember how high the engine was as we got up into the cab. "Firemen" were constantly shoveling coal into the firebox of the engine to get heat to change water to steam. The heat in the cab was intense. And then after all the steam pressure had built up, they would release the lever that moved the steam to pistons on the wheels. The surge of steam made the wheels spin wildly and then slowly, very slowly, the engine began to move. Chalk and I probably spent a couple of hours moving freight cars around and I remember stopping on the tressel that overlooked the main street of Plymouth (actually Mill Street). The street looked different from high up in the engine.
The best memory however was when troops from World War II would take the train from Milwaukee to come home to Plymouth. We sould stand on the station platform and watch for the light of the engine to round the bend 2-3 miles to the south and work its way to the main station and stop. There was excitement everywhere as friends and loved ones looked for that special serviceman. There was always a funny sensation as the trains arrived along the platform where we were standing. You weren't sure whether you were moving or the train was moving.
So every night as I hear trains moving through the area, it brings back good memories. And a special thank you to my Grandpa Chalk who died way too early. He made a little kids heart pump a little faster.
The lesson! Do things with your kids now while they are young. Create good memories.
Love,
Dad
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