ep197 The Runaway Railroad

Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, showing rare courage in the face of disaster. In the air, on horseback, or in a screaming squad car. Ranger Bill, his mind alert, a ready smile, unswerving, loyal to his mission. And all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done.

Hello there, boys and girls. This is Ranger Bill. That's a sound you may never have heard before. One of the most mournful, lonesome and yet friendly sounds in the whole world. It's a locomotive whistle.

The old Feisen kind that was part of a coal-burning steam engine. There are a few in active service here and there, but for the most part they've been replaced by modern electric or diesel engines. It was always something exciting and romantic about those old locomotives huffing and puffing, blowing off steam, then whistling for the crossings.

Did you know that the locomotive had more to do with the expansion of our country than any other one thing? Well, it did. Opening up new territory as fast as the tracks were laid. Today I am going to tell you a strange tale about one of the last of those old locomotives.

I call it... A runaway railroad. Is a... We've climbed uphill and downhill for ten days together and... Now all there is to see is a bunch of old falling down shacks and shavings. This is a ghost town!

Ragweed into the line! Who lives there? Nobody. Nobody except you and me and we just moved in. You just moved in. I moved in out. and to walk back where we came from it's a long way.