1

Carmy Gillis, Retired Conductor
3 May 2005
Orangedale, Cape Breton

2

Carmy Gillis gives us a glimpse of how life was working on the railway.

3

Carmy Gillis's story #2
3 May 2005
Orangedale, Cape Breton

4

"He was very full of business everything had to be exact, just so. So first time I was actually deheading. I went in the Caboose with him and he was showing me around this, that, and the other thing. He showed me the retaining valve for the brakeline at the end of the Caboose and he showed me the valve handle you know. He told me very emphatically that handle has to be pointed from the ground to the atmosphere... those were my instructions on the retaining valve".
- Carmy Gillis

5

Neil MacLean, Retired Station Operator
3 May 2005
Orangedale, Cape Breton

6

Neil MacLean heartily tells us the stories of the characters who worked on the railroad on Cape Breton Island.

7

Neil Maclean's story #1 and #2
3 May 2005
Orangedale, Cape Breton

8

"Well I was working at Orangedale on the 'back trick' they call it. One night long ago ( in the fifties probably), there was a freight train ( a long train) was coming from the west. Allan Joe Chisholm was the conductor and they were shunting at 'McArther', what they call McArther on the hill. There was some fella up there they were shunting with and he took off. Allan Joe was in the middle of the track, before they got going too fast he climbed into a gondola.

What could he do 10 below zero but put his back against the wall which was only 4 feet high. It kept him against the wall and he rode all the way to Sydney Mines.
Anyway the funny part of the story is he was coming by Orangedale where I was working the 'back trick'. 3 o'clock in the morning and Allan Joe was waving to me desperately to try and stop the train, waving to attract us. I gave him a wave back, I just thought he was another tramp. I wasn't going to stop the train for a tramp!"
[. . .]

"This old comical fellow that worked in Boisdale Eugene Mac Donald, he was always boasting about some new thingy bob that he bought. He had this barrell, he bought a new outboard motor and had this barrell on a platform. It was 3/4 fill of water and he'd stick the motor on to test her. "Booom" and she'd go "burrrom".

Anyway this day this 'bad news' (we'd call him), this 'bad news' was in town. He got this idea he'd put half a box of soap powder in, put it in the barrell. "Come on boys come on look at the new motor, look at the way she starts!". He pulled the motor, "burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruuullllaaaaaaaaaa!" Eugene was covered! Bubbles for miles, everywhere!"
- Neil MacLean

9

Neil MacLean's story #3
3 May 2005
Orangedale, Cape Breton

10

"He was a old slippery fella, he'd break the law a couple of times. He put dynamite down the pond to catch trout or salmon. He'd put dynamite down to kill them. One day he had a stick of dynamite with him and he went down to the pool with the dog, the dog went with him.

Anyway Eugene saw a big trout out in the pool, he threw the stick of dynamite. He threw it out in the water, the dog went after it. Eugene took off as fast as he could, the dog coming behind him (with the stick of dynamite!). It blew (the dog) to hell!"
- Neil MacLean

11

Neil MacLean's story #4
3 May 2005
Orangedale, Cape Breton

12

"There were about 15 hens, when they came loading feed they'd spill some cracked corn and oats. They'd never bother to shut the doors and they just took off. Anyway the hens worked there way over, one hen looked up. He'd seen something and jumped in then they all jumped in (all 15 of them).

The way freight train came along and that car was empty. It was going along east and took the car and the hens. The hens went to Alma, about 7 miles. The hens went down and the old fellow (the old station agent there) called up. He told Angus up here about the hens that came with the train and Angus said "look there were no hens had none of them here". The sectionmen took them back in bags (jute bags), took them back on trolleys to Orangedale".
- Neil MacLean

13

Neil MacLean's story #5
3 May 2005
Orangedale, Cape Breton

14

"On the I&R, a short line between Point Tupper and Inverness. It was an awful railway down there, all bridges broken down. This hot day about 90 degrees, this train, engine I think with some cars ( I don't know how many). It had a derailment on the I&R. The Conductor was called out to get the train ready for the I&R called the auxiliary.

Anyway the first conductor out was elected to go so they started getting ready. Oh there'd be a car rail's here and a car wheel here and a car tie here, shunting it back and forward getting it ready. Everything squeeking like an old trolley, you know squeek squack. Another thing they had to do was get the Cafeteria Car, they had to get that ready. Go to the store and get that all stocked up because they'd be down there 2 to 3 days.

Anyway it all took time, a couple of hours dragged by and they were still old squeek and a squawking trying to get it all together. Finally about 3 hours went by and an old Operator was working there in the station. He Hollered to the conductor "when's that thing gonna be ready". Oh the conductor never answered him, he was ignorant you know and snarly. A little while later it was pretty well ready to go and the old Operator came out again and says"Are you ready to go, what in the hell do you think this is a circus train? "Yes" says the conductor, we're short one clown jump on!"
- Neil MacLean