" Track Torpedoes"

As most Railroader know track torpedoes are an exploding device that you put of the track as an alarm to warn someone of a dangerous situation in the area, and goes off with a loud bang that can be heard over the noise of a engine. It could be a warning for the Engineer or the work crew in the area.

While working the Midway job at Mimico every now and then someone would place a track torpedo on the track beside the shack which was only yards from the track, but to no avail.

When working in a yard like Mimico you had to get used to loud noises, because of the noises of the slack being taken, by long departing trains, it would sound like echoing thunder.

One day someone placed a track torpedo on the track beside the shack and when it went off I decided to go and investigate, and found the clip that holds the torpedo on the rail, embedded in the outside wall of the shack, which was an indication to me of how dangerous these things could be.

Allan