As well as being a gathering place for people when the train arrived three times a week, for the boys of the town, the Train Station was a playground and one of many places for us to get into trouble. Not that I, Davie would ever get into trouble. (In my early years I was never called a ‘chicken’ – and if others were going to do ‘something’, I would be there). Often many of the ‘somethings’ were not the wisest but “hey’ we had to entertain ourselves. The rail siding at the station would usually have a few freight cars sitting idle. Most of them would be waiting for grain to be loaded from one of the two Grain Elevators located beside the tracks, or perhaps, from time to time, livestock. After the once weekly movie at the Community Center Hall (at least every third week, a western) with Hopalong, Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers or the Lone Ranger and Tonto too, these rail cars were one of many places for us to relive some of the amazing things our ‘hero’s had done. We would often play Cowboys and Indians (I am sorry, I realize this is not politically correct – but at the time it was). These freight cars were great to chase each other along the tops, having to jump from car to car, scurrying down the ladders and running along the tracks – up another ladder and now you would be behind your chaser. Yeaaaa – you got him!!! When shot, the dying scenes were something to behold, utter acting at its best! The longer it took you to die, the more you could make your ‘killer’ laugh! I am not sure where the Station Master was when we would have these fierce battles, sleeping perhaps, but every once in awhile he would ”wake up” – and we would run away, laughing because we had been so brave at both ‘running the tops of the cars’ and getting away from the Station Master. Thinking back now, with only about 10 boys in the whole town, obviously when we ran away, everyone knew who we were. (Chuckle) Once far enough from the Station to regroup, we would then decide where our next ‘playground’ would be. The lucky part , although there were many slips, no one ever fell off one of the freight cars - but then again, who ever heard of The Lone Ranger (and Tonto too) falling off a train.
As well as being a gathering place for people when the train arrived three times a week, for the boys of the town, the Train Station was a playground and one of many places for us to get into trouble. Not that I, Davie would ever get into trouble. (In my early years I was never called a ‘chicken’ – and if others were going to do ‘something’, I would be there). Often many of the ‘somethings’ were not the wisest but “hey’ we had to entertain ourselves. The rail siding at the station would usually have a few freight cars sitting idle. Most of them would be waiting for grain to be loaded from one of the two Grain Elevators located beside the tracks, or perhaps, from time to time, livestock. After the once weekly movie at the Community Center Hall (at least every third week, a western) with Hopalong, Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers or the Lone Ranger and Tonto too, these rail cars were one of many places for us to relive some of the amazing things our ‘hero’s had done. We would often play Cowboys and Indians (I am sorry, I realize this is not politically correct – but at the time it was). These freight cars were great to chase each other along the tops, having to jump from car to car, scurrying down the ladders and running along the tracks – up another ladder and now you would be behind your chaser. Yeaaaa – you got him!!! When shot, the dying scenes were something to behold, utter acting at its best! The longer it took you to die, the more you could make your ‘killer’ laugh! I am not sure where the Station Master was when we would have these fierce battles, sleeping perhaps, but every once in awhile he would ”wake up” – and we would run away, laughing because we had been so brave at both ‘running the tops of the cars’ and getting away from the Station Master. Thinking back now, with only about 10 boys in the whole town, obviously when we ran away, everyone knew who we were. (Chuckle) Once far enough from the Station to regroup, we would then decide where our next ‘playground’ would be. The lucky part , although there were many slips, no one ever fell off one of the freight cars - but then again, who ever heard of The Lone Ranger (and Tonto too) falling off a train. 
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