Freight Cars, circa 1950s

[Redtail67]

It did take a long time, cattle were not cooperating with the process. We would laugh our u know whats off with some of the problems the cowboys had with stubborn cattle.

Even if the loading went well, when we got them to Beaumont, they were watered and unloaded. Then they were loaded after so many hours and would they would be on the "High Rail" flying to KC mostly. I think they were detrained once more in most cases sometimes 3 times if they had delays.

It cost the railroads a fortune extra road crews and then extra yard crews to load and unload. They could not wait to put them in the trucks.

Redtail67

[Yampa Bob]

The regs have more to do with the truck driver than the cattle. The driver has to take rest stops, but the cattle stay on the truck.  You don't find corrals at a truck stop.

The livestock are wedged fairly tight in the truck so they can't lay down. They take short "naps" standing up.

Red, as you no doubt noted, there are "cowboys", then there are real Cowboys. Cows want to go the opposite way you want them to go. The trick is to make the cows think they are outsmarting you.  In other words you have to be smarter than the cows.

Anyway, at last count I have 12 stock cars, where in the world am I going to put them all, on my 4 X 8 ?  The living room is looking like a hobby shop, I'm on the verge of being "evicted" to the garage.

[pdlethbridge]

that may be a good thing, garages are bigger than 4 x 8.  hint, hint hint

[SteamGene]

Some Eastern roads with cattle cars:  C&O, B&O, PRR, NYC. 
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

I found some more: L&N, CNW, GN, CB&Q and NP.  If you had one of every line, you could set up a great stockyard and packing plant.

Best steak house in the country is in St Joseph, Missouri.  It's called "The Stockyards", right next door to a huge lot.  I once had a 24 ounce Porterhouse you could cut with a fork. That was back in my "hollow leg" days.

[SteamGene]

How about Rod's Steak House in Williams, Arizona?  It used to be that they served steak rare or medium rare.  If you wanted a steak cooked more they pointed out the truck stop a mile or so down the road.
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

I used to know a guy, when the waiter asked how he wanted his steak, he said "Just cut off the tail and throw it on the plate".  I got so sick of hearing that.  First rule in cooking a steak, lots of fire to seal in the juices and cook it fast.  Second rule, never turn a steak more than once.  Forget the marinade, a little creole spice is all you need for seasoning.

I should have paid more attention to trains in my early travels.  As the song goes, "I've been everywhere".  Well, never made it to Florida.  Did Florida have any railroads before CSX? I've seen cars lettered Fruit Grower's Express.

[SteamGene]

Atlantic Coast Line, Florida East Coast, Seaboard Airline, I think maybe Southern.  Don't forget, Florida had the "railroad to the sea" - all the way to Key West until the hurricane took it out in the '30s. 
Gene

[Woody Elmore]

There is also the Georgia and Florida which now works as a short line carrier. The original Georgia and Florida was leased to the Southern.

[thirdrail]

How far back to you want to go? In the modern era, the following operated in Florida:

Atlantic Coast Line
Seaboard Air Line
Southern Railway
Louisville & Nashville
Burlington Northern (ex. SL-SF)
Florida East Coast
South Georgia
Live Oak, Perry & Gulf
Apalachicola Northern
Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay

Some, like Southern and Burlington Northern just barely got into the Northern and Western parts of the State. Southern reached Jacksonville, Palatka and Madison, BN reached Pensacola. NS still reaches Jacksonville.

Quite a bit of trackage has been abandoned or spun off, mostly by CSXT. New operators are Florida Central, Florida Midland, Florida Northern (Pinsly roads), South Central Florida Express, and Seminole Gulf. The BN trackage is now the Alabama & Gulf Coast. Apalachicola Northern is now AN Railway, and ASAB is now The Bay Line Railroad, both Genessee & Wyoming companies.