Here is a story sent to me by Deb L. from Wawa...she writes:

Hey Don,
 Way back in the 70"s I used to ride the rails to Hearst from Hawk. Mostly coming and going on the weekend and the guys who worked up the line were on the way in or out from work...the train always stopped at the Oba store for a booze fill up and it often had to start going before whoever was in the store would come out and then it was a mad dash to (literally) jump aboard. Everyone made it but you always wondered how!
Then someone would start a song and a guitar or fiddle would come outta nowhere and we would really get down to some good music.
One of the old guys from up the line would only ever have a case of wine and a case of peanuts for his weeks' food!!
I never took the train for many years and one time when I did... it was so sad to see the Oba hotel almost on the ground! You could see right through what was left standing. I swear, I could hear the echo of the whistle and "ol fontan" yelling jist wait der!
We played many games of crib in the baggage car for 1 buck over a good cuppa from the stove.

(author Deb L. Wawa)

deb lessard