This Old Mansion

By: John Bowling
(© 2013 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 1
"Rolling in from the roaring 70's"

Dateline: Friday, August 31, 2012, Labor day weekend,

Joe Young narrating

Hi, I'm Joe Young, even if I am 71 years old, and I supervise care of a small section of railroad in Michigan. And today I am expecting the Woodward Lake Special (hereafter known as WLS). It is a usually a short train, with one or two Pullmans and a few freight cars, connected behind a small electric diesel locomotive. It should be arriving about 9:30 am, behind a longer freight. As it approaches I will trigger the decoupler and the switch at the right time.

I hear the whistles of a larger freight train that was destined a big sand pit north of Boon, as it approached S 29 Rd. The track us about 600 feet North of 34 1/2 Rd. The Woodward Lake Depot (WLD) is a quarter mile further to the west on a siding. There are also switches and sidings to allow the locomotive to be at either end of the train. The larger sand freight runs through the area with cars loaded with sand from the Yuma Sand Pits.

They came rolling up the tracks from Cadillac to the Woodward Lake Junction in its journey from Chicago through several small towns in Michigan. As the freight train approached, slower than normal, the smaller WLS was trailing, and braked just after I triggered it to decouple from the tail end of the larger train which continued to it's next stop back at normal speed. The Woodward Lake Special (WLS)  consists of two modified Pullman cars, a box car, and it's own small electric diesel locomotive. It continued on slowly under its own power into the depot where it slowed to a stop, aligning the Pullman cars with the depot.

I spoke with my part timer Grant Thomas: “Grant, when they depart, can you do the standard clean up of the Special? I'll have to be with them as they tour the property. There will soon be some action around here, with winter prep, and then closing things down until spring. I know they are to be going full force on the new project even before the last snow in spring, and we could really use your help with all of that.”

"Yes, Old Joe, I can. I will need the extra money for college expenses, even with the scholarship. Thanks."

"You got it, then. That's really great. You still gonna be available summer times? With their plans, there will be lots of work the first few years until it settles into a normal routine."

"Hey, I plan on being one of the advisers to the fostered kids here after I graduate, so you are not getting rid of me. 'Sides, your like the granddad I never had."

"Trying to get a raise all ready? I'm not in charge of that, even though it is nice to be appreciated, and I'll recommend you for one."

"Thanks, boss."

On it's trip from Chicago, The WLS would couple with other trains a few times with all the assorted small runs. It makes it's own occasional short run as needed to avoid several hours down time waiting for the next scheduled train or transfer to other track sets. The passengers inside had no problems with the switching delays. The power from their electric diesel provided all the power the train needed, even for several additional cars and for powering a satellite Internet connection and on board personal computers, as well as lights, air conditioning, and kitchen appliances. The passengers continued their work and play, ignoring stops. Near the WLS destination, the large train slows and the WLS decouples into the small depot, sounding very unlike the noisy steam trains the depot was originally built for in the 19th century. However romantic it was in days of yore, even if only in our dreaming of those days, train travel no longer presents that image to the viewer. The locomotives are mostly all modern electric diesel. The steam era has passed the depot by and left some derelicts, including this depot. Yet there is much by-gone era romance to the depot, having remained over the years. I guess I am part of what remains of the romance, dressed in my railroad outfit, and playing conductor at times. The platform here at the depot is only long enough for two cars to load or unload, and is on a side track so through trains could maintain their speed as they pass by, as most of them do now.

The lengthy train, after the WLS drops off, continues on. Beyond two cars, the extra cars extend along the tracks. The only addition to the depot from those bygone days is a whistle from an old steam train that still works, if I pull the cord on the platform, only it now works with compressed air or steam. They let me know in advance when they are scheduled for a stop here, so I can start it building a head of steam, enabling it to billow out, helping re-create a romantic interlude that is vastly different from today's modern flash and glitz. It is the beginning of an enchanting trip back to the romance of yesteryear for passengers and visitors, even though there are no wizards on these trains.

I call myself the only real antique here, even though most everything about the depot dates back to 1872 when it was built, it all still works. 'Course, a water tank to refill steam engines is no longer needed, yet it sits there as part of the atmosphere, even empty. “Woodward Lake Junction” is painted on it's side, though faded. I was not around back then. I may be an antique, but I'm not that ancient! My great-grandfather was here when the depot and the hotel were lively, and now mostly reminders of the roaring '70s via artifacts. I remember the stories my great granddad told about dime-a-dance girls and flappers, in the parties held in the hotel from that bygone era. I am 71 now, but I still work around the hotel and depot, keeping things fixed up as best I can. This body is not what it once was. Occasionally, I would call for more assistance using a telephone that looks like, in fact is, the old original hand cranked phone hanging on the wall, but updated with modern phone electronics hidden inside.

Local people are brought in to help with the repairs, and do what I physically no longer can. Back when, the railroad and depot was built by a long deceased tycoon, along with the hotel that looked, originally, like a mansion. It served as a luxury vacation residence for several years, but now does not meet codes required for residence. I also maintain it as well as I can, but I do have my limits, and help when needed.

They dropped the Pullmans along with the freight car off at the depot, to be picked for a return trip south when the passengers were ready. The Pullman had been remodeled a few years ago and now has a small kitchen as well as a new arrangement, able to sleep and dine four couples, and a single restroom. Things are spaced to accommodate wheelchairs and those walking with crutches. There is a ramp that extends for the wheelchair. Departing from the train this trip are Ms. Helen Oskar Incarbo-Vermillion, in a manual wheelchair, and Ms. Dorothy (Dot) Manchester, the current owners of the depot, hotel. and the tracks with property on both sides. Also with them is Jason Crowns, their foster teen son, pushing the manual, fat tire, wheelchair. Dot was carrying Helen's crutches and a bag of items they would need. They would sleep in the Pullman car, and prepare meals there for the weekend. I have my own house trailer that I have used for years, parked several yards away from the depot.

My part-time worker, who was like a son to me, proceeded to clean up the WLS, including using the special vacuum cleaner in the restrooms. I noticed the looks between Jason and Grant, who have met here a few times. They are definitely appraising each other.

I closed up the Pullman and the depot, and led the ladies and Jason along the route to the hotel, passing by the winding gravel drive out to 29 road, detouring to unlock the gate. The others are expected to drive up soon. The wheelchair, even with fat tires, is not easy to push over the gravel roadway. Jason takes that work in stride without complaints. As a gymnast, he is strong and it shows. Grant, working around here, has also built himself up.

Once the gate is unlocked, we approach the old hotel building, designed originally to be a romantic get away. It began life as a mansion and was converted about the turn of the century to a hotel. I've heard that it welcomed the beginning of the 20'st century with an outlandishly fabulous party, and then settled down to luxury accommodations in 1901. It is nestled in with several large trees, and there had been a lot of clean up work done recently, clearing the grounds of broken tree limbs and leaves. According to my instructions, the organic material has been composted for several years, and added to often.

The group is here to meet Daniel Ostenstein, a building structural engineer and contractor from Traverse City at the hotel. He drove down with additional helpers and is here to check out the place to determine what was needed to repair or rebuild it. Also, there are some deliberately nondescript people who are was part of the investigation team from the investigative division of law firm of his McGee, Dunback, and Offhill, in Chicago researching for the gentile ladies. It is their task to check with the people in the area, through a seemingly innocuous survey done directly with each person over 15, within a ten mile radius. They give out minimal information as to what the project would entail or where it would be. In the process, they meet Heloise, a retired, and now local gossip columnist, and mine her knowledge of the area and people in the area. In that process they give her some information about the project. It is a gabfest, where both sides get a lot of juicy rumors, most repeated in the community often, which the investigators have to sort through and manage sorting the facts.

After we had completed the tour, with notes, we joined back with Grant, who had almost spit polished the entire WLS. We all got cleaned up in my trailer home, and we piled into my recently new van, with alterations for easy handicapped use. We proceeded to a favorite family style, farm house, restaurant that belonged to Grant's parent. Grant had gotten reservations for us a couple of weeks ago.

The menu of the day, which was always the same every week on a given weekday, was a large, locally grown, roasted chicken.

At some point in the weekend, I noticed Jason taking Grant's hand and pulling him into the Pullman, saying something about the cleaning. Grant told me later that Jason wanted to confirm that the bunks were still in great shape for bouncing around on.

"Well?"

"They still get a top rating!"

"So you enjoyed the toss in the hay the stud?"

"We both did! I'll help him test the college dorm beds this winter!"

"Same college?"

"And he's going to get me in the gymnastics program!"

"I can just see it now, sex on the high bar or rings."

"Hey, I'm not that much of a sex fiend!"

"But you do admit to being super sexed. I just hope you have it out of your system now until the dorms."

"I do have to practice so I can be in shape to hold up my part."

The freight car is left loaded and locked, and moved further up the spur until one of Daniel's local crews can construct a warehouse for it's contents. The work progresses, and by the end of the weekend a group of tired people are ready to depart. Local autos left to proceed home, with the train passengers back to the Pullman before the scheduled train arrives, and Grant and I watch the train pick up the Pullman car. After boarding, I was standing on the platform, holding my pocket watch that was my retirement gift some years earlier. I may have retired, but I did not stop working with something I love. As they got in and settled in their seats, I called out "All aboard", and pulled the rope on my "steam" whistle to signify the departure back to Chicago. I love the old objects and social modes that are rare nowadays.

'That Joe is an old day-dreamer. Nice, and I've got some years of fun in front of me, called Jason!' Grant was thinking to himself as he waved goodby to the WLS, smiling at the figure of Jason in the window.

Once they have all departed, we proceeded to lock up the depot and hotel for the winter. Daniel will have some crews working to prepare for early spring construction, but other than that, it will be calm and boring until spring. I expect there will be lots of activity then. How about if I just sleep all winter? Maybe I can read some of those old books I've found in the hotel. And there will still be things to do, like clearing the snow off pathways, and day-dreaming.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch ... Hold on, what ranch? And this isn't some pulp fiction ... or is it?

To be continued...

Author's Notes:

Harry Chapin's "Corey's Coming" tells the story of John Joseph, who was a caretaker of an old railroad depot. It's on "The Gold Medal Collection" CD, disk 2. Another song on that collection that seems to fit somewhat with an almost abandoned hotel in that era is "Dance Band On The Titanic". "Come Dancing" by The Kinks about a dance hall with big bands also fits well.

For railroad enthusiasts, Steve Goodman's "The City of New Orleans". Yes, Arlo Guthrie made it popular, with a poor rendition of the song I first heard in Chicago, written and performed well by Steve Goodman when I was going to school (early 1970's). Also, Billy Strange does several old favorite country style pickin' and fiddlin' instrumentals about railroads on a different album.

Posted: 12/13/13