Another Railroad Tale: Bo Bo and the chickens

A real character on the Railroad was nicknamed Bo Bo or Bo. I made many trips with him and still appreciate what I learned from him. He was a tall, lanky, not an ounce of fat, 6 foot something when he straightened up cowboy who happened to be a “Rail”. He was a class A #1 engineer and a B.S. er.

One morning when we were eating in the Greasy Spoon Bo was telling a Tale. We were all listening intently as well as 2 young waitresses who stood by the table. Beside being a “Rail” and a cowboy, he was a hunter, and an outfitter who took other hunters or Dudes into the mountains in the fall to hunt. The fall before Bo had taken 5 Michigan hunters into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to hunt elk. After a long day of hunting they were sitting around the campfire and the subject of the relatively short amount of the opposite sex in Montana came up. The one Michigan hunter said to Bo “You Montanans have a bad reputation of messing with sheep when you are lonely.” No reply from Bo. The Michigan dude went onto say that he’d heard that a cow was not out of the question at times. Bo said nothing. The Michigan dude/hunter said he’d heard that even a favorite horse was not exempt from this behavior. Bo sat silent by the campfire.

Finally the Michigan Dude said “It’s been reported when you people are in a pinch a nearby chicken is fair game.”

“Chickens, chickens,” Bo screamed, “I never touched a chicken!!!”

The two little waitresses ran to the back room and the rest of us almost rolled on the floor, by this time the whole restaurant was laughing..

What an engineer, but a World Champion B.S. er…. The absolute best…

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13 Comments

  1. Susan Bliss says:

    And I know just who you’re talking about – he was one of a kind – big guy with a big heart – one of the classics.

  2. Knux says:

    I heard that story a few times Russ. Bo would call me sometimes and ask me to meet him at the Pastime Bar in Chinook. By the end of the session that joke had been told maybe once or twice…

    I only made it out to the Bob with him once. It was an experience I’ll never forget…..

  3. Elena says:

    Dad had many stories of Bo Bo! He would have us in stitches! And the Pastime Bar were in a few stories too! Give me a smile and a giggle!

    • Tom Norman says:

      Comment

  4. Gary Reithmeier says:

    I learned how to RUN a train from Bo Bo. He was the best! I heard the “chicken story” at the Hanging Tree after one of our trips to WhiteFish. I only wish I would have taken him up on his invite into the Bob Marshall. Gary

  5. Billy Collins says:

    Great Story Russ! Always love listening to BS from railroaders.
    There have been some great ones.
    Take care my Brother.
    Billy

  6. Slim says:

    Champion B.S.er and a very good Rail…

  7. Gene Whinnen says:

    He was in a class by him self…..

  8. Alice Hauge says:

    This story made Dwight and I have a good lauge!

  9. Robert B. Gummer says:

    I knew that same Bo and every Feb 9 of my life I think of him cause for many years Leroy, him and I celebrated our birthday. What a crew!

    • Slim says:

      Yep Bob the old Rails are steadily going and you and I are becoming the OLD RAILS!!!!

  10. Tom Norman says:

    Showed this to my dad. Friends with Bo for a long time. He loved it.

  11. Slim says:

    Thanks for doing that Tom.. appreciated..

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