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Holyoke, Mass.
Monday, Feb. 12, 1940.

Caught the 7:45 AM out of Troy for North Adams and enjoyed the ride up into the tall Berkshires salted with snow. Three young school girls got on up country somewhere and alighted at Hoosick Falls - maybe 15 and going to high school - one a pert, black eyed, pretty, bright faced, plump little thing who looked French and I could scarcely keep my eyes off her. At North Adams I found the locomotive working down in the "hole" and Ernie Bloss, Neil and our man Dan Murray aboard. Andy Johnson had gone home ill and they feared pneumonia. The locomotive looks so insignificant, it has had to take plenty of kidding but it is doing a fine job. Today unfortunately, instead of being heavy was the lightest Monday in two years even so we did things that made them sit up and take notice. Incidents:

[[check mark]] a.) Coupled to a string of 17 loads on the .808% grade to pull them down but found the last 3 cars uncoupled so had to shove the 14 back up to couple. The crew were amazed. One said, "If we'd had the steamer, we'd of left 'em there."

[[check mark]] b.) The brakeman said he laughed when he first saw her and said, "I'd like to see that little son-of-a-bitch shove seven cars up the Arnold Print Works trestle." Today he said, "but by God, I seen her do it with my own eyes."

[[check mark]] c.) Their G-10 steam switcher is nicknamed "Rosie". The diesel, because of its power coupled with its apparent insignificance, was nicknamed on the first day in service, "Tarzan Junior." -which I thought about as nice a compliment as could be given.