Jim vividly remembered one big avalanche which roared down the steep incline just as a long freight train rolled by. The slide cut the train in half, carried several box cars through the river and deposited them in a tangled heap on the wagon road. It also scooped the river bottom clean of rocks and debris, along with a goodly catch of unwary trout lurking in the chilling waters. There were more than enough for a fish fry. During the early years several local men sup- lied sand to the railroad to be used for traction on slippery rails. Oil dripping on the steel rails would cause the wheels to spin, thus losing their power to travel. At Gateway a huge water tank perched atop a high platform where the engines chugged under its spout for a fill-up when water became low in their boilers. This water came from large springs on the Robinson property up Strawberry Creek. Fitt¬ingly called "Tank Springs". They are still flow¬ing a good sized stream and the overflow is used on the Robinson ranch. For several years a telegraph office was located at Gateway on the north side of the trades, where operators tapped out messages to railway stations both east and west. It was a lonely life and few of the operators stayed mpre than a year before moving on. Many of them boarded with Heber and 'Nodie' Robinson where they found good food, a comfortable bed and friendship. A TOUCH OF ORIENTAL FLAVOR The Central Pacific Railroad had its crew of Chinese laborers who helped lay the track for the 'meeting of the rails' at Promontory. The Union Pacific also added a bit of oriental flavor with its SECTION CREW MAN HANDCAR AT PETERSON L Front-Ralph Warner OLD RAILROAD WATER TOWER 15