When Carl Sandburg was born on January 6, 1878, his parents lived within two blocks of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad tracks. As a babe in arms, he may have felt the vibration and heard the noise of the passing trains.

His father August was in the railroad’s blacksmith shop when the CB&Q steam whistle blew at 7 am, starting the work day. At noon and 1 pm the whistle sounded for the main meal of the day. Most people called it dinner rather than lunch. August Sandburg walked home to eat his meal and walked back to work. At 6 o’clock the whistle blew again ending the day’s manual labor all over town. The stores on Main street remained open until a later hour.

More than just the railroad workers were accustomed to the regular pattern of the CB&Q steam whistle. It told other citizens of Galesburg to get up, eat meals and finish work for the day.

The whistle in the railroad yard as well as those of other factories, were used on other occasions. When World War I ended on November 11, 1918, the whistles started blowing about 4 am
and blasted away for hours in celebration. There was no more sleeping for anybody that day.

As a boy, Sandburg went to the railroad depot to watch people coming and going. He became acquainted with hoboes and tramps who frequented the rail yard. He learned the difference among hoboes, tramps and bums.

When the circus had advertised that it was coming to perform in Galesburg, Carl was up at the crack of dawn. He would watch the animals and wagons being unloaded from the rail cars. Often he would help carry water for the elephants or boards for the viewing stands in the big tent in order to earn a free ticket to the show.

At the age of sixteen Sandburg was allowed to use his father’s railroad pass. He went to Peoria, all of fifty miles away. He was able to see the Illinois State Fair and the steamboats on the Illinois River. It inspired in him a desire to travel even farther.

All his life Carl Sandburg preferred trains to other forms of travel. He grew up with trains and he knew they could take one to interesting and exciting places.