R.I.P. Dirt, the Nevada Northern Cat

[Trollopian]

"Dirt was discovered in the railroad’s locomotive shop all alone as a kitten in 2008. Not wanting the little cat to starve, the shop crews started providing him with cans of tuna and soft cat food. It took time, but after a while, the cat started to trust the workers, and shortly after that, the master mechanic brought him to a vet for a checkup...Dirt would often spend his days wandering or sleeping in the large shop complex, but employees say he would always come out to see visitors during the daily 2:30 p.m. shop tour." Cats are clean creatures, but steam-locomotive shops are dirty places. Dirty places that we railfans love and so did he. The friendly* orange guy will be commemorated with not one but two bronze statues, one in the rail yard and one inside the shop.

* My one quibble with the story: "While Dirt was unusually friendly..." In fact, he looks like a Maine Coon mix, and Maine Coon + orange + male = friendly. Almost always.

Dirt, Nevada Northern’s Famous Shop Cat, Dies at 15

photo credit: Justin Franz

View attachment 1673537665129.png

 

[jis]

Long haired Cats already have a harder time keeping their coats clean. That just becomes much harder when placed in an environment like a maintenance shop complex, and it shows, and leads to his name. Apparently he was a delightful companion for the folks at the shop.

 

[Shanson]

From this past June..

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Sounds like a well loved and cherished friend of the shop. I had a male orange tabby cat that was friendly, playful, and results oriented. If you forgot to feed him he’d get in the cupboard and tear open the bag. His mom was less social but I’m not a needy or clingy owner so we got along great. When new people would meet her I’d say “just don’t try to pet her or pick her up and you’ll get on fine.” But would they listen? Nope.

 

[jis]

Orange Tabbies are most commonly male, though on rare occasions there is a female or two. I know of a female Orange Tabby that belongs to a close friend of mine. She always comes out to say Hello and be petted whenever she hears my voice.

 

[Ziv]

Cat? Did someone mention a cat?
LOL! I just had a Grey cat adopt me at my old hotel as I was traveling through.
Perhaps "tolerate me" is a more accurate way to describe our friendship.

 

[Willbridge]

While reporters claim that Putin runs the Kremlin, actually this cat is in charge.

 

[jis]

The legacy of Dirt...

https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/history/the-legacy-of-dirt-the-railroad-cat-continues/

 

[mcropod]

Cats and railways are well-suited - every railways station had its own station cat. I was in Scotland in the early 1990s at a time when there was a move to privatise the railways and decisions were being made as to which assets belonged to which proposed privatised organisation.

I read a story in one of Scotland's quality newspapers where they'd finally made the decision about which organisation got the station cat - it had been a contested matter!

 

[jis]

Cats and railways are well-suited - every railways station had its own station cat. I was in Scotland in the early 1990s at a time when there was a move to privatise the railways and decisions were being made as to which assets belonged to which proposed privatised organisation.

I read a story in one of Scotland's quality newspapers where they'd finally made the decision about which organisation got the station cat - it had been a contested matter!

There was even a Cat Station Master named Yotama in Japan.

https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/html/202202/202202_07_en.html

 

[mcropod]

Hah - it wasn't my imagination!

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/07/25/Privatization-question-on-British-Rails-cats/4136743572800/