This anecdote is taken straight from his 1991 book 'Railway Drama'.
The 1955 floods across south-eastern Australia stand out in Australia history. Photographs feature in every significant historical work. This was a time that Australia was getting back on its feet after the physical, emotional, social and financial expenses of WWII and the Korean War.
The 1950's was the major baby-boomer decade, in which the birth rate sky-rocketed; and added to this was the migration policy of the Commonwealth Government that saw a mass of 'new' Australians coming to settle here, many with their young families.
Schools for example, had to built or expand to cater for this new generation. The country was booming. The 'fibro' home was the answer to building prefabricated walls for houses due to shortages of building materials, and became the mainstay in suburban and rural Australia. The new Holden Australian-made car was the proud talk of the town. Cricket in the summer was the national sport, while in winter the various football codes held firm. Melbourne was gearing up for the 1956 Olympic Games.
Walter (Wally) Schumaker was a locomotive fireman from the Muswellbrook Locomotive Depot in this same era, newly married and building his career as a train driver. He recounts this story on his experiences in how that 1955 flood affected Maitland in particular. Coal mining was a major industry in the Muswellbrook district and there were numerous coal trains running each day from that inland town, through Maitland, west of Newcastle, and on to the Newcastle steelworks.
It happened that Wally Schumaker was rostered on a coal train for a routine round trip to Newcastle as the heavy rain continued and the flood waters began to rise through the Maitland valley area. It was no easy task for a fireman to keep a steam locomotive with a full head of steam when it was pouring with rain.
The major problem was the visibility, which was obstructed by the heavy leather all-weather curtains that were hung from the steam engine's cabin and covered the open space between the locomotive and the coal tender. The trip down went satisfactorily, although there were many delays, and after a spell in barracks at Broadmeadow locomotive depot they went to sign on duty to return home.
They were several hours too late. By the time they'd had their barracks rest, the lines were cut by flood waters and they could not get home. Moreover the communication was also cut. Some enginemen had died in the floods, and somehow, unknown to Wally, his new bride and parents had been informed that Wally was one of these dreadful losses. Can you imagine the surprising scene, three days later, and what the family was going through, when Wally walked in the front door. Celebrations were endless.
Footplate Padre M V Tronson in his Footplate Padre article then likens this Wally Schumaker story to the disciples astonishment and joy when, Jesus came upon them having risen from the grave on the third day.