He found his way to the start of the line where fish plates needed to be attached to the line and rail te plates required fastening to the sleeper rails with spikes. He began to work pound in rail spikes first to secure the braces, using hand to set the spike enough that it would stand on its own enough that he could stand and pound it in with accurate strikes from his hammer.

"Spoken like man who has experienced considerably worse. Full meals, roof over our heads and mundane tasks won't lose some of us our edge." Those of them who knew what it was to suffer and were naturally suspicious of the idea of 'free'.