Page 12 - All Scale Rails Magazine Issue 4 September October 2015
P. 12
www.AllScaleRails.com
The thing was, it wasn’t just the machines One time Bill saw a pretty cab and decid-
that had stories to tell. Bill remembered each ed to take some photos of her. He either
photo and how he ended up acquiring each didn’t notice, or didn’t care, that the truck
one. Sometimes the story was funny, like get- was parked right outside the local chapter’s
ting skunked by a freight train after traveling headquarters of the Outlaws Motorcycle
for hours, all the way across the state, to find Club. The president of the Outlaws at the
the perfect spot to photograph a historic time was the owner of a national moving
steamer. Other times it was nostalgic, like a company and usually had big rigs parked
picture of his first truck or one of his father nearby.
and his father’s truck. It didn’t take long for bikers to pour out of
His love affair with trucks made chatting the clubhouse to see who was poking around
up other truck drivers second nature. Most the truck. But it took Bill even less time to
people would shy away from walking up to a convince them that his interest was purely in
complete stranger and starting up a conversa- photographing the truck. His intent was true
tion. Not Bill. He wouldn’t even blink twice and his adoration for the rig was painted on
before hiking up his pants and bee-lining for his face. They respected his ambition and his
the unsuspecting driver. Usually within a shared interest in their machines and he
minute or so, the two men would be laughing walked away that day a few photos heavier.
like old friends, Bill checking out the rig and Over time, he became good friends with their
the driver pointing out her better features. president and when Bill showed up to shoot
the rigs, no one paid him any mind.
Mack Truck by Bill Bedell
12 All Scale Rails
