NORWOOD – A snow sculpture of a “gandy dancer” created by Michael R. Tuper has appeared on Mechanic Street.

A gandy dancer is a slang term for manual laborers who maintained railroads in North America, according to Aileen Saarinen who took the photo. For each stroke, a worker would lift his gandy (a long handled tool) and force it into the ballast to create a fulcrum, then throw himself sideways using the gandy to push the rail toward the inside of the curve.

The songs sung in this occupation have been recognized as a major influence on later blues music.

The community of Norwood was established as a direct result of the railroad

(Saarinen Photo)