They were as common as weeds here in Northern Calif. The logging railroads used to employ 'trackwalkers' and they had a cabin every 6 or 7 miles and would inspect and do minor maintenance on their section. Usually it was some old bachelor type, often times with an injury and those cabins were the center of his world. Most of the cabins interior walls were done in newspaper and or cardboard for insulation. What could be seen of the newspapers made for some interesting reading in later years. McCloud River Lumber Company, because of the snow, used 2 man trackwalkers. One spring in the late 30's they had to shut down, too much snow, everybody went to town. One of the trackwalkers partners got hurt in a car wreck and they discovered at the company hospital the trackwalker was a woman. Her partner got quite a ribbing for not discovering the fact over the course of a whole winter.
