My dad was career officer in USAF and you are right...the worst part was waiting for him to get home......my big offense was playing on the RR tracks....but I have to say my dad was always fair...I had a choice of going to my room for the night or a spanking...I always took the spanking...it was over quick.
We ALWAYS played on the tracks. Walking the tracks was one of our main forms of entertainment.
I think we lived on the wrong side, too! (ha)
We weren't supposed to do it either! Did you see Fried Green Tomatoes? major railroad track trauma!