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| Train wreck late to mid 1920's Here in MN |
Just a short one this week and rather late for me; here is a photo of the train wreck I mentioned last week. We know nothing about it other than Jerry's maternal grandfather, Charlie, is the man standing with his arms crossed in front of himself and to the left of a taller man in the back of the photo. You have to click on the photo to enlarge it and see this. Last week I shared one of Charlie hauling debris with his team of horses and wondered if it might have been from this same wreck because one of the gentlemen, dressed in a suit and hat and overseeing the process was observing in that photo too. We can see this was an old steamer train, and the rail road line CM & St. P.may have been part of the Midwest. We are not familiar with that either. Wonder how they righted this giant locomotive without use of today's rigs? Must have been a chore for many men.
Perhaps we can learn more about this photo and incident by taking it to a meeting of our local La Crescent Historical Society or digging through their archives. We are not certain if this was here along the track of town, elsewhere in the area perhaps a couple miles down the track toward Dakota or the other direction toward Houston. But we were thrilled to salvage this from Aunt Marie's; it is on a board in an old wooden frame the back of which is nailed into the fame with bent over old nails. Jerry tried removing the back board very carefully, but only got so far as a couple nails would not dislodge so he felt better to leave it be and not damage it. He has it hanging proudly in his little corner of the downstairs TV/rec room where he can view it from his recliner. Here's a closing sneak at that exhibit, not Sepia, just the way at ease where today he will be found watching the NFL playoffs--my recliner is off to the right where I will be rooting for my hometown Steelers, singing Blackbird bye bye to the Baltimore Ravens!
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| Train wreck photo on wall, Jerry's recliner |
This is my Sepia Saturday post this week. To see others, click on the title above to this post where you can link to our international community site and enjoy many other photos of people, places and times...
Googling revealed several links about the CM & St Paul Railroad...this one, naming the tramp who tried to ride the rails was the most fun...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.watertownhistory.org/Articles/CM&StPaulRailway.htm
That is quite an interesting post for today. I don't have any photos but there was a devastating train wreck about 15 miles from me in the early 1900's filled with Christmas shoppers. There were several from my town that were killed. I love this meme for just this reason. I am going to research that wreck. Can't remember if any relatives on there or not. Great post.
ReplyDeleteQMM
You could have asked an old 'rail' the son of a much older 'rail.' Actually the railroads, even from those early days, had steam powererd cranes, "wreckers" and other heavy duty equipment. Somewhere, from my dad's photos I have some dramatic train wreck pics, including one where a trestle broke beneath a locomotive on the old YV, Yosemite Valley, RR. I love these old historical photos depicting any kind of event and their times. Helps to keep the revisionists at least close to the facts.
ReplyDeleteTom
I'm going to have dig deeper into this one, very interesting...I am a fan of trains...and everything connected to them! This is a great post thanks!
ReplyDeleteBTW did you ever hear about the story about a man from La Cresent who buried quite a sum of money on his land?
ReplyDeleteI worked with British Rail at a time when they were implementing the recommendations of the Hidden Report on a train crash at Clapham. Crashes take a lot of investigation to reveal the root causes.
ReplyDeletePat, I'll be checking the backs of my picture frames to see what secrets they are hiding.
That was an old steamer. It is good to see it and I hope you can find out more about it.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how they could lift the train back up.
ReplyDeleteI found you over at Rosaria's. I made a comment there about wanting to keep blogging with friends who say who they are and where they live! From your profile I can feel who you are, and from these beautiful photographs I can see where you live! I see a lot of interesting things on your blog that I'd like to read, so I hope to come back soon. I'll try!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to think of you sat in your chairs watching the game and been watched over by such a fine old photograph. It deserves sharing, it is such a fascinating image, so thank you for doung so.
ReplyDeleteBecause there has been interest in this post I asked my friend, Tom, who has past experience with the rails...he provided a good lesson that I want to maintain this for future reference and this blog post seems to be the right spot...here goes...love that term "Gandy Dancer"
ReplyDeleteRailroads had repair yards, several tracks where mechanical repair men, "car toads," worked on maintaining "rolling stock." Wreckers, cranes, and heavy "maintenance of way" equipment was usually stored on one of these tracks. Locomotives received care in the round house; so named because it was a fan shaped portion of a circular building. Tracks radiated, like spokes of a wheel, from a "turn table" into the stalls. Some of the stalls, used for heavier maintenance jobs, had pits between the rails to enable workmen access to the underside of the engines. The mechanical maintenance was under supervision of the "Master Mechanic." Locomotives, engineers and firemen were supervised by the "Road Foreman of Engines" while train crews and the main line and attached trackage was underr direction of a "Train Master." The marshalling yards were supervised by "Yard Masters and :Dispatchers" directed train traffic over the road. Each division had these supervisors with a number of divisions managed by a "Superintendent." Those supervisory positions were known as the "brass." The superintendent was rarely seen except when a wreck or other emergency occured. That was when the "suits" showed up. Of course there were other parts and pieces to this complicated business, but my experience was with the operating portion, locomotive fireman, engineer and trainman. (brakeman, left before I promoted to conductor) I also worked a couple of winters with maintenance of way as a carpenter on bridge and building, "B&B," gangs and one winter as a yard clerk and weigh master. Once while on a B&B crew, because of a derailment, I even worked as a "Gandy Dancer" laying ties and rails to repair the main line. The roundhouse, except as a historical relic, is no more. Except for switchers and some locals, diesels, hooked up together as multiple units, are too long so are stored on regular tracks, where they can be fueled and serviced. Some tracks run into or through sheds where mechanical maintenance is performed. So, Pat, that's your RR lesson for today. :-)
funny to see an event recorded in pictures, and then see such a picture in its current environment.
ReplyDeletei suspect they used horses and pullies to set the train back up.
thanx 4 sharing!!
:)~
HUGZ