Rail roads and their tracks.

[RobS]

Sorta related...

I find it fascinating to consider how early railroads, canals, and even roads were built without power equipment of any sort. There is a county park near me (for @MossRoad it's Baintertown) which consists of a series of low dams, canals, long abandon powerplants etc. I've tried to associate the timeframe with the construction methods of that era but haven't been too successful. Perhaps a retirement project. In any event, there are some pretty long canals held back by equally long levies which had to have been constructed by hand. I just cannot imagine the time and energy required by humans to do such things. We're all pretty spoiled these days with power tools and tractors, not to mention serious heavy equipment.

Feel free to discuss...

 

[ArlyA]

Yes, oil was first moved in wooded barrels, ya that little at a time. Over time they switched to RR tankers then pipe lines. They used used wooded pipes for a while. The rail roads and steel production was always closely connected. The RR's hauled their raw materials and the mills sold them steel for rails and cars etc etc. Many steel corporations had and still own there RR lines.. Many boats on the lakes had been owned by mills but that is no longer the case.

 

[MoKelly]

I found the TV series Men Who Built America interesting. It ties in how the early railroads, oil, and steel industries were interconnected. Barons Vanderbilt, Carnegie, JP Morgan & Rockefeller.

Yes - that was a very good and interesting series. I read where, based on the GDP of the time, these guys were tremendously more wealthy than Bezos, Gates or Buffett.

MoKelly

 

[Hay Dude]

I have actual pictures available from my Countys historical archives that show the railroads being built in my hometown in 1899-1901. Very clear, accurate pictures for their time. Look like all Irish immigrants building the railroads, according to some of my Irish family members.
One of the wealthiest customers in my town told me his father would hire Italian immigrant stone masons to build "walls to nowhere" (along roads, property lines, dividing hay fields) just to keep them busy & paid so they wouldn't leave the area.
Once they left for "greener pastures", they were hard to get back to build more stone barns, stone rail tunnels, etc.

 

[MoKelly]

I have actual pictures available from my Countys historical archives that show the railroads being built in my hometown in 1899-1901. Very clear, accurate pictures for their time. Look like all Irish immigrants building the railroads, according to some of my Irish family members.
One of the wealthiest customers in my town told me his father would hire Italian immigrant stone masons to build "walls to nowhere" (along roads, property lines, dividing hay fields) just to keep them busy & paid so they wouldn't leave the area.
Once they left for "greener pastures", they were hard to get back to build more stone barns, stone rail tunnels, etc.

Are you close to Milton, PA? ACF has a rail car factory located in Milton.

MoKelly

 

[Hay Dude]

No I’m near N. Wilmington, right on the border.
We have The East Penn Railroad for freight and of course, SEPTA commuter rail.

 

[Creamer]

No one here went to see the BIG boy this past summer?? It was in WI and even came up to Duluth MN so now I wished we'd have went there. Duluth is not far from us!

Is that a diesel engine back a couple of spaces behind he steam engine?

 

[Frankenkubota]

I have actual pictures available from my Countys historical archives that show the railroads being built in my hometown in 1899-1901. Very clear, accurate pictures for their time. Look like all Irish immigrants building the railroads, according to some of my Irish family members.
One of the wealthiest customers in my town told me his father would hire Italian immigrant stone masons to build "walls to nowhere" (along roads, property lines, dividing hay fields) just to keep them busy & paid so they wouldn't leave the area.
Once they left for "greener pastures", they were hard to get back to build more stone barns, stone rail tunnels, etc.

I think one of the greatest lines in the movies is in Blazing Saddles. The locals and black rail road workers come to terms, forget their differences and agree to team up against the bad guys. The blacks will get land and become part of the community.

But, in unison, they all say.... NO IRISH!

 

[ArlyA]

Is that a diesel engine back a couple of spaces behind he steam engine?

The B Boy always had a diesel locomotive with him. Someone said they needed the dynamic braking of it. When the pandemic is over and they put the big boy back on tour, we'll try see him. Anyone else??

 

[MossRoad]

The B Boy always had a diesel locomotive with him. Someone said they needed the dynamic braking of it. When the pandemic is over and they put the big boy back on tour, we'll try see him. Anyone else??

Depends how far east they bring it, but yes, I'd like to see it.

About 30 years ago my wife and I were driving south towards Indianapolis and approaching an overpass. I saw a strange plume of smoke off to the west pretty far in the distance coming up out of the trees. The source of the smoke was moving! Immediately my brain said that must be a STEAM TRAIN!!! WOO HOO!!!!

I stopped at the top of the overpass and we got out and a very nice 4-6-0 came rolling under us about 30 seconds later pulling a few passenger cars. I have no idea of any more details of the loco or why it was there, but man, it gave me the goose bumps. Hissing and puffing. Probably going about 25-30mph. Just beautiful. Other than a steam park or videos, that's the only steam engine I've seen "in the wild."