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1942 Quiz Book on Railroads and Railroading
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Page 15 of 1942 Quiz Book on Railroads and Railroading
RAILWAY HISTORY
337. What was the first railroad tramway in the United States?
The first road of rails in the United States is said to have been a short inclined track used as early as 1795 to convey brick and other clay produce
from kilns on Beacon Hill, Boston, to a street below. In 1807, Silas Whitney built a short railway at the same location. The rails were of wood.
338. What were other early tramways in the United States?
In 1809, Thomas Leiper built a tramway to connect his quarry at Crum Creek, Delaware County. Pennsylvania, with tidewater on Ridley Creek. This road is now a part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. About 1810 a tramroad was constructed on Falling Creek, Chesterfield County, Virginia, to furnish transportation for a powder mill. In 1818 a tramroad was built at Bear Creek Furnace, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. In 1825 a tramroad was built at Nashua, New Hampshire.
339. What was the first railway charter in the United States?
In 1815, John Stevens, of Hoboken, obtained a charter from the State of New Jersey to build and operate a steam railroad between New Brunswick and Trenton, New Jersey. The charter expired without the railroad being built, but the idea persisted and on March 7, 1832, the New Jersey Railroad & Transportation Company (now a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad) was chartered to build across the state. On January 1, 1839, the railroad was opened between New Brunswick and Trenton.
340. What was the first railway company to build and operate a railroad in
the United States?
The Granite Railway Company, incorporated by the Massachusetts legislature March 4, 1826, and still in existence, was the first railway corporation actually to build and operate a railroad in this country. The Granite Railway, about 3 miles in length, was built by Gridley Bryant to convey huge blocks and columns of granite from the quarry in Quincy to Milton, on the Neponset River, for use
in the construction of Bunker Hill Monument. The road was opened October 7, 1826. The roadbed was built of crushed granite; the sleepers were stone; the rails, set 5 feet apart, were wood capped with iron. Horses supplied the motive power for many years. In 1846, the company was authorized to use steam power and transport passengers and merchandise. In 1871, the Old Colony Railroad (now operated by the New York, New Haven &
Hartford) acquired the right-of-way and extended the road to Atlantic Station, and passenger trains began running over the road on October 9 of that year.
341. Who built the first steam locomotives in this country?
As early as 1804, Oliver Evans, pioneer steam engine builder, of Philadelphia, amazed the world with his wonderful "Orukter Amphibolos," which was propelled through water and over land by steam power.
The first steam engine to run on rails in America was built by John Stevens in 1825 and was operated on a circular experimental track on his estate at Hoboken, New Jersey. Neither Evans' contraption nor Stevens' engine was ever put to practical use.
The first American locomotive actually to be operated on a common-carrier railroad in the United States was the "Tom Thumb," an experimental engine, built in 1829 by Peter Cooper, New York ironmaster, and given a trial run on the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, at Baltimore, in September of that year. Its famous race, August 25, 1830, with a horse-drawn car, which the latter won, added a colorful chapter to American railway history.
342. Who was Horatio Alien, and what was his contribution to early railway
history?
Horatio Allen was a popular and influential young railroad engineer in pioneer days. In 1828, while in the employ of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, Alien was sent to England to inspect the British railways and to purchase locomotives. The three locomotives which he purchased were the first European locomotives brought to America. The "America" arrived at New York on January 15, 1829, and the "Stourbridge Lion" arrived May 13, 1829. Of his third locomotive, the "Delaware," nothing is known. The "Stourbridge Lion," operated by Alien, made a trial run at Honesdale. Pennsylvania, on August 9. 1829, but was found to be too heavy for the track and was converted to stationary use. Horatio Alien was later Chief Engineer of the South Carolina Railroad (now the Southern), the pioneer railroad of the South. He lived to see a railway network
from coast to coast.
343. What were the first locomotives to be placed in service on the American
railroads?
The first locomotive to be placed in regular service on any American railroad was the "Best Friend of Charleston," built at the West Point Foundry, New York. It was placed in service on the South Carolina Railroad (now the Southern) at Charles- ton, S. C., December 25, 1830.
The second locomotive, the "West Point," built at West Point Foundry, was placed in service on the South Carolina Railroad July 15, 1831.
The "DeWitt Clinton," the first locomotive in New York State, also built at West Point Foundry, made its initial run on the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad (now part of the New York Central) from Albany to Schenectady, August 9, 1831.
The "York," built by Phineas Davis, York, Penna., was tried out on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad July 12, 1831, and was placed in service at Baltimore shortly thereafter.
The "John Bull," built in England, was delivered to the Camden & Amboy Railroad (now a part of the Pennsylvania) August 31, 1831, and was placed in regular service at Bordentown, N. J., November 12, 1831. This was the first locomotive to run on the present Pennsylvania Railroad lines.
344. What year marked the beginning of the railway era in America?
The railway era dates from 1830. In that year the first common carrier railroads were operated, notably, the Baltimore & Ohio and the South Carolina railroads. Railway charters were granted in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia,
Kentucky and Louisiana. Several railroads were under construction, and by the end of the year there were twenty-three miles of railroad in operation in the United States.
345. How has the railway mileage of this country grown since 1830?
From 23 miles of completed railroad in 1830, the railway mileage of the United States increased to 2,818 miles in 1840; 9,021 miles in 1850; 30,626 miles in 1860; 52,922 miles in 1870; 93,296 miles in 1880; 163,597 miles in 1890; 193,346 miles in 1900; 240,439 miles in 1910; and 252,845 miles in 1920. In 1930 there were 249,052 miles of rail in the United States, and at the beginning of 1941 there were 233,670 miles. Mileage of all track increased from 115,647 miles in 1880 to 199,875 miles in 1890; to 258,784 miles in 1900; to 351,767 miles in 1910; to 406,579 miles in 1920, to 429,883 miles in 1930, and declined to 405,975 miles at the beginning of 1941.
346. What signer of the Declaration of Independence was identified with
American railway history?
On July 4, 1828, Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, 91 years of age, the only living signer of the Declaration of Independence, participated in the historic ceremony of the laying of the first stone the construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at Baltimore, Maryland. The Revolutionary patriot delivered a speech on that occasion in which said: "I consider this among the most important acts of my life; second only to my signing the Declaration of Independence, if even it be second that."
347. What was the first common carrier railroad in the United States?
The first railroad to serve as a public conveyance of passengers and freight was the Baltimore & Ohio. The first revenue passengers were carried January 7, 1830. The road was opened for regular freight and passenger traffic between Baltimore
and Ellicott's Mills, Maryland, a distance of about 13 miles, on May 24, 1830. Horses were originally used for motive power.
348. What railroads experimented with tread-mills for motive power?
In the early stages of their development, both the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and the South Carolina Railroad tried cars with tread-mills driven by horses. It is reported that the strange contrivance tried out by the Baltimore & Ohio was condemned after it had been derailed by a trespassing cow.
349. Were sails ever used for the propulsion of railway cars?
Experimental cars equipped with sails were tried out on both the South Carolina Railroad and Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
350. What was the pioneer railroad the Mississippi Valley?
The Pontchartrain Railroad, a 5-mile line tending from Elysian Fields Street, New Orleans, to the shore of Lake Pontchaitrain at Milneburg, was the first railroad in the Mississippi Valley. It was chartered January 20, 1830, and was opened for horse-power operation April 23, 1831. Its first steam locomotive, the "Pontchartrain," was built in England and placed in regular service September 17, 1832. For many years, until its abandonment in 1935, the road was a part of the Louisville &
Nashville Railroad.
351. What was the first railway-highway grade crossing separation in American history?
An overpass truss bridge carrying a highway over the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad about 2-1/4 miles from Baltimore, built by Colonel Stephen H. Long and completed early in 1830, is believed to be the first railway-highway grade crossing separation in American history. The bridge embodied a new engineering principle and was patented by Colonel Long on March 6, 1830.
352. What was the origin of the railway spike now in common use?
Spikes of various designs were used from the earliest period of railway development, but the hooked-head spike, which is used today by rail
roads throughout the world to fasten steel rails to crossties, was designed in 1831 by Robert L. Stevens, the first president of the Camden and Amboy
(now a part of the Pennsylvania) Railroad in New Jersey.
353. When were United States mails first carried by rail?
The first known instance of United States mail being transported by rail occurred on the South Carolina Railroad, extending westward from
Charleston, S. C. in November, 1831. On or about January 1, 1832, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad began carrying mail between Baltimore and Frederick, Md. Shortly after the opening of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Baltimore and
Washington in 1835, a car was fitted with a compartment for carrying United States mails between the two cities. The first cars equipped especially for
distributing and pouching mail in transit for dispatch to connecting routes were put in service on the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad (now part of the Burlington) in July, 1862.
354. When was the locomotive cab introduced?
The first locomotive equipped with a cab, a very crude cab, was the “Samuel D. Ingham” built by Eastwick & Harrison of Philadelphia, for the Beaver Meadow Railroad (now the Lehigh Valley) in Pennsylvania in 1835-36. This was the first locomotive to be operated on what is now the Lehigh Valley Railroad.
355. What was the origin of the cowcatcher?
This strictly American feature was the invention of Isaac Dripps, a young mechanical engineer employed by the Camden & Amboy Railroad in New Jersey (now a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad) in the early 1830s. So many cows trespassed upon the railroad that Dripps decided to install on the front end of the locomotive a small truck supporting two iron spears. The Dripps device was effective, but it was fatal to the cows. To avoid damage suits, he substituted a cross-wise bar much like the present-day bumper on an automobile, and from
this evolved the present V-shaped cowcatcher.
356. What is the story of the headlight?
In the early days of railroading, trains ran only in daylight hours, and headlights were unknown. As the railroads developed, however, night operations became increasingly necessary, and inventive minds went to work to devise ways of illuminating the track ahead. The first crude step was taken under the direction of Horatio Allen, then with the South Carolina Railroad in South Carolina. He attached a small flat car to the front of the locomotive, covered the car with a heavy layer of sand on which he kept a bonfire of pine knots burning. In other instances, large candles protected by glass cases, fitted with reflectors, were used. Whale oil was extensively used in the 1840's and 1850's.
After the discovery of petroleum in 1859, kerosene lamps took the place of candles and whale-oil lamps. Then came gas lights, fed from storage tanks, and finally electricity. The first patent for an electric headlight was issued to Leonidas G. Woolley May 3, 1881, and several electric headlights were in use in 1884. Since the introduction of electric lighting, great progress has been made.
Today locomotive headlights are powerful searchlights.
357. When did steam railway transportation reach the city of Washington?
The formal opening of the Washington Branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, between Baltimore and the Nation's Capital, was celebrated on August 25, 1835. Four bedecked passenger trains from Baltimore, drawn by locomotives appropriately named "George Washington," "John Adams," "Thomas Jefferson" and "James Madison" and bearing a distinguished company, entered Washington on that day. In the early days, trains made the 40-mile run between Baltimore and Washington in about 21/2 hours. By 1838, it was possible to journey all the way from Washington to New York by rail, but with a few changes of cars enroute.
358. What was the origin of railway express service in America?
William F. Harnden, pioneer passenger train conductor, after a few years in the service of the Boston & Worcester Railroad (now a part of the New York Central) conceived the idea of becoming a messenger for banking houses, merchants and other business interests in New York and Boston. He entered into a contract with the Boston & Providence Railroad (now the New York, New Haven & Hartford) and a steamship plying between New York and Providence, to carry on his messenger business over their lines. Starting on March 4, 1839, with a large carpet-bag, Harnden traveled regularly between New York and Boston, the world's first express messenger. His business grew rapidly; a special package car was put into service; offices were opened in New York and Boston; assistants were employed; the service was extended to Philadelphia and other cities, until Harnden & Company became an international institution. In the meantime many competitive enterprises were started. Harnden died in 1845, but the express business which he founded grew with the development of the railroads and the country.
359. When were the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Seaboard first linked by
rail?
The New York & Erie Railroad (now the Erie) was completed and opened from New York to Dunkirk, New York, on Lake Erie, May 15, 1851, forming the first trunk line railroad linking an Atlantic port with the Great Lakes. The event was widely celebrated; addresses were delivered by President Millard Fillmore, Daniel Webster, Stephan A. Douglas and others; a procession marched through New York City "amid such a din of cannon and tin horns as the city did not again
hear until the Civil War." The New York & Erie was at that time the longest railroad in the world. It was built of six-foot gauge, the broadest gauge
on the American continent.
360. When did the "Iron Horse" reach Chicago?
The first locomotive to reach Chicago (the world's greatest railroad center) was the "Pioneer," which arrived by the sailing vessel "Buffalo" October 10, 1848, for service on the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad (now the Chicago & North Western). The "Pioneer" made its initial run out of Chicago on November 20 of that year, and by 1850 it was running as far west as Elgin. This historic locomotive is now preserved in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The first train from the East entered Chicago over the Northern Indiana Railroad (now the New York Central) in the spring of 1852.
361. In the early days of railroading, were rates and fares higher or lower
than at present?
They were much higher. Doggett's "Railroad Guide and Gazette of 1848" gives the average revenue per ton-mile as 8.97 cents for first-class freight and 6.16 cents for second-class freight, contrasted with an average of less than I cent per ton-mile in 1941. Revenue per passenger-mile was reported by Doggett as 3.51 cents, contrasted with 1.75 cents in 1941.
362. What was the first telegraph message?
The first telegraph message '"What hath God wrought?" was taken or copied from the Bible by Annie Ellsworth, daughter of the United States Patent Commissioner, from Washington, D. C., and sent to Alfred Vail at the Baltimore & Ohio station in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 24, 1844. It was transmitted by Morse Code.
363. What is the first known instance of the telegraph being used for directing
train operations?
One of the earliest telegraph lines built for commercial use closely followed the Erie Railroad tracks across New York State. On September 22, 1851, Charles Minot, Superintendent of the Erie, was on a west-bound train which drew into a siding at Turner (now Harriman), New York, to allow an east-bound tiain to pass. The train was late. Minot went to the telegraph office and wired ahead to locate the missing train. Learning that the train had not arrived at Goshen, thirteen miles west, Minot sent a telegram ordering that the train be held there. He then ordered the waiting train to proceed to Goshen where it would meet the east-
bound train. The locomotive engineer is said to have refused to take such a risk. Thereupon Minot climbed into the cab, drove the engine to Goshen
where the east-bound train was waiting. This is the first instance on record of the telegraph being used for train dispatching.
364. Who was called the "Father of the Pacific Railroad"?
The first man of prominence to advocate a railroad to the Pacific Coast was Asa Whitney, a New York merchant and world traveler, who advanced the idea while most of the territory west of the Mississippi River was an uncharted wilderness.
Whitney devoted years of effort and a fortune in promoting his plan. He issued pamphlets on the subject and petitioned Congress to encourage the construction by a grant of land. Whitney's "Pacific Railroad" was to extend from a point on Lake Michigan, as directly as possible, to the mouth of the Columbia River on the Pacific Ocean. "I have undertaken this mighty work," he said, "because I know someone's whole life must be sacrificed to it." His fortune spent in an effort to promote the plan, Whitney eked out an existence in his last years as a milk peddler in Washington, D. C., where he died before his dream of a transcontinental railroad had been realized.
365. When was steam railway transportation introduced west of the Mississippi River?
The first locomotive to turn a wheel west of the Mississippi River was "The Pacific" of the Pacific Railroad of Missouri (now the Missouri Pacific), operated a few miles out of St. Louis on December 9, 1852.
366. What proportion of the railway mileage of the United States received
federal land-grant aid?
Of 233,670 miles of railroad in the United States, about 18,000 miles, or 71/2 per cent, received land-grant aid from the Federal Government. About 92-1/2 per cent of the present railway mileage was built without Federal land-grant
aid.
367. When and why were federal land grants made to railroads?
The federal land grants were made to railroads during the period 1850 to 1871. Their purposes were (1) to encourage the construction of railroads through undeveloped territory, (2) to attract settlers to those regions, (3) to enhance the value of and (4) to create a market for vast tracts of Government-owned lands which theretofore had been unsaleable because of their remoteness from
markets, and (5) to increase taxable wealth.
368. Were federal land-grants gifts to the railroads?
No. The railroads received approximately 130 million acres of land from the Federal Government, the estimated value of which, at the time of transfer was not more than $1 an acre, or $130,000,000. In return for the lands granted, the land-grant railroads, and railroads which competed with them, carried Government troops and military equipment and supplies for 50 per cent of standard rates. Prior to 1941 these railroads also carried other Government property for 50 per cent of established rates. In addition, land-grant railroads carried United States mails for 20 per cent less than standard rates.
These land grant rate reductions, amounting to millions of dollars annually over a long period, have far more than repaid the Government for the lands granted. During the last four months of 1941, rate reductions on troops and military equipment and supplies averaged approximately $4,661,000 a month. In December, 1941, during which month the United States entered the war, land-grant payments to the Government in the form of reduced rates and fares amounted to $8,034,000.
369. What was the first federal land grant to railroads, and how did it come
out?
The first federal railroad land grant, approved September 20, 1850, conveyed to the State of Illinois 2,598,606 acres of lands which had been on the market for years, without purchasers, at $1.25 an acre. The State transferred the lands to the Illinois Central Railroad Company on condition that the railroad, when completed, would pay the State of Illinois a charter tax based on a percentage of its gross revenues, in lieu of other taxes, on its 705.5 miles of land-grant railroad in the State, and that it would carry U. S. troops, property and mails at reduced rates.
To the end of 1941 the Illinois Central had paid the Federal Government more than $12,000,000 in reduced rates on government troops, freight, express and mails, on account of the land grant, and had paid the State of Illinois approximately $100,000,000 in gross revenue tax. It is estimated that the latter is about $33,000,000 greater than normal railway taxes would have been. Thus, to
the end of 1941, the railroad had paid some $45,000,000 for lands which could have been purchased outright at the time they were granted for not more than $3,248,000.
370. What are the facts concerning federal bond aid to pioneer Western
railroads?
In the 1860's the Federal Government made loans totaling $64,623,512 in bonds to six pioneer Western railroads to hasten their construction. The loans bore interest at 6 per cent per annum. Repayments of principal, plus interest, totaled $169,209,169.
371. What Presidents of the United States were former railroad men?
James Buchanan, fifteenth President of the United States (1857-1861), was the first president of the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mount Joy & Lancaster Railroad, between Harrisburg and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the 1830s. This railroad is now a part of the main line of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road.
Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of the United States (1861-1865), was an attorney for the Illinois Central and Rock Island railroads in Illinois during the 1850's.
372. When did railway operations begin in California?
On February 22, 1856, the Sacramento Valley Railroad - the "Days of Gold Railroad" - was opened from Sacramento to Folsom, a distance of 23 miles. The locomotives "Nevada" and "Sacramento," which had been shipped around Cape Horn by sailing vessel and barged up the Sacramento River from San Francisco, made their historic runs from Sacramento to Folsom on that date. The opening of the Sacramento Valley Railroad was marked by a great celebration which lasted several days. This railroad is now a part of the Southern Pacific System.
373. What is known of the early history of the caboose?
The caboose was variously known in the early days as "cabin car," "conductor's car," "brakeman's cab" and "train car." The first mention of the term "caboose" found in railway journals related to a suit brought by a man named Edgerton
against the New York & Harlem Railroad (now New York Central) for injuries sustained February 29, 1859. The cupola, which is an outstanding feature of the modern caboose, is said to have originated in the mind of T. B. Watson, a freight conductor on the Chicago & North Western Railroad, while on a run from Cedar Rapids to Clinton, Iowa, in the summer of 1863. Watson's caboose had a hole in the roof about two feet square. He rigged up a seat so that he could sit
with his head and shoulders above the roof. On reaching Clinton he sought the master mechanic, who was then building two cabooses, and suggested an elevated glassed-in enclosure. Watson's suggestion was adopted, and the cupola soon became a standard feature.
374. How many miles of railroad were in operation in the United States at the
time of the Civil War?
At the outbreak of the War Between the States in 1861, there were about 31,000 miles of railroad in the country. At the close of the war there were approximately 35,000 miles.
375. What was the most famous locomotive of the Civil War?
This distinction belongs to the Locomotive "General", of the Western & Atlantic Railroad (now the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis). The locomotive helped to write one of the most colorful and romantic chapters of Civil War history
when captured April 12, 1862, by Captain James J. Andrews and his Yankee raiders and pursued and recaptured by the Confederates after a thrilling chase on the line between Atlanta and Chattanooga. Stories, ballads and a motion picture
have given the "General" a place among the immortals. The historic locomotive is still in existence and has been exhibited at many fairs and expositions.
376. When and where were railway dining cars introduced?
The first railway dining cars were operated by the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad (now a part of the Pennsylvania) between Philadelphia and Baltimore in 1863. There were two of these cars, remodeled day-coaches, 50 feet
in length, each fitted with an eating bar, steam box and "other fixtures usually found in a first-class restaurant." The food, however, was prepared at the terminal stations and placed on the cars immediately before the departure of the trains.
These primitive "dining cars" remained in operation for about three years. In 1867, George M. Pullman introduced "hotel cars" (sleeping cars equipped with kitchen and dining facilities) the first three of which were the "President," the "Western World" and the "Kalamazoo." The first Pullman-built car devoted entirely to restaurant purposes was the "Delmonico," operated on the Chicago & Alton Railroad in 1868.
377. What was the origin of railway refrigerator service?
The first shipment of dressed beef under refrigeration was made from the Chicago Stock Yards to the East in 1857, in an ordinary box car fitted with bins of ice. The first rail shipments of fruit under refrigeration were made from southern Illinois to Chicago in 1866. Fresh strawberries packed in specially constructed iceboxes reached the Chicago market in excellent condition.
The first patent for a refrigerator car was issued in 1867, and in 1872, southern Illinois was shipping strawberries and other fruits in the new type
of car. In May, 1885, berries from the Norfolk (Virginia) area were shipped to New York under refrigeration. Florida oranges reached New York under refrigeration for the first time in October, 1888. In June, 1889, the first carload of deciduous fruit from California entered the New York market.
From these beginnings, perishable freight and express shipments on the American railroads have grown to stupendous proportions. "Iceboxes on wheels" have given American fruit and vegetable growers, as well as poultrymen, dairymen, and meat packers, a nationwide market and have brought fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, poultry, dairy products and packing-house products in great variety within the reach of every American home at all seasons of the year.
378. When was the first through railway train operated between Chicago and
New York?
Prior to 1867, due to varying gauges of track between New York and Chicago, through service was not possible. Standardization of gauge in that year enabled through passage of cars by way of the Great Western Railroad of Canada. To celebrate the event, an excursion train, featuring the new Pullman "hotel" sleeping car, the "Western World", equipped with a kitchen and dining facilities, was operated all the way - from Chicago to New York. "The excursion party left Chicago on April 8, 1867, and, comfortably established in the “Western World", arrived in Detroit the following day. At Detroit the river was
crossed on the 'great iron ferry boat', the first company of passengers that ever passed from Chicago to Canada without change of cars. The cars were decorated with American and British flags, symbolizing the union which is destined to take place between the United States and Canada. Large crowds visited the train at Rochester, Syracuse and Utica. The party arrived in New York on April 14.
379. How did William F. Cody come to be known as "Buffalo Bill"?
The famous Western scout and Indian fighter earned the picturesque nickname of "Buffalo Bill" as a result of his contract to supply buffalo meat to the construction forces engaged in building the Union Pacific Railroad.
380. What was known as "Hell-on-Wheels"?
In the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad across the Western plains and through the Rocky Mountains, temporary towns sprang up almost overnight as the grading, track-laying and bridge gangs advanced westward. The construction forces, consisting sometimes of thousands of men and accompanied by companies of armed soldiers to protect against hostile Indians and outlaws and to maintain order, brought locomotives, camp cars and other equipment, and this migratory
town was known as "Hell-on-Wheels." Such cities as North Platte, Julesburg, Cheyenne and Laramie date their beginnings from the coming of the railway builders.
381. What was the ceremony known as "The Driving of the Golden Spike"?
This historic event occurred at Promontory Point, Utah, on May 10, 1869, when the last rails of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific (now the Southern Pacific) were laid and the tracks were joined to form the first railway line to the Pacific. A spike of California gold and a spike of Nevada silver were driven by distinguished officials. "When the last spike was driven, the blows of the sledge, as well as the speeches marking the occasion, were carried to the East by telegraph. All over the country whistles were blown, bells were rung, guns
were fired, processions were formed, and speeches became the order of the day. Congratulations were showered upon officials of the successful companies. A majestic railway bridge spanning the "Father of Waters." If oil railway bridges in the United States were strung together, they would reach from Son Diego, California, to St. Johns, Newfoundland.
Editors joined in a paean of praise. In truth, the completion of the first transcontinental road marked an epoch! The original Golden Spike now reposes in a bank vault in San Francisco.
382. When did the first through railway train cross the American continent?
The first railway train ever operated from the Atlantic to the Pacific was the Trans-Continental Excursion sponsored by the Boston Board of Trade in May, 1870, one year after the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads were opened. The
trip from Boston to San Francisco consumed eight days, and was made in Pullman "hotel cars", then the newest thing in railroading. A daily newspaper, the "Trans-Continental", was published en route.
383. When were the several railroad routes completed to the Pacific Coast?
The Union Pacific and Central Pacific (now Southern Pacific) route between Omaha and Sacramento was completed May 10, 1869, and the extension to San Francisco Bay was opened in the same year.
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad from Kansas City and the Southern Pacific line from California effected a junction at Deming, New Mexico, on March 18, 1881, forming the second rail route to the Pacific and the first direct rail
route to southern California.
The Southern Pacific route from California to New Orleans was completed and formally opened for business on January 15, 1883.
The last spike in the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad, pioneer railroad to the Pacific Northwest, was driven in Hell Gate Canyon, at Gold Creek, Montana, September 8, 1883.
The Oregon Short Line and the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company, forming the Union Pacific route to the Pacific Northwest, joined rails at Huntington, Oregon, November 25, 1885.
The last spike in the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway to Vancouver, first railroad to span the Canadian Rockies, was driven at Craigellachie,
British Columbia, on November 7, 1885.
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad completed its own through route from Chicago to California on May 1, 1888.
The last rail in the construction of the Great Northern Railroad between the Great Lakes and Everett, Washington, on Puget Sound, was laid on January 5, 1893. Through train service was established July 1 of that year.
The San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, now the Union Pacific line from Salt Lake City to southern California, was completed May 1, 1905.
The last spike in the building of the Pacific Coast Extension of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad (now the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific) was driven at Garrison, Montana, May 19, 1909. Through freight service between
Chicago and Seattle was established July 4, 1909, and through passenger service was established July 10, 1910.
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway from Spokane to Portland was completed June 10, 1910.
The first passenger train to run over the entire line of the Western Pacific Railroad arrived in San Francisco from Salt Lake City on August 22, 1910.
The Grand Trunk Pacific (now the Canadian National) was completed to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, in September, 1914. The Canadian Northern (now the Canadian National) was completed to Vancouver in September, 1915.
384. What was the "Narrow Gauge Fever"?
During the 1870's numerous narrow-gauge railroads were built, causing considerable excitement in transportation circles. Extravagant claims were
made for the "new system." Promoters emphasized its economy. By 1879 the narrow-gauge system embraced no fewer than 148 different companies in thirty-four states, with a total of 4,188 miles of railroad, nearly all of three-foot gauge.
385. What was the first circus to be transported by railroad?
In 1872, P. T. Barnum, the famous showman, who had previously moved his circus and menagerie from town to town by teams drawn by 600 horses, purchased 65 railway cars, painted in the most flamboyant manner, and began touring the United States by rail. This was the first circus to be transported by railroad. Wherever the "Greatest Show on Earth" went with its streaming Barnum banners, people flocked to see the circus trains. Where much time had previously been
lost in traveling from town to town, all traveling could now be done by night, and for the first time long hops from one important city to another were possible. Barnum prospered beyond expectations, and in time additional equipment was necessary to transport his huge "Museum, Menagerie and Hippodrome."
386. Is it true that railway trains in the West were sometimes impeded by wild
buffaloes?
Trains crossing the Western plains in pioneer days were frequently delayed by "thundering herds of buffaloes." In the 1870's, P. T. Barnum's circus train, traveling to Denver over the Kansas Pacific Railroad, encountered huge herds of wild buffaloes, and it was sometimes necessary to stop the train to let them pass.
387. Did the Indians interfere with the railroad builders in the West?
The Indians attacked the builders on several occasions. One of the last incidents of this kind was the massacre by Apache Indians of thirteen
surveyors of the Santa Fe Railroad on August 16,1883.
388. When was the telephone first used in railway operations?
The world's first telephone message was transmitted by the inventor. Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, on March 10, 1876. At Altoona, Pennsylvania, May 21, 1877, Dr. Bell's assistants began tests which resulted in the permanent installation of telephones in the Pennsylvania Railroad shops at that point-the first trial and use of the telephone for railroad purposes. In the spring of 1878, the Central Pacific Railroad (now the Southern Pacific) installed a line of telephones through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in California, to enable
track-walkers to report to headquarters at Blue Canyon. Until 1879, one diaphragm served as transmitter and receiver, and there was no call bell.
In that year the first set of telephones equipped with transmitters, receivers and call bells was used for train dispatching by the 9-mile narrow-gauge
Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad. The first known use of the telephone for train dispatching in standard-gauge railway operations was on the Ravena-Schenectady branch of the New York, West Shore & Buffalo Railroad (now the New
York Central) in January, 1882.
389. In what ten-year period was American railway expansion the greatest?
Railway expansion reached its peak in the 1880's. From 1880 to 1889, inclusive, 74,720 miles of new railway lines were opened. The largest number of miles completed in any year was 12,876 in 1887.
390. When was Standard Time adopted?
At the stroke of 12 o'clock noon, on November 18, 1883, more than fifty different "times" were abolished in the United States, and railway clocks
and watches throughout the country were set to Standard Time, or four standards of time (Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific, each one hour apart). Standard Time, which soon came into general use and was later adopted in other countries, was sponsored and put into effect by the General Time Convention of Railway Managers, which later became the American Railway Association and then the Association of American Railroads.
391. What was the origin of the "Stop, Look and Listen" sign at railway grade crossings?
The first "Stop, Look and Listen" sign was drawn in 1884 by Thomas H. Gray, a shop employee of the Southern Pacific Railroad in San Francisco.
392. When did the vestibule come into use on American passenger cars?
In 1857 the Naugatuck Railroad (now a part of the New Haven System) equipped a passenger train with canvas devices which provided covered passageways between cars. This feature remained in use for several years. The built-in vestibule consisting of elastic diaphragms on steel frames was invented by George M. Pullman and patented in 1887. The first complete train to be so equipped was operated over the Illinois Central Railroad between Chicago and Otto, III., on
April 1 1, 1887, and was placed in regular service on the Pennsylvania Railroad a few days later.
393. When were parlor cars introduced?
The first parlor car in the United States was the "Maritana", built by George M. Pullman and placed in operation in 1879. The chairs were "richly upholstered", fitted with adjustable backs, and revolved on a swivel.
394. What railroad man was known as the "Empire Builder"?
This name was frequently applied to James J. Hill, under whose organizing and directing genius the Great Northern Railroad was built. The railroad opened up a vast and rich territory, and Hill devoted his great energies to developing the agricultural, mineral and forest resources of this farflung "empire."
395. What locomotive won undying fame in the year of Chicago's World
Columbian Exposition?
Running a mile in 32 seconds near Batavia, New York, on May II, 1893, New York Central Locomotive No. "999" became the fastest creation of man up to that time. It held the world's speed record for more than twelve years.
396. When and where was the first steam railroad electrification?
America's first electrified train service began on the 7-mile Nantasket Branch of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad on June 30, 1895. The first electrification of a main line was through the 3.6-mile Baltimore tunnel of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad on August 4, 1895.
397. Who was Casey Jones?
The hero of the song "Casey Jones" was a popular locomotive engineer employed in the 1890's on the Mississippi Division of the Illinois Central Railroad. His real name was John Luther Jones, but, to distinguish him from other men named
Jones who worked on the railroad, his friends nicknamed him "Casey" because he hailed from Cayce, Kentucky. "Casey" Jones was a strapping young man, black-haired, gray-eyed, 6 feet 4 inches tall, one of four brothers and every one a crack locomotive engineer.
The famous ballad "Casey Jones" originated with Wallace Saunders, a Black engine wiper of Jackson, Tenn., who knew and loved the dashing engineer. Following the news of Casey'S heroic death at the throttle of his engine at Vaughan, Miss., on April 30, 1900, Wallace, chanting as he worked, put line and line together until they were caught up and passed on by fellow workers to become one of the immortal folksongs of the rails.
398. What was the fastest train run ever recorded on the railways of the
United States?
On June 12, 1905, the Pennsylvania Special, now the Broadway Limited, of the Pennsylvania Railroad, ran three miles near Ada, Ohio, in 85 seconds, or at the rate of 127.2 miles per hour.
399. What was "Death Valley Scotty's" famous train ride?
Walter Scott, better known as "Death Valley Scotty," a Californian of legendary riches, appeared at the office of the Santa Fe Railroad in Los Angeles, on July 8, 1905, and asked for a special train to take him to Chicago faster than
any human being had ever made the trip before! Scott was told that the 2,265-mile trip could be made in forty-six hours, but would cost a small fortune. "How much?" "Five thousand five hundred dollars," was the reply. Scott laid down
the cash and closed the deal. At 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 9, Death Valley Scotty's "Coyote Special" pulled out of Los Angeles on its history-making run. Forty-four hours and fifty-four minutes later, the train came to a halt at Dearborn Station, Chicago, having beaten the previous record from Los Angeles to Chicago by 13 hours 2 minutes. The remarkable train ride of "Death Valley Scotty" caused a sensation and added a colorful chapter to railway history.
400. When did the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad electrify its
Western lines?
The Milwaukee Railroad completed the electrification of its line from Harlowton, Montana, to Avery, Idaho, 440 miles, on February 27, 1917, and its line from Othello to Tacoma, Washington, 207 miles, on March 5, 1920.
401. What road was known for years as the "Overseas Railway"?
From 1912 to 1935 the Florida East Coast Railway operated trains to and from Key West, over a succession of bridges and viaducts spanning the Florida Keys, and was known as the "Overseas Railway." In the latter year, following a disastrous hurricane which practically destroyed forty miles of the line on the Florida Keys, the railway company discontinued train service south of Florida City, thirty miles below Miami. The Florida East Coast Car Ferries, which were formerly operated between Key West and Havana, have since been operated between Port Everglades and Havana.
402. How did passenger car lighting develop?
In the earliest days of railroading in America, passenger trains ran only in the daytime and did not require artificial lighting. As railroads developed and journeys became longer, night travel came into vogue, and, as was the custom in stage coaches, passengers brought their own candles. Later candles were provided by the railroads and protected from drafts by glass shields. In 1850 oil lamps were introduced and continued in use until superseded by gas, first employed about 1875. Oil lamps were generally used until the 1890's. Pintsch gas was introduced in 1890 and was extensively used until about 1909. Experiments in electric lighting began in the early 1880's. The first passenger train in America to be lighted entirely by electricity was operated in 1887. From these beginnings countless improvements have been made. Today's passenger train, generating its own electricity, is evenly and brilliantly lighted throughout.
403. What is the story of the air brake?
Various types of train brakes, all unsatisfactory, were employed during the early days of railroading. Prior to the straight air-brake invented in 1868 by George Westinghouse, more than 300 patents had been issued in the United States for railway brakes, only one of which was operated by air. The original Westinghouse brake patented The spacious lounge-observation car of an ultra-modern streamliner dramatizes the strides which American railroads have made in recent years. Engineers, designers and inferior decorators have all contributed to the modernization process. Air-conditioning improved lighting are outstanding achievements.
April 13, 1869, was far from satisfactory. In 1870, the Master Car Builders' Association (now the Mechanical Division of the Association of American Railroads) began a series of air-brake tests which have continued to this day. In 1872, Westinghouse developed an automatic triple-valve air-brake which was a decided improvement over his previous patent. During the next several years numerous brakes were patented and tested, but none equaled in efficiency the Westinghouse automatic brake. By 1884 nearly all passenger cars in the United States were equipped with Westinghouse brakes, but the problem of developing an efficient brake for freight trains was more difficult. The superiority of the automatic air-brake over other types was demonstrated in the "Burlington Railroad Trials" in 1886. A year later Westinghouse's improved triple-valve automatic air-brake proved its superiority in freight service, and from that
time forward its adoption was rapid. A railroad laboratory for air-brake tests was established at Altoona, Pa., in 1893; two years later it was transferred to Purdue University, where it is still in operation. Numerous improvements have resulted from these and other tests. Road tests during 1929 to 1931 led to the adoption of the modern "AB" air-brake, now widely used in freight service.
404. What was the development of automatic couplers?
In the early days, when cars were small and light and trains were short, a simple coupling known as the "link-and-pin" was used to hold locomotive and cars together in a train. Trainmen had to go between the cars to couple them; this
resulted in many accidents; it was also slow. Many inventors tried to develop automatic couplers. As early as 1869 the Master Car Builders' Association, which later became the Mechanical Division of the Association of American Railroads, was active in this effort. Numerous tests were conducted, but in 1874 the M. C. B. A. had to report that all couplers which had been tested were failures. By 1885 more than 3,100 patents for couplers had been issued. An important series of tests beginning at Buffalo, N. Y., in September, 1885, led in 1887 to the approval by the M. C. B. A. of an automatic coupler invented by Janney. From then on the link-and-pin coupler was rapidly replaced by the Janney type automatic coupler. By 1890, 22,551 out of 26,820 passenger cars and 75,485
out of 918,491 freight cars had been equipped with automatic couplers. Ten years later, 33,927 out of 34,713 passenger cars and 1,376,051 out of 1,450,838 freight cars were 'equipped with automatic couplers. Laboratory and field tests were carried on continuously by the M. C. B. A., until it became a part of the Association of American Railroads in 1934. Tests have been continued
since then by the Mechanical Division of the latter association. In 1918 the Type "D" automatic coupler, and in 1931 the Type "E" automatic coupler were adopted as standard. Although couplers have been greatly improved, the Janney
principle is still used.
405. What was the fastest transcontinental run ever made?
In October, 1934, the Union Pacific Diesel-powered Streamliner "City of Portland" (M-10001) made an experimental run from Los Angeles to New York City, a distance of 3,248 miles, in 56 hours and 55 minutes, including stops en route.
This is the fastest transcontinental passenger run ever made by a single train.
406. When were sleeping cars introduced in America?
The first sleeping car in the world was operated on the Cumberland Valley Railroad, (now a part of the Pennsylvania) between Harrisburg and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in the winter of 1836-37. It was a remodeled day-coach, and the
berths or bunks were very crudely built. The car was divided into four compartments, each of which was equipped with three bunks, one above the
other, all built along one side of the car. At one end of the car was a wash basin. A wood or coal stove furnished the heat, and candles furnished
the illumination.
407. When was the first Pullman sleeping car built and placed in service?
In 1858-59, George M. Pullman, a young Chicago contractor, converted two passenger coaches of the Chicago & Alton Railroad (No. 9 and 19) into sleeping cars at the railway company's shops in Bloomington, Illinois. The first of these cars - No. 9 - made its initial trip from Bloomington to Chicago on the night of September 1, 1859. Mr. Pullman regarded the converted passenger coaches merely as experiments, and at Chicago in 1864 he began building the first real Pullman
sleeping car. Up to that time the largest sum ever spent for a railway passenger coach was $5,000. Fully equipped, Pullman's first sleeper, the "Pioneer," completed and placed in service in the spring of 1865, cost $20,178.
408. To whom may one write for railway information?
Information about the railroads may be obtained by writing to the Association of American Railroads, Transportation Building, Washington, D. C., to the Committee on Public Relations of the Eastern Railroads, 143 Liberty Street, New
York City; to the Western Railways' Committee on Public Relations, 105 West Adams Street, Chicago, or to any railway company.
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