• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

For all of You Train Lovers

1660359638974.png
 
Took a ride yesterday on the WW&F 2’ narrow gauge railway in Alna Maine. Very cool experience.

4F98641C-8E42-41BC-8930-BF7E7AD36E8C.jpeg


0C6FA9DB-FE34-42EB-A13A-369FA9DA2876.jpeg


6C48A51D-B07C-44D0-9975-A8B9A30197F1.jpeg


B21F11F0-E4DA-4B1E-99F3-D82961B79FD4.jpeg
 
Last edited:
There are thousands of pictures of train wrecks but not all of them were accidents.

On Sept. 15th, 1896, William Crush of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (The Katy) staged this crash just to bring in an audience. Advertising for months beforehand, he gathered a crowd of 40,000 people, who munched on chicken dinners while anticipating the spectacle. Admission was free, but money was made by all the excursion trains people took to get to the event which included a Ringling Brothers circus tent and other entertainment.
1661535657534.png

Using two obsolete 30 ton locomotives, he had one painted red while the other was green. Backing up a mile, the crews locked the throttles open and bailed out while the trains (half a dozen cars on each train, painted up for the event) charged towards each other.
1661535759304.png

Even though the crash was delayed while police tried to get people back to the 'safe' area of 200 yards distance, it still wasn't quite enough, as there were injuries.
1661535822695.png

On impact the boilers on both engines exploded, sending steel and iron everywhere. Besides two fatalities, half a dozen lesser injuries abounded. The photographer who shot these images lost an eye due to a flying bolt; the press were allowed to be only 100 yards away.

Afterwards, souvenir hunters swarmed over the bits of metal and wood to take home scraps. There was nothing recognizable remaining from the two engines.
 
There are thousands of pictures of train wrecks but not all of them were accidents.

On Sept. 15th, 1896, William Crush of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (The Katy) staged this crash just to bring in an audience. Advertising for months beforehand, he gathered a crowd of 40,000 people, who munched on chicken dinners while anticipating the spectacle. Admission was free, but money was made by all the excursion trains people took to get to the event which included a Ringling Brothers circus tent and other entertainment.
View attachment 1333606
Using two obsolete 30 ton locomotives, he had one painted red while the other was green. Backing up a mile, the crews locked the throttles open and bailed out while the trains (half a dozen cars on each train, painted up for the event) charged towards each other.
View attachment 1333607
Even though the crash was delayed while police tried to get people back to the 'safe' area of 200 yards distance, it still wasn't quite enough, as there were injuries.
View attachment 1333608
On impact the boilers on both engines exploded, sending steel and iron everywhere. Besides two fatalities, half a dozen lesser injuries abounded. The photographer who shot these images lost an eye due to a flying bolt; the press were allowed to be only 100 yards away.

Afterwards, souvenir hunters swarmed over the bits of metal and wood to take home scraps. There was nothing recognizable remaining from the two engines.


Can't have that kind of fun these days.
 
That was back when their rails were still good enough to go faster than 5-10 mph.
 
CN maintains its tracks fairly well, 10 mph. would be pretty slow. Passenger service between Edmonton and Winnipeg (740 miles) takes 25 hours but that accounts for a lot of slow crossings as well. Freight takes priority, but speed is usually limited to 70 MPH, as posted inside the locomotive, due to the gearing. Passenger locomotives are usually geared for 90 MPH for the straight stretches.
 
A friend gave me an HO scale "Mopar" train. I had most of the structures and 1/87 scale cars left over from a train layout. So I built a diorama to display the train on.

1661565204265.png


I went a little overboard for the display. There's a Chrysler dealership...

1661565301242.png


1661565421830.png



...and Mel's Diner from American Graffitti...

1661565537097.png

1661565561856.png


...and there's a gas station...

1661565678243.png

1661565704825.png


...and a motel with pool and it's own restaurant with indoor dining and car hop service...

1661565838120.png

1661566069726.png

1661566102468.png


But, it's a bit large. I should have made a diorama in a smaller, more manageable size.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top