Nostalgia & History > B&O locomotive rerailing effort

Location: SE corner of Lake County Indiana NW of County Line Road and US 20 (41.594708, -87.222609).The B&O filled hoppers with sand from the NE side of the road.
There were a few tracks that occasionally had hopper cars sitting on them. It was a fun place to play until the railroad detective caught us and took names.
The rerailing effort took place about 1957.

The tracks were poorly or not ballasted at all.
We lived in a three street neighborhood about a mile NW. Word got out that a locomotive had derailed picking up cars full of the sand.
It was a weekend so Dad took us and the Kodak twin-lens reflex box camera over to watch the re-railing effort.

1st picture - you can see some of the wood placed in front of the 1st drivers.
2nd picture - Lots of railroad workers and plenty of watchers.
3rd picture - It's not working. What to do next?

They worked all weekend without succeeding.
We had to go to school on Monday so we didn’t see the final effort. They brought in the big hook to finish the job.
Moral of the story – don’t use a large, heavy steam locomotive on such poorly ballasted track.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/15 18:24 by Frank.

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Frank, the attire of the workers and on-lookers leads me to think this occurred much prior to 1997.  Especially the "cuffs" on the boys trousures.
     Mark Cole

More likely 1957 -- or earlier -- when the B&O still had some Mountains in service in Indiana.

From somemone who was around when we rolled-up the cuffes on our jeans, I would say it was in the '50s or '60s.
By the way, we rolled up our cuffs because most of us weren't from wealthy families, we were at the age where our folks didn't want us outgrowing our Levis, which was what most of us wore.
One of the most painful days of the year was the first day of school. Levis were stiff as a board when new, were "shrink to fit," and scratched the insides of our thighs something first those first few days.
Also, I am not amused by the new "style" of cutting ragged holes in jean legs - anyone who wore pants like that in those days was advertising his family's poverty and often was wearing jeans handed-down from his older brothers...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

I hated jeans, for all the reasons yhou mentioned.

> Also, I am not amused by the new "style" of cutting ragged holes in jean legs...

These days they send them to Bangladesh where some kid has a job of *sand blasting* the brand-new jeans to wear out the knees, thighs, pants seat and the like. Then they can sell them for $50 -100 a pair. Incomprehensible.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/15 01:24 by lwilton.

When I was a kid back in the 60's, I used to get Levi button fly 501's at Litwin's in Topeka for $4.75 a pair.  Now I'm retired, and can't afford new ones !

MojaveBill Wrote:
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> From someone who was around when we rolled-up the
> cuffs on our jeans, I would say it was in the
> '50s or '60s.

Late 40s to mid 50's, I'd say by the looks of things.

> By the way, we rolled up our cuffs because most of
> us weren't from wealthy families, we were at the
> age where our folks didn't want us outgrowing our
> Levis, which was what most of us wore.

No so fast there. EVERYONE that I knew wore their
Levi's that way... We were still recovering from
the depression the deprivations of WW 2 to get uptight
about funny looking pants cuffs. H@ll... even the
big boys wore'em like that.

> One of the most painful days of the year was the
> first day of school. Levis were stiff as a board
> when new, were "shrink to fit," and scratched the
> insides of our thighs something first those first
> few days.

Your memory is great. I barely remember that.

> Also, I am not amused by the new "style" of
> cutting ragged holes in jean legs - anyone who
> wore pants like that in those days was advertising
> his family's poverty and often was wearing jeans
> handed-down from his older brothers...

That is dumb...

John.

Actually, I think the manufacturers that send Levis to Bangledesh for "aging" are the smart ones.  The people that spend outrageous sums for them are the intellectually challanged.  We have lots of them up here in Seattle. Remember, Seattle invented the $7.00 cup of coffee!

Ed

Oops, I meant the event occured in 1957 or so.
 

1957 looks right -- it was late enough that the remaining B&O steam had been renumbered with 3-digit numbers.  This was the late turned-up-cuffs period, not quite yet into the "white socks with everything" fashion era that is documented by the Kingston Trio on one of their album covers.  The other thing of note in the photos is the public sitting on either a bench or folding chairs watching the action.  Can you imagine folks sitting that close to a working derailment these days?  Of course they knew how to behave then which made a big difference.

Gordon

Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed the story and the photos. Also, look at the horn-rimmed glasses. <G>

They would readjust the blocks under the wheels then open the throttle.
They kept repeating that all day.
I remember how much trouble it was to wash the coal out of our hair.

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