Some interesting highlights on the CASO over time

[Miningman]

1). April 25, 1883 - Michigan Central dining car service starts on the CASO

 

2). 1878 - Canada Southern stock sold on the New York Stock Exchange - first non-US stock traded.

 

3).  October 2, 1908 - Fast running and block control on the MCRR

 

4). August 11, 1922 - 90 car auto train travels over the CASO 

August 15, 1922 - 7 trains of beef travels over the CASO 

5). March 22, 1923 - 49 specials operated  over one week ( 7 trains per day ) for US troops 

6). August 7, 1923 - 2 Santa Fe locomotives 4021 & 4022 - travel over CASO 

September 22, 1923 - 2 Santa Fe locomotives 3739 & 3740 travel over CASO 

7).  October 12, 1923 - 20 passenger trains per day travel over CASO 

8). December 11, 1923 - For second time in history - NYC 20th Century Limited rerouted via CASO due to wreck of 20th Century Limited at Westfield, NY 

9). June 18, 1924 - MCRR silk train between Chicago and New York operates 650 miles in 10 and a half hours = 75 mph 

June 20, 1924 - Democratic Party special train operated with locomotive 8434 with 7 cars averages 70 mph between Niagara Falls and Windsor 

10). September 30, 1924 - 5 miles of track pans on CASO at West Lorne, Forks Creek, Waterford, Tilbury, Edwards, Ridgetown and Tillsonburg 

11). April 21, 1928 - CASO hudsons can travel at 110 mph versus earlier K5 pacifics restricted to 92 mph 

12). May 7, 1928 - Henry Ford passes over CASO on private car FAIR LANE 

13). September 1, 1928 - Old equipment from Catskill Mountain Railway travels over CASO pulled by 7943 destined for Henry Ford Museum 

14). January 5, 1929 - 11 passenger specials - 18 passenger trains in 5 hours through St. Thomas with an average of 12 steel  passenger cars 

15).  March 23, 1929 - MCRR handles 186 trains in one day 

16). April 28, 1929 - First run of Niagara Falls Delxue - cars painted brown and gold.  Locomotive was CASO 8207 

17).  June 25, 1929 - First train out of new Buffalo Central Terminal was a CASO passenger train 

18)  June 28, 1929 - CASO 8419 plunges into Welland canal at bridge 

July 23, 1929 - Attempt to pull CASO 8419 out of Welland canal fails 

July 30, 1929 - Another attempt to pull CASO 8419 out of Welland canal fails 

August 1, 1929 - Giraffe train travels over CASO 

August 1, 1929 - Another attempt to pull CASO 8419 out of Welland canal fails 

August 14, 1929 - CASO 8419 finally pulled out of Welland canal 

 

19). January 3, 1930 - All 15 new hudsons have arrived 

 

20). September 13, 1930 - Newer 5300 series hudsons appearing on CASO 

 

I will continue on another 20 highlights a bit later....Got to get ready for Curling!  We beat a stacked team yesterday 8-0. Yessiree Bob! Thats right Laddie...go home and eat your oatmeal.

[Miningman]

I got to ask...item 18, Aug 1 1929-- just how the heck do you handle a train of giraffes?? ..in what? How do you handle numerous height restrictions?? Heads down? Call Lionel for help?

I would skip school for that.

[SD70Dude]

Here is some 100% authentic historical footage of specialized railcars for handling exotic animals, and in colour too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM9B3mY3JfA

[Miningman]

Good one! Something like that! Holes cut in the roof for their necks and heads!

Actually there are lots of references to Elephants being hauled as well and of course the famous Jumbo died in St Thomas when hit by a CASO train. 

There is a life size replica of Jumbo on top of a hill welcoming you as you enter the city limits, and a plaque. Used it once as the Classic question. 

Cartoon aside, how on earth do you transport giraffes. Can they lay down? I think they would have a hard time getting up. Aww..what do I know!

[SD70Dude]

Stopped by that Jumbo statue and the CASO station when I was in St. Thomas a few years ago, both are quite impressive.  But the main target of my visit was the Elgin County Railway Museum, located in the last remaining CASO shop building there.  I was very impressed with the work they are doing, especially fixing up the building itself.  

Here is how one does not transport a giraffe:

http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-giraffe-hits-head-bridge-20140731-htmlstory.html

[Miningman]

They are a great group in St. Thomas. They have done a superb job on the CNR Hudson. What a beauty. I spent many a day there. I watched so much of it disappear, it was so disturbing. The entire area of my youth...nothing to show the grandkids, heck even the kids. 

Truly unbelievable beyond the beyond how all of railroading in SW Ontario along the Lake Erie Shore and numerous ports is gone. It was so diverse and rich, stuff of legends and lore, so important and its all gone. All thats left is the London and Port Stanley. 

So sad about the giraffe. I liked the comment "I hope someone hits the owner with a bridge"...thats the first thing that comes to mind, the clearances!

Can you imagine being trackside and a trainload of Giraffes goes by...no one would believe you, the mental picture is so surreal it kinds of puts you in overload..."like what the? .....Honey you positively won't believe it."

Somewhere along the CASO that day a farmer fell off his tractor in disbelief. 

We won 6-1

[wanswheel]

 

Detroit Free Press, July 24, 1929: When and if the two giraffes assigned to the Detroit Zoological Park finally reach here about August 1, John T. Millen, director of the park, and others interested In the transfer of the two "long necks” from the east, will feel that a big job has been completed. They are at present in quarantine in Boston, where they have been since July 16. Under ordinary circumstances the quarantine period lasts over two weeks. The local office has already communicated with the proper authorities in Boston asking that the quarantine time be reduced; also they have written a shipper there asking that he supervise the crating and sending of the two new specimens. Although few giraffes have traveled about this country, special cages built on flat cars will be constructed for the purpose of facilitating their transportation. In order that time and energy both may be saved in carrying the animals over bridges or through tunnels the cages are built with collapsible tops. The giraffes were unloaded last week from a German liner which first attempted to leave them at Philadelphia. For some unknown reason, the unloading was made at Boston. The animals were purchased in Germany by Aaron DeRoy, Detroit automobile dealer, who will present them to the local zoo.

 

Detroit Free Press, Aug. 1, 1929: Impromptu public reception for the two giraffes soon to be residents of the Detroit zoo will be headed by John T. Millen, curator of the zoo, when he supervises the unloading of the two long necked animals at the state fair grounds at 9 o'clock this morning. Millen, who returned from a fishing trip in the northern part of the state yesterday to be on hand when his two new tenants come to take up their residence at the municipal menagerie, will be assisted by a corps of newspaper photographers and reporters, who will be on hand to chronicle the news of the advent of the first of the specie in Detroit. Playing minor roles, but probably occupying most of the stage at the unloading ceremonies, will be a crowd of interested and curious citizens, who always get up early in the morning to witness such an important event. Thus will the two prominent members of the "necks to nature club," born in Germany and more recently transient guests in Boston, receive their first impressions of their new home in Detroit. Aaron DeRoy, Detroit automobile dealer, who presented the 27 feet of neck to the zoo, will not be present to greet them, as he is traveling in the northern part of the state, but he will be represented, when a telegram, addressed to the giraffes themselves, will be read to the new arrivals. DeRoy's wire, received by Millen yesterday for personal delivery to the animals, reads: "Welcome to Detroit. Hope you enjoy your new quarters, but wish to warn you that Detroit's climate frequently brings on sore throats. Be careful." The trip from Boston to Detroit was effected by utilizing two government cannon cars, which allowed the animals to keep their long necks straight during the entire journey, without having to remove any of the bridges or tunnels along the route. The special "pullmans" will arrive via the Michigan Central at 8:25 a.m., and be transferred to the Grand Trunk immediately and moved to the fair grounds. From there, special transportation will be provided by Millen to the zoo.

http://blogs.detroitnews.com/history/1999/02/23/how-the-detroit-zoos-first-day-was-almost-its-last/

[Miningman]

Cannon Cars! And cages with collapsible roofs. I would think that those would require frequent stops. I think I can envision what a cannon car provides for the giraffe. I'm thinking they can stand up but their neck lies somewhat flat. Bet they were real happy to get back to normal and the end of their journey. 

Regardless those trains must have had some very very gentle handling, can't knock the giraffes off balance when switching, sharp curves, some turnouts, rough track spots. 

Thanks again to Wanswheel. 

 

[AgentKid]

Miningman

Actually there are lots of references to Elephants being hauled

The last animal of any kind to arrive by rail for the Calgary Zoo was an elephant about 1960 or so. It traveled in a baggage car from somewhere east.

On the last night before arriving in Calgary it was meeting another passenger train at Cheadle. The flashing lights of the coaches shining through the windows of the baggage car aggitated the elephant. It began storming around its' pen, and very reliable sources have claimed that that baggage car actually rolled along only one rail for several feet. The elephant settled down and everyone arrived in Calgary safely.

Like so much other freight zoo animals travel by plane and truck now.

Bruce

 

[Miningman]

Thanks Bruce/Agent Kid, great account. Who knew? 

[SD70Dude]

AgentKid

On the last night before arriving in Calgary it was meeting another passenger train at Cheadle. The flashing lights of the coaches shining through the windows of the baggage car aggitated the elephant. It began storming around its' pen, and very reliable sources have claimed that that baggage car actually rolled along only one rail for several feet. The elephant settled down and everyone arrived in Calgary safely.

It is amazing what unruly animals can cause.

An older friend used to work at the Edmonton International Airport.  He told me about an incident that occurred there back in the 1970s, a cargo plane arriving from Ontario crashed short of the runway, killing the crew.  They were carrying a full load of live cattle, and the investigators figured a contributing factor was that a bunch of them broke loose and started moving around, causing the plane to become unbalanced.  I will have to ask him about that again.