Railroad History Quiz Game (Come on in and play)

[rrnut282]

Well 1829 is earlier than the historical marker I was using that said, "The first railroad operated west of the Alleghenies, the Erie and Kalamazoo, was chartered on April 22, 1833 to connect Port Lawrence (later named Toledo) with the Kalamazoo River via Adrian. A horse-drawn car made the first trip from Toledo to Adrian on November 2, 1836, running on strap iron strips spiked to oak rails. "

So, if there was a train in 'bama in 1829, I'll have to give it to you.

 

 

[nanaimo73]

I thought it was the West Feliciana, north of Baton Rouge.

[oltmannd]

I really thought it was the Tuscumbia-Courtland-Decatur Railroad in Alabama in 1830....

The Wikipedia entry would make that 1829 - ahead of my two guesses!  And, definitely west of the Appalachians, too.

[J. Daddy]

I really thought it was the Tuscumbia-Courtland-Decatur Railroad in Alabama in 1830....

[oltmannd]

Allegheny Portage Railroad - 1834 

(It actually stadles the Appalachain Mtns.  The inclined plane was on the east slope and the "pure" railroad was on the west slope.)

Or, the Mohawk and Hudson - 1831.  Ran from Albany to Schenectady NY.  (Appalachian mtn chain - Bershires - is to the east in Mass and Green Mtns in Vermont.  Also to the south - Catskills)

[rrnut282]

Not Chicago or Alabama. 

I was thinking US, so Canada doesn't count.  That's another question for another day.

Oh and please give a date, so I can verify the accuracy.

[J. Daddy]

I feel like the dog chasing the car, I don't know what to do after I catch it.

OK, let's try one in honor of my present location, i.e. not at home. 

Where was the first operational railroad west of the applachians?

 

was it in Alabama?

 

TC&D RR.....

 

[Murphy Siding]

    Was it in Canada?

[chad thomas]

I feel like the dog chasing the car, I don't know what to do after I catch it.

OK, let's try one in honor of my present location, i.e. not at home. 

Where was the first operational railroad west of the applachians?

(pure guess) Chicago ? 

[Murphy Siding]

Was this pre-McLean/Sealand?  If so was it an East Coast-gulf movement, say jersey to Houston?

We have a winner! (Whew!)

An explanation, of sorts:  The first major move of containers in the US was from Newark, N.J. to Houston, Texas.  The catch is-they were sent by ship.  At the time, no one realized just how big this thing would get, or the effect it would have on railroads.

     Good job rrnut282

[rrnut282]

I feel like the dog chasing the car, I don't know what to do after I catch it.

OK, let's try one in honor of my present location, i.e. not at home. 

Where was the first operational railroad west of the applachians?

[chad thomas]

Next ?

[Murphy Siding]

Was this pre-McLean/Sealand?  If so was it an East Coast-gulf movement, say jersey to Houston?

We have a winner! (Whew!)

[al-in-chgo]

 

C'mon, guy, an anxious nation (well, railfan universe) awaits your supply . . .  or at least a hint.  - al

 

[rrnut282]

Was this pre-McLean/Sealand?  If so was it an East Coast-gulf movement, say jersey to Houston?

[al-in-chgo]

Murphy Siding, give us a hint. Mike

Remember, I said I wasn't very good at this.  I love to read a lot of railroad history.  I just don't remember much of it.

     The containers were all *domestic*, from an American origin to an American destination.  When they left, the locals were probably dressed warmly.  At their destination, t-shirts and shorts may have been the order of the day(?).

Dude, I'm sure those facts fit the syllogism but they are pretty abstruse on their own.

Since I won't research, I'll take a wild guess.  Curse my faulty memory! 

Since it was domestic to domestic, it was governed by the Jones Act, which now covers (if not then) domestic to domestic shipments.

Wild guess:  It was a shipment of automotive goods from somewhere in N.Y. State (Al Perlman, pres. of the NYCentral, might have had a hand) to Tampa, FL. 

If any part of the above is correct, you should tell us.  Because of the momentousness of this shipment, I assume you are talking about early versions of COFC's and not piggybacks. - al

 

[Murphy Siding]

Murphy Siding, give us a hint. Mike

Remember, I said I wasn't very good at this.  I love to read a lot of railroad history.  I just don't remember much of it.

     The containers were all *domestic*, from an American origin to an American destination.  When they left, the locals were probably dressed warmly.  At their destination, t-shirts and shorts may have been the order of the day(?).

[NSlover92]

Murphy Siding, give us a hint. Mike

[al-in-chgo]

     Containers are a big part of today's railroads in America.  East and west coast ports ship a lot of continers inland by rail. From where to where did the first major shipment of containers in the U.S. go, in April, 1956?

 

I could tell you within about five seconds if the rules permitted us to look up a fact from a book.  I will say that a book that quickly gives the correct answer was recently reviewed on a different thread.   - a. s. 

[Murphy Siding]

     Containers are a big part of today's railroads in America.  East and west coast ports ship a lot of continers inland by rail. From where to where did the first major shipment of containers in the U.S. go, in April, 1956?

[Zwingle]

Yes, indeed, the large middle section of the bridge was pontoon.  Ding! Ding!  The approaches and swing span were on stone piers.  Built between Prairie du Chien and North McGregor (Marquette) in 1874, the bridge was used until 1960, when it was finally taken out.  I'm amazed it lasted so long.  The LaCrosse bridge was built in 1876, and the Sabula bridge in 1880.

[Murphy Siding]

     I think it was a pontoon bridge, maybe by LaCrosse, Wisconsin?

[Zwingle]

The completion of Lake Oahe flooded the Missouri River valley.  The reroute construction was begun in 1957 and completed in 1959 with 115# rail and two bridges.  Good question!

Ding! Ding!  The Oahe Damn raised the water level under the bridge.  That's why I thought the floodlpain answer was funny.  Good job!

 I confess to partially using my Milwaukee Road track profiles; specifically the Aberdeen Division.   Your question was good exercise.  Plus, I learned a bit about Lake Oahe in my research.

 Here's one:  What was arguably the most unusual aspect about the Milwaukee Road's first bridge across the Mississippi?  Bonus question:  How long did this bridge last?

[Murphy Siding]

The completion of Lake Oahe flooded the Missouri River valley.  The reroute construction was begun in 1957 and completed in 1959 with 115# rail and two bridges.  Good question!

Ding! Ding!  The Oahe Damn raised the water level under the bridge.  That's why I thought the floodlpain answer was funny.  Good job!

[Zwingle]

The completion of Lake Oahe flooded the Missouri River valley.  The reroute construction was begun in 1957 and completed in 1959 with 115# rail and two bridges.  Good question!

[Murphy Siding]

Along the same line, did someone fubar and it was built below the flood plain?

  While that's not the answer, it does provide a weird backdrop for the correct answer.

[rrnut282]

Along the same line, did someone fubar and it was built below the flood plain?

[Murphy Siding]

Just a WAG, it was deemed a hazard to navigation?

  Good guess, but no.

[rrnut282]

Just a WAG, it was deemed a hazard to navigation?

[Murphy Siding]

Congratulations you are the winner Murph. The old Green Diamond trainset did indeed spend its final years running as the Miss Lou between Jackson and New Orleans.

Your turn to ask a question.

Mark

  As you'll soon see, I am terrible at things like this.

     What was the reason that the Milwaukke Road had to build the third bridge over the Missouri River, at Mobridge, S.D., the start of the Pacific Coast Extention?