Do You Think Casey Jones was on Alochal when his accident happened?

[Anonymous]

Do you think Casey Jones before his accident in Mississippi in 1900 do you think was alochal while off duty?

[Modelcar]

....No, I believe as the story goes he was simply trying to make up time and alcohol would not have been on his mind at that busy time. He was known for running hard to make up time if late....

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....No, I believe as the story goes he was simply trying to make up time and alcohol would not have been on his mind at that busy time. He was known for running hard to make up time if late....

That's like my Dad going fast in the Car in his BMW

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

Lot's a RailRoaders were boozers, it's a fact....

In the old days (and really not too long ago) it was the only escape from the loooong working hours and the days if not weeks away from home.

Wasn't it always an old cliché that the conductor would sit in the caboose with his bottle of brandy tucked away under his overalls?

[rrnut282]

If I remember correctly, he was near his 16th hour on duty at the time of the accident. You can't work that long and that hard if you're drunk.

[Anonymous]

My understanding of the Casey Jones story is that he was a teetotaler, well known for being clean and sober.

Erik

[Modelcar]

...Yes, that falls in line with what I have read of the super hero....

[Anonymous]

There have never been *any* suggestions that Casey Jones drank alcohol--not from his employers, from his associates, his family, or any other source. From all accounts, it is doubtful that he even drank alcohol to celebrate special occasions.

On that final run, many assume that Jones was suffering from fatigue. However, his fireman--Sim Webb--indicated that Jones was alert and lively, enjoying the challenge of making up the lost time on the southbound run.

It is unclear whether Jones was a coffee drinker, but if so, that would have been the only stimulant he was likely to have taken before his final southbound trip on the New Orleans Special.

[Rick Gates]

You can search the story for yourself. No mention of alcohol in his life. http://www.watervalley.net/users/caseyjones/wreck2.htm

[ValleyX]

Casey, by all accounts, was a teetotaler but Casey was also a highwheeler, known for being able to get a train over the road as fast or faster than any other engineer in his terminal. He also had a whole file full of violations that he had been charged with. He was doubling back from his away terminal and trying to make up time when he rearended the freight train that was still hanging out, foul of the main. Fatigue? Could be, this was pre-Hours of Service law but I think it was more due to his desire to make up time.

Trains Magazine had a very good article on Casey in, I believe, the April, 2000 issue.

[Mookie]

so................................speed kills?

[Modelcar]

....Yes, but in this case it was helped by a fouled main.

[Mookie]

I read the story, but don't remember the details - would the outcome have been different if the time frame would have been "normal"? Or was the 2nd train just plain in the wrong?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrnut282

If I remember correctly, he was near his 16th hour on duty at the time of the accident. You can't work that long and that hard if you're drunk.

I thought their was a limit how long you could work back then

DOGGY

[ValleyX]

No limits until the sixteen hour law came into effect. Read the book SET UP RUNNING for a fascinating account of pre-16 hour law life, near the beginning of the subject's railroad career.

Speed kills, well, it can. Didn't the train ahead of them go into emergency, get a drawbar, or something?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

so................................speed kills?

No, Speed does not Kill.

Speed does not kill, thats a fact. No one has ever died from reaching a maximum apeed.

It's not even the impact that kills.

It's the force of Slowing down that kills people.

Its the Distance over the rate of Slowing down.

So if you slow down, at a Rate of 60 MPH to 0 MPH over a 1 mile Stretch you will be better then fine.

If you slow down, at a rate of 60 MPH to 0 MPh over a 3 foot stretch, I.e 20 MPH per Foot, then you have little chance of surviving.

The only way this kind of slwoing down would occur is when you impact with somehting.

It's not the speed, it's not the impact, it's the force of slowing down that kills.

That's physics.

[Anonymous]

An air hose broke on freight #72--one of the trains fouling the main line at Vaughan. If the air hose had not broken, the two freights may have been able to pull off the saw-by move that was planned.

TRAINS from April, 2000 has a feature article on Casey Jones. There is more about him in the December, 2003 issue--"The Engineer: American Hero."

Also, the Illinois Central Historical Society devoted the entire March, 2000 issue of the GREEN DIAMOND to the Casey Jones story. All three of these publications are "must-haves" for anyone interested in Casey Jones.

[Modelcar]

...Wouldn't the force of slowing down be = to the impact....? In fact in this case, the impact is the cause of the slowing down.

[espeefoamer]

It's not the speed that kills,it might not even be the slowing down. It's that sudden stop at the end![:(]

[pmsteamman]

If im not mistaken Casey was a good church going man, and therefore would not touch the booze. Also I'm sure all of you know that we live in a "post" 16 hour law (thank God). We now Hog Law after 12 hours, although there have been times I would just love to "slapem in the corner and run like hell".

[JoeKoh]

No i dont think he was.
2 laws of physics
an object at rest will remain at rest
an object in motion will remain in motion.
thats why its important to wear your safety belt in a car.
the car may stop because you hit something but your body is still going at 50 or whatever.[:(]
so please stay safe
and thanks Mr Bok.Upper Deck
Joe

[Anonymous]

By most accounts,Casey was a teetotolar. He had a reputation for running fast,and a file full of write-ups as a result. He was also known for getting the most out of a locomotive.As noted,this was way before you died on the law at 12 hours.Fatigue could have been a factor,but we'll probably never know for sure.

[rixflix]

Drunk on speed back then, I'd quess.
A product of his society.
Everyone wanted speed, but someone had to pay.
Sorta like these times and probably all of them.
Balance the supply and demand and the majority gets by.
The rest are so.....much.....ground.....meat.

[Anonymous]

I have been to Jackson and seen the 10 wheeler there. There is also a train hotel type setup where you can stay in a caboose or railroad car. It has been about 6 or 7 years since I went there and can't really remember alot about it. There is a museum. I ate at a restaurant there but don't remember if it was associated with Casey Jones Museum or not. The food was good though.

[Anonymous]

That's an ex-Southern Pacific 4-6-0 at the Jackson Casey Jones Museum. The 382 was repaired after the wreck and I believe it wound up its career in Mexico.

There are some ex-IC passenger cars and side-door cabooses at the Casey Jones Motel in Jackson and the restaurant is part of "Casey Jones Village." The Jones house was moved from its original location, though there are some original furnishings inside. (Plus Casey's pocket watch and some other ephemera). There are also museums near the wreck site in Vaughan, MS and in Water Valley, MS.

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kevinstheRRman

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mookie

so................................speed kills?

No, Speed does not Kill.

Speed does not kill, thats a fact. No one has ever died from reaching a maximum apeed.

It's not even the impact that kills.

It's the force of Slowing down that kills people.

Its the Distance over the rate of Slowing down.

So if you slow down, at a Rate of 60 MPH to 0 MPH over a 1 mile Stretch you will be better then fine.

If you slow down, at a rate of 60 MPH to 0 MPh over a 3 foot stretch, I.e 20 MPH per Foot, then you have little chance of surviving.

The only way this kind of slwoing down would occur is when you impact with somehting.

It's not the speed, it's not the impact, it's the force of slowing down that kills.

That's physics.

Kevin - you are right - speed in that context does not kill - it is the sudden stop that does.

Also here in US - we have a different meaning for speed besides going fast. Was just being an imp as usual!

Mookie

[wallyworld]

Anyone know where one could access the Sim Webb recording? .I'd love to listen to it. My understanding is that Sim made a recording that was a narration of what happened that night. For those who don't know the details of the full story, Sim was Casey's fireman. I have looked high and low...without any luck.

[Anonymous]

Here's a link to a site that has a recording of Sim Webb. I haven't heard it yet; it may not be the whole interview. But--it's a start! I'll keep looking--Southern Fast Mail

http://www.thejoyboys.com/pick.htm

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by PhilipCal

By most accounts,Casey was a teetotolar. He had a reputation for running fast,and a file full of write-ups as a result. He was also known for getting the most out of a locomotive.As noted,this was way before you died on the law at 12 hours.Fatigue could have been a factor,but we'll probably never know for sure.

Did they need a specially built boxcar for his files[:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)]

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

Why were the Trains so long the company should of know but even if their was no freight trains Casey Jones would get into an accident like this some time

DOGGY