Collecting in general can be even more dangerous at times. I worked in the rail industry as a computer programmer installing systems for transit, CTC and hump yards. I spent most of my time in hump yards and over the years replaced systems that either I had put in 20 years previous or had been put in by competitors. As a computer geek, and realizing that classic switch and lamp computer front panels almost disappeared overnight, in the mid 80's I started collecting them and have about 15 so far. At least 2/3rds of these came from retired railroad systems. Although I never worked for US&S some of my "memoirs" are up on a site for former US&S employees and this collection habit is examined:
http://has-been4.ddns.net:8080/wp2/index.php/?p=15045http://has-been4.ddns.net:8080/wp2/index.php/?p=16226
But that's not the worst of it. Back in the early 90's I became involved with a local railroad museum which had preserved an old 1909 Erie depot. There was a derelict telegraph setup in the bay window and I got it operating. As I further researched the telegraph I found there was an organization, The Morse Telegraph Club( http://www.morsetelegraphclub.com/ ), of land line American Morse telegraph operators orginally formed in 1942 and anyone with an interest could join so I did in 2001. I started collecting telegraph instruments and now have a houseful. At the beginning of 2014 I became its international vice president. We publish a quarterly magazine, "Dots & Dashes". Several years ago I became involved with a local communications museum, The Antique Wireless Association ( http://www.antiquewireless.org/ ), and became its land line telegraph docent. I like to say that I'm the "wired" guy at the wireless museum. Here's a video made of me last summer in the telegraph office at the AWA museum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvwuOUdwvdI
And, oh yes, I do have a few railroad lanterns as well :-)
73, J. Chris Hausler
I've heard that some people collect old train orders. I worked for Seaboard Coast Line in '75 out of Waycross on the Bow Line to Thomasville and also the run to High Springs, Florida. Even caught the midwest Auto-Train a couple of times. It was all dark territory, so we ran on 'train order' authority. Always a stack of 8-10, and at the crew change I always just threw mine in the trash. Now I wish I had saved them all! What a souvenir of my time on the railroad that would be, as well as a great memory jog of long ago.
Santa Fe's most collectible train order was the one issued on the day of President Kennedy's funeral which stipulated that all trains will completely stop for one minute at a stipulated time.
Harrold Flintlock76 Back around 1969, I found a flag/torpedo holder in an O&W depot. Inside were a number of torpedoes, including an ancient one that was just sheet lead wrapped around like a cigar. This was 12 years after the railroad quit. I didn't want to keep them as sometimes the powder can be unstable, so I gave them to the owner of the business that owned the depot and told him about getting rid of them. Would have liked to keep them but... At the MidContinent Rwy Museum, we still have torpedoes in our flagging kits and crews are trained to use them. Deggesty Quoting Larry: "Collectables can be almost as dangerous as modelling." Yes, especially if you collect torpedoes. Oh wow, track torpedoes! You don't see those around too often, probably a good thing. An old timer I new up in New Jersey years back told me the local railroaders he'd gotten friendly with when he was a kid used to give him track torpedoes. He used 'em as targets for his .22 rifle! He said you sure knew when you scored a bulls-eye!
Flintlock76 Back around 1969, I found a flag/torpedo holder in an O&W depot. Inside were a number of torpedoes, including an ancient one that was just sheet lead wrapped around like a cigar. This was 12 years after the railroad quit. I didn't want to keep them as sometimes the powder can be unstable, so I gave them to the owner of the business that owned the depot and told him about getting rid of them. Would have liked to keep them but... At the MidContinent Rwy Museum, we still have torpedoes in our flagging kits and crews are trained to use them. Deggesty Quoting Larry: "Collectables can be almost as dangerous as modelling." Yes, especially if you collect torpedoes. Oh wow, track torpedoes! You don't see those around too often, probably a good thing. An old timer I new up in New Jersey years back told me the local railroaders he'd gotten friendly with when he was a kid used to give him track torpedoes. He used 'em as targets for his .22 rifle! He said you sure knew when you scored a bulls-eye!
Back around 1969, I found a flag/torpedo holder in an O&W depot. Inside were a number of torpedoes, including an ancient one that was just sheet lead wrapped around like a cigar. This was 12 years after the railroad quit. I didn't want to keep them as sometimes the powder can be unstable, so I gave them to the owner of the business that owned the depot and told him about getting rid of them. Would have liked to keep them but... At the MidContinent Rwy Museum, we still have torpedoes in our flagging kits and crews are trained to use them.
Deggesty Quoting Larry: "Collectables can be almost as dangerous as modelling." Yes, especially if you collect torpedoes.
Quoting Larry: "Collectables can be almost as dangerous as modelling." Yes, especially if you collect torpedoes.
Oh wow, track torpedoes! You don't see those around too often, probably a good thing.
An old timer I new up in New Jersey years back told me the local railroaders he'd gotten friendly with when he was a kid used to give him track torpedoes. He used 'em as targets for his .22 rifle! He said you sure knew when you scored a bulls-eye!
Interesting stuff Harrold!
About 20 or so years ago I was in an antique mall and a booth holder selling railroadiana had what I'll call for lack of a better term a "brakeman's kit." Sort of a tin "bucket" holding flags, fusees, and track torpedoes. The price was right (don't remember what it was) but I passed on it. I think those torpedoes made me a bit nervous.
Does anyone know if track torpedoes are still made?
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.