Is This The First Common Carrier Narrow Gauge Rail In North America?
| May 08, 2020 04:14PM |
|
I know folks on this Forum are mostly into Colorado NGs in the 1940s/50s, as well as the present day narrow gauge scene. And I’m most definitely a fan of that as well. However..... this question is aimed at Forum participants who are more into ancient narrow gauge history.
I’m not a big collector of railway stuff, but the attached picture shows a prized possession – a chunk of 40# rail from the Toronto, Grey & Bruce Railway in Ontario. I’ve had it since the early 1970s and it’s pure serendipity it survived that long, or that I have it at all.
It was manufactured by the Aberdare Ironworks in Wales back in spring 1870 – so it’s exactly 150 years old right about now! What I’m wanting here are opinions (constructive argument!) from my American Cousins - Is this possibly the oldest common carrier narrow gauge rail in North America?
My case for this being the oldest is that it was manufactured in 1870 for two sister railways, both spearheaded by promoter George Laidlaw, and built to the narrow gauge of 3’ 6”. Building north from Toronto, the Toronto & Nipissing (T&N) was heading toward Coboconk, and the Toronto, Grey & Bruce [TG&B] toward Owen Sound. In George W. Hilton’s Narrow Gauge Railway’s of America, both the TG&B and T&N are referenced many times. On arrival in Canada in September 1870, the rail shipment was split between the two railways.
The first locomotives on both railways were also delivered in September 1870, and immediately employed on construction trains. The first “Inspection Trains” and “Directors’ Specials” were run in early spring 1871. However if we’re considering the first regularly scheduled common carrier train, the T&N ran its first on July 12th, 1871. The TG&B had a major river to overcome, and its first scheduled passenger train wasn’t until a couple days later on July 17th.
The Toronto & Nipissing always declared itself North America’s first common carrier narrow gauge (see photo of their 1874 timetable head – from Rod Clarke’s Narrow Gauge Through The Bush). And since the TG&B rail is from the same batch, that “earliest” designation would apply to it as well.
Note that the claim for the rail is based on it being made for the first railway built as a narrow gauge common carrier, and/or operating the first scheduled narrow gauge train.
When writing his book, Hilton himself had to define the scope of his work – which he confined to common carrier railways – and nowhere could I find a reference to which one he would consider as being the first. He recognized that there were numerous narrow gauge mining and industrial railways prior to the 1870s, but they didn’t become common carriers until later. This included the Mauch Chunk, Summit Hill & Switch Back built to 3’ 6” gauge in 1826 – but it was a mule-hauled inclined railway and I assume neither steam-hauled nor common carrier.
And then there were railways such as the Cartersville & Van Wert in Georgia. It was originally built in April 1871 to the Broad Gauge of 5’, but wasn’t continued/converted to 3’ until October/November of that year. And the Tuskegee Railroad in Alabama was another Broad Gauge line dating from 1860, but wasn’t rebuilt to 3’ gauge until November, 1871.
The D&RG is the railroad that appears to be the first purpose-built common carrier narrow gauge in the USA, although I can’t see where Hilton came out and actually said it. The date he gives for the start of regularly scheduled service is January 1, 1872.
So..... comments please, if you know of another common carrier steam railway that was running narrow gauge trains in North America prior to July, 1871.
Cheers all,
Ralph
P.S. – The chunk of TG&B rail, and contemporary spikes and fishplates I've found over the years, are destined for a museum at some point in the future.
P.P.S. - I’ll post some photos of Toronto, Grey & Bruce motive power at a later date. They had some funky looking (to us) Avonside engines from England, but also Baldwin 2-6-0s and 2-8-0s that would have looked right at home on the DSP&P.
I’m not a big collector of railway stuff, but the attached picture shows a prized possession – a chunk of 40# rail from the Toronto, Grey & Bruce Railway in Ontario. I’ve had it since the early 1970s and it’s pure serendipity it survived that long, or that I have it at all.
It was manufactured by the Aberdare Ironworks in Wales back in spring 1870 – so it’s exactly 150 years old right about now! What I’m wanting here are opinions (constructive argument!) from my American Cousins - Is this possibly the oldest common carrier narrow gauge rail in North America?
My case for this being the oldest is that it was manufactured in 1870 for two sister railways, both spearheaded by promoter George Laidlaw, and built to the narrow gauge of 3’ 6”. Building north from Toronto, the Toronto & Nipissing (T&N) was heading toward Coboconk, and the Toronto, Grey & Bruce [TG&B] toward Owen Sound. In George W. Hilton’s Narrow Gauge Railway’s of America, both the TG&B and T&N are referenced many times. On arrival in Canada in September 1870, the rail shipment was split between the two railways.
The first locomotives on both railways were also delivered in September 1870, and immediately employed on construction trains. The first “Inspection Trains” and “Directors’ Specials” were run in early spring 1871. However if we’re considering the first regularly scheduled common carrier train, the T&N ran its first on July 12th, 1871. The TG&B had a major river to overcome, and its first scheduled passenger train wasn’t until a couple days later on July 17th.
The Toronto & Nipissing always declared itself North America’s first common carrier narrow gauge (see photo of their 1874 timetable head – from Rod Clarke’s Narrow Gauge Through The Bush). And since the TG&B rail is from the same batch, that “earliest” designation would apply to it as well.
Note that the claim for the rail is based on it being made for the first railway built as a narrow gauge common carrier, and/or operating the first scheduled narrow gauge train.
When writing his book, Hilton himself had to define the scope of his work – which he confined to common carrier railways – and nowhere could I find a reference to which one he would consider as being the first. He recognized that there were numerous narrow gauge mining and industrial railways prior to the 1870s, but they didn’t become common carriers until later. This included the Mauch Chunk, Summit Hill & Switch Back built to 3’ 6” gauge in 1826 – but it was a mule-hauled inclined railway and I assume neither steam-hauled nor common carrier.
And then there were railways such as the Cartersville & Van Wert in Georgia. It was originally built in April 1871 to the Broad Gauge of 5’, but wasn’t continued/converted to 3’ until October/November of that year. And the Tuskegee Railroad in Alabama was another Broad Gauge line dating from 1860, but wasn’t rebuilt to 3’ gauge until November, 1871.
The D&RG is the railroad that appears to be the first purpose-built common carrier narrow gauge in the USA, although I can’t see where Hilton came out and actually said it. The date he gives for the start of regularly scheduled service is January 1, 1872.
So..... comments please, if you know of another common carrier steam railway that was running narrow gauge trains in North America prior to July, 1871.
Cheers all,
Ralph
P.S. – The chunk of TG&B rail, and contemporary spikes and fishplates I've found over the years, are destined for a museum at some point in the future.
P.P.S. - I’ll post some photos of Toronto, Grey & Bruce motive power at a later date. They had some funky looking (to us) Avonside engines from England, but also Baldwin 2-6-0s and 2-8-0s that would have looked right at home on the DSP&P.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.