Civil War Railroads

Jimklag

Lt. Colonel
Joined
Mar 3, 2017
Location
Chicagoland
As a career mechanical engineer in the rail industry, the Civil War's stories relating to the railroads, North and South have always interested me.

Rather than post a favorite story of my own about the railroads, I am going to throw this thread open to any member who wants to post a favorite railroad story about the Civil War - stories like The Great Locomotive Chase; transferring Longstreet's corps to Tennessee by rail; Haupt's bridge of "bean poles and cornstalks."

Any story you want as long as it is strictly on the subject of railroads in the Civil War.
 
As a career mechanical engineer in the rail industry, the Civil War's stories relating to the railroads, North and South have always interested me.

Rather than post a favorite story of my own about the railroads, I am going to throw this thread open to any member who wants to post a favorite railroad story about the Civil War - stories like The Great Locomotive Chase; transferring Longstreet's corps to Tennessee by rail; Haupt's bridge of "bean poles and cornstalks."

Any story you want as long as it is strictly on the subject of railroads in the Civil War.
This is a great idea.

Like I do, I'm going to start by asking a question, 'Bean poles and Cornstalks, what's that about?

The first battle, more of a skirmish really that I read about was 'Battle of Vienna, Virginia, the first Ohio infantry were ambushed whilst they were making their way to the railhead, if I remember rightly the train was hit with cannon (Not sure if the engine was hit) by the confederate forces that were laying in wait for them, the Ohio Infantry jumped off the train and made a dash for some cover, meanwhile and quite sensibly the engineer decided to make a run for it and disappeared which left the Ohio men stuck in the middle of nowhere and feeling pretty vulnerable. I wonder what happened to that engineer!
Having just looked up the actual location of the battle, I found that it happened at Park Street railroad crossing. It would be great to find a then and now picture.
 
I don't have many personal stories. Visiting Catoosa Station,on a guided tour,where Hood's Texas Brigade disembarked for Chickamauga was kinda cool.


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This is a great idea.

Like I do, I'm going to start by asking a question, 'Bean poles and Cornstalks, what's that about?

The first battle, more of a skirmish really that I read about was 'Battle of Vienna, Virginia, the first Ohio infantry were ambushed whilst they were making their way to the railhead, if I remember rightly the train was hit with cannon (Not sure if the engine was hit) by the confederate forces that were laying in wait for them, the Ohio Infantry jumped off the train and made a dash for some cover, meanwhile and quite sensibly the engineer decided to make a run for it and disappeared which left the Ohio men stuck in the middle of nowhere and feeling pretty vulnerable. I wonder what happened to that engineer!
Having just looked up the actual location of the battle, I found that it happened at Park Street railroad crossing. It would be great to find a then and now picture.
"Bean poles and cornstalks" are descriptive terms Lincoln used to describe the construction of the railroad trestle over Potomac creek designed by Herman Haupt.
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Read a lotta sad stories about soldiers dying in railroad accidents during the war.
 
Read a lotta sad stories about soldiers dying in railroad accidents during the war.
Was that as a result of just getting in the way of a moving engine or similar to the accidents that we had in the UK during that period, lots of exploding boilers and people falling off moving trains.
 
I read in one of my "Forrest" books, that when he tore up rail roads it was especially difficult for the Union to repair. At present can't remember specifics, but I'll look and post when I have more info.
I think the stories about tearing up the enemy's railroads or repairing them by both sides are some of my favorites.
 
"Bean poles and cornstalks" are descriptive terms Lincoln used to describe the construction of the railroad trestle over Potomac creek designed by Herman Haupt.
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I'm certain that those trestles were solid but they look flimsy, its hard to believe that they could hold the weight of an engine let alone a fully loaded train. They look like they have been thrown together, excuse my ignorance but I'm assuming that's a wooden structure. To be honest that looks a lot better built than some that I have seen.
 
Was that as a result of just getting in the way of a moving engine or similar to the accidents that we had in the UK during that period, lots of exploding boilers and people falling off moving trains.
Accidents mostly as I recall. One at Tunnel Hill,Georgia. I remember that from a tour there.
 
I'm certain that those trestles were solid but they look flimsy, its hard to believe that they could hold the weight of an engine let alone a fully loaded train. They look like they have been thrown together, excuse my ignorance but I'm assuming that's a wooden structure. To be honest that looks a lot better built than some that I have seen.
The flimsy appearance is what led to Lincoln's comments. He was skeptical about the bridge's load-carrying capability until he watched a train crossover.
 
Accidents mostly as I recall. One at Tunnel Hill,Georgia. I remember that from a tour there.
I expect that the death toll among the navvies was also high, especially when it came to blasting rock.

Edit
Just realised that I used the term 'Navvies' do you guys call the men that built the railroads 'Navvies'?
 
As a career mechanical engineer in the rail industry, the Civil War's stories relating to the railroads, North and South have always interested me.

Rather than post a favorite story of my own about the railroads, I am going to throw this thread open to any member who wants to post a favorite railroad story about the Civil War - stories like The Great Locomotive Chase; transferring Longstreet's corps to Tennessee by rail; Haupt's bridge of "bean poles and cornstalks."

Any story you want as long as it is strictly on the subject of railroads in the Civil War.

Ask and ye shall receive... Here's my thread on that particular subject from a few years ago: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-andrews-railroad-raid-or.84448/

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I expect that the death toll among the navvies was also high, especially when it came to blasting rock.

Edit
Just realised that I used the term 'Navvies' do you guys call the men that built the railroads 'Navvies'?
Navvies and coolies were both terms used to describe Irish and Chinese railroad construction workers. Gandy dancer and section hand were the generic, non-nationalist terms.
 
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