PADUCAH TRAIN MUSEUM (Mark)

While Cheri was seeing an untold number of quilts, I went about a mile to the south and spent the morning at the Paducah Railroad Museum.

We have noticed a large number of towns in the Southeast have rail museums, which makes sense considering how important a rail line was to establishing a town.

The NC&StL line was chartered in 1845.  It was known as the Dixie Line; the proper name was Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Line.

The L&N - Louisville to Nashville - Line was started in 1850 and fed to the Dixie Line.  Many of the feeder lines were built after the main line looked like it would be a success.  The railroad operated continuously under one name for 132 years.

Office equipment has changed significantly over the years; what we have gained in efficiency we have lost in colorful books, and accoutrements . . .  plus the satisfaction of forcefully stamping papers when you are finished with them.

Using a manual typewriter, you are much less likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome, plus you get the satisfying clacking sound that only readers of a certain age will be familiar with.  Underwood Typewriter operated from 1896 into the 1960’s.

On another note, between 1942 and 1944, Underwood Typewriter Company produced 545,616 M1 Carbines for the war effort.  Some of the other interesting companies doing this included Rockola Jukebox Company, IBM, and National Postal Meter.

These clocks were leased by the railroad, owned by the Self Winding Clock Company.  Railways used these and synchronized them to the Naval Observatory so that all rail lines were synchronized, very important for safely having lines used.

Some of the switching and routing gear used:

It would probably take some time to learn how to get all of these switches positioned correctly.

One more shot from a desk.  I enjoy looking at the logos and the fine details on the pen holder.

A number of posters, most promoting safety, were displayed:

I saw several things of interest in this picture.  No cross-block safety arms to prevent cars from crossing.  The high number of deaths and injuries from cars and trains colliding was also startling.

This is a Three Wheel Track Velocipede:

Imagine having to pedal this contraption for any distance.  This one was used by Albert Tharp in the Paducah area, to check track for the NC&StL Line.