CPRR Train Robbery
From: "BRIAN RASH" joolesj@msn.com
Can anyone out there take on this CPRR Rail robbery history trivia question.It is stated exactly like this:
Open on two deperados forcing an operator to stop the next train and to write a phony order for watering. In what station was the locomotive scheduled to stop?
Please Help!!
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 5:30 AM
8 Comments:
From: "Kevin Bunker" mikadobear45@yahoo.com
Brian, no offense, but that question makes little if any sense, regardless of whatever the source of the original trivia question.
A robbery of any train in the 19th century would not happen that way. Steam locomotives do not take scheduled stops for water nor would the engine crews be directed to do so by telegraphed or written train order. Steam locomotives generally take water at a lineside water tank or water column only when needed, often between scheduled stops.
A station's agent-telegrapher ("operator") would typically write out a telegram received from elsewhere on the line only. Even at gunpoint, it is not likely the agent-telegrapher would write a phony train order to direct a train crew to stop somewhere without obvious reason. The most typical reason for a written-out train order would be to direct a train into a siding further up or down the line to await the passing of another train.
This trivia game lacks accuracy, that's for sure. I suspect whoever wrote the original question had been watching too many Hollywood western movies, most of which also make no sense compared to historic reality.
Sorry!
From: "Mullaly, Larry" LMullaly@roguecc.edu
Not to quibble with the contest question, but:
In my limited experience I have never seen watering orders attached to train orders. Water tanks were located on depot grounds in all the cases I am familiar with during the period 1860-1890. Watering a locomotive would then be done (when needed) as part of a scheduled station stop.
—Larry Mullaly
From: "Don Snoddy" ddsnoddy@cox.net
My guess would be the station name maybe has the word water in it.
—Don
From: "Jooles Jack" joolesj@yahoo.com
Larry,
O.k. Can I ask you instead to [search for] "The Great Train Robbery" at Google. You will then see "The Great Train Robbery 1903." It was a film. Please read the first scene. Whether it's fictitious or not please read it and let me know what station the train in question would have stopped at (In reference to what the story is based on though it may be a story) I believe it is mentioning actual stations on the CPRR route circa 1900.
—Brian
From: "Jooles Jack" joolesj@yahoo.com
Kevin,
... Can I ask you to please Google "The Great train Robbery"and when that hit comes up you'll see "The Great Train Robbery 1903." It was a film and whether it is fictitious or not I believe it refers to stations of the CPRR in the year 1900 (the film was made in 1903). Please take the time to read it and even though it may be a story (there is information as to where this robbery occured whether true or false. Please read scene one and geographically (If you might be aware of the stations of the CPRR circa 1900) please help me to obtain the next scheduled stop or station in this story (for what it's worth) This is the Marlboro "Outwit the West 3." Anyway can you e-mail me with what you come up with after Looking at scene 1 of the 1903 "Great Train Robbery" and the locations it refers to I would be very grateful.
—Brian
Red Lodge, MT
Also see a related story about emigrant train passengers being robbed, courtesy of the National Library of Australia.
"In February 1874, Solomon [Heyman], Rebecca [Heyman] and their son Gus were arrested and charged with having received goods stolen from the Central Pacific Railroad at Truckee. Gus was acquitted, and after the jury hung with nine voting for acquittal, the case against Solomon was dismissed. Some months later, additional charges were filed against Solomon stemming from the same incident. A jury acquitted him in February 1875. For Rebecca, the arrest was tragic. After she was released on bond, she took the stage from Nevada City to return to Truckee. En route, she died, apparently from drowning." —Bernie Zimmerman, 'The mystery of the 3 headstones'
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