@@widgeonslayer Yes. :-) EDIT: They would stand on them 6-12 ft. up and use a big ass long hand saw, one on each side. The old push pull method, when men were men, before gas chainsaws. Cheers, :-)
@@mikeymike758 cross cut saws "misery whips". If you know where to look there are stumps here that have them. One I know of that still has the remnants of the boards.
@@widgeonslayer Cool eh? I've seen many of these old growth cedars with the notches in them when I lived and camped out west. Never saw one with the springboard still attached. Cheers
That box you pointed out is called a journal box. There were one of those for each wheel on the car as the end of the axle would go inside of that box and the box would be mounted to the truck frame. The end of the axle would sit in a brass bearing, and the box would be filled with oil and packing to keep things lubricated. This style were known as friction bearings
To expand on that a little, the pieces at the end of the video are the frames that would have mounted to the truck (name for the wheelset of a train car) and held the journal box and a spring to provide some level of suspension. The brass bearings themselves are probably long gone, either salvaged right after the wreck, or taken later by some passerby.
This is a time when I really wish my dad was still alive. He used to be a conductor and crew leader on trains and he could tell us both ever little part of a train and what it does.
The Billmayer & Small item is what in Britain we would call a horn block - American railroads may have a different name. It would be bolted to the timber frame of a car bogie (GB) or truck (US) and hold the journal boxes you found at the start of the film. There would be one of these at each end of every axle. This possibly came from the carriage, the wooden truck frames having rotted away long, long ago. An interesting film, thanks very much.
Those parts are to the old track layer. If you driveout to the end of 208th and walk through the woods down the old RR grade, you will come to the town of Kariston. A giant shingle mill used to be there at one time and the railroad went on down to Fall City.
Just to let you all know those boards were called spring boards and there use fell out of favor in the late thirties with the advent of the chain saw .if you find these notches cut into a stump today consider yourself blessed .If you do find one or more of these notches in a standing stump that stump is most likely a cedar tree stump. good hunting.
0:56 journal box. It goes over the ends of the wheels, attaching it to the rest of the side frame. Filled with grease and packing. The little door on the end has broken off.
The train wreck was due to overloaded items on the train cars. There was a fire in one of the camps and they were salvaging what they could to bring to Hobart but when it got to the downhill it lost control. Part of the train wrapped around a tree. I love these kinds of videos lol
The item you show at 8:49 is a "Journal Pedestal." Journal boxes (described by Boyles Terminal Shops below) were mounted either directly to the side sills a 4-wheel railroad cars, such as the small "bobber" cabooses, or to hardwood beams of "truck sideframes." I have four or five O scale (1/4"=1', 1/48) models of bobber cabooses (AKA "cabeese" by some modelers), with several different styles of journal pedestals, from plain to ornate. (The casting you show at 9:35 is from a broken and very plain journal pedestal.) Unfortunately, due to their usually temporary tracks and sometimes no air brakes in equipment, train wrecks were not uncommon on logging railroads. Interesting video, Chris. Stay safe, everybody.
There is a great book entitled Wood & Iverson, Loggers of Tiger Mountain, by Ken Schmelzer, Oso Publishing, 2001, with the whole story on this accident at Holder Creek in 1925. Schmelzer reports the train was pulled by a Climax Locomotive, one of four on the W&I roster. The heavily damages locomotive was completely rebuilt in the W&I machine shop and operated until the end of their operations on Tiger Mountain. Loved the vid.
Does Chris scuba dive? Because there’s a very cool submerged group of trains off the Jersey Shore near Long Branch. They’ve been there since the mid-1850s.
The notches in the tree were probably from a lumberjack. They would put a board in the notch and stand on the board. The lower one is a single used as a step, the top two together were used as a platform to stand on and do the cut. You'll see lumberjacks on TH-cam doing this as shows in Alaska.
During WWII, scrap metal drives resulted in a lot of abandoned early century equipment being reclaimed from the woods. Very surprised to find this wreck was left. Must have been remote and inaccessible at the time.
Those notches are for lumberjack springboards. They are used to gain height on the tree to get a more optimal place to cut it down. They would have been there prior to the train wreck, if, as you said, that entire area was previously clear cut. I grew up on Tiger Mt (60s and 70s) and our property had many such stumps with springboard notches. BTW, there are other trails just off Tiger Mt Rd where you can find old coal mining equipment, rails, wheels, even some mine openings. We used to camp up there as kids. Also, if you are really interested in old train stuff, just on the other side of Snoqualmie Falls, back in the trees, there's an old train graveyard full of old cars, locomotives, etc. Not sure how you'd get permission to go back there but it's (was) fascinating. Last time I visited there was 1981.
How did you get to be so adorable, Chris? From your laid back style, adorable face, excellent content, relaxing voice you rock! I just can't get enough!
The Notches in the stumps are for spring boards. The loggers would use them to get up above the swell butt. In a tree does grow out but it also grows up. Do you spring boards all the way up into the 40s.
The other people are right them notches are where the loggers put the spring boards that they still down to cut down the tree. I am from a family of loggers for the last hundred years. Just google springboards/Logging. But you make the best videos. So informative.
That’s a journal box, it was packed with grease sticks that would melt as the journal got hot from friction and served to lubreacte the bearings , carman would pull the old ones out and repack them every departure . Thanks now I feel old just for knowing that 🤣
The marks in the tree were from the workers who logged the area. They would cut a notch into the tree and insert a spring board bassically building a ladder to get to the height they wanted to cut the tree. I am willing to bet they used that tree as a mast for a yarder (crane suspended onncables) to shunt the logs to landings
I really like the high historical value you almost unnoticeably slide into our brains. Here in Holland there's no space for abandoned awesomeness. Keep it up, stay safe. 🔆
Most of the cars were mostly wooden at that time which is why you're not seeing complete cars. Marks in the tree are what they cut out to stick boards into to stand on so they can cut it down in the optimum spot
@4:30, I'm pretty sure that's a remnant of the track laying car. My late father worked for the Hennepin street car line, the Great Northern and a local freight/light rail commuter line for the bulk of his career, as well as running old steam engines. He was a library of train knowledge.
Fascinating as sad to see - but clearly demonstrates how quickly metal rusts away in a forest environment - will be little left in another 100-years. Also, harsh to think of human against that metal, rolling & careening down the hillside - would have been terrifying... Thanks for taking us along. Merry Christmas! 👍🦘🐾🎅🙏
Hi Chris...from Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.... I really enjoy your videos... I love stories from the past... you do your commentaries really well...love all your locations...keep up the good work :)
How cool!? I don't know how many times I've driven over Tiger Mountain & never even knew this was here. I gotta go check this out now, only when it warms up ;). Thanks for sharing, man!
If you’re looking for another old train wreck in the area. Look up “ring of fire train wreck” it’s located along Vance creek I believe. There is so much more to see with that one and it’s really cool!
This is so cool. I never heard of the railroad accident and lived in wash for while. Those are springboard holes in the tree. The loggers stood on boards to cut the tree. Thankyou for this very cool history walk
Now that was really cool. I love all abandoned, but trains and industrial hold a special place for me. While it may be unfortunate history, it is still a piece of History. I like to look at the stuff in wonder who put these bolts in, who put these rivets in. People that are long gone and most likely forgotten by now. Thank you for taking us along, stay safe my friend
I like seeing old places with a lot of history. You do a great job finding these places and showing us all the cool details. I like the respect you show to the history of these old places that used to be important to people who are long gone now probably. Thanks.
There was a train wreck in the cascade mountains outside of wellington washington which is now a ghost town but at the old cascade tunnel 2 trains were swept off the track by an avalanche in 1912, I recommend checking it out sometime.
There are a lot of train parts still there down the slope and on the valley floor below. There have been several books written about it. Be very careful going there do to the rattlesnakes living there.
Born and raised in Spokane, have lots of family in the Seattle area, I study the local and state history and I haven't stumbled onto this story yet. Pretty crazy.
0:50 seconds. That is a journal box. The wheel bearings are housed in there. 8:40 minutes. The journal boxes slid up and down within this. 9:20 is the same thing as the previous item, just the opposite side. The Billmeyer and Smith Co. manufactured railway cars at that time.
Logging railroads were never up to the standards of regular railroads too. Usually narrow gauge running on unballasted track and using raw timber for ties and locomotives with geared driving systems that were pretty slow, but could climb ridiculously steep grades compared to mainline locomotives of the time.
Have you been to the Ring of fire train wreck in Washington state? It’s along the Wynochee river, near the Olympic Nat. Forest. Cars are still in the river, there is a geocache in one of them. My friend has been there and climbed up inside one of the cars for the geocache. I have a picture somewhere of him inside it. It’s from a scene in a movie that went wrong I believe. There a lot of info on line.I love you show! Love the history and the before and after pictures when can. Keep exploring and I’ll keep watching!!
You're Amazing!!! I would of love to walk that trail everything about the story is so interesting, the mountain scenery and streams, I could hang out there all day. Until the next adventure. Stay warm.
Very cool video. What is fascinating about this crash site is how nature is slowly reclaiming the earth. That moss looked like a soft green blanket covering the metal wreckage. Very haunting. Thank you for filming and sharing.
Those marks in the tree are likely from when the trees were cut down. They would chop a notch out of the tree and wedge a board into the notch for something to stand on as they made the cut into the tree.
I don’t think its a journal box as some say. I think it is a friction wedge or the connection fulcrum where the center of the spring pack is connected to the wheel trucks in the bogie...
The marks in the Tree are from loggers. They make a small notch in the tree, and place a board in them. To stand on when cutting. They are everywhere in BC. All over the stumps on my property. Those notches are too clean to be a crash. You can see old videos of loggers cutting trees downs while standing on boards.
It was not a "train wreck." It was a tracklaying machine that got away from Camp B. They were laying track into a new setting. It was deemed not recoverable so it still lays there. I have been in there well over a hundred times, just above the creek, you can see the remains of Camp B. ther is a tail tree jack that weighs close to 500 pounds.
That piece you don’t know what it is, is a journal box, it’s what the end of each wheel goes in. So there would be four per truck set and eight for each railroad car.
Have you gone to Wellington at the top of Stevens Pass (highway 2.)? I believe it was the worst railroad disaster in US history, 100+ killed. Avalanche swept down during the night as a passenger train was snowed in. Passenger cars tossed down into the Tye River below. The location now has abandoned snow sheds where the tragedy happened. There are remains of train below, as well as a caved in tunnel.
@7:55 The metal embeded in the tree has not risen at all. Tree growth upwards is only at the tips of the trunk and all other growth is out and NOT up, not even slightly.
I love your videos!! Very cool stuff !! Please dont stop i just found this channel and i have watched 9 videos back to back!! Stay safe and great work!!
This was a great video Chris! Its sad that a man lost his life but thank you for mentioning his name. That's very respectful! You search out some amazing historical sites to show us and I love it!! There will always be some snarky people who just have to say something critical, unfortunately. They are just grumpy folks who hide behind the anonymity of social media to spew out their stupidity. Try to ignore them as much as possible because they just arent worth getting upset over. Pity them but ignore them. Thanks again for taking us places that we would very likely never see if you didnt go.
I live in hobart. At the bottom of tiger. Didnt know about this wreck or the wellington wreck. The trails always seem Busy up there so I venture around other less populated areas. But im going up this spring thats super cool! Right in my back yard and didn't know
It's called a journal box it was used to provide lubrication to the axles. You could also do one on the Trainwreck were aircraft fuselages that were being transported were not removed and are still there. I don't remember the name offhand.
One thing that make the identification of parts more difficult is that except for the locomotive and tender the Frame work of the rail cars Were wood timbers.
Enjoyed ! Keep up the good work Chris, if i May say there is an abandoned train up in the north woods of Maine near Eagle Lake which is really cool along with the ride up there !!
Hey man, I appreciate you coming to my home state of Washington, and showing its beauty and interesting finds. I promise if i think of something you might enjoy and do i'll tell you. In the meantime keep making wonderful videos.
I am surprised that nobody ever scraps these wrecks that sit forever. You would think before the tracks were garbage. Someone's job would be to get as close as possible to recover everything salvageable and or scrap able
Those holes in the trunk of the tree are not from steel hitting it those are notch marks from lumberjack planks that they stand on to cut the tree down most likely they were not there during the time of that crash
Been passed Tiger Mountain several times growing up, but never knew there was a train wreck!! Great video as usual, man! That piece from York, PA... That looks to be part of the wheel on the train. It looks like it would be fixed in front of the wheel, and the wheel would be behind that. Kind of like a rotor and brake caliper on a car. That would be my guess.
The wreck was caused by brake failure on the locomotive. Like today sometimes logging equipment wasn't the best maintained. The crew realized the runaway almost as soon as they left camp and as you mentioned most just hopped off while the train was still moving slowly. The wreck site was a small curved trestle upon which the loco derailed. It was salvaged along with a couple cars but yes the dale-chihuly-in-rusted metal twisted up track layer remains along with several trucks/axles. My best find at the site, which I left in place but probably should have taken and given to a local museum - several worn out climax locomotive brake shoes. They were up at the camp site, said 'climax' on them and clearly were worn to the point of ineffectiveness. there was a big storm in the 2000's that messed up the old camp site area pretty bad. Various other artifacts and interesting spots like bridgeheads and such along that section of RR grade.
I think those marks on the tree were from either the train tipping over or maybe they fastened something to the tree or used that tree for leverage to lift up the locomotive or train car, like a large winch.
he Billmeyer & Small Company had its beginnings in 1852 when David E. Small began building railway cars at his family’s sash and door works in Pennsylvania. He took in Charles Billmeyer as a partner to help organize what they called the Etna Car Works. It would be interesting to know whether this name meant the car works was established at Etna, Pennsylvania, rather than at York, which is where we know it to have been located later. Etna is located in southwest Pennsylvania, northeast of downtown Pittsburgh, up the Allegheny River. It is now part of suburban Pittsburgh. We don’t know what its population was in 1852, but in 1884 it was 2,234: a good-sized town for the day. (Pittsburgh’s population in 1884 was 13,940.) Etna is more than 200 miles from York, Pennsylvania, which is where the business was located by 1863. Billmeyer & Small 1875 Advertisement Above is the heading of an advertising brochure dated February 1875 that illustrated a number of narrow gauge railway cars available from Billmeyer & Small, designated by letters of the alphabet, “so that in describing them they may more easily be recognized.” Below is an advertisement believed to date from the early 1870s. Note the plurality of the name “Small.” It is hard to say just how many members of the Small family were involved in the firm prior to its organization as a joint stock company {424} in 1876. We know David E. (D.E.) was, and the advertisement below indicates that his brother John (J.H.) was also. But this was a family business, and it is almost a certainty that other members of this extended and wealthy family were more or less involved also. The 1860 census lists no less than 13 individuals with the surname of Small whose occupations indicate they may have been involved in one capacity or another. We do know that early in its existence the partnership became known as the York Car Works, and was located in York, Pennsylvania, near the Pennsylvania Railroad and the North Central Railway. Further, we know that it was called Billmeyer & Smalls’ [plural possessive] York Car Works (see advertisements above and below). Just how many members of the extended Small family were involved is hard to gauge. Looking at the 1850, 1860 and 1870 U.S. Census population schedules, the only Small for whom car building is specifically listed as occupation is David E. Small. But there are as many as 13 others who might have been involved in one way or another, from “Lumber Merchant” to “Carpenter” and “Painter” During the Civil War, Confederate General Jubal Early moved north in late June of 1863, seizing the town of York without firing a shot. “Prominent and influential citizens” went forth to meet the Confederate troops and were given a “written article of agreement in which it was stated that upon their entering into York and its vicinity [the Confederate troops] would refrain from destroying private property and not molest women and children in their occupation but would expect a contribution of money and maintenance while there.” After occupying the town for several days, General Early began to complain that the needs of his troops were not being met fast enough, and threatened to burn the railroad shops and Billmeyer & Small’s [sic] shops, because they were “furnishing cars to the government.” But before he could do so, he received orders to withdraw and meet General Lee at a small town about 40 miles to the southwest called Gettysburg. And you probably know what happened there July 1-3, 1863! {203} Early in 1871, the Denver & Rio Grande-the first major western narrow gauge railroad-ordered 100 single-truck (that is, 4-wheeled) freight cars especially-tailored to the 3-foot track gauge of their railroad then being built in Colorado. Later that same year, they began ordering 8-wheeled cars. On the basis of this new business, Billmeyer & Smalls announced plans to build a new shop building 60 feet by 170 feet exclusively devoted to building narrow-gauge cars. {204} The York Car Works was started down the course of specializing in narrow gauge cars, of which they became one of the preeminent builders. This no doubt helped them to survive the several years of depression that followed the stock market crash of 1873 that dried up most existing markets for railroad cars. A promotional piece headed by the advertisement above had illustrations of one or more cars for each letter of the alphabet; all kinds of cars, including their double drop bottom patent coal car, eight-wheeled gondola, third class or emigrant passenger car, combination second class passenger car, first class passenger car, four-wheeled side dump car, four-wheeled end dump car, first class baggage and express car, and on and on. Some of these are reproduced on the next page. By 1875, cars were coming out of the 10-acre works at the rate of 40 to 50 four-wheeled cars and 20 to 30 eight-wheeled cars a week. 250 men were employed at the lumber mill and the wright mill. {26} Passenger Car Eureka by Billmeyer & Small The Eureka, built by Billmeyer & Small 1875 for the Eureka & Palisades Railroad. 41'-0" long, she seated 36 and weighed in at 8½ tons. Yes, Billmeyer and Smalls were still very much in the lumber, sash and door business. We have seen the advertisements for their lumber business in almost every issue of the Delta Herald newspaper from late 1883 until mid-1888. Eventually, they would employ 700 workers in the car works and at the planing mill at Wrightsville.
In 1876, probably upon the death of Charles Billmeyer, the firm was reorganized as a joint stock company, {424} the Billmeyer & Small Company. It was quite possibly about that time that his sons George S. Billmeyer and William D. Billmeyer became associated with the firm, as well as David Small’s son Henry. A Billmeyer & Small Company advertisement from 1879 [248] lists the names of its officers as D.E. [David] Small President J.H. [John] Small V. Pres’t & Supt. Geo. S. [George] Billmeyer Secretary Henry Small Treasurer In addition, the works were enlarged to an estimated capacity of 200 freight and 6 passenger cars per month. {248} Billmeyer & Small Advertisement Billmeyer & Small advertisement from the 1879 Car Builders Dictionary. The next year, Billmeyer & Small built one of the earliest metal passenger cars. It was a 31'-0" bullet-proof car for use in Cuba. The sides were armored with 3/8" iron and 3/16" steel. Iron curtains could be drawn over the windows. It weighed 12 tons. Compare this with the Eureka, above, which was 10' longer but weighed only 8½ tons. {205} The same 1879 advertisement previously mentioned {248} notes that - “The Billmeyer and Small Company are pioneer and leading builders of Narrow Gauge Railroad Cars in the United States, they having up to October 1, 1878, furnished over 2,000 Narrow Gauge Freight and Passenger Cars to forty-seven (47) Narrow Gauge Roads operating in the following named States and Territories, viz: Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington, (Territory). Also to Cuba and Costa Rica, to Central and South America, and to Mexico. Some of these cars have been running upwards of seven years, many of them from five to seven years; they have been tested under all the unfavorable conditions to which cars in use can be subjected and every car has given satisfaction.” It also mentions that - “In addition to their main business -- the building of Railway Stock -- the Company are [sic] prepared at short notice to supply Iron Castings, Wrought Iron Work, Brasses, Wheels and Axles; also Passenger Car material of every kind for Repairs and New Work, for Wide or Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock.” Billmeyer & Small Company’s car works at York, Pennsylvania, 1879 Billmeyer & Small hit its peak of production about 1885, coincident with the peaking of “narrow gauge fever” in the United States. Though members of both extended families were active in the affairs of the firm for many years, it may also have had to do with the death of David Small two years previously. Family can keep a business going, but rarely does it have the drive of the entrepreneur, particularly in a downward trending market. One authority says the business continued until 1902 {31} while another { } says that production was suspended in 1910, perhaps suggesting that the lumber business was continued. This would be quite likely, because wooden cars were rapidly giving way to iron and steel.
![[FINALE] 💸ที่แท้พ่อเป็นผู้ถือหุ้นบริษัทพันล้าน เขากลับใจตอนนี้ก็สายไปแล้ว🙇🏻♂️#ละครคุณธรรม #short](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yFwgjTFISUI/mqdefault.jpg)
Those notches are where the lumberjacks would place boards to stand on to cut above the wide trunk of the tree. :-)
Spring boards
I was going to mention that same thing... Glad I checked the comments first
@@widgeonslayer Yes. :-)
EDIT: They would stand on them 6-12 ft. up and use a big ass long hand saw, one on each side. The old push pull method, when men were men, before gas chainsaws. Cheers, :-)
@@mikeymike758 cross cut saws "misery whips". If you know where to look there are stumps here that have them. One I know of that still has the remnants of the boards.
@@widgeonslayer Cool eh? I've seen many of these old growth cedars with the notches in them when I lived and camped out west. Never saw one with the springboard still attached. Cheers
That box you pointed out is called a journal box. There were one of those for each wheel on the car as the end of the axle would go inside of that box and the box would be mounted to the truck frame. The end of the axle would sit in a brass bearing, and the box would be filled with oil and packing to keep things lubricated. This style were known as friction bearings
To expand on that a little, the pieces at the end of the video are the frames that would have mounted to the truck (name for the wheelset of a train car) and held the journal box and a spring to provide some level of suspension. The brass bearings themselves are probably long gone, either salvaged right after the wreck, or taken later by some passerby.
Great assessment guys. 2 thumbs up
They're called trucks.
This is a time when I really wish my dad was still alive. He used to be a conductor and crew leader on trains and he could tell us both ever little part of a train and what it does.
Sorry for your loss.
I love how mother nature starts reclaiming her area.
I know! Even eating thru the metal!
It's a nice reminder that she'll be eating you up soon enough as well.
@@eriklarson9137 very true
All of us will eve8be consumed by MN
I love finding out the history of relics from the past. Such a shame it ended in a death and very honorable that you named him.
The Billmayer & Small item is what in Britain we would call a horn block - American railroads may have a different name. It would be bolted to the timber frame of a car bogie (GB) or truck (US) and hold the journal boxes you found at the start of the film. There would be one of these at each end of every axle. This possibly came from the carriage, the wooden truck frames having rotted away long, long ago. An interesting film, thanks very much.
Those parts are to the old track layer. If you driveout to the end of 208th and walk through the woods down the old RR grade, you will come to the town of Kariston. A giant shingle mill used to be there at one time and the railroad went on down to Fall City.
Just to let you all know those boards were called spring boards and there use fell out of favor in the late thirties with the advent of the chain saw .if you find these notches cut into a stump today consider yourself blessed .If you do find one or more of these notches in a standing stump that stump is most likely a cedar tree stump. good hunting.
0:56 journal box. It goes over the ends of the wheels, attaching it to the rest of the side frame. Filled with grease and packing. The little door on the end has broken off.
The cuts in the tree stump were for the loggers to use for foot boards when felling the tree.
It’s been said countless times now. But good job Eddie.
The train wreck was due to overloaded items on the train cars. There was a fire in one of the camps and they were salvaging what they could to bring to Hobart but when it got to the downhill it lost control. Part of the train wrapped around a tree. I love these kinds of videos lol
The item you show at 8:49 is a "Journal Pedestal." Journal boxes (described by Boyles Terminal Shops below) were mounted either directly to the side sills a 4-wheel railroad cars, such as the small "bobber" cabooses, or to hardwood beams of "truck sideframes." I have four or five O scale (1/4"=1', 1/48) models of bobber cabooses (AKA "cabeese" by some modelers), with several different styles of journal pedestals, from plain to ornate. (The casting you show at 9:35 is from a broken and very plain journal pedestal.) Unfortunately, due to their usually temporary tracks and sometimes no air brakes in equipment, train wrecks were not uncommon on logging railroads. Interesting video, Chris. Stay safe, everybody.
No flashy effects, distracting music or other jazzing-up.... your work shows devoted, respectful integrity.
There is a great book entitled Wood & Iverson, Loggers of Tiger Mountain, by Ken Schmelzer, Oso Publishing, 2001, with the whole story on this accident at Holder Creek in 1925. Schmelzer reports the train was pulled by a Climax Locomotive, one of four on the W&I roster. The heavily damages locomotive was completely rebuilt in the W&I machine shop and operated until the end of their operations on Tiger Mountain.
Loved the vid.
Does Chris scuba dive? Because there’s a very cool submerged group of trains off the Jersey Shore near Long Branch. They’ve been there since the mid-1850s.
the slots in the tree trunks are made by loggers to fit their jigger boards into when felling the trees or setting up hi lines etc
The notches in the tree were probably from a lumberjack. They would put a board in the notch and stand on the board. The lower one is a single used as a step, the top two together were used as a platform to stand on and do the cut. You'll see lumberjacks on TH-cam doing this as shows in Alaska.
I’m actually pretty surprised he had no idea about that. Definitely from back in the day logging
During WWII, scrap metal drives resulted in a lot of abandoned early century equipment being reclaimed from the woods. Very surprised to find this wreck was left. Must have been remote and inaccessible at the time.
Those notches are for lumberjack springboards. They are used to gain height on the tree to get a more optimal place to cut it down. They would have been there prior to the train wreck, if, as you said, that entire area was previously clear cut. I grew up on Tiger Mt (60s and 70s) and our property had many such stumps with springboard notches. BTW, there are other trails just off Tiger Mt Rd where you can find old coal mining equipment, rails, wheels, even some mine openings. We used to camp up there as kids. Also, if you are really interested in old train stuff, just on the other side of Snoqualmie Falls, back in the trees, there's an old train graveyard full of old cars, locomotives, etc. Not sure how you'd get permission to go back there but it's (was) fascinating. Last time I visited there was 1981.
Crazy how some of that steel is disintegrated and some looks like it’s only been there for a month
when you have a chance, look up wrought iron
The wrought iron has rotted, the cast iron has not. This is normal.
@@jonka1 I’ve seen a lot of really rusted cast iron that isn’t that old
How did you get to be so adorable, Chris? From your laid back style, adorable face, excellent content, relaxing voice you rock! I just can't get enough!
The Notches in the stumps are for spring boards. The loggers would use them to get up above the swell butt. In a tree does grow out but it also grows up. Do you spring boards all the way up into the 40s.
The other people are right them notches are where the loggers put the spring boards that they still down to cut down the tree. I am from a family of loggers for the last hundred years.
Just google springboards/Logging. But you make the best videos. So informative.
Simply put I'm so glad that algorithms led me to your channel Chris! There's none like you. Unique content is definitely your strength.
I agree he has great content. Ive binged watched all his videos
That’s a journal box, it was packed with grease sticks that would melt as the journal got hot from friction and served to lubreacte the bearings , carman would pull the old ones out and repack them every departure . Thanks now I feel old just for knowing that 🤣
The marks in the tree were from the workers who logged the area. They would cut a notch into the tree and insert a spring board bassically building a ladder to get to the height they wanted to cut the tree. I am willing to bet they used that tree as a mast for a yarder (crane suspended onncables) to shunt the logs to landings
What a silly guy he is sometimes! Thinking the train did that when it’s clearly from loggers
I really like the high historical value you almost unnoticeably slide into our brains.
Here in Holland there's no space for abandoned awesomeness.
Keep it up, stay safe.
🔆
Awesome stuff. Some people find small things like this boring but even a little thing from a big event left behind is interesting
Most of the cars were mostly wooden at that time which is why you're not seeing complete cars. Marks in the tree are what they cut out to stick boards into to stand on so they can cut it down in the optimum spot
@4:30, I'm pretty sure that's a remnant of the track laying car. My late father worked for the Hennepin street car line, the Great Northern and a local freight/light rail commuter line for the bulk of his career, as well as running old steam engines. He was a library of train knowledge.
"Finding a Train Wreck"
My professor opening up that exam I just failed
That’s hilarious
Fascinating as sad to see - but clearly demonstrates how quickly metal rusts away in a forest environment - will be little left in another 100-years. Also, harsh to think of human against that metal, rolling & careening down the hillside - would have been terrifying... Thanks for taking us along. Merry Christmas! 👍🦘🐾🎅🙏
Hi Chris...from Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.... I really enjoy your videos... I love stories from the past... you do your commentaries really well...love all your locations...keep up the good work :)
How cool!? I don't know how many times I've driven over Tiger Mountain & never even knew this was here. I gotta go check this out now, only when it warms up ;). Thanks for sharing, man!
Don't wait too long. The forest might be a lot thicker and hard to get through. Good luck.
If you’re looking for another old train wreck in the area. Look up “ring of fire train wreck” it’s located along Vance creek I believe. There is so much more to see with that one and it’s really cool!
This is so cool. I never heard of the railroad accident and lived in wash for while. Those are springboard holes in the tree. The loggers stood on boards to cut the tree. Thankyou for this very cool history walk
those leaf springs are some really good steel
The first thing I said to myself was those leaf springs are virgin steel, I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't Damascus steel.
Thanks all that metal looked so nice with the ferns and moss. Very cool! I liked that as much as the one out east.
The horseshoe looking item is what is known as a bearing box pedestal. A very nice example from the 1880s.
The notches, still so straight-edged,and could not have lasted through later tree growth without closing up gradually. I agree with Mikey Mike.
Now that was really cool. I love all abandoned, but trains and industrial hold a special place for me.
While it may be unfortunate history, it is still a piece of History. I like to look at the stuff in wonder who put these bolts in, who put these rivets in. People that are long gone and most likely forgotten by now. Thank you for taking us along, stay safe my friend
Well said and I agree
I like seeing old places with a lot of history. You do a great job finding these places and showing us all the cool details. I like the respect you show to the history of these old places that used to be important to people who are long gone now probably. Thanks.
There was a train wreck in the cascade mountains outside of wellington washington which is now a ghost town but at the old cascade tunnel 2 trains were swept off the track by an avalanche in 1912, I recommend checking it out sometime.
Yes, I'm definitely going up there!
There are a lot of train parts still there down the slope and on the valley floor below. There have been several books written about it. Be very careful going there do to the rattlesnakes living there.
Ive been it’s eerie as heck
Billmeyer&Small was a narrow gauge railway car manufacturing in York PA.
Born and raised in Spokane, have lots of family in the Seattle area, I study the local and state history and I haven't stumbled onto this story yet. Pretty crazy.
Spring board notches. Those are from the loggers, to get above the swelling of the trunk.
Good ole American made steel , gotta love it . Great video my friend. God Bless
0:50 seconds. That is a journal box. The wheel bearings are housed in there.
8:40 minutes. The journal boxes slid up and down within this. 9:20 is the same thing as the previous item, just the opposite side. The Billmeyer and Smith Co. manufactured railway cars at that time.
Logging railroads were never up to the standards of regular railroads too. Usually narrow gauge running on unballasted track and using raw timber for ties and locomotives with geared driving systems that were pretty slow, but could climb ridiculously steep grades compared to mainline locomotives of the time.
@8:47 that is a frame to hold an axle box. The box slides up and down the rectangular slot as the leaf springs flex.
Have you been to the Ring of fire train wreck in Washington state? It’s along the Wynochee river, near the Olympic Nat. Forest. Cars are still in the river, there is a geocache in one of them. My friend has been there and climbed up inside one of the cars for the geocache. I have a picture somewhere of him inside it. It’s from a scene in a movie that went wrong I believe. There a lot of info on line.I love you show! Love the history and the before and after pictures when can. Keep exploring and I’ll keep watching!!
You're Amazing!!! I would of love to walk that trail everything about the story is so interesting, the mountain scenery and streams, I could hang out there all day. Until the next adventure. Stay warm.
8:41, the heavy casting with writing is off the passenger car's wheel truck, the slot held the journal boxing for the axle. I got them on my old cars.
That square part you were talking about with all the wheel assembly components looks like a late 1800s to early 1900s coupler housing.
Very cool video. What is fascinating about this crash site is how nature is slowly reclaiming the earth. That moss looked like a soft green blanket covering the metal wreckage. Very haunting. Thank you for filming and sharing.
Those marks in the tree are likely from when the trees were cut down. They would chop a notch out of the tree and wedge a board into the notch for something to stand on as they made the cut into the tree.
I don’t think its a journal box as some say. I think it is a friction wedge or the connection fulcrum where the center of the spring pack is connected to the wheel trucks in the bogie...
The marks in the Tree are from loggers. They make a small notch in the tree, and place a board in them. To stand on when cutting. They are everywhere in BC. All over the stumps on my property. Those notches are too clean to be a crash. You can see old videos of loggers cutting trees downs while standing on boards.
It was not a "train wreck." It was a tracklaying machine that got away from Camp B. They were laying track into a new setting. It was deemed not recoverable so it still lays there. I have been in there well over a hundred times, just above the creek, you can see the remains of Camp B. ther is a tail tree jack that weighs close to 500 pounds.
Springboard holes. Also it’s the tail hook for the steam donkey.
I thought the notches in the trees made it so the steel cords wrap around to winch steam donkey as it was pulled up by sled.
@@TEA-fj3ut Don't think so, if that was the case you would see the imprint of the cable as well, not just a sharp defined notch.
@mobile instinct by God those rivets held. Amazing.
Thanks for sharing this story.
That piece you don’t know what it is, is a journal box, it’s what the end of each wheel goes in. So there would be four per truck set and eight for each railroad car.
Have you gone to Wellington at the top of Stevens Pass (highway 2.)? I believe it was the worst railroad disaster in US history, 100+ killed. Avalanche swept down during the night as a passenger train was snowed in. Passenger cars tossed down into the Tye River below. The location now has abandoned snow sheds where the tragedy happened. There are remains of train below, as well as a caved in tunnel.
(47.7443967, -121.1313644)
the notches on the stump are from planks they stood on to make cuts in the tree
Spring boards they are called....as many have also said before me (just so I don't get blasted for saying what others have said).
@@stevelaminack1516 gotchya, boss ^^ np
@7:55 The metal embeded in the tree has not risen at all. Tree growth upwards is only at the tips of the trunk and all other growth is out and NOT up, not even slightly.
I love your videos!! Very cool stuff !! Please dont stop i just found this channel and i have watched 9 videos back to back!! Stay safe and great work!!
Chris... I always enjoy watching your content... this is no exception! Thank you for your efforts in keeping us entertained! 😀😉
That block looks like a spacer block between the leaf springs and the truck assembly. I think it is called a journal or note box.
Great job Chris, definitely a journey to adventure!
I love stuff like this. Really, really fascinating. Reminds me of the Mount St Helens video you did.
This was a great video Chris! Its sad that a man lost his life but thank you for mentioning his name. That's very respectful! You search out some amazing historical sites to show us and I love it!! There will always be some snarky people who just have to say something critical, unfortunately. They are just grumpy folks who hide behind the anonymity of social media to spew out their stupidity. Try to ignore them as much as possible because they just arent worth getting upset over. Pity them but ignore them. Thanks again for taking us places that we would very likely never see if you didnt go.
Appreciate your curiosity and the journey, good stuff
I live in hobart. At the bottom of tiger. Didnt know about this wreck or the wellington wreck. The trails always seem Busy up there so I venture around other less populated areas. But im going up this spring thats super cool! Right in my back yard and didn't know
It's called a journal box it was used to provide lubrication to the axles.
You could also do one on the Trainwreck were aircraft fuselages that were being transported were not removed and are still there. I don't remember the name offhand.
No steel. Those are spring board holes. Look at pictures of loggers cutting trees from long ago. You will see the boards sticking out.
One thing that make the identification of parts more difficult is that except for the locomotive and tender the Frame work of the rail cars Were wood timbers.
Enjoyed ! Keep up the good work Chris, if i May say there is an abandoned train up in the north woods of Maine near Eagle Lake which is really cool along with the ride up there !!
Nice video, great narrative. Thanks for visiting Washington and showing many of us locals things we've never seen before.
Congrats on (and to) 200k subscribers! 🥳
😲😲😲... this is amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing this!!!🥰🥰🥰
Hey man, I appreciate you coming to my home state of Washington, and showing its beauty and interesting finds. I promise if i think of something you might enjoy and do i'll tell you. In the meantime keep making wonderful videos.
No matter where you go, you manage to find such interesting things for you videos. Be careful, and thank you.
amazing! thanks for letting us tag along!
I am surprised that nobody ever scraps these wrecks that sit forever. You would think before the tracks were garbage. Someone's job would be to get as close as possible to recover everything salvageable and or scrap able
I remember try to scrap some of stuff like that. I think it’s #2 and not really valuable.
That’s the railroad for you.
Another great and informative video. I love starting my day this way. Thanks again, Chris.
Those holes in the trunk of the tree are not from steel hitting it those are notch marks from lumberjack planks that they stand on to cut the tree down most likely they were not there during the time of that crash
I wish I was as lucky as you are to travel all around the country getting to enjoy your life. I am stuck in a dead-end life with no happiness.
I always learn so much from your videos! Awesome video!
Been passed Tiger Mountain several times growing up, but never knew there was a train wreck!! Great video as usual, man!
That piece from York, PA... That looks to be part of the wheel on the train. It looks like it would be fixed in front of the wheel, and the wheel would be behind that. Kind of like a rotor and brake caliper on a car. That would be my guess.
Tiger Mountain is in Issaquah. Never knew that was there. There are also a lot of mines around so be careful (not all of them were marked.)
The wreck was caused by brake failure on the locomotive. Like today sometimes logging equipment wasn't the best maintained. The crew realized the runaway almost as soon as they left camp and as you mentioned most just hopped off while the train was still moving slowly. The wreck site was a small curved trestle upon which the loco derailed. It was salvaged along with a couple cars but yes the dale-chihuly-in-rusted metal twisted up track layer remains along with several trucks/axles.
My best find at the site, which I left in place but probably should have taken and given to a local museum - several worn out climax locomotive brake shoes. They were up at the camp site, said 'climax' on them and clearly were worn to the point of ineffectiveness. there was a big storm in the 2000's that messed up the old camp site area pretty bad. Various other artifacts and interesting spots like bridgeheads and such along that section of RR grade.
I think those marks on the tree were from either the train tipping over or maybe they fastened something to the tree or used that tree for leverage to lift up the locomotive or train car, like a large winch.
Very cool, thanks for sharing
The man that tried to stop the train dies The hero but the other gave up. Ever think if they stayed on to help. Rip.
The one that "gave up" was smart. He saved his own skin. He knew a lost cause when he saw one. Karis shoulda jumped too.
@deplorable patriot damn right.
Cool treck. You always find really interesting things. Stay safe and healthy out there! Thank you for sharing a part of your day with us!
Incredible, thank you for the tour !
Glad you were able to document this before its all gone. Very interesting.
he Billmeyer & Small Company had its beginnings in 1852 when David E. Small began building railway cars at his family’s sash and door works in Pennsylvania. He took in Charles Billmeyer as a partner to help organize what they called the Etna Car Works.
It would be interesting to know whether this name meant the car works was established at Etna, Pennsylvania, rather than at York, which is where we know it to have been located later. Etna is located in southwest Pennsylvania, northeast of downtown Pittsburgh, up the Allegheny River. It is now part of suburban Pittsburgh. We don’t know what its population was in 1852, but in 1884 it was 2,234: a good-sized town for the day. (Pittsburgh’s population in 1884 was 13,940.) Etna is more than 200 miles from York, Pennsylvania, which is where the business was located by 1863.
Billmeyer & Small 1875 Advertisement
Above is the heading of an advertising brochure dated February 1875 that illustrated a number of narrow gauge railway cars available from Billmeyer & Small, designated by letters of the alphabet, “so that in describing them they may more easily be recognized.” Below is an advertisement believed to date from the early 1870s.
Note the plurality of the name “Small.” It is hard to say just how many members of the Small family were involved in the firm prior to its organization as a joint stock company {424} in 1876. We know David E. (D.E.) was, and the advertisement below indicates that his brother John (J.H.) was also. But this was a family business, and it is almost a certainty that other members of this extended and wealthy family were more or less involved also. The 1860 census lists no less than 13 individuals with the surname of Small whose occupations indicate they may have been involved in one capacity or another.
We do know that early in its existence the partnership became known as the York Car Works, and was located in York, Pennsylvania, near the Pennsylvania Railroad and the North Central Railway. Further, we know that it was called Billmeyer & Smalls’ [plural possessive] York Car Works (see advertisements above and below). Just how many members of the extended Small family were involved is hard to gauge. Looking at the 1850, 1860 and 1870 U.S. Census population schedules, the only Small for whom car building is specifically listed as occupation is David E. Small. But there are as many as 13 others who might have been involved in one way or another, from “Lumber Merchant” to “Carpenter” and “Painter”
During the Civil War, Confederate General Jubal Early moved north in late June of 1863, seizing the town of York without firing a shot. “Prominent and influential citizens” went forth to meet the Confederate troops and were given a “written article of agreement in which it was stated that upon their entering into York and its vicinity [the Confederate troops] would refrain from destroying private property and not molest women and children in their occupation but would expect a contribution of money and maintenance while there.” After occupying the town for several days, General Early began to complain that the needs of his troops were not being met fast enough, and threatened to burn the railroad shops and Billmeyer & Small’s [sic] shops, because they were “furnishing cars to the government.” But before he could do so, he received orders to withdraw and meet General Lee at a small town about 40 miles to the southwest called Gettysburg. And you probably know what happened there July 1-3, 1863! {203}
Early in 1871, the Denver & Rio Grande-the first major western narrow gauge railroad-ordered 100 single-truck (that is, 4-wheeled) freight cars especially-tailored to the 3-foot track gauge of their railroad then being built in Colorado. Later that same year, they began ordering 8-wheeled cars. On the basis of this new business, Billmeyer & Smalls announced plans to build a new shop building 60 feet by 170 feet exclusively devoted to building narrow-gauge cars. {204}
The York Car Works was started down the course of specializing in narrow gauge cars, of which they became one of the preeminent builders. This no doubt helped them to survive the several years of depression that followed the stock market crash of 1873 that dried up most existing markets for railroad cars.
A promotional piece headed by the advertisement above had illustrations of one or more cars for each letter of the alphabet; all kinds of cars, including their double drop bottom patent coal car, eight-wheeled gondola, third class or emigrant passenger car, combination second class passenger car, first class passenger car, four-wheeled side dump car, four-wheeled end dump car, first class baggage and express car, and on and on. Some of these are reproduced on the next page.
By 1875, cars were coming out of the 10-acre works at the rate of 40 to 50 four-wheeled cars and 20 to 30 eight-wheeled cars a week. 250 men were employed at the lumber mill and the wright mill. {26}
Passenger Car Eureka by Billmeyer & Small
The Eureka, built by Billmeyer & Small 1875 for the Eureka & Palisades Railroad. 41'-0" long, she seated 36 and weighed in at 8½ tons.
Yes, Billmeyer and Smalls were still very much in the lumber, sash and door business. We have seen the advertisements for their lumber business in almost every issue of the Delta Herald newspaper from late 1883 until mid-1888. Eventually, they would employ 700 workers in the car works and at the planing mill at Wrightsville.
In 1876, probably upon the death of Charles Billmeyer, the firm was reorganized as a joint stock company, {424} the Billmeyer & Small Company. It was quite possibly about that time that his sons George S. Billmeyer and William D. Billmeyer became associated with the firm, as well as David Small’s son Henry. A Billmeyer & Small Company advertisement from 1879 [248] lists the names of its officers as
D.E. [David] Small President
J.H. [John] Small V. Pres’t & Supt.
Geo. S. [George] Billmeyer Secretary
Henry Small Treasurer
In addition, the works were enlarged to an estimated capacity of 200 freight and 6 passenger cars per month. {248}
Billmeyer & Small Advertisement
Billmeyer & Small advertisement from the 1879 Car Builders Dictionary.
The next year, Billmeyer & Small built one of the earliest metal passenger cars. It was a 31'-0" bullet-proof car for use in Cuba. The sides were armored with 3/8" iron and 3/16" steel. Iron curtains could be drawn over the windows. It weighed 12 tons. Compare this with the Eureka, above, which was 10' longer but weighed only 8½ tons. {205}
The same 1879 advertisement previously mentioned {248} notes that -
“The Billmeyer and Small Company are pioneer and leading builders of Narrow Gauge Railroad Cars in the United States, they having up to October 1, 1878, furnished over 2,000 Narrow Gauge Freight and Passenger Cars to forty-seven (47) Narrow Gauge Roads operating in the following named States and Territories, viz: Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington, (Territory). Also to Cuba and Costa Rica, to Central and South America, and to Mexico. Some of these cars have been running upwards of seven years, many of them from five to seven years; they have been tested under all the unfavorable conditions to which cars in use can be subjected and every car has given satisfaction.”
It also mentions that -
“In addition to their main business -- the building of Railway Stock -- the Company are [sic] prepared at short notice to supply Iron Castings, Wrought Iron Work, Brasses, Wheels and Axles; also Passenger Car material of every kind for Repairs and New Work, for Wide or Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock.”
Billmeyer & Small Company’s car works at York, Pennsylvania, 1879
Billmeyer & Small hit its peak of production about 1885, coincident with the peaking of “narrow gauge fever” in the United States. Though members of both extended families were active in the affairs of the firm for many years, it may also have had to do with the death of David Small two years previously. Family can keep a business going, but rarely does it have the drive of the entrepreneur, particularly in a downward trending market.
One authority says the business continued until 1902 {31} while another { } says that production was suspended in 1910, perhaps suggesting that the lumber business was continued. This would be quite likely, because wooden cars were rapidly giving way to iron and steel.
The iron box is the axle box, the bronze bearings went inside those boxes and they were filled with lubricating oil.