Nice shot, Jim! Were the workers in this shot from the Ann Arbor, or were they the "Hulcher" hooligans? What happened to the crane?
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Outstanding photo, Jim
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Thanks for your positive comments, Scott and Bernie!
Scott, all the men in my photo are Ann Arbor employees; the vast majority of them normally worked in the Owosso shops. The assignment this day for the crane and men was to drag the derailed cars up from the bottom of the embankment, place them on a set of trucks and pull them to Owosso for repairs. Severely damaged cars were eventually loaded on flat cars. It was not uncommon for the Ann Arbor to assemble a "funeral" train once all the cars were recovered.
The "Hulcher hooligans" were there right after the derailment and quickly accomplished what they do best: punch a "hole" through the wreckage so the main line could be rebuilt and reopened for traffic. Hulcher's charges were such that the Ann Arbor could not afford to keep them around any longer than absolutely necessary. Ironically and sadly, the Ann Arbor became such a good customer that Hulcher finally established a "Division" (as Hulcher called them) right there in Hamburg so they could respond to the Ann Arbor's derailments in a much more timely manner. Of course, they did not discriminate and cheerfully worked for any railroad that needed their services. Your little brother was a part time employee for Hulcher out of Hamburg, but after my second derailment, I decided I was much too young to die. And if I did have to die young, I was determined it was going to be some other way than under a derailed freight car, which is what almost happened to me on that cold, dark February night.
The crane was purchased by a gentleman in Owosso and the last time I saw it many years ago, it was slowly rusting away in tall weeds just east of the old Ann Arbor yard and shop complex in Owosso. If anyone can provide an update on the crane's current status, please feel free to comment.
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| Posted by on September 27, 2012 | |
My cousin and I were the first two in Hamburg to witness this. His home was on Stone St. right next to the Hamburg Fire Hall. We heard a terrific noise in the early evening and ran to the tracks to find the wreckage and heard the Locomotive blowing his whistle in a continuous blast from down near Ball's Crossing which is at Merrill Road. We ran back to my cousin's home and activated the fire whistle to alert the firemen of Hamburg of the disaster. Pete Bennett was in charge of the salvage crew which came a couple days later from Pennsylvania. Pete is the son of Manley Bennett who was the founder of Hamburg Fire Department and had grown up in a home just a couple hundred yards from where these photo's were taken. My cousin and I had placed Pennies on the track earlier in the day and were scared to death that we had caused the massive derailment. We were 11 and 12 at the time. A couple of cars contained brand new Mustangs and a person could buy a title to one of the demolished Mustangs for the sum of $500 if they had the means to haul it away from the sight.
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| Posted by on December 28, 2013 | |
For those who are wondering about the whereabouts of the crane. It now resides at the Buckley Old Engine grounds in Buckley, MI. The tender(not shown) and flat cars are also there.
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| Posted by on September 19, 2014 | |
The crane is currently at the Northwest Michigan Engine and Thresher Club showgrounds in Buckley Michigan. It's currently setting on our siding awaiting restoration.
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