I was reading with much interest the pulling up of the tracks to Fugate Lumber and then you asked for some feedback with those with some experience with it. Believe it or not I do have a vivid memory of it in the following paragraph.
In the mid to early 70’s, my Aunt Betty lived on a street that dead ended at the beginning of the “yard”. She lived in a duplex just up the hill on the left. My sister and I would spend a week or 2 in the summer with her there. She would allow me to walk down to the end and watch the switcher work the yard with the freight house.
The crew was friendly, but I was to young to be up in the cab. It seems that they would start switching about 4:00 in the afternoon, break for dinner, and begin again into the night. Every time the engine came past, the engineer would wave every time.
Once, when my parents went for a visit, I remember the engineer telling me that “they were going to dinner and that I should go get something to eat too. But, when you hear us going again, come on back to the end of the street to watch!”
I also remember the front of the Freight House from U.S. 41 when we were in town. My Aunt Betty Wilson still lives in Madisonville and resides with my cousin, Juliana Pearson. -Bill Grady, Louisville, KY
(I.C.) Crews referred to the spur as the “Freight House Lead” or “Madisonville Freight House Lead”. Dad recalled a Pennsylvania 80+ foot auto boxcar being set out at the freight house for delivery of an American LaFrance Fire Truck, the second fire truck inside went on to some place in Mississippi.
One bitter cold February, while switching the freight house, four boxcars became derailed due to the build up of ice and snow. When things came to a stop, the lead car was its own width away from the rails. After looking the situation over, the crew decided that just maybe the ground might be frozen enough for the engine to slowly pull them back on the newly cut flangeways in the hope that they might re-rail themselves—Yes, it worked!
Illinois Central Business Car #1 (President Wayne A. Johnston’s Private Car) has been at the freight house many times during the Coal Field Festivals. On one occasion the car was picked up by a switching crew at West Yard at 1:00 a.m.. On that particular day, Wayne A. rode into town, not in his private car, but in the cab of the engine that was delivering his car to the freight house. On a side note, president Johnston was know to be approachable to the rank and file, but could be hell on his own subordinates. He knew that if there was a problem, a working man more than likely couldn’t hesitate to tell him about it.
In the late 1970s, my parents were remodeling their home in Bremen, KY. New Floors, walls, ceilings and trim were planned. My dad had known the Fugate’s for many years, I think even prior to the lumber company being in business. During this time, dad was on the job that was switching Fugate Lumber regularly. Dad took the opportunity to purchase needed materials for his house at Fugates while on switching assignment there. Pappy ordered several sheets of plywood, a few pounds of nails, and six pre-hung door casements. After the order was tallied up, the clerk asked my dad to bring his truck around back to load it up. The clerk was then stunned to learn that no truck was involved, but, “If you would please load it up on the I.C.G. 199696 parked out on the edge of the property?” Delivery by caboose is not as rare as you might think. As I can recall instances of feed, seed, car parts, farm implements, and yes, 40 piglets to McCracken Co., and lastly, just about every Christmas tree in several homes in December. – Tony Clark, Greenville, KY
Don’t miss the train! The Indiana History Train visits Sullivan, Bargersville, New Castle and Evansville in October. This fall, hop aboard the History Train and get a hands-on, close-up look at Hoosiers whose lives were touched by the Civil War.