A Comedy of Errors Transcontinental Railroad Style

A trip with Sierra to Gold Spike National Historic Site revealed that even in 1869 people had bad days.

You see it was really a comedy of errors that all came together on May 10, 1869 to bind the nation together from one end to the other.

• Originally the meeting of the rails was scheduled for May 8, 1869.
  

• Neither engine present in the famous joining of the rails photo was actually the scheduled train for the occasion.

• Coming from the East the scheduled Union Pacific train that carried the railroad's Vice President Thomas Durrant was delayed in Wyoming by 400 laid off workers waiting for back wages. The workers chained the train in place and refused to budge until they received their pay. After the delay, heavy rains in the Weber River weakened a bridge enough that the engineer would not cross with the engine. Instead he gently gave each passenger car a push across the unstable bridge. On the other side Engine #119 came from Ogden, UT to their rescue.

• Coming from the West the Central Pacific Railroad train carrying Leland Stanford was delayed when workers failed to notice a green flag on the first of two trains traveling together. The green flag signaled that another train followed behind. However, workers did not heed the flag and a log tumbled on to the track. The second Engine (called the Antelope) hit the log and was severely damaged. Leland Stanford had to transfer to the first train at the next station to continue on to Promontory.

• It took some effort to decide where the meeting spot for the railroads should be. Each side wanted to get as much money from the government as possible as they were paid per mile of track on a scale that took into account difficulty and terrain. Because of that before Promontory was chosen each company prepared and graded parallel land for track for 250 miles.

• Once at Promontory they prepared to celebrate the joining of the rails. Unfortunately all those in charge had somehow forgotten to bring an American Flag to fly at the occasion. After asking those attending the festivities if anyone had a flag they finally found a small regiment of soldiers that was attending and someone had a flag in his knapsack. However, the flag only had 20 stars. In 1869 there were 37 states. The 20 star flag only flew for one year in 1818 before another state was added. This flag, no doubt an heirloom, was 51 years old! Still today at the Historic Site they fly the 20 star flag to reflect what happened that day.

(I love this photo...all the kids and tourists moved out of the way so I was able to get just the locomotives and their engineers. All in period costume. It's a bit hard to see in this picture, but I think I might print this one LARGE for Ethan's room.)

INTERESTING FACTS:

1. There were 4 spikes 'tapped' into place at the Gold Spike Ceremony--2 Gold, 1 Silver & one Gold and Silver Spike
2. The replicas of the Locomotives are painted in the same colors and manner as the originals. Engine #119 has a pictures of Johnny Appleseed on it.
3. The Jupiter (Central Pacific Railroad) was a wood burning locomotive and Engine #119 (Union Pacific Railroad) was a coal burning locomotive.
4. None of the ceremonial spikes are at the Gold Spike National Historic Site. They are housed in other collections in California and New York.
5. I 'think' I have a relative that was there. Peggy can you help me out here? Is it true or just a rumor?

P.S. I had so much fun photographing yesterday I just had to share one more.