Anderson Indiana Big 4 station under construction. Completed. October 2003, rebuilt as a dance studio.
It's great to see the building was saved, and now has a useful life, even though it's not associated with transportation. It's interesting to see that without power tools the construction needed 20 workers/supervisors, plus two young "Gofers". I wonder how many would have been needed if they had modern tools, and how the schedule would have been reduced.
Roger is the date correct. For some reason I was thinking that it was build 1896. Did the old one burnt down maybe? The roundhouse I think burnt in 1894 so maybe that is what I am thinking of. When I get home I will check my notes. Kyle Coble
That's a nice series and sequence of the station, Roger. Hank, you missed the two guys inside. Proof positive that construction can take place without endless studies, permits, OSHA---and it lasts for over 100 years! And it remains a handsome building. :tb-biggrin:
Jim, as my favorite manager once said..."I can forgive you anything except being RIGHT!" However, my cynicism loudly shouts ..."I'm from the Government, and I'm here to HELP You!"....R I G H T !!!!!
We must remember that back in those days ,regardless of your craft, you were a craftsman at your trade. In the second and third photo: on the third photo in the room facing us ,was the trainmaster's office. To the right ,out of sight the Caboose Bar.It was rumored that a crewman had been called to work from there,as a last resort, to run a train. Later they moved it on the same end but the south side. In that way the TM did not have to look out at the front door of the Caboose Bar.The Bar has been torn down within the last year. From the position that the third photo was taken it was again rumored that you could bet on the horses in the building behind the photographer. The trainmaster's clerk ,as many of the old timers did, had his own method of filing. When he retired the wheels at Indianapolis wanted to straighten out his files. The then traimaster said unless you have at least 4 people to bring over here ,forget it. They are in such a shape that it is easier for us to spend time looking and correcting at that time then to do it at one time I thought the enginehouse that burned was at South Anderson yard. LEW
The Cincinnati Wabash & Michigan railroad reached Anderson in 1876 and connected with the Cleveland Columbus Cincinnati & Indianapolis (isn’t the CCC&I sometimes referred to as the old Big Four) Railroad, giving the CW&M an entrance into Indianapolis. The arrangement however was difficult for the CW&M. The CW&M charged that the CCC&I charged arbitrary rates, refusing to handle coal cars belonging to the CW&M road, insisting that all coal be shipped in CCC&I and I&StL cars, took the cream of all business received from or delivered to them, and that they discriminated against CW&M by favoring competing roads. By 1883 the treatment according to the CW&M had become unbearable. Fortunately for the CW&M they were now financially able to do something about it and they began to look seriously for a new entrance into Indianapolis. Different plans were devised and investigated including building a line from Marion to Indianapolis over the right of way of the Marion & Indianapolis Railroad which had not been built, build from Anderson to a junction with the Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad eight miles out of Indianapolis, or build from Anderson to either Shelbyville or Rushville to connect with a railroad that already went to Indianapolis, or sign a traffic agreement with the CCC&I. The latter was actually favored because it would involve far less expense. In order to prevent the CW&M from building a line or reaching Indianapolis through some other means, the CCC&I fearing they would lose all of the CW&M’s business and have more competition from them, on October 30, 1885 did sign a traffic agreement with the CW&M. It general the contract favored the CW&M, but in the contract, it was written that the CW&M agreed that it would not build an independent line into Indianapolis. I bring this up because the contract among other things also specified that the depot, yard grounds, and passenger depot at Anderson to accommodate the joint business would be furnished by the CCC&I, and that the CW&M would pay its share to maintain and operate the passenger depot, including paying twenty-five per cent of the salaries of the employees necessary to do the joint business at Anderson and including the necessary and reasonable services of the employees at Anderson for the CCC&I to do its local business. The station in the picture must have been the shared station and the design must have been dictated by the need to accommodate both companies. Are there any pictures of the CCC&I station previous to the 1886 station or of the Cincinnati Wabash & Michigan station? One other point of interest regarding the contract, one of the reasons given in its report to the stockholders as to why the Big Four obtained control of the CW&M in 1890 was, “The Cincinnati, Wabash & Michigan Railway had secured in previous years a perpetual contract over the line from Anderson to Indianapolis, which was very burdensome, and would in time have become insufferable.” Kyle Coble Auburn Indiana
Hi Kyle, and welcome to Trainboard and the New York Central fallen flag forum. It sounds as though you are a true history buff and I for one would be interested in hearing more of the Central's history out there in the west (I was associated with the Mohawk Division in New York). :tb-biggrin:
It's interesting to read of these rate wars between railroads. One of the major reasons for the rise of the National Grange and it's prominence and influence in rate making and pooling but also the rise of government regulation to check that rampant price fixing and gouging. While regulation was necessary at the time, it became overreaching. Nonetheless, an interesting look back in railroad history provided courtesy of our friend and fellow board member, Kyle.
