WELL, YOU SURE DON'T LOOK MUCH LIKE A RAILROAD ANYMORE.
AND NOT MUCH OF YOU LEFT.
I GUESS WE'VE ALL SEEN BETTER DAYS.
WELL, THAT'S LIFE --
YOU GROW UP, YOU WORK HARD, YOU TUMBLE BACK INTO THE EARTH.
[ Laughing ] BUT BY GOSH,
WE HAD OUR DAY, DIDN'T WE ?
SIX BOATS --
SIX CANAL BOATS WE'D PULL UP THAT STEEP INCLINE EVERY HOUR.
BIG BOATS !
PUT 'EM ON A FLATBED,
HAUL 'EM UP OVER THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS,
DROP 'EM IN THE WATER ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SEND 'EM ON THEIR WAY TO PHILADELPHIA OR PITTSBURGH
OR WHICHEVER WAY THEY WERE GOING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU TAKE A CANAL BOAT, YOU PUT IT ON THE TRAIN,
YOU TAKE IT OVER THE MOUNTAINS.
THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE !
YOU TALK ABOUT OVERCOMING WHAT NATURE PUT IN YOUR WAY --
WELL, LOOK OUT !
YOU CAN'T BLOCK PROGRESS,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GOT A WHOLE COUNTRY OF PEOPLE
CHOMPING AT THE BIT,
WANTING TO GO WEST
OR SEND A BOATLOAD OF SUPPLIES IN THAT DIRECTION.
WELL, NOW'S NOW.
WE MAY BE FALLING APART,
BUT BY GOSH, FOR SOME 20 YEARS WE HAD A TIME OF IT,
DIDN'T WE ?
SHOULD HAVE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT IT --
"THE ALLEGHENY PORTAGE RAILROAD" BY EDGAR WEST.
OH, HOW WOULD I START IT ?
AS A YOUNG MAN, WAY BACK IN THE '20s,
MY OCCUPATION WAS TO LEAD OUR MULES
ALONG THE CANAL TOW PATH.
I LIVED WITH MY FAMILY -- MULES INCLUDED --
ABOARD THE CANAL BOAT.
AND WE HAULED CARGO BACK AND FORTH ON A CANAL
BUILT ALONGSIDE OF A RIVER
THAT WAS JUST TOO CANTANKEROUS TO RUN A BOAT ON,
WHAT WITH THE RAPID AND THE WATERFALL.
AND WORKING THE CANALS --
THAT WASN'T AS EASY AS IT LOOKED -- NO SIR !
WELL, I MEAN MOST OF THE TIME BETWEEN THE LOCKS
IT WAS UNEVENTFUL,
EXCEPT WHEN ONE OF THE MULES FELL IN THE WATER.
AND THEN YOU HAD YOUR HANDS FULL.
AND WHEN YOU CAME TO ONE OF THE LOCKS,
YOU HAD TO THINK FAST AND ACT EVEN QUICKER.
TEAM YA!
YOU UNHITCH THE MULE FROM THE BOAT, TIE HIM UP,
RUN HELP GUIDE THE BOAT INTO THE LOCK,
AND THEN TIE HER OFF QUICK
SO SHE WOULDN'T GO BUSTING THROUGH THE GATES
AT THE OTHER END OF THE LOCK.
OF COURSE, THE LOCKKEEPER WAS THERE TO HELP,
MAYBE A BYSTANDER OR TWO.
HE'D OPEN THE WATER GATES ON THE OTHER SIDE.
DOWN WOULD GO THE WATER LEVEL AND THE BOAT.
REAL FAST, IT WAS !
SOMETIMES THERE'D BE NEAR A HALF-DOZEN LOCKS IN A MILE.
HARD WORK.
BUT IT SURE WAS THE ONLY WAY TO TAKE A BOAT DOWNHILL --
OR UPHILL, FOR THAT MATTER !
[ HINGES CREAK ]
OH, THERE WAS SOME FUN TO BE HAD --
MAYBE THE LOCKKEEPER HAD A DAUGHTER TO SPARK.
OR MAYBE YOU COULD LISTEN TO THE LOCAL GOSSIP.
Man: DID YOU HEAR WHAT PENNSYLVANIA'S GONNA DO ?
Woman: WHAT NOW ?
Man: GONNA DIG A CANAL ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE STATE.
Woman: DON'T PENNSYLVANIA HAVE ENOUGH CANALS ?
Man: NOT EAST TO WEST THEY DON'T, LIKE NEW YORK.
IT'S GONNA GO FROM COLUMBIA, NEAR HARRISBURG,
STRAIGHT THROUGH TO PITTSBURGH.
Woman: OH ? WHAT'S IT GOING TO DO
WHEN IT GETS TO THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS ?
Man: FROM WHAT I HEARD, THEY'RE GONNA FIGURE THAT ONE OUT
WHEN THEY GET DUG THAT FAR.
Woman: WELL, THAT'S FLAT OUT CRAZY !
WHY DO WE NEED ANOTHER CANAL ANYWAY ?
Man: WELL, NEW YORK STATE'S ALREADY GOT THE ERIE CANAL
RUNNING ALL THE WAY WEST.
AND MARYLAND'S FIXING TO DIG A CANAL
FROM WASHINGTON OUT WEST.
PRETTY SOON...
Woman: WELL, PRETTY SOON
WON'T BE ANYBODY TRAVELING ACROSS OUR STATE, THAT'S WHAT.
Man: THEY'LL BE TRAVELING WEST
USING THE NORTH OF OR SOUTH OF PENNSYLVANIA ROUTE,
AND WE'LL BE LEFT OUT.
West: COULD ALL THIS BE TRUE ?
A BUNCH OF FOLKS
OTHERWISE THOUGHT TO BE IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS
DECIDING TO DIG A CANAL ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE,
THEN UP ONE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, DOWN THE OTHER ?
HO ! WELL THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO WATCH.
SO I DECIDED TO GO OUT ON MY OWN,
MAYBE MAKE SOMETHING OF MYSELF.
AFTER ALL, I WAS ALMOST 17.
AND THAT SPRING OF 1831, I LEFT MY PARENTS.
I WALKED ON OVER TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT MOUNTAIN.
GIT ! GIT !
I FOUND MYSELF WORKING !
GIT !
I HAD A JOB !
THAT'S THE DUMBEST THING I EVER DID !
SEE, TRYING TO CROSS THOSE MOUNTAINS IN GOOD WEATHER
WAS A TRIAL.
BUT IN BAD WEATHER ?
HO ! ANYBODY WHO COULD FIGURE A BETTER WAY
TO GET PEOPLE AND WAGONS OVER THESE MOUNTAINS
DESERVED A PRIZE.
THERE WERE ROCKS AND RUTS AND RAIN AND MUD EVERYWHERE
TO SLOW YOU DOWN.
AND WHEN THE WEATHER CLEARED,
THE BLACK GNATS AND RATTLESNAKES CAME OUT.
NOW WITH THIS KIND OF TROUBLE,
ONLY HIGH-PRICED CARGO LIKE FURS AND WHISKEY
COULD EVER EXPECT TO MAKE A PROFIT.
NO WONDER SMART FOLKS WERE USING THE ERIE CANAL.
FINALLY I CAME UPON PITTSBURGH --
"GATEWAY TO THE WEST" PEOPLE CALLED IT.
DOWNTOWN,
FOLKS WERE BEING RECRUITED FOR THE NEW CANAL PROJECT.
AND THE WHOLE THING WAS HEADED UP
BY A FELLOW NAMED SYLVESTER WELCH.
AN ENGINEER HE WAS.
Welch: GENTLEMEN, IT IS ALL QUITE SIMPLE.
NOW FOLLOW ALONG ON THIS MAP.
THE CANAL RUNS FROM PITTSBURGH TO JOHNSTOWN.
AT JOHNSTOWN, THERE BEGINS A 36-MILE RAILROAD SECTION
THAT TAKES TRAVELERS AND GOODS OVER THE MOUNTAINS.
A SERIES OF 10 INCLINED PLANES
ALLOW THE PASSENGER CARS AND BOATS
TO BE HAULED UP AND LET BACK DOWN
BY STEAM POWER.
THEN WHEN THEY REACH HOLLIDAYSBURG
ON THE EASTERN SIDE,
THEY'RE SET BACK INTO THE NEW CANAL
AND SPED ON THEIR WAY TOWARD PHILADELPHIA --
A JOURNEY OF FIVE DAYS COMPARED WITH 23 DAYS BY WAGON.
AN AMAZING TIME FOR A VOYAGE OF SOME 394 TOTAL MILES.
♪ POOR OLD REUBEN RANZELL ♪
♪ RANZELL, ME BOYS, RANZELL ♪
♪ POOR OLD REUBEN RANZELL ♪
♪ RANZELL, ME BOYS, RANZELL ♪
WELL, I PRETTY MUCH KNEW ALL I CARED TO KNOW ABOUT CANALS,
SO I HIRED ON,
WORKING ON WHAT THEY'RE CALLING
AMERICA'S FIRST RAILROAD TUNNEL --
STAPLE BEND TUNNEL.
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST BIG HURDLE
IN THE RAILROAD SCHEME OF THINGS.
AND WE HAD TO DIG 900 FEET
STRAIGHT THROUGH A MOUNTAIN OF ROCK.
AND WE HAD TO MAKE A HOLE
BIG ENOUGH TO DRIVE A LOCOMOTIVE THROUGH.
WELL, IT WAS HARD WORK !
AND YOU SHARED YOUR BED AND BOARD
WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF CHARACTERS AND CRITTERS.
THERE WERE DRUNKARDS AND RATTLESNAKES
AND BLACK GNATS EVERYWHERE.
BUT MAKING 47.5 CENTS A DAY KIND OF EASED THE PAIN.
AND IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE I WAS PUTTING DOWN STONE SLEEPERS --
THE FOUNDATION --
ON TOP OF WHICH THEY SET THE TIES AND EDGE RAILS THEMSELVES.
IT WAS PRETTY HEAVY WORK, BUT I COULD TAKE IT.
AND SEE, ABLE-BODIED MEN COULD GET WORK
ALL ALONG THE MAIN LINE CANAL ROUTE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY CALLED IT -- MAIN LINE.
WELL, SOMEHOW ALL THE RAILROAD TRACKS
WERE SPIKED INTO THE GROUND --
THROUGH THE STAPLE BEND TUNNEL, OVER THE CONEMAUGH VIADUCT,
UP ONE MOUNTAIN, ACROSS THE TOP, DOWN THE NEXT VALLEY,
THEN BACK AGAIN.
IT WAS ALMOST A YEAR BEFORE WE WERE GOING TO OPEN UP,
AND PEOPLE -- ALREADY THEY'RE ANTICIPATING
HOW THIS MAIN LINE IS GONNA BE A BIG BENEFIT FOR EVERYBODY.
Man: IT TOOK ME 23 DAYS
TO COME FROM PHILADELPHIA HERE TO PITTSBURGH.
NOW IT WILL TAKE ONLY FIVE DAYS TO GET BACK HOME.
Man: WITH THIS NEW MAIN LINE,
PHILADELPHIA'S PORTS WILL AGAIN PROSPER,
QUITE POSSIBLY OVERTAKING NEW YORK.
CERTAINLY BALTIMORE WON'T HAVE A CHANCE.
Man: I TELL YOU, MY FRIENDS --
PEOPLE MOVING WEST
WILL COME THROUGH OUR FINE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA,
AND THAT WILL BE GOOD FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN, CHILD, AND TOWN
ALONG THE NEW MAIN LINE CANAL.
Woman: I JUST CAN'T WAIT.
THE MAIN LINE WILL SURELY BRING US
A BETTER SELECTION OF HATS AND DRESSES,
AND PERHAPS A NEW PREACHER.
West: JUST AFTER THE SPRING THAW IN MARCH 1834,
THE ALLEGHENY PORTAGE RAILROAD OPENED FOR BUSINESS.
I BET IT WAS FOR A MONTH BEFORE
THERE WERE HANDBILLS POSTED EVERYWHERE,
TALKING ABOUT THE FAST
NEW SERVICE AND LOW TOLL.
WHY, EVEN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS
CAME OUT AHEAD OF TIME
SO THEY COULD INFORM
THEIR READERS ALL ABOUT IT.
AND BY THIS TIME, I FOUND ME A REAL GOOD JOB --
PERMANENT KIND, SORTA --
WORKING AT THE BOTTOM OF PLANE NUMBER SIX.
AND I WAS THERE AND SOME REPORTER CAME OVER.
HE ASKED ME WHAT I DID,
SO I TOLD HIM JUST HOW I FIGURED IN THIS PLAN
TO GET CANAL BOATS OVER THE MOUNTAIN.
Man: EXCUSE ME, SIR. MAY I HAVE YOUR NAME ?
West: EDGAR WEST.
YOU SEE, A BOAT COMES ALONG TO JOHNSTOWN,
AND WE FLOAT HER ONTO A RAILROAD CAR.
SEE, WE'RE USING THESE NEW SECTIONAL CANAL BOATS NOW --
WELL, SOMETIMES --
AND THEY WERE INVENTED BY THIS FELLOW JOHN DOUGHERTY.
AND WE PULL IT OUT OF THE WATER WITH A STATIONARY STEAM ENGINE.
THEN WE PULL IT ALONG THE LONG, SLOW GRADE
TO THE BOTTOM OF AN INCLINE, LIKE THIS ONE HERE.
AND THEN WE HITCH THEM UP TO A CONTINUOUS 3.5-INCH HEMP ROPE
THAT MOVES ON ROLLERS BETWEEN THE RAILS.
NOW THAT CABLE IS BEING PULLED BY ANOTHER STEAM ENGINE
AT THE TOP OF THE INCLINE.
ONCE WE GET THE BOAT UP TOP, WE UNHITCH IT,
WE PULL IT ALONG THE FLAT SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN
TO THE NEXT INCLINE -- NEXT PLANE,
WHERE IT GOES UP AGAIN AND AGAIN
UNTIL, OF COURSE,
IT STARTS GOING BACK DOWN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.
AND THAT'S ABOUT, OH, 36 MILES.
THAT SHOULD TAKE FROM 6 TO 10 HOURS.
Man: THANK YOU, MR. WEST.
West: MUCH OBLIGED.
NOW THAT'S THE WAY THINGS WERE
BUT YOU SEE,
WE HAD MORE THAN A MILE OF ROPE RUNNING IN A CIRCLE,
HAULING CARS UP THE INCLINE ON ONE SIDE
AND LETTING OTHER CARS DOWN ON THE OTHER TRACK
TO BALANCE THE LOAD.
BUT EVEN 3.5 INCHES OF THE FINEST RUSSIAN HEMP
COULD ONLY TAKE SO MUCH WEAR AND TEAR.
AND TEAR IT DID EVERY SO OFTEN.
WHY, THE MINUTE YOU FELT THE JOLT OF THAT ROPE BREAKING,
YOU
YOU GOT OUT OF THE WAY,
AND YOU HOPED EVERYBODY ELSE DID TOO.
[ SNAP ! ]
SOME DIDN'T.
DEATH...
HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO MOURN AND THINK ABOUT IT.
'COURSE FEAR TURNED BUSINESS SLOW
FOR THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
PEOPLE ARE AMAZING, YOU KNOW.
THEY LEARN, THEY ADJUST, THEY MOVE FORWARD.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS INTERESTING, ALWAYS ?
TO HEAR PEOPLE IN MID-JOURNEY TALK TO EACH OTHER --
FIND OUT WHAT THEY WAS EACH IN FOR
ON THE SECOND HALF OF THEIR TRIPS.
Man: GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR.
I TRUST YOU'VE HAD A PLEASANT TRIP SO FAR ?
Second Man: WELL, THE BOAT IS TERRIBLY CRAMPED.
I MEAN, A 14-INCH PLANK ATTACHED TO A WALL FOR A BED !
ONE REALLY CAN'T TURN OVER.
CURIOUSLY, THEY TAKE THE BOARDS OFF THE WALLS IN THE MORNING
TO MAKE A DINING TABLE.
Man: WELL, YOU'LL HAVE NO RELIEF ON THE REST OF YOUR JOURNEY.
HOWEVER, YOU WILL HAVE THE EXCITEMENT
OF RIDING UP THE INCLINES.
AND THEN THERE'S THE MATTER OF THE CONEMAUGH VIADUCT.
SPECTACULAR ARCHED BRIDGE SPANNING THE RIVER.
AS YOU TRAVEL OVER, THEY STOP AND LET YOU ENJOY THE VIEW.
THEN THERE'S THE STAPLE BEND TUNNEL --
900 FEET OF TOTAL DARKNESS.
FINALLY YOU GO DOWN ONE LAST INCLINE,
SLIP BACK IN THE WATER,
AND THE CANAL TAKES YOU
RIGHT INTO THE CENTER OF PITTSBURGH.
Second Man: OH, THAT'S MOST INTERESTING.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
I'VE ENJOYED SPEAKING WITH YOU.
Man: HMM...I DIDN'T GET YOUR NAME.
Second Man: OH, DICKENS -- CHARLES DICKENS.
GOOD DAY.
West: WHETHER YOU'RE ON A PLEASURE TRIP
OR ON BUSINESS OR SHIPPING MERCHANDISE,
EVERYONE RECOGNIZED THE BOLDNESS OF WHAT WE'D DONE --
OUTSMARTING NATURE.
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT !
AND THEN, A FELLOW NAMED ROEBLING COMES ALONG
AND INVENTS AN IRON BRAIDED CABLE
TO REPLACE THE HEMP ROPE --
THAT THICK ROPE THAT HAULED THE BOATS UP THE INCLINES --
AND IT WOULDN'T BREAK... WELL, MOSTLY NOT.
AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVED --
I LOVED SEEING WHAT WAS BEING CARRIED ON THE MAIN LINE.
MOSTLY GOING WEST WAS GROCERIES, DRY GOODS,
MANUFACTURED ITEMS AND THE LIKE.
AND COMING BACK EAST, YOU'D FIND COAL, TIMBER, AND IRON ORE,
PLUS FLOUR, BACON, TOBACCO, WHISKEY, FEATHERS, WOOL, CHEESE.
THE FARMERS OUT WEST WERE GOING FROM BARELY MAKING A LIVING
TO GROWING REAL PROFITABLE CROPS.
WHY, SO MANY RAW MATERIALS WERE POURING INTO THE EAST
THAT PRICES STARTED TO GO WAY DOWN --
LOW ENOUGH SO
EVEN ME...
[ Chuckling ] EVEN ME.
THERE WAS NO STOPPING PROGRESS.
STEAM LOCOMOTIVE CAME ALONG AND PUT THE MULES OUT OF WORK.
ALL ALONG THE MAIN LINE, SMALL TOWNS STARTED TO SPRING UP
WHERE THERE WASN'T EVEN A WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD BEFORE.
I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY JOHNSTOWN IS GROWING IN POPULATION
ABOUT TWICE AS FAST AS THE REST OF PENNSYLVANIA !
PITTSBURGH IS GOING TO BE AS BIG AS
OHIO IS GETTING POPULATED TOO !
BUT NO MATTER HOW FAST WE OPERATED,
WITH ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS,
THERE WAS FOLKS WHO WANTED TO DO
AWAY WITH THE PORTAGE RAILROAD.
STEAM LOCOMOTIVES WERE GETTING BIGGER AND STRONGER,
SO THESE FOLKS SAID THAT A LONG, EASY, GRADED TRACK
COULD BE BUILT AROUND THE PORTAGE,
AND TRAINS COULD PULL THE LOAD STRAIGHT ON THROUGH.
WELL, MUCH AS I LIKED MY JOB,
I HAD TO AGREE...SECRETLY.
BY 1854,
THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD HAD PUT TRACK UP
AROUND WHAT CAME TO BE CALLED
AND BLASTED THROUGH THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN SUMMIT
WITH THE GALLITZIN TUNNEL.
AND THAT SPELLED THE END FOR THE PORTAGE RAILROAD.
BY 1857, WE WERE JUST A MEMORY.
IT'S FUNNY -- FIRST WE REPLACED THE OLD-FASHIONED WAGONS,
THEN WE GOT REPLACED BY BIGGER, STRONGER LOCOMOTIVES.
SEEMS THERE'S ALWAYS A BETTER WAY
TO CROSS A MOUNTAIN.
WELL, FOR A LONG TIME WE
WE COULD COMPETE
WITH ANY CANAL OR TRANSPORTATION IN THIS COUNTRY --
MOVING RAW MATERIALS EAST,
MANUFACTURED GOODS AND PIONEERS WITH THEIR NEWFANGLED IDEAS
OUT WEST.
WE WERE SOME KIND OF SOLUTION TO SOME KIND OF PROBLEM,
WE WERE.
SEE, BACK THEN,
THIS COUNTRY NEVER HAD VERY FAR TO LOOK FOR AN ORIGINAL IDEA.
WELL, I DON'T SUPPOSE THAT'S EVER REALLY CHANGED.
NAH, PROBABLY NEVER WILL.
NO, I DON'T SUPPOSE THERE'S ANY PROBLEM
US FOLKS CAN'T SOLVE --
EVEN IF IT'S AS BIG AS A MOUNTAIN.