I live in the North End of St. Paul, and my house was built in 1879, presumably, for railroad workers. It's a little 2 BR single story house that would have housed one of those guys in the photograph! I love to think about all of the history in my own house!! Thanks for this vid!
My mother grew up just 3 blocks North of there on Genesee St. and I remember visiting my grandmother from the early 70's until 1984 when she moved. I remember driving on the Jackson St. bridge that goes over that rail yard. I have not had the opportunity to visit the Minnesota Transportation Museum as of yet. Great video and you just got another subscriber!
I found a couple of things interesting in Mr. O'Brien's obituary: 1) They stated that he was 'one of St. Paul's oldest citizens.' But he would have been only 61 or 62 at the time of his death. 2) I kind of like how the obit stated, 'The deceased had been ailing since December and his death was not unexpected.' Most obits today, it seems, are vague or give no information at all about circumstances surrounding the person's death. I also found it eye-opening as to how the costs of buildings and equipment must have far outpaced inflation over time ($44,000 loss from roundhouse fire in 1881 that adjusts to $1.4 million today). I would imagine that loss today would be many times the $1.4 million inflation adjusted number. Thank you for the very interesting video!!
Were you unable to gain access to the roundhouse? The museum could certainly use the notoriety and exposure. I've heard they are struggling with costs and attendance.
Lived on Rice st and sycamore St,1 block from GN shops,every week we would hang out here for hours,passenger car yard at Jackson st...r.r.police shotguns w/rock salt... caboose w/ torpedoes,flares,best of times railfan 75 yrs,from 1954-2023,(1955 huge fire at the shops,fire trucks on the mainline,5 alarms
I didn't even know that existed I was born and raised in Minneapolis South Minneapolis to be precise I remember when I was a kid Hiawatha was a busy place for trains that's all gone now all those green elevators closed down and then the railroad disappeared I have since moved to brainerd and there's a there was a big railroad yard up here too the buildings are still there kind of and the railroads long gone they seem to come stay in business for a couple decades and then go under sad really and there's hardly any trains here in brainerd anymore there's some on highway 10 coming north and south but here in brainerd not much not much of anything strange do come here once in a blue moon but they're mainly called trains can't do any rail fanning here there ain't anything to rail fan.
I remember as recently as the 70’s there was a major shop facility in Brainerd. Driving by the ‘bad order yard’ I saw hundreds of cars with varying degrees of damage, waiting either to be rebuilt in the shops or scrapped.
I live in the North End of St. Paul, and my house was built in 1879, presumably, for railroad workers. It's a little 2 BR single story house that would have housed one of those guys in the photograph! I love to think about all of the history in my own house!! Thanks for this vid!
Great video with all these photos and maps! Thanks for putting this together.
My mother grew up just 3 blocks North of there on Genesee St. and I remember visiting my grandmother from the early 70's until 1984 when she moved. I remember driving on the Jackson St. bridge that goes over that rail yard. I have not had the opportunity to visit the Minnesota Transportation Museum as of yet. Great video and you just got another subscriber!
Those stone buildings are very beautiful
I found a couple of things interesting in Mr. O'Brien's obituary: 1) They stated that he was 'one of St. Paul's oldest citizens.' But he would have been only 61 or 62 at the time of his death. 2) I kind of like how the obit stated, 'The deceased had been ailing since December and his death was not unexpected.' Most obits today, it seems, are vague or give no information at all about circumstances surrounding the person's death.
I also found it eye-opening as to how the costs of buildings and equipment must have far outpaced inflation over time ($44,000 loss from roundhouse fire in 1881 that adjusts to $1.4 million today). I would imagine that loss today would be many times the $1.4 million inflation adjusted number.
Thank you for the very interesting video!!
Good video. A lot to see in the round house. Worth a visit
Good stuff, thanks.
Narrorator puts emphasis on " It was made of WOOD!"
ME - " OPE, know where this is going"
Were you unable to gain access to the roundhouse? The museum could certainly use the notoriety and exposure. I've heard they are struggling with costs and attendance.
I can't show imagery that a private entity charges admission for. I have been inside, and it's pretty cool though.
Have you considered overlaying the historic map over the modern view aerial/satellite view?
Lived on Rice st and sycamore St,1 block from GN shops,every week we would hang out here for hours,passenger car yard at Jackson st...r.r.police shotguns w/rock salt... caboose w/ torpedoes,flares,best of times railfan 75 yrs,from 1954-2023,(1955 huge fire at the shops,fire trucks on the mainline,5 alarms
The stone seems to be crumbling in some areas. Agree?
Good eyes! Yes, there are a few spots that look like the stone was weaker than others.
I didn't even know that existed I was born and raised in Minneapolis South Minneapolis to be precise I remember when I was a kid Hiawatha was a busy place for trains that's all gone now all those green elevators closed down and then the railroad disappeared I have since moved to brainerd and there's a there was a big railroad yard up here too the buildings are still there kind of and the railroads long gone they seem to come stay in business for a couple decades and then go under sad really and there's hardly any trains here in brainerd anymore there's some on highway 10 coming north and south but here in brainerd not much not much of anything strange do come here once in a blue moon but they're mainly called trains can't do any rail fanning here there ain't anything to rail fan.
I remember as recently as the 70’s there was a major shop facility in Brainerd. Driving by the ‘bad order yard’ I saw hundreds of cars with varying degrees of damage, waiting either to be rebuilt in the shops or scrapped.