Category: Transportation
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History Lesson – by Art Fettig
The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That’s an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that’s the way the first railways were built in England, and the first US railroads were built by English expatriates.
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They Can’t Stop! – by Art Fettig
Art Fettig – In 1971 I was named to the Michigan Governor’s Commision on Railroad Crossing Safety and since I’d been working at Grand Trunk Western Railroad since 1948 as a Claim Agent I already had a load of experience on the subject.
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A Bad Example
Art Fettig – I guess you could say that Father Skiffington, S.J. was my first Mentor. He was my English teacher in my junior year at the University of Detroit High School.
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Car Memories – My First Car
A 1950 black Ford Tudor, loaded with extras. A radio, heater and white wall tires. I bought it on my 21st birthday, July 5, 1950 and paid cash for it, $1,200.